 
ADMINISTERED THE STUDENT LOAN 
-- STUDENT GRANT PROGRAMME, 
SORRY, FOR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS.
VASSY?
>> Vassy: YEAH.
I THINK THE QUESTION FOR THE 
PRIME MINISTER SINCE THAT R *EF 
LACING THAT BOTH HIS MOTHER AND 
BROTHER WERE PAID BY THE WE 
CHARITY OR THROUGH 
ORGANISATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH 
THE WE CHARITY IS CERTAINLY 
GOING TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF 
WHAT IS ASKED ABOUT TODAY.
I THINK IN PARTICULAR YOU 
HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT, YOU 
KNOW, PRESENTS THE, I GUESS, 
OPTICS OF A CONFLICT OF 
INTEREST.
FOR WEEKS WE WERE LED TO 
BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NO MONEY 
EXCHANGED, THAT NOBODY WAS 
PROFITING FROM THIS 
ORGANIZATION IN ANY WAY AND, 
THEREFORE, THE PRIME MINISTER'S 
OFFICE AND THE PRIME MINISTER 
HIMSELF CONTENDED THAT HE 
DIDN'T HAVE TO RECUSE HIMSELF 
WHEN CABINET ULTIMATELY SIGNED 
OFF.
IN FACT, THE PROGRAMME BEING 
ADMINISTERED BY WE WASN'T A 
PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE AND 
OBVIOUSLY THINGS HAVE CHANGED 
SINCE THOSE AVERSIONS WERE 
FIRST MADE.
WE -- ASSERTIONS WERE MADE.
NOW WE KNOW THEM NOT TO BE TRUE.
AND THE CONSERVATIVES ARE 
ASKING FOR A POLICE 
INVESTIGATION AND THE ETHICS 
COMMISSIONER AND CERTAINLY 
THOSE QUESTIONS ARE THERE.
BUT I THINK PRIMARILY FOR MOST 
CANADIANS THIS IS A QUESTION OF 
WHY DIDN'T YOU RECUSE YOURSELF.
DO YOU GET HOW THIS APPEARS TO 
BE A CONFLICT AND WHY DIDN'T 
ANYONE IN YOUR OFFICE OR 
YOURSELF OR SURROUNDING YOU 
SAY, HEY, THIS ISN'T GOING TO 
BE -- THIS ISN'T RIGHT.
THIS ISN'T GOING TO LOOK RIGHT 
AND THIS IS THE WAY CANADIANSS 
ARE GOING TO PERCEIVE IT, 
PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE 
FACT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER 
HAS HAD TROUBLES WITH AN ETHICS 
INVESTIGATION AND, IN FACT, 
RULES FROM THE ETHICS 
COMMISSIONER IN THE PAST OVER 
THAT VERY IDEAS OF CONFLICT OF 
INTEREST.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTS THAT 
ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, REMAINING 
TO BE FOUND.
WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
ESPECIALLY WHERE THE CERTAIN 
ASPECTS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST 
ACT ARE CONCERNED, WHETHER THEY 
WERE BREACHED.
TETICS COMMISSIONER IS STILL 
DOING THAT INVESTIGATION.
BUT FROM A POLITICAL 
STANDPOINT, IF YOU ARE TALKING 
STRATEGY, OPTICS, RIGHT AND 
WRONG, I THINK GENUINELY THERE 
ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR THE 
PRIME MINISTER ABOUT WHY IT 
JUST DIDN'T -- WHY DIDN'T THIS 
NOT PASS THE SNIFF TEST RIGHT 
OFF THE BAT.
>> Rosemary: A COUPLE OF THINGS 
TO REMIND PEOPLE, THAT THE 
ETHICS COMMISSIONER AGREED TO 
LOOK INTO THIS EVEN BEFORE THE 
REVELATIONS THAT HIS FAMILY WAS 
PAID ANY MONEY AND IT IS NOT 
SMALL SUMS OF MONEY.
IT WAS $250,000 FOR MARGARET 
TRUDEAU TO SPEAK ON 28 
OCCASIONS WITH THIS 
ORGANIZATION.
$32,000 FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S BROTHER, ALEXANDER.
THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE 
SAYS THAT THE PRIME MINISTER 
HIMSELF HAS NEVER BEEN PAID FOR 
ANY OF THESE EVENTS.
