The Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre visited the Kootenays on Thursday. He was joined by his wife Ana Poilievre and Frank Caputo, the Conservative Member of Parliament representing the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo region.

Poilievre and company hosted a meet and greet at the Riverbelle in Trail and then took a tour of the Kalesnikoff Lumber Mill in Castlegar. At the meet and greet in Trail, Poilievre was greeted by a crowd of roughly 300 people. He spoke for about half an hour addressing several issues across the country including two issues close to the Kootenays: housing costs and drug addiction. He then shook hands and met with his supporters; no questions were taken from the media.

According to 338Canada.com, the Conservative Party of Canada is projected to earn 35 per cent of the popular vote and 139 seats if an election was held today. That would be enough for Poilievre and the Conservatives to hold a minority government.

The visit to the Kootenays was one of many stops across the country for Poilievre: he recently hosted an event in Penticton, BC, attended the Calgary Stampede and did a weeklong tour across the Maritimes.

CJLY was on the scene in Trail recording Poilievre’s speech. Listen to the story below: