100 protest PM at Winnipeg fundraiser

WebPosted Fri Jun 1 07:36:14 2001
WINNIPEG - About 100 uninvited guests showed up to greet the
prime minister at a
Liberal party fundraiser Thursday night, and when they couldn't
get inside, they smashed a window.

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was speaking before
900 who paid $300 a plate for the
gathering in
downtown
Winnipeg.

Meanwhile, about
100 people
concerned about
globalization and
last month's
Summit of the
Americas were
outside, jostling
with police as they
tried to get inside.

A plate glass window was broken when
protesters leaned on it, and two people were
arrested.

Despite the commotion outside, Chrétien told
his audience he's comfortable with his level of
popularity.

"Last year 60 per cent wanted me to go, now
it's 45 – It's a big improvement," he said. "The
Tories, the NDP and the Alliance don't want to
keep me – It's a compliment."

And the prime minister took a shot at
resurgent PC leader Joe Clark. "He is
approaching the popularity in opinion polls of
Kim Campbell – and he is already forming his
government."