This morning, I'd like to address the millions of Canadians who are making responsible decisions to ensure their safety and the safety of their loved ones. I know that this pandemic has been frustrating
to yours, the battle against COVID 19 is still dominating so many parts of our lives. This virus affects us all. To have my own children have now contracted it. And this morning, I learned I I tested positive for COVID 19 as well. I feel well and have no symptoms. Of course, I'll be working remotely this week and will keep following public health guidelines. I want to take this opportunity to remind Canadians to please get vaccinated. It's a challenge that my family and I are facing but there's nothing unusual or special about it. It's a challenge to many Canadians and people around the world. know all too well. Jeevan said Bonnie me, it is young.
Throughout this pandemic, people have lost loved ones. Our health care workers are continuing to work very hard. Scientists are working day and night to ensure that we can get vaccines to keep us safe is not
over. And we have to be there for one another. And as we continue to have each other's backs as we steel ourselves for the challenges ahead. I know you're wondering about what you saw in our capital city this weekend. As my friend Irwin Cotler, said on Saturday, freedom of expression, assembly and association are cornerstones of democracy. But Nazi symbolism, racist imagery, and desecration of war memorials are not. It is an insult to memory and truth. Hate can never be the answer. Over the past few days, Canadians were shocked and frankly, disgusted by the behavior displayed by some people protesting in our nation's capitol. I want to be very clear, we are not intimidated by those who hurl insults and abuse at small business workers and steal food from the homeless. We won't give in to those who fly racist flags. We won't cave to those who engage in vandalism, or dishonor the memory of our veterans. That's such a dairy Fox.
The statue of Terry Fox and the tomb of the on a non soldier are not only symbols of the past. They are important symbols from our history that represent Canadian heroes, and the values for which they fought. The sacrifices that these heroes made allowed us to build a better Canada. All Canadians have the right to express their opinion or their disagreement with the government. But they don't have the right to threaten or harass their fellow citizens or to spread hateful messages.
I want to thank the many Canadians who have made donations to the shepherds of Good Hope. And to the Terry Fox Foundation, in response to what they saw this weekend. There is no place in our country for threats of violence, or hatred. So to those responsible for this behavior, it needs to stop to anyone who joined the convoy, but is rightly uncomfortable with the symbols of hatred and division on display. Join with your fellow Canadians. Be courageous and speak out. Do not stand for or with intolerance and hate. I'll sit down if you truly believe
in these difficult times, all politicians need to show responsible leadership. We need to work to bring people together in a positive way. We need to fight division and fear with facts.
Politicians exploiting people's fears. I asked you to think long and hard about the consequences of your actions to the nearly 90% of truckers across the country who have gotten vaccinated who continue working hard to keep us fed and keep our economy moving. Thank you. truckers have tough jobs. Long hours On the road, days away from their families, real challenges, particularly over the past two years, as they've continued to step up, to put food on our shelves, and on our tables, to support us with life saving medication and supplies. We have relied on you. And you can rely on us to continue to stand with you and allow you to do your jobs safely. Almost 90% of you are doing exactly that. Right? Exactly that. And we thank you deeply for everything you've done. The behavior on display this weekend, does not represent you. And to Canadians at home, watching and disgust and disbelief at this behavior, wondering how this could have happened to you in our nation's capital after everything we've been through together. This is not the story of our pandemic, of our country, of our people. Canada is strong, because you are strong, but not paid to do so.
For nearly two years, Canadians have shown strength, generosity, and respect. You've shown your courage. You've made huge sacrifices
for nearly two years, you've been there for each other as neighbors, friends, and fellow Canadians. I think of the moms and dads who looked after their families, the kids who stepped up in so many different ways, seniors who stayed strong in our darkest days, volunteers throughout our communities who supported our most vulnerable frontline workers, from truckers, to store clerks, who have kept our shelves stocked and made sure we have food on our tables, healthcare heroes, who have save countless lives, and continue to do so. We know you're tired, and yet, you do not stop. You inspire us. Canadians support you. We're in your corner. All of you, you are the story of this pandemic. Not the convoy to find the me
this pandemic is also the story of the millions of people who made good choices, who got vaccinated, and who made sacrifices to ensure their safety and the safety of others. I can say that I will continue to encourage people to get vaccinated, whether it's for booth booster shots, or vaccinations for children, I will continue to be there for you.
