Learn English with the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. In this episode, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sits down with Alberta s Premier, Rachel Notley, to discuss a variety of topics, including the recent terror attack in Surrey, Canada's relationship with the U.S. government, and much more.
00:00:00.000Thank you, Premier. Thank you, Prime Minister. We'll move to question now. Please make sure to address who your question is to. Ian, first question.
00:00:05.460Ian Bailey, Globe and Mail. First question to Premier Eby. You went into the meeting this morning talking about treason,
00:00:11.580giving that Albertan sovereignty or associating with the Trump administration. You said you wanted to have this addressed in the meeting.
00:00:19.160Was this addressed in the meeting? And I'll also admit to Premier Smith if she wants to comment on it as well as the Prime Minister.
00:00:28.180Are we good? First of all, I'd like to thank my colleagues. There is a huge issue of priority in British Columbia,
00:00:34.960which is the extortion threat faced by the people of Surrey. I know it's present in other provinces across the country.
00:00:41.320For all of us to come together and call on parliamentarians federally to pass Bill C-14 as expeditiously as possible is crucial for us.
00:00:51.120What we're seeing in Surrey is it's a terror attack in slow motion and you would never dream of giving refugee status to someone who participated in a terror attack.
00:01:00.860But that's exactly what's happening under our current system. That loophole has to be closed.
00:01:05.880This is one of the provisions in C-14 that we're looking to get past.
00:01:10.080I would also like to thank the Prime Minister for highlighting a key advantage of our country, which is clean, cheap electricity.
00:01:18.140British Columbia is keen to work with the federal government on regionalization of power grids, supporting our friends at the Yukon, our trade partners next door in Alberta around clean, reliable, cheap electricity.
00:01:28.440And that work across the country is crucial to our future.
00:01:31.980Finally, Ian, to your question, this is a country my grandparents fought for, that many people before them helped to build.
00:01:42.260It's made up of First Nations who have been here since time immemorial, as well as immigrants who just got off the airplane today with hearts full of hope of a new adopted country.
00:01:52.480This is a country we have to fight for.
00:01:54.720And there are lots of people who would like to take it from us.
00:01:57.040We need to express, in this moment, especially when the country faces such a profound threat, we need to express that we will fight for this country, that we'll stand up for it.
00:02:09.620And that those who don't wish to, those who would solicit a foreign government to try to come in and take over our country or break it up, that that's not part of our vision for Canada.
00:02:34.240Now, I'm not talking about debates that we have inside the country, among Canadians, about how we order ourselves, our relationships between the federal government and the provinces, referenda that might be held.
00:02:43.760I'm talking about crossing the border, soliciting the assistance of a foreign government to break up this country.
00:02:49.400And I don't think we should stand for it.
00:03:01.740Well, let me just support Premier Eby and his comments about C-14.
00:03:07.600We think that's very important to get past.
00:03:10.080We've also, when he called for the Lawrence-Bishnawa gang to be declared a terrorist group, we also agreed to that.
00:03:16.340I'm glad he's open to expanding the interties.
00:03:18.340We look forward to selling him some more excess solar and wind power.
00:03:20.920And as you can see, we've got lots of things that we can work on together.
00:03:24.140I've always been clear that me and our United Conservative Caucus are supportive of a strong and sovereign Alberta within a United Canada.
00:03:35.040That is one of the bills that we passed when I first came in.
00:03:40.340But I think we also have to be realistic that 10 years under Justin Trudeau's government, our province was relentlessly attacked.
00:03:48.480Our economy was relentlessly attacked, not only for our economy, but our provincial rights and also our personal freedoms and our way of life.
00:03:55.840And so when you look at the polls, they suggest as many as 30% of Albertans have lost hope.
00:04:21.200That's why I signed an agreement with the Prime Minister in November so that we could work in common cause on correcting some of the mistakes, I would say, of the Trudeau government.
00:04:30.260And it's why we participate in these kinds of first ministers' conferences, so that we can find the things that we agree on and work together for that for the betterment of the country.
00:04:39.140And I think this is a very powerful table that has been able to do that for the last three years that I've been on it.
00:04:44.340And I'm honored and delighted to be here.
00:04:51.120Would Canada agree to an increased external trade policy agreement, alignment with the U.S. as part of changes to USMCA, including on China?
00:05:00.740Well, I find one of the most effective ways to negotiate is not to negotiate in public, so we'll wait until we have the broader discussions with the United States as part of a review, not a re-negotiation, but a review of Kuzma.
00:05:16.200Prime Minister, what do you make of the Trump administration's meetings with Alberta separatists and the comments of Secretary Besant?
00:05:22.600Is this foreign interference from the U.S.?
00:05:24.740You know, the governments that are going to make a difference to Canada, to Alberta, to Canada, are at this table, I guess, alongside with municipalities and working with our indigenous partners.
00:05:43.680And the focus of the meeting last night, today, the meeting of the Council Federation before that, was how we come together and build, how we build a better country, how we build safer communities.
00:05:57.400A number of specific points were just referenced by Premiers Evie and Smith from addressing extortion crime in the community.
00:06:07.920I know Premier Ford and I have been very focused on this as well, as we have across the country.
00:06:12.620I appreciate the support of the Premiers, all the Premiers for Bill C-14.
00:06:17.560It's part of a bigger picture of measures that need to be taken.
00:06:23.140And just the power, I'm going to stop on this, just the sheer power of what we're starting to do and intend to do on the energy side,
00:06:33.520being stronger together, linking together our systems, doubling the size of our electricity grid,
00:06:39.420extending our clean energy advantage, doing it in a way that's affordable for Canadians,
00:06:43.460using all our sources of energy to build this economy, to all markets around the world.
00:06:50.860It makes this country stronger and makes those conversations less relevant.
00:06:57.480With respect, Prime Minister, if you could answer the question on how you view the actions of the U.S. administration here.
00:07:02.520But for my second question, for Premier Smith, Premier Ford called on you this morning to denounce the separatist movement.
00:07:08.960I understand you said you don't want to demonize anyone, but they are seeking the help of the United States government.