Justin Trudeau to protesters: ‘Allow me to continue my answer’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lost his cool with a group of protesters that wouldn’t let him finish answering a question at a Winnipeg Town Hall on Thursday.

Trudeau showed clear frustration after pipeline protesters repeatedly tried to talk over him.

READ MORE: Student asks Justin Trudeau why his father gave Western Canada ‘the middle finger’

A video from the event shows him walking back and forth at the town hall as at least three protesters hold up signs objecting to his approvals of Kinder Morgan’s TransMountain pipeline expansion and Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline.

One sign said, “No KXL, no line three, no Kinder Morgan.” Another said, “Be a feminist. Respect consent. #UNDRIP.” Yet another sign said, “Water is sacred. No pipelines.”

Protesters also chanted, “Keep it in the ground,” a slogan often heard at pipeline protests in Canada.

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“I’d love to field more questions, I’m going to take more questions, we’ve got a group of young people who’ve been very patient here, but you know what, I think people want to hear the end of my question on why we’re building pipelines in this country,” Trudeau said to cheers and applause.

“And maybe you don’t want to hear my answer, but I know there’s a few people who do, so please allow me to continue my answer, how’s that? Will you allow me to continue my answer without interrupting me for the rest of the answer?” the prime minister asked.

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“No!” one protester could be heard saying.

“I hate to do this, but if you can’t commit to letting me finish my question, perhaps you could leave the room,” Trudeau said to more cheers.

“This is a lack of respect for the people who’ve come out here. And I’ll tell you what, you’re not winning people over to your cause, I’ll tell you that much,” he added.

• With files from The Canadian Press