Parses captions for PM Trudeau's daily speeches and presents them in a more human readable format
Operator:
Thank you. Merci.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. First of all, I’d like a clarification a about the $240 million, since it’s about health care. Will you be transferring that money to the provinces? and also we heard talking – we heard about evidence regarding the virus and the United States secretary mentioned this this morning.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Well, that money is for on-line care and mental health services that will be available at various levels and there will be money for provinces as well. With respect to how and where this virus began, I know it’s interesting to find that out. But our concern is really to ensure that we can help people now. There will continue to be questions asked and we’ll don’t look for answers. But right now our priority in the coming weeks must be to do everything we can to protect Canadians now. So, should I understand that you did not see that evidence that the americans have been talking about? well, there a number of theories out there and we’ve heard concerns and hypotheses as to how all of this began. But right now My priority is how we managed the situation. After, we can ask those questions and try to find out how this happened.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s while this is happening, our focus needs to be on what is happening and how we help it. There will be much time in the coming weeks and months for reflecting on how it happened and how we can prevent it in the future. But for now, My focus is on how we make sure Canadians get all the help they can right now.
Thank you. Operator, next question.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. Next question, the Canadian press. Line open.
Yes. Thank you, Prime Minister. I just wanted to know if you could speak to a different topic for a second. Premier Doug ford yesterday suggested that the money for buybacks would be better spend on border security and cracking down on smuggling. Could you respond to his comments, please?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we know there is more to do on strengthening control in this country which is why we’re going to be moving to ward when parliament allows it with stronger measures around. Borders and safe storage and handguns to permit municipalities to ban hand guns within their city limits. We know there is more to do. But we also know there is no place in Canada for guns, specifically designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time. That is why we are moving forward with a ban on assault – military-style assault weapons.
Interpreter:
We recognize that there is much more to be done to strengthen gun control and that is why we will be introducing legislation when a parliament allows us to do that. In order to strengthen border controls and introduce other measures with represent to handguns in particular and continue a buyback program for assault-type military weapons. At the same time, I can say that we realize and know that there is no place for weapons that were in Canada that were invented to kill as many people as in the shortest span of time. Those assault-style weapons have no place here in Canada and that is why we have banned them.
Reporter:
Yeah, sorry. Tomorrow we’ll see a number of provinces, Quebec and Ontario in particular start re-opening their economies. Do you have any thoughts on the measures that have been announced by some of these provinces, especially Quebec, given that we’ve seen ongoing increases in the number of COVID-19 cases?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we all, provinces, territories and the federal government, agree on shared principles that we believe in, in terms of opening gradually, carefully and remaining extremely vigilant as different regions take different measures to restart the economy while keeping people safe. We will support Canadians across the country as we move through these next steps. Different regions will have different measures to bring in at different times and our job is to make sure we’re supporting them as best we can as we go through this carefully and step by step. Ok.
Interpreter:
The various provinces will be taking different kinds of action. We all agreed on basic principles and the conditions that have to be present for a gradual re-opening of society. and our role as a federal government is to support the provinces in the decisions that they make and to be there to help all Canadians right across this country. As the various regions begin to re-open, based on their perspective and what they believe to be appropriate.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci.
Interpreter:
Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. Now with represent to the introduction of the virus in north America, there is some sources that are saying that we were misled. Now is it the first of August that you have mentioned? we have always been very clear with various producers across this country and we will try to bring in into effect as soon as possible. But we did not believe that we could convince the Americans to wait until August 1. So that will happen on July 1, instead. As I always said, there will be compensation for dairy producers. It is a very good agreement for all Canadians but we also understand that this is an agreement that will have to result in compensation for dairy producers.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
Yes. If the national hockey league starts up again, will European players be allowed to cross the border, even though they’re not Canadian citizen or permanent residents? well, I believe that is something we will have to look at. Now whoever is coming in from another country, will have to follow all the quarantine rules but we are not at that point yet in our discussions with the NHL. We realize that it is a possibility but will depend on many different factors and I cannot say more at this point as to what will happen until those discussions have been complete.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. Next question, Justin Lang, freelance. Line open.
