Some Bay of Quinte Liberal party members and volunteers played host to a special guest Sunday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau made brief stops in Prince Edward County and Belleville.
Bay of Quinte riding Liberal MP Neil Ellis and about 50 others greeted Gregoire-Trudeau outdoors at Parkdale Park in Belleville.
All participants wore face masks. The events were by invitation only and kept small due to COVID-19 concerns.
Gregoire-Trudeau gave the party members and volunteers a pep talk during her brief visit as the federal election, both nationally and locally, is shaping up to be a close one.
She stressed her priorities as being affordable childcare, housing, climate change, and more equality in society.
On childcare she said the COVID-19 pandemic had hit women and mothers especially hard forcing many to quit jobs to take care of family at home.
“We had your backs through these challenging times and our focus has to continue to be on protecting one another and making everyone’s lives better.”
Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk brought greetings from the city adding that the pandemic had exacerbated a labour shortage in the region and that affordable childcare would do a lot to help people and strengthen the local economy.
Also attending were Belleville Councillor Sean Kelly and mayor of Prince Edward County Steve Ferguson.
Bay of Quinte riding MP Neil Ellis with Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau at Belleville’s Parkdale Park Sunday afternoon August 22 2021. (Photo: Quinte News)