HIS WIFE, SOPHIE 
GREGOIRE-TRUDEAU, DID RECEIVE 
$1400 BEFORE HE BECAME PRIME 
MINISTER AND NOW THIS THIS 
COMPONENT, THIS MONEY COMPONENT 
HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE ISSUE, 
THAT THEY'RE ALREADY THERE FOR 
SOME PEOPLE, DAVID.
THAT'S WHY THERE WILL BE SO 
MANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM TODAY.
>> David: THE CONTROVERSY GREW 
FROM THE TRUDEAU GOVERNMENT 
GREW FROM GIVING A DISTRICT 
COURT A CHARITY CLOSE TO 
TRUDEAU AND HIS WIFE TO ONE 
THAT IS GIVING MONEY TO OTHER 
MEMBER OF THE TRUDEAU FAMILY.
NOW THE MONEY IS MOVING THROUGH 
DIFFERENT PARTS OF WE CORPORATE 
STRUCTURE, BUT IT IS TO APPEAR 
AT EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE 
CHARITY.
WHILE THERE ARE DIVISIONS 
WITHIN THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE 
TO THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE AND, 
IN PRACTICAL APPLICATION, IT IS 
A DISTINCTION WITHOUT A 
DIFFERENCE IN A LOT OF WAYS.
AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER.
AND UNFORTUNATELY FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER, HE DOES NOT GET 
THE LAST WORD ON THIS.
RIGHT?
BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO, MAYBE AS 
MANY AS THREE PARLIAMENTARY 
COMMITTEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE 
DIGING INTO THIS AS WELL AS THE 
ETHICS COMMISSIONER AND UNLIKE 
WITH THE SNC-LAVALIN AFFAIRS, 
THE LIBERALS ARE IN A MINORITY.
WHILE FRANCIS DROUIN COULD BE 
CALLED IN TO SHUT DOWN A 
JUSTICE COMMITTEE HEARING LAST 
MARCH BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT 
TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT 
COLLEAGUE JODY WILSON-RAYBOULD, 
FOR EXAMPLE, TO TESTIFY, THEY 
HAD NO CAPACITY TO DO THAT.
WELCOME TO MINORITY GOVERNMENT.
YOU ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE 
MAJORITY AND THE MAJORITY 
HAPPEN TO BE A COALITION OF THE 
BLOC, N.D.P., CONSERVATIVES AND 
THE GREENS.
AND WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE 
TO FIND THE ALLIES ON A 
DELIVERY OF GOVERNMENT 
PROGRAMMES, THEY'RE UNLIKELY TO 
FIND ALLIES ON CONVERSATIONS 
ABOUT WAIVING CABINET 
CONFIDENCE AND RELEASING 
CABINET DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD 
HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND IT.
IN ABSENCE OF FULL DISCLOSURE 
AND DOCUMENTS AND CONVERSATIONS 
IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, 
CANADIANS ARE ASKED TO TAKE THE 
PRIME MINISTER'S WORD FOR IT 
AND THE FINANCE MINISTER'S WORD 
FOR IT THAT WHAT THEY DID WAS 
RIGHT.
BIG FULL NEWSPAPER ADS ARE OUT 
OUTLINING THREE OR FOUR 
DIFFERENT THINGS.
THREE OF THEM REALLY CENTRE TO 
THE CONTROVERSY THAT THE PRIME 
MINISTER WILL SPEAK ABOUT.
ONE THIS WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE 
PUBLIC SECTOR THAT HAS BEEN 
CORROBORATED BY SENIOR MEMBER 
OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, THOUGH 
THE PAPER TRAIL HAS BEEN MADE 
PUBLIC.
TWO, THAT THE CONTRACT -- 
PEOPLE KEEP TALK ABOUT A 
BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT.
I WAS ACTUALLY A $20 MILLION 
CONTRACT.
BUT WE MAKES THE POINT THAT 
$19.5 MILLION THEY WERE GOING 
TO RECEIVE WAS NOT PROFIT, IT 
WAS COST RECOVERY.
THEY WOULD HAVE BECOME THE 
VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH THIS 
MONEY WOULD HAVE FLOWED AND 
GOTTEN BACK THE MONEY THAT 
WOULD HAVE COST TO OPERATE THIS 
AND THERE WAS NO GRAVY IN IT, 
SO TO SPEAK, FOR THE CHARITY.
THE THIRD IS WHEN THEY ENDED 
THE CONTRACT, THEY TOOK A BIT 
OF A HIT AND DIDN'T ASK FOR THE 
MONEY BACK.
