PPC association president charged with throwing rocks at Trudeau
A week ago, as Trudeau was leaving a campaign event in London , Ontario, he was surrounded by angry protesters who began throwing handfuls of gravel and debris at the party leader. RCMP officers held up their hands to protect Trudeau from getting hit as he got on his campaign bus. Some members of the media following the Liberal campaign were hit by the small projectiles.
On the Liberal campaign plane later Monday evening, Trudeau told reporters that some of the gravel “might have hit my shoulder.” When asked if he was certain he was hit by the rocks, Trudeau responded, “Does that matter?”
“There were little bits of gravel and I may have been hit,” he said, shrugging it off. “I had someone throw pumpkin seeds at me a few years ago.”
Today, Shane Marshall, 25, was charged with one count of assault with a weapon in the Labour Day incident and is to appear in court next on Oct. 6. About 100 protesters were present at the event, chanting “lock him up” and “freedom.” Some demonstrators were wearing People’s Party of Canada merchandise.
The problem? Marshall is the head of the Elgin-Middlesex-London riding association for the People’s Party of Canada (PPC). The London Free Press also alleges Marshall has connections to social media sites that promote neo-Nazi and white nationalist material, although this hasn't been verified.
Party spokesperson Martin Masse confirmed that Marshall was ejected from his position thereafter. "We expelled him as soon as it was confirmed that he was the one who threw the gravel," Masse replied. "We haven't confirmed the other allegations, and frankly we are busy running an election campaign and don't have time to investigate someone who isn't involved in our party anymore."
It should be noted that, despite allegations from the left, the PPC is not affiliated with radicalism. It adheres to a libertarian populist platform that has accepted Canadians of all strides. Indigenous policy has also proven important for Bernier, given the number of indigenous candidates running with the platform (such as Shawn McDonald, a Metis candidate in Fort McMurray-Cold Lake).
