UPDATE 4:50 p.m It was a carefully crafted series of photo opportunities as Premier Justin Trudeau took a whirlwind tour of parts of the Okanagan Monday. Trudeau’s first stop was at a childcare facility in Lake Country, where he played and did crafts with students. He then toured the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative in Kelowna and posed for pictures with workers. A woman he stopped talking to has worked at the plant since 1987 and met Trudeau’s father, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, when he was a child. Some of the shoppers at the fruit tree shop were caught off guard when they came face to face with the prime minister. “We just saw a lot of people around here with cameras and thought maybe a movie was being made,” said Kim, who was shopping with her young daughter. “We knew the prime minister was in town, but we didn’t know he would be here,” he added. His final stop of the day was at Lutz Orchards in Summerland, where he spoke with owner Derek Lutz about the recent weather effects on his cherry crop. “Last year it was very dry, so they were small. This year it’s been wet, so they’re too plump and they’re splitting,” Trudeau asked as he walked through the orchard with Lutz. The media was not allowed to ask questions at any of the three stops. His trip to the Okanagan comes days after Conservative leadership frontrunner Pierre Poilievre made a private jaunt through Kelowna, meeting MPs and party loyalists. This is the premier’s first public visit to Kelowna since 2017, when the Kelowna-Lake Country riding was held by Liberal Stephen Fuhr. He also appeared at the BC Day celebrations in Penticton in 2018. This is the latest in a series of summer appearances by Justin Trudeau. Was in Calgary last week for a Stampede Pancake Breakfast. UPDATE 1:55 p.m Premier Justin Trudeau campaigned in the Okanagan today. Trudeau’s first stop was at a childcare facility in Lake Country, where he played and did crafts with students. He then toured the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative in Kelowna and posed for pictures with workers. Some of the shoppers at a fruit tree shop were caught off guard when they came face to face with the prime minister. The media were not allowed to ask questions during the carefully crafted photo opportunities. His visit comes just days after Conservative leadership front-runner Pierre Poilievre also made a private swing through the Okanagan, meeting MPs and party loyalists. This is the premier’s first public visit to Kelowna since 2017, when the Kelowna-Lake Country riding was held by Liberal Stephen Fuhr. He also appeared at the BC Day celebrations in Penticton in 2018. Trudeau has one more stop this afternoon in the South Okanagan. ORIGINAL 7:15 am Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will cross the Okanagan today. Trudeau will meet with the agricultural sector and visit a day camp for children. He is not believed to make any major announcements, with his appearances being characterized in the media as photo opportunities. This is the premier’s first public visit to Kelowna since 2017, when the Kelowna-Lake Country riding was held by Liberal Stephen Fuhr. He also appeared at the BC Day celebrations in Penticton in 2018. Castanet will provide coverage of the day’s events.
