Parses captions for PM Trudeau's daily speeches and presents them in a more human readable format
Operator:
Thank you, Merci. first question, Toronto sun. Line open.
Reporter:
Good morning, Prime Minister. You have spoken often about the need for the provinces to be cautious in reopening. Last week you specifically said that you want to be clear we’re not out of the woods, the pandemic is still threatening the health and safety of Canadians. So I want to ask you about the fact that so many Canadians did participate in protests over theweekend. Some were wearing masks. Some were not. Some were social distancing and others were not. But a lot of Canadians are looking and saying I’ve lost My job because I followed the rules. I couldn’t go to a family funeral, family member’s funeral because I followed the rules. What do you say to Canadians who are sitting and saying I understand the issues of racism, I understand the issues the protesters were raising, but I’ve lost out on nearly three months of My life due to this. Can you continue to support the lock down measures that have been in place?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
We’veseen thousands of Canadians come out this weekend and over the past days to highlight their deep concerns and stand in solidarity with racialized Canadians and indigenous Canadians. Again, as you pointed out, we saw many, many efforts made to wear masks, to continue social distancing. It is important that we follow public health advice throughout, even as we protest and demonstrate in order to create abetter world. We have to get that balance right, and I continue to exhort Canadians to do just that. [voice of interpreter]in recent days we have seen thousands and thousands of Canadians go down into the street to demonstrate, to talk about inequality and systemic discrimination that exists in Canada, particularly for racialized Canadians and indigenous Canadians. We also saw that many people have made an effort by wearing amask and keeping the proper distance from others, and they have been following public health advice, and we need people to continue to follow that public health advice, even when they are demonstrating. It’s important that we be careful and that we continue to get through this crisis. [ end of interpretation ]
Follow-up?
Reporter:
Steps from where you took a knee, though, Prime Minister, there was an Ottawa restaurant allowing customers to eat their pizza socially distanced on a patio. They are facing an $880 fine for violating the same emergency orders that you violated, that many of the people at the protest violated. So can you continue to say that we’ve got to have these lockdownmeasures in place when there is obviously a difference of how they are applied between people meeting on their driveways, people eating pizza and people protesting?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Thank you for your question, Brian. I mean, there’s a lot of people wondering about what exactly is the right thing to do, what the coming weeks and months will hold for us. One of the things that we’ve seen very clearly from other jurisdictions, including places like south Korea and others, where a strong handling of the crisis at the beginning has given way to some resurgences here and there, is that as we loosen some of the population control measures, as people are returning to work in some ways, seeing businesses reopen, we need to step up in other ways. We need to continue socially distancing. We need to wear masks where appropriate, but we also need to make sure that we are stepping up on things like contact tracing, exposure notification and massive testing. There are many more things we need to do, even as we re-start the economy we need to bring in other measures as well to ensurethat we can handle any resurgence. All this is difficult and frustrating and longer than we’dhoped it would be in many ways. But at the same time, we know that the cost of having to return into social isolation, return into lockdown because of a massive resurgence is not one that anyone wants to bear, whichis why we are being very cautious going forward, and we continue to ensure people to follow all public health advice and guidance.
Thank you. Operator, next question.
Operator:
[no interpretation][voice of interpreter]
Reporter:
Good morning, Prime Minister. Are you concerned that these demonstrations that we’ve seen and continue to see will boost the number of cases, and will you be tested now since you we rein the middle of a crowd on Friday?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Well, ray, as you all saw, I took the necessary steps, as much as possible. I wore a mask. I kept a proper distance to the best of My ability, and of course this is a very delicate balance, and people will have to be cautious. If you cannot follow the distancing measures, you must wear a mask, wash your hands regularly and use disinfectant. People feel a very profound need to demonstrate, to show their solidarity with racialized and indigenous Canadians. People who face this systemic discrimination and have been enduring that right across the country. At the same time, we must keep our distance from others and do everything we can to prevent further spread of the virus. [ end of interpretation ]we have seen that people feel a deep need to stand in solidaritywith racialized Canadians, with indigenous Canadians who continue to face unacceptable levels of systemic discrimination in this country. This is a time for people to make sure their voices are heard, but it’s also a time in which we need to follow public health instructions as best as possible, which is why I and many others wore masks, even as we tried to keep our distances in those massive crowds. But we need to make sure we’re getting that balance right of looking to build a better world, looking to ensure that real change happens now and into the coming months while at the same time ensuring that we slow and decrease the spread of COVID-19. [voice of interpreter]
Follow-up?