THEY PROBABLY LOST SOME MONEY 
BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY HERE.
THERE IS A WHOLE SEPARATE THING 
WE THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE 
CONDUCT OF THE CHARITY, THE WAY 
IT HAS HANDLED ITSELF AND A LOT 
OF PEOPLE OF COLOUR HAVE COME 
FORWARD SAYING WE WEREN'T PAID.
WE WERE TOLD IT WAS VOLUNTEER.
THEY SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE MADE 
SOME MISTAKE AND REGRET SOME OF 
THESE THINGS.
OUR WHOLE OPERATION HAS BEEN 
DRAGGED INTO THE SPOTLIGHT IN 
THIS WHOLE THING AND WE'RE 
COMMITTED TO MAKING REFORM AND 
FIXING SOME OF OUR OWN INTERNAL 
PROBLEMS AND HAVE MORE TO SAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES 
CRAIG OR MARC KIELBURGER WILL 
SIT DOWN AND DO AN INTERVIEW 
WITH YOU OR VASSY TO EXPLAIN 
THEMSELVES.
THEY'VE TURNED US DOWN, ALMOST 
AS MUCH AS THE MINISTER 
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS HAS 
OVER THE PAST WEEK, BUT THERE 
ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO BE 
ANSWERED ON THIS ABOUT THE 
JUDGMENT HERE TO NOT RECUSE 
YOURSELF IF YOU ARE THE PRIME 
MINISTER AND THE FINANCE 
MINISTER WHEN YOU HAVE CLEAR 
FAMILY CONNECTIONS TO THIS 
CHARITY, WHO HAVE CLEAR 
FINANCIAL CONNECTIONS TO THIS 
CHARITY.
>> Rosemary: I SHOULD POINT OUT 
AS WELL OVER THE WEEKEND THAT 
THE "TORONTO STAR" REPORTED -- 
AND WE CONFIRMED, BUT THE 
"TORONTO STAR" REPORTED THE 
NUMBER THAT WE WAS FORCED TO 
LAY OFF, HUNDREDS OF CONTRACT 
WORKERS THAT IT HAD HIRED TO 
HELP ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAMME, 
450 I BELIEVE IS THE NUMBER 
THAT THE "TORONTO STAR" 
REPORTED.
THERE WAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON 
THE CHARITY'S ABILITIES TO KEEP 
SOME EMPLOYEES ON STAFF FOR 
WHAT WAS GOING TO BE A VAST 
PROGRAMME TO TRY AND HELP 
STUDENTS SDO SOME VOLUNTEER 
HOURS, RECRUIT THEM AND GET AN 
HONOURARY YOU RARIUM FOR THAT 
WORK, UP TO $5,000.
THAT PROGRAMME IS STILL TRYING 
TO BE RECONSTITUTED OR THEY'RE 
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO 
ADMINISTER IT, USING GOVERNMENT 
EMPLOYEES.
THERE ARE 35,000 OR SOMETHING 
KIDS, STUDENTS THAT SIGNED UP 
FOR IT AND THE GOVERNMENT SAYS 
THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE 
OUT NOW HOW THEY CAN DO THAT 
WORK.
BUT THEY DO MAINTAIN THAT IT 
WAS THE PUBLIC SECTOR THAT SAID 
LISTEN, WE CHARITY KNOWS HOW TO 
DO THIS.
THEY DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS.
WE THINK THEY CAN DO IT PRETTY 
EASILY.
WHAT BECAME THE ISSUE FOR 
PEOPLE, MAYBE NOT FOLLOWING AS 
CLOSELY AS WE ARE, IS THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S CLOSE RELATIONSHIP 
WITH THE ORGANIZATION AND THEN 
AGAIN AS WE POINTED OUT THESE 
CONTRACTS THAT HIS MOTHER AND 
BROTHER HAD TO SPEAK AT THESE 
DIFFERENT EVENTS AS WELL.
VASSY, THE PRIME MINISTER -- WE 
HAVEN'T ACTUALLY HEARD FROM HIM 
IN A WHILE.
IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE HE'S 
DONE ONE OF THESE UPDATES 
OUTSIDE OF HIS HOME.
I IMAGINE HE'LL HAVE THINGS TO 
SAY ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT HE'S 
EXPECTING TO SPEAK WITH 
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP THIS 
MORNING.
