Parses captions for PM Trudeau's daily speeches and presents them in a more human readable format
Operator:
Thank you. Merci.
Reporter:
[Voice of Interpreter]:
Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. With respect to the report on Ontario and Quebec’s long-term care home, I’d like to come back to your offer of assistance to the provinces. I know that you’ve already said a few times that you will respect provincial jurisdiction, but you also said that you want to help. So, are you thinking of doing what the liberal government in Quebec did before? to ensure that specific funds go directly to these seniors homes? well, those are the types of discussions that have to take place among premiers. For the time being, our priority is to ensure that the help that is needed now within that system, either through the armed forces or other means will be there. So, right now, we are seeking to help those facilities and seniors homes to do better in agreement with the provinces, but over the longer term, we have to look at how we can move forward as a country to support our seniors after the pandemic. and we will be there to be part of those discussions.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s obviously we need to make sure that n Canada, there is a better job of supporting our seniors, particularly in long-term care centres. That is why we are there to help and we offered to help with the provinces. We will, of course, always respect provincial jurisdictions, but we will be part of those conversations. In the immediate, we need to make sure that help is improving and help is getting to people who need it and to centres who need it. That is why we’re there with the military and why we’re looking at other ways of helping in the short term as well. But for the longer term conversations, well those need to be had because cominging out of this pandemic and into the future, we need to make sure that we’re doing a better job of supporting our seniors and the federal government is there to work with the provinces while respecting their jurisdictions.
Reporter:
[Voice of Interpreter]:
Thank you. At the same time, you say you want to respect jurisdictions. Are the provinces really open to having specific measures taken or to be told how the money they received could be spent? and on the CERB, you’ve been telling people to move on to the wage subsidy. But will you extend the CERB or will it end ton date that’s already planned? as I said, we continue our discussions with the provinces and I believe that all levels of government, including municipal governments and indigenous governments are feeling the pressure of their citizens to improve the services provided to our seniors. and, of course, we will be listening to Canadians’ concerns about this. But I can’t speak to the provinces at this time. With respect to the programmes, I think it will be important to put a reasonable end to provide for a reasonable end to some of these programmes. Of course, we had to help people who had lost their income. and, of course, we had to ensure that people could get through this crisis. As best possible. and that is what we did. But, of course, in terms of moving towards an economy that’s recovering and employers that are starting to rehire their workers, we will be looking at the best way of making that transition and currently in discussion with other levels of government and workers’ organisations and unions and employers as well to talk about that.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
It will require a phasing out or ending of certain programmes and continuation or modification of others and those are things we’re look very carefully at. We’re still very much in the emergency phase, in the crisis phase of this. Even as we’re seeing careful re-openings. We need to make sure that we’re continuing to protect vulnerable Canadians and ensure that we’re controlling and stopping the spread of COVID-19. We will, however, look very carefully how we end certain programmes and how we modify others in order to get our economy going again or before it was even better.
Thank you. Next question.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. Next question, C.R.A. mcsweeney, city news rogers radio. Line open.
Reporter:
Yes, Prime Minister. I’m just wondering that given that advocates have said that the problems with long-term care are not new and they are widespread across the country and that you yourself have said that it’s not limited to the facilities that the military is currently deployed in, is it time for a national inquiry into long-term care facilities in Canada?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think right now, while we’re in this crisis, our responsibility is to respond to this crisis as best we can and to ensure that we are improving in the COVID-19 context care as best we can. But absolutely, we need to have conversations about how we care for our elders in this country right across the country. and respecting provincial jurisdiction, respecting that there are areas that have greater success and fewer problems than others. It means that we will need to be very careful and very grounded in the facts on the ground as we look to moving forward.
[Voice of Interpreter]:
We all know that, yes, there are challenges in our long-term care homes. But there is also a lot of variation between the provinces and even within the provinces. So, we will be working to provide assistance that right now in the midst of this crisis but obviously the conversations and more in-depth review of what needs to be done will be critical in terms of moving forward.
Reporter:
and a question from a colleague at 680 news in Toronto. I’m just wondering, new Zealand has floated the idea about a four-day work week, and extra statutory holidays post the COVID-19 pandemic to boost the economy. I’m wondering if you would consider the same thing for Canada, if that is something that you think would work for our country.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think there are a lot of people thinking creatively about what the post-COVID-19 world could look like and I look forward to hearing a wide range of suggestions. But right now we’re very much focused on getting through this particular crisis and we’ll have plenty of time to talk about particularly creative ideas on moving forward. But I’m not going to speculate on, you know, what any of them might be.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci.
