Leamington expecting 'a bit of a block party' for Trudeau's visit July 1
CBC News | Posted: June 26, 2018 11:55 PM | Last Updated: June 26, 2018
Prime minister staying out of Ottawa on July 1, also visiting Regina and Dawson City
On Canada Day, Justin Trudeau is trading the nation's capital for the tomato capital.
According to spokesperson Cameron Ahmad, Trudeau wants to spend Canada Day in parts of the country he doesn't often get a chance to visit. As a result, he's scheduled to visit Leamington, Ont., Regina, Sask. and Dawson City, Yukon — all on July 1.
The tour also seems, at least partially, to reflect the trade dispute between Canada and the United States.
When the prime minister visits Leamington, one of his first stops will be at Highbury Canco, a facility that makes tomato paste and other products for companies such as French's and Kraft Heinz.
"That's a little nerve wracking. I mean, it's a big visit, and we're expecting quite a turnout," said Highbury Canco president and CEO Sam Diab, noting that Erie Street, the municipality's main road, will be closed. "We're expecting a bit of a block party."
Maxwell Abraham, owner of Abraham Orthodontics, will have a front-row seat to the festivities. His office on Erie Street is located across the street from Highbury Canco.
"We're super pumped," he said. "We're more excited for our patients who get to park in our parking lot and get the best seats in the house."
Abraham says the last-minute nature of the announcement means his team is scrambling to organize for the big day.
Highbury Canco's Diab says he expects Trudeau to be in town for at least a couple of hours.
"Certainly we want to take a few minutes of his time to tell him a little bit about Highbury Canco and how the government can help us in the future," he said.
"But most of the time will be spent with him mingling with people out on the street ... giving him a good impression of Leamington and southwestern Ontario."
Shop Canadian or promoting trade?
University of Windsor political science professor Bill Anderson, who also leads the university's Cross Border Institute, doesn't think the prime minister will use the tour to promote a "Buy Canadian" initiative similar to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Buy American" rhetoric.
"I think the message will be much more about, Leamington [being] a great example of a community that has been very successful in a very trade-intensive environment," he said.
Tap on the audio player to hear Anderson's conversation with Afternoon Drive host Chris dela Torre.
Anderson believes that a "Buy Canadian" message doesn't work for a country with a small population that relies heavily on exporting goods.
"A lot of what's produced in Leamington is exported in the United States," Anderson explained. "I think Leamington is a great example of how cross-border integration can be beneficial for everyone."
John Paterson, the mayor of Leamington, agrees.
"I'm not an economist, but I'm a realist. There's only 30 million of us here in Canada, versus 300 million in the United States," he said. "Canada really needs the U.S. to be our trading partner ... we have to find a way to make this all work out between both countries."
While the impending Canadian tariffs on items such as American ketchup may bode well for the tomato capital, Paterson said that canning companies in the region may face increased costs on raw materials such as steel.
While the town is possibly used as a political prop, the mayor said he doesn't mind.
"I'm okay with that," he said, pointing out that Trudeau's father, Pierre, also visited the area in the 1970s as prime minister.
"For Leamington, I think it's pretty exciting. For Essex County, it's pretty exciting. And if he's using us as a foothold, I don't see the problem with that."