Reporter:
Well, we saw you Friday kneeling on the ground. What did it mean to you? could you explain that to us?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
For me, it meant showing respect for all the people demonstrating around me, and it meant saying that things are not right, that we have a system that continues to discriminate against black Canadians, racialized Canadians, indigenous Canadians. and we must acknowledge the fact that even though we live in an extraordinary country, maybe the best country in the world, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that everyone feels –everyone in Canada feels that they live in the best country in the world. That is not the reality for everyone, and for me kneeling was a sign of respect and solidarity with them. [ end of interpretation ]
Thank you. Operator, next question.
Operator:
Thank you. Merci. [no interpretation][voice of interpreter]
Reporter:
Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. I’d like to come back to the $14billion you promised to the provinces. Did you agree on how the money would be shared between the provinces? Mr. Legault was saying it should not be the traditional formula, the per ca pita formula, because – and in fact it should be based on the effect of the pandemic in the province. In other words, Quebec and Ontario should receive more. What do you think of that?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Well, Quebec and Ontario will be receiving more because of their population. We recognize that many jurisdictions who have not had that many cases of COVID-19 have still had to suspend certain services, and they do have additional costs to bear in order to protect against a second wave. and all of that are discussions and negotiations that are ongoing with the provinces. But the fact is that we are hereto ensure that every single Canadian right across the can country has access to whatever they need, whether it is personal protective equipment or child care or help for our seniors. Or help for our municipalities. So that we can re-start the economy safely.
Follow-up?
Reporter:
Yes, and I’d like to come back to what you said in your speech about body cameras for police officers. What is your position on this? should the RCMP officers wear them? and when you discuss this with the provinces, or when you did discuss it, what was their response or reaction? were they open to the idea?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Well, I did speak to the premiers of the need to take concrete action. We did not directly speak of body cameras for police, but that is certainly something that will be raising with them in the coming days at our weekly call. So of course at the federal level we have a responsibility for the RCMP, but the provinces have their own responsibility for the provincial and municipal police forces. So we will have to work together. But certainly there is no doubt that body cameras are a very important part of this. It shows transparency, and I think it would be very important for police officers to have the min this country. [ end of interpretation ]on Thursday last week with the premiers, I highlighted the needfor us to take concrete, direct actions to move forward on systemic discrimination in this country, on moving forward together, on making real change so that more Canadians can feel safe and respected in their own country. This is a challenge that has gone on for far too long and requires concerted action acrossall orders of government. In regards to body cameras, it didn’t come up in our conversation last Thursday, but certainly moving forward this week it will come up. As you know, the federal government has jurisdiction overthe RCMP, but there are many other provincial and municipal police forces that should be looking at greater transparency measures as well, and I will certainly be talking about the province – with the provinces and premiers about the need to move forward on measures like body cameras.
Thank you. Operator, last question on the phone.
Operator:
Yes, thank you, Merci. Last question, “the globe and mail”. line open.
Reporter:
Good morning, Prime Minister. In recent days Athabasca Chipewyan first nation chief Allan Adam has alleged he was beaten by the RCMP. He has shared pictures of his bloody face and swollen eye. Given this incident and many others that have come to light, how can Canadians be confident that there are mechanisms in place to ensure that there is someone policing the police?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
We have obviously all seen and been deeply alarmed by the pictures that chief Adam has shared. Obviously Minister miller has engaged with the chief directly multiple times over the past days. We need to do more. We need to take significant measures to move forward. We brought in an RCMP management board a number of years ago when we – as we committed to. That is helping with civilian oversight over the RCMP, but there is more to do, and that ISS conversation I had with commissioner Brenda Gucci this morning, and I will continue working with her and with all of our partners on ensuring that we bring forward significant, concrete and rapid measures to address these issues. [voice of interpreter]we were all disturbed by the photographs shared by the chief a couple of days ago. Minister miller has been in direct communication with him and I spoke to commissioner lucci of the RCMP this morning. We have to work together to expedite change within the RCMP. Now we did bring in additional measures in recent years. To ensure greater accountabilitywithin the RCMP, but we know there is a lot more to be done, and we will be working together in the coming days to bring in new measures. [ end of interpretation ]
Follow-up?
