People鈥檚 Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier says fewer immigrants coming to Vancouver and Toronto would mean less pressure on the housing market in these cities. He was extremely well received inside the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel ballroom in Surrey, where he spoke Wednesday morning and received standing ovations.

Out in the hallway, on the other side of locked doors, protesters hollered their discontent.

Bernier said 41 per cent of immigrants settle in Vancouver and Toronto.

鈥淪o, if you have fewer of them, that won鈥檛 put a bigger pressure on the housing market,鈥� he said.

Bernier said that if elected, his government would cut foreign aid, noting Trudeau鈥檚 government gave $2.2 billion to African countries to fight climate change.

鈥淲e can save money there,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut yes, we are generous as Canadians, yes, if there鈥檚 an environmental disaster somewhere, we will be there to help, and if there is a humanitarian crisis, we will be there, but not to build growth, and bridges, and pipelines in Asia. We need to help our people first.鈥�

Bernier was the fourth speaker in the Surrey Board of Trade鈥檚 series of 鈥渢own hall鈥� speaking engagements that showcases federal party leaders heading into the October general election.

The Sept. 25 event at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel drew eight protesters ahead of his talk, pacing out on the sidewalk carrying signs with slogans like 鈥淧oisonous political candidate.鈥�

鈥淭he Surrey Board of Trade has invited Maxime Bernier, the leader of the far-right, racist, anti-immigrant party, People鈥檚 Party of Canada. We鈥檙e here to say no to Bernier and all the toxic politics that he represents,鈥� said Isabel Krupp, who held a sign that read 鈥淩efugees Welcome Here.鈥�

Another protester, Dave Diewert, said the rally was organized by the 鈥淎nti-Police Power Surrey鈥� group.

Diewert said those who came to protest oppose 鈥渇ar-right racist discourse that really gives oxygen to white supremacy and to an anti-immigrant sentiment.鈥�

Inside, Bernier called for Canada to allow 150,000 immigrants in per year, instead of 310,000.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not anti-immigration, but we鈥檙e not for mass immigration.鈥�

He said this past year 鈥渙nly 26 per cent鈥� were economic-class immigrants and if elected, he鈥檇 like to see that change to 50 per cent. 鈥淭hey will help us to build this country. That鈥檚 what we need.鈥�

Bernier said Canada takes in more refugees than the U.S. and all European countries, 鈥渟o we need to stop that. But the problem is we don鈥檛 receive the real refugees, that are waiting in the country where their life is in danger,鈥� but instead border jumpers, 40 per cent of whom will end up being deported.

Eight protesters outside Sheraton hotel in Guildford voicing opposition to People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier speaking there today. Isabel Krupp and Dave Diewert explain why.

鈥� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

Full house here at Sheraton hotel ballroom in Surrey to hear Maxime Bernier speak this morning at townhall meeting organized by Surrey Board of Trade, which has security on hand.

鈥� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

Maxime Bernier on protesters hollering at him in Surrey today#surreybc

鈥� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

It was a full house inside the hotel鈥檚 ballroom, with security guards on hand and RCMP in the hallway.

鈥淲hen people are calling names at us, for me, it is because they are weak,鈥� Bernier told the crowd. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 want to have a discussion.鈥�

He added that his political party is the fastest-growing in the country.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in Canada, a strong democracy. We must have the right to say what we believe in,鈥� he said to applause. 鈥淲e call that in our country free speech.

鈥淚鈥檓 not popular. Our ideas are popular,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e know we have the best ideas when we speak about freedom, and personal responsibility, and respect and fairness. These are Canadian values, and values coming from the Western Civilization, and western countries.鈥�

If elected, Bernier said, his party would end corporate welfare, and abolish capital tax.

SEE MORE:

Bernier: "I'm not popular. Our ideas are popular."

鈥� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

The Surrey series has already heard from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, in February, Green Party leader Elizabeth May in April and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in August.

SBoT CEO Anita Huberman said the business group also had security when NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh came to Surrey for the town hall series.

Huberman said Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has not yet been scheduled to speak.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just waiting for him to confirm a date,鈥� she said.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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