Awkward laughter rose through the crowd before Trudeau rebuffed the man’s question, saying people in politics have a wide range of opinions of leaders.
VANCOUVER – Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau fielded an unusual question Wednesday: would he accept a beer in exchange for pushing Donald Trump off a cliff?
The question during a town hall event in British Columbia came from a man Trudeau identified as an “enthusiastic bearded fellow in gray.” Referring to the U.S. president, the man breezily asked whether Trudeau would “just push him off a cliff? We’re good. Like, really. I’ll buy you a beer.”
Awkward laughter rose through the crowd before Trudeau rebuffed the man’s question, saying people in politics have a wide range of opinions of leaders.
“I wasn’t expecting a threat of violence against our closest ally,” Trudeau said. “The relationship between Canada and the United States goes far deeper than who happens to be prime minister and who happens to be president.”
Trudeau cited the recent trade deal between the US, Canada and Mexico as an example of cooperation. “Keeping things on a pragmatic, regular, thoughtful level and not stooping to insults or jokes, I think is an important thing that Canadians should keep in mind when dealing with the world, but I appreciate your question.”
In response to another question earlier about Trump, Trudeau said he tries “not to weigh in on various things he says.’
Trudeau took a range of questions, with the most heated ones coming over a pipeline controversy and indigenous rights. Trudeau said he understood the frustration over the project A but that the system was working as it should in a bid to reach a consensus.
