Parses captions for PM Trudeau's daily speeches and presents them in a more human readable format
Operator:
Merci.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
Question. Yes, I have a question for Mr. Trudeau, regarding the emergency plan on COVID-19. We’re receiving lots of e-mails from [inaudible] saying that they’re suffering, that they need financial assistance. When will there be a plan to help seniors there waiting for this?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Interpreter:
Protecting the most vulnerable this crisis has always been one of our priorities. and we know that seniors are more vulnerable to COVID-19. That is why, from the beginning, we took measures to help our seniors. But, indeed, we do have more to do. We are working with the other parties and we are working with people in the field in order to send help to the most vulnerable seniors and we will be doing so shortly.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Protecting the most vulnerable has always been an essential element and the core of our response to COVID-19 and obviously our seniors, our elders are particularly as a result negotiable COVID-19. That is why we put forward a number of measures from the beginning. But why we will continue to work on supporting our vulnerable seniors.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
So, another question. Can we [inaudible] our plans next week? and I have a question regarding the CERB. There are companies that aren’t finding people to work because people are continuing to apply for CERB. It is more than official for them. Are you going to try to do something to help these entrepreneurs? answer – our priority is to ensure the health and safety of Canadians against COVID-19. That is why we put in place measures to encourage people to stay home. To protect themselves and we want to protect our health care workers. We want these measures to regain control in our country. Our next steps will be to examine how to open – re-open the economy and we want to make sure that people can work safely and we will do so. Thank you. Operator, next question.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. Next question, charlie Pinkerton, ipolitics. Line open.
Reporter:
Good morning, Prime Minister. Will you explain how what the government is announcing today, how it will implement it without passing new legislation between parliament?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
What is being done today is being done entirely through regulations. That is a tool we have. But to move forward on the next steps, including an eventual buyback programme, we will need to move forward through legislation in the house and we will be adding further measures to that as well. I have spoken with all other parliamentary leaders and I AM confident that we will have the support necessary to move forward on strengthening gun legislation in the country when the time comes for them to move forward on legislation other than COVID-19.
Reporter:
So, if you can do what is happening today without legislation, why was your government not proactive instead of reactive and why not put these in force earlier?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I will turn to Minister Blair to answer that. But we were ready to move forward about a month ago. We had been planning to do it in the late weeks of March. Obviously COVID-19 became a priority for all of us, particularly the Minister of public safety who was concerned with borders, concerned with public safety on multiple levels. and we focused on that. But obviously it remained and remains a priority for us to move forward and that is why we’re moving forward today. Bill?
Yes, Prime Minister. Just to explain. There was a great deal of work to be done, even though this is accomplished through regulation. We’ve been working very closely with the attorney general and the justice department in the drafting of those regulations. There were a number of very significant issues to be addressed. We are all highly motivated by our commitments to keep people safe and certainly the tragedy 12 days ago deepened our resolve to move forward as quickly as possible. But we have been working quite diligently over the past several months in order to draft the regulations that bring forward these measures today. As the Prime Minister has also indicates, there remains a great deal more work to do. At the very first opportunity, we’ll bring forward legislation that will complete the work that we begin today through regulation. My facilitating and parliament will determine a number of different important measures on how we can move forward as the Prime Minister’s indicated with a safe, effective and responsible buyback programme, but also enable us to take additional measures that will significantly improve public safety, strengthen gun control regulations. Today is a very important first step and it is a step that we have been work on over several months.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. Catherine Levesque, la presser Canadian. Avou.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
Question, yes. Hello, Mr. Trudeau. I have a question regarding the timing of this announcement where on May 1, Canadians are wondering whether or not they will be able to pay their bills, all businesses are wondering whether or not they will even be able to survive. Why? why is this a good moment to announce these measures on assault weapons? – on assault weapons?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Interpreter:
Even during this pandemic, even though society has slowed down or stopped, we have noticed the impacts of fire arms. We noticed that 12 days ago. That is why it is always a good opportunity to go forward for the safety of Canadians. We have been working hard for weeks to keep Canadians safe through COVID-19, but there are other thing s that need to be done and that is why we moved forward with increased gun control and that is why we’re banning assault-style – military-grade assault weapons.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
On which we’re very much focused on keeping Canadians safe from COVID-19. But even amid this terrible pandemic, we have seen the impact that someone with a gun can have in devastating the lives of family members, of communities in our country. That is why it is always a good moment to move forward on measures that keep Canadians safe and that is why we’re moving forward with this today. Chrystia?