Reporter:
Prime Minister, five years ago the truth and reconciliation commission highlighted systemic issues between police and indigenous people, the national public inquiry that your government called on missing and murdered indigenous women did the same. Have you given any consideration to appointing someone in your cabinet to assess allegations of systematic racism and to be tasked with taking action on it?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
We have not waited for those reports to move forward. We have been taking action on these systematic challenges, whether it was bringing in new review and oversight management boards for the RCMP, whether it’s moving forward on statistics Canada being better able to work with dis aggregated data, whether it’s working more directly with community organizations and giving them the funds to be able to develop programs that can help. There are many things we’ve done, including directly within the national police force in terms of bringing forward significant measures and transformations. But there is much, much more to do. We appointed a Minister of diversity inclusion for the very first time last fall, and she has been tasked with looking directly at these issues, and our Minister of public safety has, of course, the mandate to ensure that we are fighting against systemic discrimination in everything we do. [voice of interpreter]
Reporter:
Radio-Canada. Now you denounced systemic racism, but for years commissions and experts have been recommending all sorts of things, and there’s still – that are still waiting for concrete results. For example, an investigative bureau that would be looking at incidents associated with policebrutality against indigenous people. Will we see an organization likethat in Canada soon?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Well, we will very quickly be looking at all the measures that are currently in place in terms of transparency, accountability and so on. and we are ready to do anything necessary. We are prepared to introduce new structures or strengthen existing structures. That’s exactly the kind of conversation I had with the commissioner this morning, and those are the conversations we are also having in cabinet. We know we have to take concretesteps, and we know we need to strengthen the current system and perhaps add things to it, and that’s what we’re looking at this week.
Reporter:
One year ago the investigation on missing and murdered indigenous women recommended that civilian groups be asked to monitor the police right across the country, and I think the people are wondering what you’re waiting for to do that. When will those groups be put inplace?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
Well, the RCMP has created advisory groups in every region to work with the indigenous people, but we know there has to be more done, and that’s what we’re looking at this week. We’re going to have conversations about where we can go a bit further, where we have to go a lot further in order to ensure that we are acting – taking concrete actions, that we’re not just talking about intentions, but that we’re taking concrete action that will transform this country. [ end of interpretation ]we have had many conversations over the past years about fighting against systemic discrimination, whether it has been creating better oversight of the RCMP, which we’ve moved forward on, whether it’s the RCMP commissioner setting up indigenous advisory councils right across the country to better respond to what they are doing. We’ve done a number of things, but we know we have to do much more, and that’s what we’re talking about this week, lookingat concrete measures where we can strengthen certain existing bodies, where we might need to bring in new bodies, where we can move forward on different measures. There’s a range of things that obviously we need to do. The intention has been there to fight systemic discrimination inthis country. We now need to do even more in terms of actions to make sure that that gets done.
