VIDEO: Justin Trudeau comes to say “Happy B.C. Day” to Penticton

PENTICTON – Some special guests came to the B.C. Day Picnic in Penticton today.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire made a public appearance at Gyro Park. The grounds were filled and people cheered, cried, booed and laughed as the Prime Minister observed the province's holiday.

The mayor of Penticton, Andrew Jakubeit, emceed the event. After the singing of the Okanagan and Canadian anthems, and a speech from Member of Parliament, Richard Cannings, Jakubeit introduced “Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and her husband.”

“And now on to bigger and better things,” Jakubeit announced with an arm stretch in the Prime Minister’s direction: “The cake.”

The crowd laughed. Then as Justin and Sophie approached the microphone people cheered, but there was also soft booing below the applause.

While there was a large amount of red T-shirts showing support for the Liberal Party, there were also posters expressing disapproval for different actions the Trudeau government has taken over its nearly three-year term.

Both Trudeaus made speeches. Sophie Grégoire spoke about their family, connecting to those in the crowd raising children in this country.

“This political journey that we’re on, it’s a human journey,” she said. “And it’s the story of every single family in Canada.”

The Prime Minister’s speech focused more specifically on the Okanagan. Before complimenting the “strength of the people and the strength of the land” in the region, he acknowledged Cannings and made a point of one of their shared political views.

“One of the things we agree on is how politics needs to be done,” Trudeau said. “Focused always on bringing people together as much as possible, and that is what B.C. Day is about.”

As the Prime Minister left the event he was rushed by the crowd and he shook hands and posed for selfies on his way back to the vehicle.

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