I wish I could tell you that there are no more difficult moments ahead. We all know I can't say that. What I can say is that this government will continue to have your backs, we will continue to be there for you. As long as it takes with as much as it takes. That's how we've all gotten through this pandemic so far. And that's what we and I will continue to focus on. Because we believe in you. Canadians are compassionate, kind, strong, and resilient. You elected us all to get big things done. And with the return of Parliament. We all have work to do. Later today, I'll be participating in question period, an important part of our democratic system alongside parliamentarians, who, despite threats and intimidation will continue to serve you, Canadians and work together to deliver results for people. This afternoon, we'll be introducing legislation to ensure we continue providing as many rapid tests as possible to the provinces and territories. And tonight, I'll be virtually addressing the House of Commons about the situation in Ukraine. I'll be talking about the importance of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law in the face of Russian provocation, and this difficult time, more than ever, we must stay true to our values to who we are as Canadians. As Canadians. We stand up for what's right. And mostly, we stand up for each other. That's how we've gotten through this so far. That's how we'll continue to get get through this. That's how we remain true to who we are. Yes, you miss me.
Thank you, friends, Prime Minister when I started the question period for 20 minutes starting with the phone today. Oh, Patrick.
Thank you Misty, just wanted this time. If you have a question, people play abusive, it's been a nightmare proposing system. The first question is from Murat from the Canadian Press. Please go ahead.
Yeah, good afternoon. I'm wondering a lot of them, leaders or organizers of this convoy have asked to meet or at least hear from you about what's happening in their demand? Have you? Or will you or anyone from your government, meet with them or negotiate with them in any way?
My focus is standing with Canadians, and getting through this pandemic. The way to get through this bad debt pandemic is to continue making the challenging choices and sacrifices as citizens as individuals as communities, to keep each other safe, to trust science to trust facts, to continue being there for each other. That is my focus. That is what I will stay focused on.
Can you explain the reason why well to participate or meet with them and when you've attended rallies on the hill in the past 10, including during the Black Lives Matter protests, and others? Is there a reason that you can give this for why you will not discuss or have any negotiations with this particular group.
I have attended protests and rallies in the past. When I agreed with the goals when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues. Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that. But I have also chosen to not go anywhere near protests that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens, and a disrespect not just of science, but of the frontline health workers and quite frankly, the 90% of truckers who have been doing the right thing to keep Canadians safe to put food on our tables. Canadians know where I stand. This is a moment for responsible leaders to think carefully about where they stand and who they stand with.
Okay, this question comes. Next question.
Question is so
the next question is from Lavon smelter from IDEO Canada. Yes. Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. What are you going to do to appease some of the backlash that we've seen in Ottawa in recent days? You've said that some people have been violent and aggressive, but some many people have not. So what are you going to do to appease their anger? Answer? First of all, I think that everyone across the country, in Ottawa or elsewhere, is frustrated. Everyone is sick of this pandemic. Everyone is tired, everyone wants to be done with it. Everyone would love to be able to say, Okay, it's over, and move on. But the vast majority of Canadians know that. That's not how we can end this pandemic. The way out of this pandemic is getting vaccinated.
It's listening to public health advice. And the best way to get out of this pandemic and to continue to be there for each other
is to show that we understand the importance of following science, facts and health experts. That's how we'll get out of this pandemic. And that's what I'm going to focus on a follow up question. Some people have accused you of politicizing the question of mandatory vaccination during the the election campaign. What would you say to those who say that you share part of the responsibility for the anger that we've seen over this issue? Answer. Canadians chose to get vaccinated. And they did so at a higher rate than in almost any other country in the world. At every step, we have seen Canadians choosing to be there for each other. Not only do we have a higher vaccination rate than many of our peer countries. We've also been able to protect our healthcare system and our seniors and We've been able to get our economy going in the right way. I understand that there are some people who choose to reject science, who choose to reject the sacrifice that might be required to help our fellow citizens. But that's their choice. My choice is to continue to be there for the 90% of Canadians who are fed up with this pandemic, but who know that the way out of it is by standing in solidarity with each other, showing respect for each other, and following public health advice better. Next question.