Reporter:
Tom Perry, CBC. I’d like to ask you about your own decision to attend the rally on Friday. This is clearly something that’sbeen important to you, but you’ve been telling Canadians for weeks to avoid doing things that were important to them. Also you were asked earlier if you were going to get tested. Are you?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I will continue to follow public health protocols in terms of getting tested. I’m open to getting tested, obviously, but when I was in isolation because I was in proximity with My wife who had tested positive, it was determined at the time that I didn’t need to get tested because I was isolating, and I showed absolutely no symptoms. I continue obviously to show no symptoms. In regards to the rallies, it was important for me to attend. I think to look out the windows of My office and see thousands upon thousands of young people, of Canadians of all ages, stand in solidarity wanting to see change happen, I felt it was important for me to be part of that, to be able to listen, to be able to hear people and to be able to understand and to share with people how important it was to act on it. As best I could, I followed social distancing measures, wearing a mask, keeping distance where possible, but I recognize that it is a difficult situation where we are trying to balance very important competing interests. For me, it was important that I be there to hear. [voice of interpreter]I think we’re in a situation nowwhere we’re constantly being called upon to make difficult choices. Of course we must try to follow public health recommendations. That’s what I tried to do, but ialso felt it was very important that the Prime Minister be thereto listen and hear the voices ofthousands of Canadians who want us to act quickly to counter systemic discrimination that exists in this country. That is the choice that I made, and I believe it was the right choice. Well, several months ago I self-isolated when sophie testedpositive for COVID-19, and I AM being told that since I had no symptoms I had no need to be tested. But I’m always open to be testedagain. [ end of interpretation ]
Reporter:
Just want to be clear. This is something you think should happen and you think the RCMP officers should be wearing these cameras? and also in your conversations with the commissioner, is she saying she thinks her officers would be willing to wear these cameras?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think these discussions are ones we need to go forward on on the logistics, on the costs, on the cost to provinces where there is contract policing in place. But the challenges that I’ve heard are more logistical and economic concerns about remote areas and the way those cameras would work. But yes, it is something that is in My opinion what we need to move forward with. [voice of interpreter]in My discussions with the commissioner this morning, we talked about body cameras. The challenges associated with those cameras are – have to do with logistics and economics. They are not as substantive. There are also some technical challenges, so I think we agree that we have to move forward with body cameras for RCMP officers. [ end of interpretation ]
Reporter:
Hello, Prime Minister. CTV national news. You took a knee at Friday’s rally showing your support for the black lives matter movement. Many of the protesters we spoke with said that they appreciate the symbolism, but they want concrete actions to show that that was not just a photo op. You mentioned body cameras in your speech, but many advocates say that is simply a band aid solution. I’m wondering what firm steps will you take immediately to begin addressing systemic racism? Canada?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think first of all body cameras is a significant step towards transparency, and we’re, as I’vesaid, going to work on that thisweek. We’re also going to move forward on looking at various review structures and oversight commissions at the policing level to make sure that they have the powers and the abilities to do what needs to bedone. But when we talk about systemic racism, it’s easy and important to look at policing in this country as being a key challenge. But the drivers of systemic racism are far greater than justpolicing. There are socio-economic factors. There are inequalities, long-standing inequalities, the racialization of poverty is a reality in this country. and we need to make sure that weare addressing all of those at the same time. That is why as a cabinet, as a government, as a country we willhave many important conversations, but I hear very clearly that as much as we have made strong efforts over the past years on stepping forward in the right way, it hasn’t beenenough. We have to do much more and we will.
Reporter:
You’ve also said that the protests are calling for action now, and one of the clear calls that we’re hearing is to reduce police budgets and to redirect money to better support black communities. Minneapolis announced that it will do just that, and I’m wondering whether you will review the RCMP budget.
Prime Minister Trudeau:
I think there’s always a need to review every dollar, every public dollar spent to ensure that we’re getting the best results out of it, that what we’re doing is the best thing to keep Canadians safe. That’s something that Canadians expect of their governments, and we will continue to do that, to ensure that budgets are spent appropriately, that budgets themselves are appropriate, and make sure that we’re also investing in all the things that need to be invested in to ensure truly safer communities. [voice of interpreter]I think people expect us to be constantly reviewing budgets andexpenditures to be sure that we are investing money in the rightthings and that we’re developingthe right programs and tools to keep all Canadians safe, and that’s something that we will continue to do. [ end of interpretation ]
Reporter:
Prime Minister, the migrant workers alliance for change says more than a thousand complaints on behalf of migrant farm workers went unheeded by federal and provincial authorities ahead of these recent COVID-19 outbreaks. Why didn’t your government do more to ensure these essential workers were safe?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
No one in Canada should be at greater risk of COVID-19, and we know we need to do better by migrant workers. Temporary foreign workers in Canada have an extremely important role to play in our agricultural systems. We’ve had many discussions with agricultural industry and with migrant worker organizations to ensure that we are putting measures in place that would allow both isolation and the important work in ensuring Canada’s food supply continues. Of course we will be continuing to listen to them and looking at how we can make things better going forward.
Reporter:
Cramped living conditions, working long hours in close proximity, advocates have been complaining about these issues for decades. Will your government consider giving migrant workers permanent resident status so they can assert their right to a safe workplace?
Prime Minister Trudeau:
We need to do a better job of protecting temporary agricultural workers in this country, temporary foreign workers in this country. We have taken a number of steps, but there’s more to do, and we will do it.
. [no interpretation]