SO MAYBE THERE WILL BE 
SOMETHING TO COME OUT OF THAT 
CONVERSATION.
AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE 
OTHER QUESTIONS OR OTHER THINGS 
HE WILL WANT TO UPDATE ON THE 
PANDEMIC.
BUT THIS WILL, I THINK, BE THE 
PRIMARY SOURCE OF QUESTION AT 
ANY RATE TODAY.
>> Vassy: YEAH, THAT IS A SAFE 
BET TO BE SURE, ROSEY.
SOMETHING THAT YOU FLAGGED AND 
DAVID BUILT ON IS SOMETHING 
IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD.
THE PRIME MINISTER AND OTHER 
CABINET MINISTERS HAVE LONG 
MAINTAINED THIS WASN'T 
SOMETHING NICHE YAITD BY 
CABINET OR THE PRIME MINISTER'S 
OFFICE, THAT IT WAS THE 
BUREAUCRACY AND I DON'T KNOW 
ABOUT YOU, BUT I'VE HEARD FROM 
A LOT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO 
AREN'T HAPPY TO BE A LITTLE BIT 
THROWN UNDER THE BUS.
BUT THE BUREAUCRACIES WHO 
INITIALLY SAID, AS YOU POINTED 
OUT, HEY, THIS IS THE BEST BET 
TO GET THIS PROGRAMME DONE.
THIS IS THE ONLY -- THIS IS THE 
ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT CAN 
REALLY ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE WANT 
TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS 
PROGRAMME.
I THINK ONE OF THE N.D.P.'S 
MOTION, WHICH KIBBLE PASSED 
BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE 
WAS TO GET ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS 
AND ENTER THEM INTO THE 
COMMITTEE AT LEAST OR MAKE THEM 
PUBLIC.
AND THAT IS SORT OF ONE OF THE 
KEY PIECES TO THIS PUZZLE.
I KNOW DIVIDEND DID A LOT OF 
REPORTING ON IT LAST WEEK AS 
WELL.
YET TO BE REALLY TRANSPARENT, 
RIGHT?
AND IN THE VACUUM OF THAT, AS 
DAVID SAYS, WE'RE LEFT TO TRUST 
AND BE EXPECTED TO TRUST THEIR 
WORD ON IT.
I THINK IF THEY WERE TO AT 
LEAST PRESENT SOMETHING 
PUBLICLY, THAT CORROBORATED 
THAT, THAT REMOVED ALL THE OF 
THE SORT OF QUESTIONS AROUND -- 
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL REMOVE 
THEM, BUT TEMPERED THE QUESTION 
AROUND HOW MUCH POLITICAL 
INVOLVEMENT THERE WAS IN THIS 
DECISION, THE DECISION-MAKING 
IS SO DIFFERENT DURING THE 
PANDEMIC AND NORMALLY THIS GOES 
THROUGH THE TREASURY BOARD, FOR 
EXAMPLE OR A COMMITTEE THAT 
LOOK AT IT OR A CERTAIN 
DEPARTMENT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ANY 
STRAIGHT ANSWERS RIGHT NOW 
ABOUT HOW EXACTLY THIS DECISION 
WAS MADE AND WHAT LEVEL OF 
INVOLVEMENT THE PRIME MINISTER 
HIMSELF HAD AT THE OUTSET OR 
PEOPLE IN HIS OFFICE.
I THINK THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF 
THE CONFLICT, QUESTIONS COME 
FROM.
THERE'S STILL THE OVERARCHING 
THING.
DIDN'T ANYONE SEE THAT, BECAUSE 
THEY HAD THIS LONG HISTORY WITH 
THE ORGANIZATION, IT WOULD LOOK 
SUSPECT?
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: 
INCLUDING THE CANADA STUDENT 
GRANT SERVICE.
BUT FIRST I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN 
IDEA OF WHAT IS COMING UP THIS 
WEEK.
IT IS OUR INTENTION TO EXTEND 
THE WAGE SUBSIDY INTO DECEMBER 
AND WE ARE ALSO CONTINUING OUR 
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES AN THE SAFE 
RE-OPENING OF THE ECONOMY.
I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN TO PRESIDENT 
TRUMP THIS MORNING AND WE 
TALKED ABOUT THE NEW NAFTA.
