PEI

Justin Trudeau skips P.E.I. on Atlantic Canada visit

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cross-country tour of town hall-style events made its way to Atlantic Canada early this week with stops in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. But Trudeau didn't visit Prince Edward Island.

Liberal MP Wayne Easter says scheduling, timing, reasons PM skipped P.E.I.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Fredericton, N.B. this week as part of his cross-country tour to speak with Canadians. He also visited Nova Scotia, but skipped P.E.I. while in Atlantic Canada. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cross-country tour of town-hall style events made its way to Atlantic Canada early this week but after visits to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Trudeau left without setting foot in Prince Edward Island.

Scheduling, timing 

Wayne Easter, Liberal MP for Malpeque, said it is "great to see" the prime minister travel across most of the country to meet directly with Canadians and hear their concerns. 

With respect to P.E.I., he said the province wasn't part of the tour because of "scheduling" and "timing."

"He's getting to the areas he can. He was in Prince Edward Island last year during Old Home Week and met people on the ground at that time," he said.

Easter said he doesn't think that passing over P.E.I. sends a message to Islanders that the province is insignificant.

"I do think people understand … [that] he can't be everywhere. He's not going to be in all the provinces, that I'm aware of."

Easter added that some of the issues raised in Dartmouth, N.S., are similar to those that might have been raised on the Island.

He also said there will likely be other opportunities in the future for Islanders to speak directly with the prime minister.

With files from Nicole Williams