It took Justin Trudeau 21 seconds before he could start talking about Trump’s handling of the George Floyd protests. Did you wonder why?
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00:00If you don't want to comment, what message do you think you're sending?
00:02You've been
00:30reluctant to comment on the words and actions of the U.S. President, but we do have Donald
00:35Trump now calling for military action against protesters.
00:38We saw protesters tear gas yesterday to make way for a presidential photo op.
00:42I'd like to ask you what you think about that, and if you don't want to comment, what message
00:45do you think you're sending?
01:08We all watch in horror and consternation what's going on in the United States.
01:15It is a time to pull people together, but it is a time to listen.
01:20It is a time to learn what injustices continue despite progress over years and decades.
01:30But it is a time for us as Canadians to recognize that we too have our challenges.
01:37That black Canadians and racialized Canadians face discrimination as a lived reality every
01:45single day.
01:48There is systemic discrimination in Canada, which means our systems treat Canadians of
01:54colour, Canadians who are racialized differently than they do others.
02:00It is something that many of us don't see, but it is something that is a lived reality
02:05for racialized Canadians.
02:10We need to see that, not just as a government and take action, but we need to see that as
02:18Canadians.
02:20We need to be allies in the fight against discrimination.
02:24We need to listen, we need to learn, and we need to work hard to fix – to figure out
02:30how we can be part of the solution on fixing things.
02:34This government has done a number of things over the past years, but there is lots more
02:39to do, and we will continue to do that, because we see – we see you, we see the discrimination
02:45that racialized Canadians live every single day.
02:48Why, though, are you so reluctant to comment directly on the words and the actions of the
03:07U.S. President?
03:12My job, as a Canadian Prime Minister, is to stand up for Canadians, to stand up for
03:19our interests, to stand up for our values.
03:23That is what I have done from the very beginning, and that is what I will continue to do.
03:30Canadians need a government that will be there for them, that will support them, and that
03:37will move us forward in the right direction, and I will do that.
03:42For more information, visit www.fema.gov