Trudeau makes whistle-stop in Keswick backing Tanaka's byelection bid

Yorkregion.com
February 1, 2019
Heidi Riedner

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a whistle-stop in Georgina the afternoon of Jan. 31, hitting the campaign trail with York-Simcoe byelection Liberal candidate Shaun Tanaka.

Amid a fray of media and security detail, Liberal supporters were treated to hearty handshakes and some conversation during afternoon visits to Sammy’s Chicken Coop, C.J. Barleys and other locations in Keswick.

They also received the party pitch as to why Tanaka would be the "strong local voice in government" who will stand up for the priorities and needs of the riding.

"Working together, we can strengthen our middle class, grow our local economy and offer real help to families," Tanaka said.

Voters in York-Simcoe will head back to the polls Feb. 25 in one of three federal byelections called by the prime minister Jan. 9.

Three months after municipal elections, and six months before a general federal election in October, voters will decide on a new federal MP in the riding -- long considered a Tory stronghold, and held for the past 14 years by Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Peter Van Loan, before his retirement from politics last September.