Reporter:
Good morning. I want to follow up on his question about this intelligence assessment. Fox news is reporting that American intelligence is saying that there is now a growing consensus amongst major intelligence partners that COVID-19 was actually leaked from the Wuhan government lab s. That not your position? if the American government is saying that the consensus is it not incumbent on you to clarify Canada’s position given that we are a member of the 5is intelligence partnership.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we have been consuming e – and cooperating with 5is on various intelligence that’s come out on this and other subjects. We’ll don’t work with intelligence agencies around the world, not just the 5is but friends and partners as well. and look to find answers to the many questions people are asking. But it is still too toller draw firm conclusions and indeed our focus remains on how we are working to protect Canadians, how we are ensuring that Canadians have our entire focus right now and our entire ability to support them through this time.
Follow-up?
Reporter:
So you say it is too early to draw conclusions, is it fair to infer that Canada has not come to a conclusion that this is from a Chinese lab and is there any investigation being ordered by cs is or c. S.e. To investigate those claims?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we continue to work very closely with our partners and allies and indeed independently on many security issues that are important for Canadians. At this point, we are not drawing any firm conclusions.
Prime Minister, can you tell us more about the supply council, what will it be focus on and how long is this mandate?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
From the very beginning, we may it an absolute priority to procure the necessary protective equipment for our front line workers in this country. We have managed to work with the provinces on sourcing necessary products from around the world so that we’ve been able to meet the demand across the country. The same time we recognize that was important to develop our own domestic capacity for P.P.E. and that is coming on-line now. At the same time, we recognize that as the economy starts to open in different places, in different ways it is going to be difficult to have personal protective equipment in various industries and that is why we need to make sure we’re getting the right procurement. That is why we’re working forward with this supply council.
Reporter:
and on the re-opening and how P.P.E. Inter plays with that, should Canadians expect to be required to wear masks more frequently as this re-opens? we’ve already seen on airplanes that masks are now required. Where else will we see that happen?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s what specific rules will be in place will depend on the jurisdiction and the region in which people find themselves. We see very different realities right across the country. But certainly social distancing rules will dofnlt apply and using masks in situations where it is more difficult to use full social distancing is going to be very important as well and I’m certain we’ll be seeing more people using masks.
Interpreter:
The various rules that will be seen across the country will be put in place by local authorities. But there is no doubt that, as we move forward and we have to continue physical distancing in situations where it may be more difficult to do that, such as on an airplane, well clearly we will be seeing more and more people wearing masks.
Reporter:
Prime Minister, will your government be putting forth any sort of fiscal update this month in terms of new government spending related to COVID-19 and would that include plans to start reducing the deficit?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we’re going to continue to stay transparents on the investments we’re making to help Canadians through this. We knew from the very beginning that one of the best ways to keep people safe and healthy was to give them the capacity to socially distance, to stay home, to isolate. and that meant sending income supports through the Canada emergency response benefit through the wage subsidy, through short – through loans for small businesses, through many other measures of support for different groups. We know that the best way to stay healthy is to support Canadians while we go through this difficult time. We have been ohm and transparent about that every step of the way and we will continue about the investments we’ll be making to keep people safe and our economy going. Our economy was strong before we went into this and we have tremendous confidence in Canadians’s ability to come roaring back as we re-open in a gradual way. and that is why we’re comfort about the future of the canadian economy and we will have, of course, more updates and more to say about that as time moves on.
Reporter:
With regards to gun control t grandfather clause of these measures seems to allow owners of these guns to apply to keep them in some sort of fashion. is it really a ban if some people can still keep those guns?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we know that banning military-style assault weapons was an important step in keeping Canadians safe. That is something that we have done because guns designed to kill the largest amount of people in the smallest amount of time have no place in Canada. We’ve brought in a two-year amnesty so that people who have purchased those guns legally will have time to be able to comply with the regulations we are going – the regulations we brought in and the buyback program and legislation that we’re going to move forward with at the first opportunity when the house turns its attention to things other than COVID-19. That means that we are going to keep moving forward on reducing the number of assault weapons in this country. The details on the buyback program, the details on the rules as to what happens at the end of this amnesty period will be worked out in legislation with other parties, with the stakeholders across the country. We are going take this very, very seriously because we, as canadian, know are deeply committed to keeping people safe and strengthening gun control in this country.
Prime Minister, Rachel ha ins from CTV national news. Following up on the gun question. The day that you announced the gun ban in your election campaign, you first toured around the danforth where a shooting had happened by a handgun. We know that almost 60% of all firearm-related deaths are because of a handgun. Why is there still a place for handguns in Canada and what evidence is there that shows that banning the guns that you chose will actually curb gun violence here?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
We’ve seen far too many mass shootings in which military-style assault weapons were used to kill innocent Canadians. Recently in Nova Scotia, back in ecole polytechnique 30 years ago. We’ve seen far too many cases in which these guns have caused devastation to families and communities. and that is why it was time to ban them. This is something that we were able to do through regulation. So it didn’t require legislation. But new measures that we intend to bring in on allowing cities the ability to restrix handgun use and handgun ownership is going to be brought in as we work on legislation as the house turns itself to measures other than COVID-19 and we know there is going to be broad support across political partis to do just that. Ok.
