After sending 80 letters of concern regarding the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership free trade deal to Ottawa, 12-year-old Jada Malott from Windsor finally got her meeting with Justin Trudeau and a commitment from the prime minister to come to the city.
Malott attended Wednesday's session of Question Period where Essex MP Tracey Ramsey spoke on Malott's behalf regarding the TPP and secured a brief meeting afterwards with Trudeau.
“After having her letters repeatedly ignored, today, 12-year-old Jada Malott has travelled from Windsor to bring her message right to the prime minister,” began Ramsey during Question Period. “Why does the prime minister refuse to listen to Canadians like Jada who do not want to pay for this bad deal?”
The young Windsorite wasn't happy with the answers she was getting to the numerous letters she was sending.
Windsor's Jada Malott (left) meets Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (centre) in Ottawa with Essex MP Tracey Ramsey (right) on October 5, 2016. (Photo courtesy Michael Malott)
"It was kind of just fluffing me off and just telling me that, 'Oh yeah, we're continuing to work on it. It's going to be all good,'" says Malott, stressing the deal is of great concern to her. "Just because I'm only 12 years old doesn't mean I don't feel the effects of bad decisions made by politicians."
Malott says hearing her father talk about the TPP peaked her interest enough to read more about the trade deal. She's not exactly a fan.
In her short time with the prime minister she wanted him to commit to coming to Windsor to hear the local concern regarding the agreement. Malott put it to him plainly, comparing the deal to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
"I'm here to ask you now, 'Truly will you come to Windsor, so I can show you the damage NAFTA has done to my city?'" says Malott. "He said, 'Yes, I will come.'"
Malott says meeting the prime minister, attending a session of Question Period and touring Parliament Hill has her wanting to become a politician.
"I know I'm going to be one. I really, really want to be prime minister, I know that's a long shot, but I think I have a chance," says Malott, who cherished the experience in Ottawa. "It's not really often that a 12-year-old is going to be recognized in the House of Commons — it felt really good."
As part of their meeting, Malott presented Trudeau with a Windsor Wildcats jersey alongside Ramsey.
Malott returned to Windsor on Thursday night.