Reporter:
[Voice of Interpreter]:
Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. I’d like to come back to the army’s report on facilities in Quebec. Did you read it and what do you think of it? what did you – what struck you in that report? well, yes, I did read it last night. The entire report. and, of course, there are some very concerning issues that are raised. The fact that the separation between the different zones is not being respected and staffing as well. and these are the reasons why we needed the armed forces to go in and assist. and through what I read last night, I must admit I felt tremendous pride in the professionalism of our armed forces members who are there to help with a system that is in difficulty right now and to protect the most vulnerable Canadians. Of course there was some troubling observations in there. But at the same time, we realised that we really needed to be there for each other and that there will need to be improvements made to the way those facilities operate.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I was able to read the report last night in its entirety in regards to Quebec. Obviously there are many things that were troubling that highlighted the very need that we had to send in our armed forces to help. Whether it was lack of personnel or difficulty in following the strict separation and isolation and P.P.E. Rules. There was a need for canadian armed forces and it certainly filled me with a tremendous amount of pride and even deeper respect for the professionals in our armed forces who have made such a positive difference in a short amount of time and some systems that were really in need of extra assistance. Obviously there were – there are difficult things that we need to continue on. But we have seen significant improvement in many of those centres and there continues to be a need for us to work together and I certainly spoke about that this morning with premier legault in our conversation.
Follow-up?
[Voice of Interpreter]:
Yes. On another subject, Mr. Trudeau, there is a very important decision that is going to come down out of the supreme court in British Columbia. If the court rules in favour of Meg wanzhou, will the Canadian government appeal the decision? we’re a few hours away from that court’s judgment and we will wait to see it. Before we speculate on the next steps for a potential decision.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. Next question, Teresa wright, the Canadian press. Line open.
Reporter:
Good morning, Prime Minister. Experts and advocates who have been raising red flags about the long-term care system for years are calling for immediate federal leadership, including national standards and guidelines. What is your immediate plan to deal with these systemic issues at the federal level now that the military has confirmed what many people have known for years?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
The immediate plan is to help out immediately. That is what we’re doing with the military and why we’re working very closely with the provinces on looking at how we can ensure that they have the resources needed to get these care centres properly serving the elders who they care for. There are many things that we need to work on right now. But, of course, there will be many important discussions going forward on how we establish a better system in Canada. and I’m not going to, you know, short circuit that conversation by putting forward aggressive proposals right now. But all I will say is the federal government is there to support and to work with provinces, to ensure that in areas of their jurisdiction, they are able to give Canadians the care that they and their families expect.
[Voice of Interpreter]:
What we need to do now is help and ensure that in this crisis in the midst of this pandemic, we have the necessary resources to care for our seniors across the country. and the federal government will be there to be a partner to the provinces while they regain control of the system. Now, of course, with respect to the longer term, we must have in-depth conversations about how we can ensure that we have a better system to support canadian and re-assure their families about the care, the level of care given to their parent and grandparents. We’ll be having those discussions at the appropriate time with respect to the appropriate action.
Reporter:
Yes, thank you. Prime Minister, your government is currently engaged in an unprecedented peacetime expansion of government spending and powers. At some point, shouldn’t Canadians be allowed a vote on the choices you are making and given the opportunity to say, in a democratic fashion, whether that is the path they want this country on?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s I haven’t heard a lot of Canadians demanding an election right now. But obviously in a minority parliament, parliament gets to decide when it no longer has confidence in the government. and certainly the focus we have moving forward is trying to respond to help Canadians as best we can in the immediate. This is a time of a certain crisis for Canadians and that’s why we have made unprecedented investments to support Canadians to get through this challenge. But there will be many challenges that we will face over the coming years as to how we improve the canadian economy. How we make better digital changes, how we move forward on a greener and cleaner economy. How we support our most as a vulnerable in better ways and there will be many debates in parliament and eventually in an election. But I’m not going to speculate on when that might be.
[Voice of Interpreter]:
I think Canadians know that our government is there to help people that need help now. We need to do everything we can in order to get everyone through this crisis quickly so that we can ensure we have a strong economy and a properly functioning society and there will be proper time to think about the longer term and how we can take the lessons of COVID-19 when it comes to caring for the most vulnerable, when it comes to a more digital economy, a greener economy. So, there are many, many things that we’ll have to be thinking about as Canadians and there will be political debates and elections to be held as well. Now with respect to an election, we are in a minority situation so parliament will decide when they no longer have confidence in the government. For the time being, I continue to govern for all Canadians.
Reporter:
What do you think of the particular part of the military’s report on Quebec long-term care homes that states they were keeping residents who tested positive for COVID-19 in rooms with those who tested negative?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Obviously the report highlights a number of preoccupying issues and the military has acted with tremendous professionalism, not just in writing a report and sharing it, but on acting on the grounder with administration of the centres, with partners to ensure that procedures are improved. We are extraordinarily lucky to have the amazing professionals in the military who are helping out and protecting Canadians but this is what they do. They take risks and they keep Canadians safe and we’re lucky to have them.