Interpreter:
We took concrete action now to limit access to assault-style weapons because there’s been far too many massacres and innocent victims that lost their lives because of the use of those weapons in the last 30 years. I – it was high time to take action on this but there is more to be done. That is why giving cities and municipalities the ability to ban handguns in the months to come will be important and working on legislation to do that. With political partis that agree with us and various groups anxious to see more gun control in this country.
Reporter:
Can you tell us about the spartan cube test seback? there are provinces, including Quebec, that have purchased these. They are set to re-open starting tomorrow. Concerns do you have or what does this mean moving forward if provinces are relying on this to ramp up their testing to re-open?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we said from the very begining that we needed to move very, very quickly. We moved quickly on economic measures. We’ve also accelerated the testing, the approval, the processes by which we can get a potentially life saving measures out there to Canadians. But when we do that quickly, there are going new facts that come in and a situations that evolve to require shifts in our postures. That is why we we will be as nimble as we can to what’s working. and we will always need to adjust every step of the way as new information comes in on a daily basis through this pandemic, through this crisis. Similarly, provinces will have to adjust to new realities and adjust to successes and challenges as they come up. We know that one of things that Canadians expect us to do is react quickly as new information comes in. and new understanding gets gleaned and that is exactly what we’ll do.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
French we knew from the beginning that we would have to take quick action in this emergency and this crisis to ensure that we were doing everything we could told protect Canadians and that is exactly what we did by investing and looking at new ways of saving lives. But when you move quickly, you also soon realize that there can be varying levels of success and some challenges that arise with certain processes or products. We continue to respond and I think that is what Canadians expect. and in the provinces, people will have to look at that new information and decide whether that will change their approach or their posture. I think Canadians do not expect that everything we say to be perfect for the months to come. They expect us to adjust things when the need arises. Radio-Canada. a concrete question for you once again – do we have enough test kits now, particularly with what we just learned about spartan to re-open the Quebec economy and Saskatchewan and other provinces. Do we have enough? those are decisions that regional and provincial governments will have to make for themselves. Our responsibility as a federal government is to be there to support the provinces and territories and find solutions to allow them to do more testing and provide the chemicals to equipment they need to ensure that their level of testing is appropriate. Based on what they believe to be necessary. So our role is to support the province’s decisions and it’s up to the provinces to decide whether this new information means they can go more closely or maybe they should slow it down. But as I say, we are there to help them, to support those decisions.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
It is up to the provinces to determine what is the right step for them, given the tools they have and the profile of the disease that they’re facing. Our job as a federal government is to be there to help provide them with the equipment they need, the support they need as they make the right determination in their region, in their territory, in their province. We know that there are very different situations across the country and we need to support the provinces in the different approaches and strategies that they take.
Reporter:
Interpreter:
So you’re not clearly saying we have enough tests to re-open the economy. There some people that are worried and those people will wonder if there is a second wave in the coming weeks in British Columbia or elsewhere. Can the federal government take control and say that is enough, we have to shut things down s. That something you can do? My responsibility to work with the provinces so they tell us we need this level of testing confirm the federal government help us to achieve that level of testing and, yes, our role and responsibility will be to support the provinces to meet those targets. We respond to the requests that dprom them and their reality on the ground. Our role is to monitor and coordinate those efforts across the country and ensure that the provinces are able to respond. If a province stars to re-open and realizes that unfortunately there is an explosion in the number of cases, it will be up to the provinces to respond. and I know that, in that province, citizens will say at that point that they want a different approach. But we will be there to support those decisions and make sure that the right ones for Canadians.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s one of the things that we need to know is that as provinces move forward, it is possible that we will see a rise in cases in difference areas and the provinces will have to respond with measures either specific to that area or broader measures. and every step of the way, the federal government will be there to support and be part of the solution as we keep Canadians safe. But I can certainly tell you that after having spent weeks in isolation, many Canadians will be very, very alert to any signs that we might have to – we might be entering a second wave and we will be demanding that their leaders respond to keep them safe. Merci.beaucoup.