Interpreter:
I would like to add, Mr. Prime Minister, that with physical distancing, our vulnerable population is more vulnerable than ever. Women and girls are seeing increased impacts of domestic violence and this is why we need now, more than ever, these new rules. Thank you. Operator? last question on the phone, please.
Operator:
Merci. Next question, Canadian press. Line open.
Reporter:
Yes. Minister Blair, some say that one of the steps that must be taken to ensure that guns remain out of hands of people that should not have them are better screening and enforcement of prohibition orders when there are flags that someone should not have a gun due to mental illness or criminal history. and now there is quite a range of discretion among officials in the justice system to – whether to enact through prohibition. Will the government move on that factor? [please stand by]– perhaps an individual might be suicidal. Or someone who is involved in domestic violence in a partnerrelationship, where there’s significant risk to thatindividual. and we have also seen, unfortunately, people in our society who are advocating less violence against religiousminorities. So we want to take the steps that are necessary to render that situation safe. and that’s to remove the firearms from that potentially dangerous situation and also to suspend that individual’sability to get access to guns. There is work that we have done in bill c-71 to strengthen background checks to make sure that individuals who should not have access to firearms don’tget them. But we are going to take additional steps to keep themsafe. Those prohibition orders are to be effective and have to be respected and enforced and consequences for those who don’tobey them and we – that’s why we are intending to strengthen our gun control and our gun laws to keep Canadians safe.
Question:
Just a quickfollow-up. There’s been some discussion howthe c-71 provisions, some keyelements have not come intoforce. Can you give us a timeline forthat? I realize that COVID-19 may havedisrupted that and I understoodthat there were budgetaryconsiderations and other factorswhy they may not be in placeyet. But can you give us a timelinefor the taking of effect or theprovisions in c-71 in.
Yeah, of course, Jim. and I will tell you that c-71was a very significant stepforward. In our last parliament by ourgovernment, to introduce thelegislation that would have avery positive effect in keepingpeople safe. and there remain a number ofelements of c-71 which we are inthe process of implementing. and they are important. You know, not withstanding thatwe have been very occupied, obviously, in our response tocovid-19, that response has beenentirely about keeping canadianssafe. and, unfortunately, during thisparticular pandemic – althoughwe have seen a change in a lotof society and even a reductionin a number of different typesof crime, we have not seen areduction in gun violence. We have not seen a reduction indomestic violence. and, in fact, because of some ofthe social distancing and socialisolation rules in place, thatrisk, that potential harm, hasbeen exacerbated. So we’re highly motivated tomove forward. Let me assure you and allcanadians that theimplementations of thoseimportant measures on bill c-71remain a high priority for us. There’s much that we are workingon now towards implementationand there are some additionalbudgetary measures that willneed to be implemented. and that will require theconsent of parliament. But when we’re ready, we’ll moveforward as quickly as possible.
Your government did not opt for mandatory buyback programme. That means that weapons that are targeted today could still be found in private residences. How do you ensure that these weapons will not be used to commit a violent crime?
(Voice of Translator):
All buyback programmes will need to be made into bills and so we will have to work with the other parties with different groups throughout the country to make sure that this buyback programmebe the best one, that it befair, and that we wanted to have the necessary impact. Things are still being ironedout. Today’s announcement means that from now on military-gradeassault weapons cannot be usedin Canada. and the next steps still need to be ironed out. [end of translation]the measures that we took todayensure that the use, purchase, the sale of military-styleassault weapons in this countryend today. The numbers of thosemilitary-style assault weapons in this country will only godown from here. Designing an appropriate andfair and effective buybackprogramme is something that we will do as part of a legislativerequirement. and we will, therefore, beworking with other parties inthe house, with stakeholdersacross the country, to ensurethat it is done right to be botheffective and impactful inkeeping Canadians safe.
Question:
(voice oftranslator): question. So you don’t know whether or no tit will be mandatory? also will review the classification of weapons so that a manufacturer cannot create a new model that would go to market and that would circumvent the list that you put forward today?
