O'Toole condemns 'harassment' of Trudeau at campaign event cancelled over 'security concerns'

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was scheduled to make an appearance in Bolton, Ontario to speak with supporters and drum up support in key battleground ridings in the 905. However, a small, vocal group of protestors prompted the RCMP to delay and eventually cancel the scheduled campaign stop, which was later moved to an undisclosed location in nearby Brampton, Ontario.

In a statement published to Twitter on Friday evening, Kyle Seeback - the Conservative candidate for the riding Dufferin-Caledon that encompasses the hamlet of Bolton - condemned the incident.

"I learned tonight that a few of my supporters attended the protest outside Justin Trudeau's event tonight. My campaign has zero tolerance for obscenities or threatening behaviour against any candidate," he said. "Accordingly, these individuals are no longer welcome on my campaign."

This morning, at a media availability in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Conservative leader Erin O'Toole was asked about his thoughts on the matter.

"My message is simple, we're running on 'Canada's Recovery Plan', we're running on a positive campaign for the future of this country, and we need to have a positive campaign on ideas." he said.

"I strongly condemn any form of harassment, and the protests we've seen [in Bolton]. We're a democracy, we should be having a healthy and respectful debate on ideas, and we have no time for people that bring negativity to campaigning."  O'Toole concluded.

Trudeau has been heckled by protestors during several campaign stops following the writ drop.  

In Mississauga, Ontario, an unknown protestor yelled, "You're garbage Trudeau."

During a campaign stop at White Rock, BC, Trudeau was chased and booed away by a crowd. "You ruin families!" one man yelled.

In Cobourg, Ontario, Trudeau was called a "traitor" several times as protestors and Liberal supporters went tit for tat over masks and vaccine mandates. A man, who says he immigrated to Canada for freedom, decried Trudeau’s leadership. Liberal supporters across the street yelled "go back to Afghanistan" and "leave then."