Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toured London’s and Guelph’s industrial sectors on April 14, 2016. The prime minister delivered a speech at London’s Fanshawe College in the morning, while briefly meeting with workers at Guelph’s Magna Polycon Industries plant in the afternoon.
Speaking at Fanshawe’s Centre for Applied Transportation Technologies, Prime Minister Trudeau expressed interest in the work carried out by students. According to CTV News, he further supported the Liberal government’s plan for investing $2 billion into labs and buildings for post-secondary institutions.
“Students need updated facilities and equipment in order to maximize their educational experience,” said the prime minister, in a video captured by CTV News London, on April 14, 2016. “We know this, as Canada’s economy shifts toward high skilled employment, it’s more important than ever to make sure that new grads have the skills and training they need to meet the demands of the labour market.”
In addition, he spoke about the importance of reducing student debt for students from low to middle income families by “boosting available grant funding by up to a thousand dollars a year for low and middle income students.”
Following the formal speech, the prime minister fielded questions from the media and reaffirmed Canada’s arms deal with Saudi Arabia.
“Fundamentally, this issue is a matter of principle,” said Prime Minister Trudeau, according to the London Free Press. “The principle at play here is that Canada’s word needs to mean something in the international community. It is important that people know when they sign a deal with Canada, when they sign a commercial agreement, a change in government isn’t going to lead to that contract being ripped up.”
In Guelph, the prime minister was joined by Liberal MP Lloyd Longfield, as well as City of Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie, to tour Magna Polycon Industries, an automotive parts plant on Independence Place.
The Ontarion joined a gathering of reporters, workers, and officials to watch as the country’s leader added the finishing touches to some front-end car parts, granting official certification from the Prime Minister of Canada. No announcements were made at this stop.
Prime Minister Trudeau made his exit by shaking hands and taking selfies with workers and members of the crowd.
Prime Minister Trudeau spent the rest of the week touring other cities in the Grand River region. On Friday April 15, 2016, the prime minister visited Waterloo and Cambridge, delivering talks and also providing photo opportunities for media outlets.