Prime Minister JustinTrudeau:
(voice oftranslator): answer. I’ll give the floor to minister blare who will be able to add Tommy answer. One of the biggest questions in our weapons classification system is that manufacturers of weapons can create variations of these weapons that circumvent the classification system that we have. One of the things that we’regoing to do moving forward is to ensure that the classification system to be constantly updated. We want to follow what is happening in the market for these weapons. That way we’ll always beup-to-date and we will always be able to protect Canadians. [end of translation]one of the things that we’relooking at right now is ensuringthat our system ofclassification of – of firearmsis ever evolving, that keeps upwith modifications brought in bymanufacturers, keeps up with newvariants and new technologies. We need to make sure that we areconstantly updating and ensuringour – updating ourclassification system to ensurethat Canadians are kept safe. Bill, you perhaps have a couplecomments.
Actually, you have covered it very well, Prime Minister. and when the classification system was implemented in the late 1990s, the system was rigid and inflexible and it kind of let us down because, quitefrankly, the manufacturers brought in a number of different variants that got around thoseclassifications. We will put a legislative framework in place in the legislation that we’ll bring forward that will create a new evergreen framework for classification so that as new weapons are introduced into themarket, Canada will be able to respond quickly to ensure that only those weapons which are safe for use in this country will be available to Canadians.
Question:
Hi, tom parry fromcbc. The shooter in Nova Scotia was using illegal weapons and a lot of illegal weapons come in from the United States. So why not target those weapons as opposed to going after lawful gun owners?
Prime Minister JustinTrudeau:
Today we are banningmilitary-style assault weapons in this country. Weapons that are designed forone purpose and one purposeonly – to kill as many peopleas possible in a short amount oftime as possible. Those guns have no place incanada and the measures thatwe’re putting forward willreduce the amount of those guns in Canada and eventually keepmore Canadians safe. But there is more to do. There are more measures to take, and we look forward to movingforward on those and for thosei’ll turn it back to ministerblair.
If I may – first of all, the responsibility for identifying the weapons that were used in nova Scotia is with the RCMP andit’s – the release of any information pertaining to those is theirs. But I can tell you that every firearm begins legally and then moves into an illegal market. and I can say with some confidence that the two long guns that were involved in that investigation without identifying them are included ontoday’s list.
Question:
Hi, crystal lock with global news. Regarding the new gun measures, do you plan to ban all automatic rifles and why not ban handguns? they’re causing more deaths incanada every year.
Prime Minister JustinTrudeau:
Today we’re moving forward with a ban onmilitary-style assault weapons. We have established criteriathat cover about 1, 500 modelsand variants of those guns thatare in Canada that are availableto Canadians. This will make sure that we havesafer communities as of todayand in the months and the yearsto come. At the same time, there is moreto do on strengthening guncontrol and we made asignificant commitments tocanadians back in 2015. and move forward on them in thelast mandate and we’recontinuing to move forward onthe commitments to strengthengun control in this country, including allowing cities andmunicipalities the ability torestrict the use of handguns. These are things that we willmove forward on in the comingmonths as parliamentary calendarreturns to dealing with thingsother than COVID-19. (voice of translator): we havetaken concrete measures to banmilitary-style assault weaponsthat do not belong in thiscountry. We recognize that it’s one stepof all of the things that we need to do regarding handgunsand other things. We also need to fight domesticviolence. We will continue to increase guncontrol in this country and inorder to do so we will need togo through parliament and we will do this work once thegovernment is able to focus onsomething other than COVID-19.
Question:
You talked about this two-year amnesty period, for law-abiding gun owners togive back these guns on thislist. Does that mean that canadiansthat don’t comply would be finedor arrested? and how much would youcompensate people who give backthese firearms?
Bill?
a couple questions that think that the attorney general would give you the details of the amnesty. But essentially it’s anon-permissive amnesty which asthe attorney general has alreadyexplained would allow a personwho lawfully acquired thesefirearms to continue for atwo-year period to retainpossession of them. But during that two-year period, they can’t use them, they can’tgo hunting with them and theycan’t take them to the range andshoot them and they can’t sellthem or transfer them. It is very restrictive on whatthey can actually do with theweapon. and it will have to be storedsecurely in a properly andapproved vault during thatperiod of time. The two-year period of amnestyenables us to bring forwardlegislation that with a safe andeffective buyback programme thatallows those individuals wholawfully acquired those things– it’s things that we’re tryingto avoid. Canadians who purchased theseguns did so legally. and we don’t want to create asituation by prohibiting themall of moving forward of puttingthose people in criminaljeopardy. So we have a period of amnestyto allow us to bring forwardlegislation and a programme toenable those Canadians whoinitially purchased these gunsto dispose of them and to not toput themselves placed in aposition of criminal jeopardy. As I said, we respect canadianswho obey the law. and the law quite appropriatelyhas now changed. So we will do the work necessaryand work with them to bring theminto a lawful situation and forall Canadians a safer situationsby the elimination of theseweapons in our society.
