Trudeau, cabinet set for Nanaimo meeting

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet will be in Nanaimo next week for a retreat.

This event, scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday, will mark the first meeting of the new federal cabinet before Parliament resumes in September.

“I look forward to meeting with our new cabinet in beautiful Nanaimo, B.C.,” Trudeau said in a statement.

“Nanaimo is a gateway to Canada’s markets and a tourist destination known around the world. It is a perfect setting to discuss how we can promote Canadian exports, expand tourism, and diversify our trading partnerships, to continue making life better for people from Nanaimo to Corner Brook.”

The site of the retreat was not disclosed.

The cabinet will tackle topics such as how to create economic growth and middle-class jobs in Canada. International trade, eliminating trade barriers between provinces and territories, and protecting Canada’s borders are also on the table.

Trudeau was in Nanaimo in February for a heated town-hall meeting where he was heckled by critics. The packed meeting at Vancouver Island University’s gymnasium was a wrap-up to a cross-country tour.

Police hauled out one protester who would not stop yelling. Many were there to show their displeasure with the Kinder Morgan pipeline.