Reporter:
and what specifically will the federal government do to support the provinces in overhauling the system and ensuring proper staffing and accountability from happening in the future.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Obviously we need to do things right now and we are doing things now to ensure that elders across the country get the care they need in this COVID-19 crisis. But there will be a need for much longer conversations about how we move forward and we ensure that right across the country, all of our elders who contributed so much, who built this country, get the proper care that they so richly deserve.
Reporter:
[Voice of Interpreter]:
On the matter of a national public inquiry, I’d like a more specific answer. is that one of the options you are looking at and what could the federal do under the circumstances, not to interfere with the province’s jurisdiction or do you think you could hold an inquiry without presenting a risk to that? well, I think in these two reports on Ontario and Quebec, we saw startling differences between the two situations. There are provinces that are facing more challenges than others. and I heard Mr. Ford and I believe we will be hearing from Mr. Legault today with respect to their perspective on the report and what they believe they need to do. We will be there to support the provinces as they reflect on this and we will be there to participate wherever possible and based on needs. I’m not taking anything off the table at this time, but I respect provincial jurisdiction and we will support the provinces as they try to regain control of their systems.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think we know that we need to work together to move forward and enshhh you are that our elders are getting the proper care. But the situation does vary across the country from region to region, from province to province and we respect the provincial responsibility to get the situations under control. But like I said, we will be there to help in ways that were needed to do if there is a need for greater federal leadership. We will certainly respond to those requests. At the same time, everything is on the table. As we move forward, we know Canadians expect us to do better by our elder, all of us and all orders of government and we will ensure we do.
Reporter:
[Voice of Interpreter]:
I’d like to ask about parliamentary work now. The opposition is accusing you of lacking transparency. Even the parliamentary budget officer was saying that four hours isn’t very much to be looking at all the federal aid programmes. Now do you think it’s now time to be limiting debate in parliament where you’re bringing in historic spending programmes? well, on the contrary. We have significantly increased, in fact doubled the amount of time allocated each week to the question period. Not just on COVID-19, but on all sorts of other issues. I think it is important that during a crisis, we have a functioning parliament, that we have democratic institutions doing their jock and we will continue to be open and transparent and parliament decided to move forward with a hybrid approach that I’m looking forward to seeing this afternoon. That would allow members of parliament in the chamber and in other regions of the country to ask questions and raise the concerns of their constituents. I think that this is a very positive measure for the country as a whole, when it comes to ensure the proper functioning of our democracy in a crisis.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think extremely important that we continue to have a well-functioning parliament and functioning democratic institutions during this crisis. Over the past weeks, we’ve been sitting three times a week, twice virtually, once in person, but going forward we’ll now sit four times a week and they will be more than double the usual time for questions from M.P.s and M.P.s not just in the house but M.P.s right across the country with the virtual parliament – sorry with the hybrid parliament we’re moving forward with, M.P.s who represent far off places in this country who aren’t able to come physically to ottawa will still be able to ask the questions that their constituents t expect them to. S the a way of demonstrating that we are moving forward on upholding our democratic principles not in spite of the crisis, but because of the crisis.
Reporter:
You will be talking to the premiers about the situation in long-term care facilities. Would you be prepared to increase health care Canada transfers to the provinces and territoris with that money going toward these facilities to improve the situation there?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we’ve already increased the Canada health transfers. We transferred half a billion to the provinces at the beginning of this pandemic to help out with the extra costs that we knew were coming. Our focus right now is on making sure that we’re doing everything we can right now to help during this particular situation. But of course going forward Canadians want to see us doing better by our elders across the country, even beyond this pandemic and we will be there to work with the provinces on the right way to move forward.
[Voice of Interpreter]:
We increased health care transfers to the provinces to the tune of $50 billion before this pandemic so that the provinces could address the most urgent needs associated with COVID-19 and we will be there now as well to help in many different ways. Over the medium and longer terms. We’ll be having necessary conversations as to how we can better help our seniors across the country.
Reporter:
They asked you to extend the military mission into the long-term facilities. How long do you think they will be l have to be there and what conditions would you want to see before we pull them snout
Prime Minister Trudeau’s I think we definitely need to see situations improved, as we saw in the Quebec report there are significant improvements over the past week in those situations and in a number of them, the military is ready to pull out or ready to move on from those particular instances. The discussions that we’re having with the province is how we will move beyond the need for military support. How they will get their systems back under control without a need for federal intervention of having seniors in our care centres. We are happy to be there and it is extremely important that we be there during this crisis. But it is not a long-term solution and we need to make sure we’re working carefully with the provinces to ensure that they are able to solve for this problem for the medium and long-term and we will work with them on that.
