Cormac MacSweeney interviews Justin Trudeau about the Liberals’ latest policy planks, from Syrian refugees to women in his prospective cabinet
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau responds to a question during a news conference Thursday, September 3, 2015 in Brossard, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
CityNews Parliament Hill Bureau Chief Cormac MacSweeney sat down with federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on Wednesday. Listen to the exchange below, or read an edited transcript of their conversation here.
A: One of the things people are worried about is the increasing cost of home ownership, particularly in some of our major urban centres. Quite frankly, the federal government needs—as it needs to on so many levels—to be a better partner to provinces and municipalities with the challenges their citizens are facing. I think a federal government that collects appropriate data and actually understands what people are challenged with in their daily lives, and in their hopes and dreams, is going to be able to help with municipalities and provinces in addressing various challenges like these.
A: Because we’re talking about very specific jurisdictions with very particular challenges, the most important thing the federal government can do is actually sit down with municipal leaders and provincial premiers to talk about the challenges they’re facing in their particular areas. That’s something I’ve committed to being a much better partner on than this current government, which doesn’t like to talk to other levels of government.
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A: This is a great example of the Conservatives not being able to do basic math. Premiums are right now at $1.88. We are going to lower them to $1.65, as of Jan. 1, 2017. As for the Conservatives’ promises, well, in their most recent budget, they promised they’d be balancing the budget, and they’ve failed to do that. So I don’t know why anyone would believe anything they say about what they might do two years from now. We are reducing premiums and increasing the effectiveness of EI in helping people getting back to work, and that’s exactly what Canadians need right across the country.
A: The fact is, we need to put that money toward people who need help getting through tough times where they’ve been laid off. That’s what EI is all about, and Mr. Harper’s cuts have actually made it much harder for people who’ve paid into the system to get the benefits for which they are entitled, and that’s wrong. People who pay their benefits should be receiving what they’ve paid into and what they deserve, and not having to be stuck going to food banks and stressed out about whether or not they’re going to be able to feed their kids in the coming weeks.
A: Canadians expect their government to make sure we’re helping the people who need the help and growing the economy, and that’s exactly what we’re committed to do, not just with our historic investments into infrastructure that are going to create jobs while the others are focusing on cuts, but by lowering payroll taxes, by lowering EI premiums from $1.88 to $1.65, at the same time as we make sure that the people who need help are getting the help that they paid into, because they’re not getting it under Stephen Harper. That’s what Canadians expect from their government.
A: We’ve seen that Canada has been able, in the past, and will continue to be able, to address the very real security concerns as we bring people over. We did that in the years following the Vietnam War, where there were tremendous concerns about that. What is missing from this particular situation is merely political will. Mr. Harper does not think we need to do more to help vulnerable people around the world. We know that we can and, quite frankly, Canadians want us to do more. That doesn’t mean sacrificing security. The fact that Mr. Harper is talking about it that way is just showing that he’s trying to find any excuse to not do what Canadians feel we should be doing, which is help more people.
A: I think that kind of language and intolerance is, quite frankly, irresponsible from anyone who wants to help a party get elected. The fact is, Mr. Mulcair needs to make very, very clear that that kind of language is unacceptable within his organization, and it’s more than just an apology that is needed.
A: An individual who said hateful things like that would no longer be a part of my organization, but I’ll let Mr. Mulcair make the decision about the kind of people he wants to associate himself with.
A: I think there was something started under my father that I appreciate that it’s time to end, and I like the symmetry of me being the person who actually turns the clock back so that we can have a Prime Minister’s Office and, indeed, a democracy, that actually respects what voters say and is open and transparent. Because, not only does it matter to gain people’s trust, but it matters for quality public policy and governance, and that’s why we’re committed to open and transparent government.
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A: Absolutely, but, at this point, when interest rates are low, it’s a time to invest in jobs and growth. Mr. Harper’s failure over the past 10 years is in not creating enough growth. Mr. Mulcair’s decision to cut billions of dollars from our economy when we’re in recession, when Canadians need help, is what’s going to burden future generations. We will balance the budget in 2019, and we’ll do it by investing in the kind of growth needed to get our country back on track after 10 years of Mr. Harper’s failure. I, for the life of me, can’t understand why Mr. Mulcair would choose not to help Canadians who need help, and instead choose cuts and go back on his promises on health care, on transit, and on other things.
A: Our debt-to-GDP ratio will continue to decrease every year, including the first three years under the Liberal government. That is what we’re focused on. We know we need to invest in the kind of long-term growth and short-term job creation that Canadians expect, and we’re the only party offering to do that.
A: We have extraordinary women running for us right across this country, and I look forward to showing that women are needed in positions of power. And I certainly hope that, after people see how effective a cabinet with a gender parity in it is, we’re going to draw even more women into politics in subsequent elections.
A: I am entirely confident that the extraordinary women we have running for us right across this country will make excellent cabinet ministers.