Thank you, missy. The next question is from some periods from CBC News. Please go ahead.
Hi, Prime Minister, thanks for taking our questions. Supporters of this movement will say that it's a small minority of people in this protest who are causing trouble. So is it fair to focus in on the obviously terrible behavior of some and paint all protesters with that brush?
I think, obviously, the right to free expression, the right to assembly the right to make your displeasure known in a democracy is extraordinarily important and needs to be heated and respected. But there have been many, many protests over over the past years that I've seen that I've been a part of that I've watched from a distance on parliament, Hill and elsewhere, where people come together, angry about a certain thing wanting something else to change, that don't see the level of hateful rhetoric of swastikas of abuse towards their fellow citizens. There is always a right to protest peacefully, that I and others will defend fully as part of this democracy. There is not a right to incite violence, to perform acts of violence, or to spew hatred. And I think anyone who is part of this group, who is disgusted by what they're what the folks protesting alongside are doing, needs to step up and take responsibility, condemn these actions, and look for other ways to express their displeasure.
You talk about politicians exploiting people's fears. Who are you talking about? And what impact do you think they're having?
I think all politicians need to think very carefully about who they're supporting about what messages they're putting out. We have seen over the past, many, many months, conservative Polish politicians, sharing disinformation about vaccines, encouraging conspiracy theories online. And I think Erin O'Toole is going to need to reflect very carefully on how he's walking a path that supports these people who do not represent truckers, let alone the vast majority of Canadians.
Operator next question.
Thank you. That question gets to the
next question is from Lidl. Thank you, Prime Minister. Do you intend to make any concessions to these truckers?
Answer the challenges that we're facing in terms of supply chains are not due to vaccination policies. They're due to COVID-19. The best way to get through this difficult time for truckers and for all Canadians is to continue to follow public health advice, continue to get vaccinated as nearly 90% of truckers already have. And to focus on those priorities. I'm not going to focus on the protesters who don't respect science, evidence or in some cases or democratic principles. Follow up question. Yes. The protesters are saying that Canada was that the route Canada had had pressured the Biden administration to implement vaccination mandates for truckers on their side as well. Can you tell us if that's the case? Ace answer. From the beginning of the pandemic, I've answered a lot of questions about whether our policies were aligned with the Americans or not. Now, there are some situations where we were very well aligned with the US. And we worked very closely together in another cases, that was less so. But have always insisted that each country had to make its own decisions in terms of protecting its own security. But obviously, since the US administration and our government are following the same scientific advice, it shouldn't be a surprise that the same types of policies are in place to protect citizens.
Thank you. Now, the next question from pandemic Charles tomato song, please go ahead.
Prime Minister you Erin O'Toole has to think carefully. But with some truckers on Friday. Do you think that was an inappropriate gesture of support to our truckers are simply about anyone else in terms of his process and to maximum family's participation?
As part of our job as politicians every single day, we make decisions about who to meet with who to respond to how to respond to them, who do we engage with? How not just our engagements, but our example, impacts on public discourse. If we choose to put up with and tacitly support, conspiracy theorists, and folks peddling disinformation, that's a reflection on what we choose to do as politicians and who we are as leaders. Obviously, I'm going to trust in Canadians understanding of the kind of responsible leadership that is needed right now. And I'm sure Canadians are watching what all politicians are doing right now and remembering who is choosing to stand up for what and for whom, and what choices they're making as leaders. I think through this pandemic, Canadians have seen and have a right to expect responsible leadership. Unfortunately, that's not what we've always seen from the likes of Erin O'Toole or even more. Maxine Bethany.
Following up.
outlined what do you want to see the security for Sun Parlamento and downtown Ottawa do about
it? First of all, I'd like to make sure that people are safe, first and foremost, that small businesses or restaurants in Ottawa can get back to work, that citizens can go to their jobs that parliamentarians can continue to do the important work of serving Canadians of upholding our democracy. Yes, there is a right to protest, there is a right to make your voices heard loudly. And clearly. There is not a right to shut down our democracy, our democratic processes, there is not a right to abuse, intimidate and harass your fellow citizens who are trying to go about their business trying to live their lives, and not necessarily in agreement with what you were doing.
Okay, this question just
Thank you. Miss Sheila question.