[Voice of Interpreter]:
I think we all understand that having soldiers in our long-term care facilities not a solution over the medium and long-term. It is a short-term solution and we’re happy to be there and we have seen how important it is that we be there and we’ll continue to provide that support. At the same time, there must be a discussion with the provinces as to how we can move beyond this step of emergency assistances from the c. a.f. So that they can regain control of their own systems in the appropriate manner. I think we all know that the military in such a situation – I mean, we’re very lucky to have the military, but it is not a long-term solution.
Prime Minister, I want to revisit the question of immediate steps that your government is going to take. With regard to long-term care homes. You mentioned the military being there already and phone calls of the premiers. Doug ford is asking for more financial support. is it simply a question of money for you?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
It’s a question of making sure that our elders are well taken care of right across the country. This is something that matters deeply to Canadians and it is something that we will enshhh you are that happens. We are working with the provinces right now on making sure that we have the resources necessary to serve our seniors in the right way. But, of course, as we move forward, we will need to continue talking about this and figure out more longer term solutions.
Reporter:
President trump is keen on holding an in-person g-7 meeting. is that a good idea from a public health standpoint in your opinion and are you going to attend?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
It is not a question of My opinion on public health standpoints. We’ll have public health experts and discussing with the United States administration what their plans are and how they’re responding to questions around transmission, questions around would we then as leaders have to isolate when we return, which is right now the rule in Canada. There are significant health preoccupations that we have around holding an in-person meeting but there is no question that in-person meetings and in an ideal situation are much more effective than virtual meetings. However, there are many questions to answer before we can commit no showing up in person and those discussions are happening in an ongoing and very cruxive way.
Reporter:
and if he pushes ahead with an in-person meeting, will you attend?
Prime Minister Trudeau’s we’ll continue our discussions with the americans and we will abide by public health recommendations.
[Voice of Interpreter]:
Of course, we will continue to be focused on the public health recommendations with respect to an in-person g-7 meeting. We will be looking at the United States proposal and working with it to see what proposals and what provisions will be in place and whether there would need to be self-isolation when returning to Canada. , which is the case for anyone else coming in to the country. So, these are all issues we will have to look at carefully. Of course, a g-7 meeting is very important and I would prefer to have it in-person than virtually. But there are health considerations that must be taken into account and we are continuing those discussions.
Reporter:
Yeah. The one in Ontario had a description of things being refer ed to, the coroner for investigation. The stuff laid out in the Ontario one was horrifyingful it’s very detailed. I haven’t gone through every single page yet. But on the whole, it looks like there’s sort of chaos described in certain instances when it comes to the right protective equipment, for example, or staffing levels. But the situation by and large has improved somewhat since the militariful so let’s say it’s on the right trajectory whereas Ontario where you weren’t left with the feeling at the end. The observations were made but it wasn’t like there’s a quick fix in store or that things could markedly improve anytime soon. So, that’s what was driving many of the questions to the Prime Minister, who insisted yesterday and today that the federal government will, quote, be there for the provinces in efforts to try and fix the system. There was a real lack of specificity, though, from the Prime Minister today on exactly what that means and he was provided with ample opportunity to define – or to answer whether or not, for example, the amount of health transfers, so the amount of money coming to the provinces would increase. Doug ford said there would be a request for more money, but didn’t specify how much or where I would go. But the Prime Minister didn’t say whether or not that would happen. He was also asked about the possibility of a federal public inquiry. Albeit that is something that would probably come later and didn’t at dress the short-term needs and he didn’t specifically answer whether or not he was open to it. and that question has been coming up for quite a while as we’ve seen the number of deaths disproportionately happen in long-term care homes or to people who are in long-term care homes and I think those questions and to be fair the province isn’t giving specifics on what they’ll do either other than a commission that was planned prior to the release of the armed forces report. But there is this lack of detail on how exactly the situation will get better. As we’ve been discussioning over the last 24 hours, time is really significant and really important. The situation that the armed forces laid out in those five homes and that is only in the five holes that they’re in in Ontario was, you know, to most people who read it, horrifying. and it doesn’t seem like it is going to change overnight and there doesn’t seem to be a specific plan to tackle it as of yet. So I think that was the gist of the questions to the Prime Minister on it. Like what exactly can you do? I think he was very open and had been over the past few days to being present for province and to providing support, if necessary. Will that mean an extension which has been asked for of the military’s presence for the next 30 days or longer? there wasn’t a specific answer on that. I know it is considered. But those questions will continue as we see the situation unfold in those homes for all levels of government, until they come up with a specific answer.