P.E.I. MP gets trapped in a protest at Republican convention

It might come as a surprise to many Islanders, but P.E.I.Liberal MP Wayne Easter was in the crowd this week at the Republican convention in Cleveland.

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Easter is the chair of the Canada-USInter-Parliamentary Group.He saidmembers of the group often work closely with American senators and congressmen and so every four years they have representatives go to both the Republican and Democratic conventions.

"As legislators in this country,we willhaveto deal with whoever ends up being president so we need to know who the players are around those individuals, what their initial policy positions are and that will moderate as time goes on I expect."

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And there were some tense moments for him as well including getting trapped in a protest.

"I did get trapped one day in a demonstration and couldn't get in or out of the convention hall and that was over a group who were burning a flag," he said.

Attention on trade discussions

The Malpeque MP said he paid particular attention to trade discussions. He attendedpanels ondemocracy,energy. climate change and education.

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He said he took inmost of theconvention including the speeches, noting thatsome of the most interesting onescame from Donald Trump's family.

He described the mood as "almost vicious"towards the democratic candidate.

Easter said someone else in theCanada-USInter-ParliamentaryGroupwill be attending the Democratic convention, but concededthis one may have been the most interesting.

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