Thank you. The standard code provisions still apply. This is a regulation that derives from the criminal code. So the same – the samestructure, fines and penalties that exist for other firearms violations exist here. That hasn’t changed. The amnesty is also a regulation that does give thatnon-permissive period where onecan in a very limited way totransport the weapons forcertain reasons. But otherwise can’t use them.
Question:
Compensation?
That will be determined as we have said through a buybackprogramme that we’ll have to do through parliament that. Requires a budget, that requires law. So we will require the usual parliamentary processes andsafeguards, I might add, movingforward, again, with the cooperation and collaboration of our partners in the house ofcommons.
Question:
It’s may first, hard to believe but it is may 1and rent is due for canadiansacross the country. We know that the crab has helped lot of people but they have tochoose, particularly in bigcities, Prime Minister, do I pay my rent or get groceries. It’s not enough. Your government has stepped in for commercial renters here. is there anything more that you can do to help regular canadianrenters out there who can’t pay their bills today?
Prime Minister JustinTrudeau:
From the very firs tour focus through this COVID-19crisis has been ensuring thatcanadians who are vulnerablebecause of a loss of a paychequeor a loss of a job, who don’thave money coming in, to be ableto pay their rent or pay theirgroceries to get a reliablesource of income. That’s why we moved forward withthe Canada emergency responsebenefit. That’s why we are moving forwardwith the Canada emergency wagesubsidy. So that people actually can relyon money coming in to pay theireveryday needs. Which include groceries. We have moved forward with acommercial rent support forbusinesses because businesses –we need them to be able to comeback strongly after thispandemic is through, or afterthis phase of the lockdown isthrough. But we recognize that this is adifficult time for everyone andwe are looking to try and tohelp. But the wage subsidy will go asignificant distance towardshelping many, many Canadians to get through this difficult time.
Chrystia?
The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
The only thing that I would ad dis that it’s a really good question and I think that it’salso important for landlords to understand that these are exceptional times in ourcountry. and now is the time for allcanadians to stick together and to support each other. So if you have a tenant who has lost income because ofcoronavirus, now is the time to be really compassionate. That is the way that you support your neighbours and your country in this difficult time. and it’s also a time for banks to be really be thoughtful about the mortgages that those landlords have to pay. We will get through this andwe’ll get through it by supporting each other and by acting together.
Question:
Prime Minister, we know that the federal stockpile did not have adequate supplies of personal protectiveequipment. I’m wondering what Canadians and medical workers should be able to expect from this stockpile for the next pandemic?
Prime Minister JustinTrudeau:
The national stockpile is in place to supplement the stockpiles that provinces need to have across the country to deal with emergencies that couldarise. As we’ve seen through thispandemic, both at the provincial level and the national level, we should have had more. We needed to have more. That’s why we have been working so incredibly hard over these past weeks to source personal protective equipment and the necessary medical supplies from around the world. and we have largely been successful in meeting the needs of Canadians right across thecountry. But it took an awful lot of scrambling and an awful lot of effort that ideally wouldn’thave had to have happened. So there’s lessons to be learned going forward as we ensure that the stockpiles are adequate, both at the provincial and the federal level. and that is certainly one of the things that has been learned through this pandemic. On top of that, in terms of domestic procurement, we are seeing local manufacturers, domestic manufacturers, step up in significant ways to ensure that we have the equipmentneeded, not just for medical professionals on the frontlinesnow, but as we look towards are-opening of the economy thatwill require more P.P.E. Across many sectors.
Question:
So what does that actually mean as for your federal commitment? does that mean that you will stockpile it for a certain number of weeks going forward? will you mandate it? will you put it in legislation? what are you actually committing that it will look like goingforward?
Prime Minister JustinTrudeau:
Right now our commitment is to help canadiansgoing through this pandemic right now, with the equipment they need, and the support they need and our focus is entirely on filling those needs as quickly as possible. There will, of course, need to be very careful reflections about how we make sure that if this ever happens again that we are much better prepared. That is something that we are all going to be committed to. It’s something that canadianswill expect and something that this government will do.
Thank you, that concludes the press conference. Thank you.