The next question is from Rafael Pihole. Yes, good afternoon, Mr. Trudeau. The Minister of Transport recently said that he wanted to perhaps move forward with a vaccination mandate for
truckers traveling across the border. Is that something that your government is considering? Answer? As you know, we've been very clear that we need as many people as possible to get vaccinated. We've brought in vaccine mandates for federal public servants, for those who want to travel by airplane or by train, and we will continue to encourage people to get vaccinated For the moment, the mandate for Docker only applies to the US Canada border. They don't care in a follow up question. Is this something that's still on the table? And if it is, do you not think that this might add fuel to the to the flame? Answer, I don't want to speculate here. We are bringing forward concrete measures that will protect Canadians. And when you consider that nearly 90% of tractors are already vaccinated. We know that even without additional mandates, domestic mandates, most people are doing the right thing. But as you know, over the last two years, we've had to do a lot of things that we never would have imagined necessary three or four years ago, we will continue to follow the scientific advice and to do everything that we need to keep people safe and healthy. But we're going to focus on those measures that we're working on now. Rather than speculating about possible next steps that may be possible in the future or may not be operator next question.
Thank you. No, see. Next question. medica was the Globe and Mail is to him.
Hi, Prime Minister. Thanks for taking our call today. I just want to follow up on mute my phone, I'm just trying to follow up on some of your your responses about the protesters. I understand the concerns around many of the actions for many of the protesters. But I'm wondering if you as the prime minister need to engage with the fears and the concerns that others in the crowd have raised about the vaccine, there seems to be a real concern for many of them about the safety of that vaccine. And I'm wondering if you are avoiding addressing that by only focusing on the much more hateful and the various elements of the protest this weekend.
Marika anyone who thinks that I haven't been talking about how safe vaccines are, has been listening to everything I've been saying over the past two years. vaccines are safe and effective. The way we get through the way we get through this public health crisis, get back to the things we love is by trusting science by trusting the facts by being there for each other by stepping up for each other. We have been hearing people hesitant about getting vaccinated for well over a year now. And we have been reaching out to them community by community individual by individual at at the highest level, but also in interpersonal contact to reassure people that vaccines are safe and effective, and that they are the way to get through this pandemic. So yes, the concerns expressed by a few people gathered in Ottawa right now are not new, not surprising, are heard but are a continuation of what we've unfortunately seen in disinformation and misinformation online conspiracy theorists disinformation misinformation online because what else that go with a tinfoil hats. We have been clear, every step of the way. That the work our frontline health workers, the work our scientists and researchers are doing that people that Health Canada, people working on these vaccines all around the world is the work that will get us through this get us back to the things we love.
Operating last question.
Thank you, Misty. Don't lie down. Yeah, just tell me show.
Final question from that place. Canadian. Yes. Hello, Mr. Trudeau. What message Have you taken away from these this three day historic protest on the hill? And have you taken away anything that would lead you to change your position on anything? Answer. What we've seen is that yes, there are people who have hesitated to get vaccinated. But at the same time, we know that Canadians across The country are against the hateful messages that we've seen. The protesters are talking about freedom. Well, Canadians know that. Freedom means getting back to the things that they used to enjoy. And the way to be able to do that is to get vaccinated. The way that we built this country was by being there for each other. That's what defines what being Canadian is. So while this fringe minority is protesting, the vast majority of Canadians are thinking, come on. But it's by continuing to be there for each other that we will get through this pandemic. We all want to be done with this pandemic. But the vast majority of Canadians know very well. That the way out is not protesting the pandemic. It's getting vaccinated.
Calling up he's a bald spot and Mark.
Is the parliamentary precinct safe and do we need more police presence? Answer. I have enormous faith in our public safety or law enforcement. I want to thank the Ottawa police, the RCMP, the parliamentary Protective Services, and everyone who has worked so hard this weekend to ensure that any damage, harassment and intimidation would be limited in Ottawa. Of course, things are not over yet, but these people will continue to do their work and I know that Canadians across the country, can I trust that these people will serve the public good
parade or would it be possible to put Marika Walsh on the on the line? She didn't get her follow up?
Perfect. Thank you. And we don't have Marika Walsh, in the queue anymore. I'm sorry.
Thank you. This is what ends today's press conference. Yes. Thank you, everyone.