WE TALKED ABOUT TARIFFS ON 
ALUMINUM AND WE TALKED ABOUT 
SYSTEMIC RACISM AND, OF COURSE, 
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CHINA AND 
THE TWO CANADIANS ARBITRARILY 
DETAINED THERE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
YOU'VE SEEN ME COME OUT TO TALK 
WITH CANADIAN ABOUT WHAT WE'RE 
DOING TO HELP YOU AND YOUR 
FAMILY, YOUR EMPLOYER, YOUR 
LOCAL BUSINESSES DEAL WITH THIS 
PANDEMIC.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO 
THAT VITAL WORK.
THIS WEEK WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING 
AN EXTENSION TO THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY PROGRAMME UNTIL 
DECEMBER TO GIVE GREATER 
CERTAINTY AND SUPPORT TO 
BUSINESSES AS WE RESTART THE 
ECONOMY.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING VERY 
HARD, THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER 
FREELAND AND I, ON THE SAFE 
RESTART PROGRAMME WITH THE 
PROVINCES AND WE'LL HAVE AN 
UPDATE ON THAT LATER THIS WEEK.
THIS MORNING, I SPOKE WITH 
PRESIDENT TRUMP ABOUT THE NEW 
NAFTA, ABOUT ALUMINUM TARIFFS, 
ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER AND 
ALSO ABOUT THE ISSUE OF CHINA 
AND THE TWO DETAINED CANADIANS.
THIS MORNING, I KNOW PEOPLE 
WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE 
CANADA STUDENT SERVICE GRANT 
PROGRAMME IN PARTICULAR.
I KNOW THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS 
AND PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THIS 
PROGRAMME HAS RUN ABOUT AND I 
KNOW PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT 
IT.
I GET THAT.
I MADE A MISTAKE IN NOT 
RECUSING MYSELF IMMEDIATELY IN 
THE DISCUSSIONS, GIVEN OUR 
FAMILY'S HISTORY.
AND I'M SINCERELY SORRY ABOUT 
NOT HAVING DONE THAT.
I GOT INTO POLITICS TO HELP 
PEOPLE SHAPE THEIR COUNTRY FOR 
THE BETTER.
I'VE BEEN YOUTH CRITIC AND 
YOUTH MINISTER FOR OUR 
GOVERNMENT AND EVERY STEP OF 
THE WAY I'VE TRIED TO CREATE 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
TO SERVE.
DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED 
PANDEMIC, WE GOT VERY CREATIVE 
WITH A RANGE OF PROGRAMMES 
DESIGNED TO HELP CANADIAN, TO 
HELP FAMILIES AND HELP 
BUSINESSES AND, YES, TO HELP 
YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE WORKED WITH A RANGE OF 
PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ORGANISATIONS FROM UNITED WAY 
TO THE RED CROSS TO FOOD BANKS.
WE MADE SURE THAT WE GOT HELP 
TO CANADIANS.
WHEN IT CAME TO THIS 
ORGANIZATION, T AND THIS 
PROGRAMME, THE INVOLVEMENT THAT 
I'D HAD AND THAT MY FAMILY HAS 
SHOULD HAVE HAD ME REMOVE 
MYSELF FROM THESE DISCUSSIONS 
AND I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T.
PARTICULARLY SORRY BECAUSE NOT 
ONLY HAS IT CREATED UNNECESSARY 
CONTROVERSY AND ISSUES, IT ALSO 
MEANS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE 
FACING A DIFFICULT TIME RIGHT 
NOW GETTING SUMMER JOBS, 
CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR 
COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE 
TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER BEFORE 
GETTING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO 
SERVE.
AND THAT IS FRUSTRATING.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: WE 
INTRODUCE ADD TO HELP STUDENTS 
GET INVOLVED IN THEIR 
COMMUNITIES.
BUT BECAUSE OF MY PARTICIPATION 
IN THE WE ORGANIZATION, I 
SHOULD HAVE RECUSED MYSELF FROM 
THE DISCUSSIONS WHICH I DID NOT.
ALL WE WANDED TO DO WAS HELP 
YOUNG PEOPLE.
THROUGHOUT MY CAREER IN 
POLITICS, I TRIED TO CREATE 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
I WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN 
WHAT THIS PROGRAMME COULD 
DELIVER FOR THEM.
BUT BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY 
CONNECTIONS TO THE 
ORGANIZATION, I SHOULD NOT HAVE 
BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
THAT WAS A MISTAKE ON MY PART 
AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY 
APOLOGIES FOR THAT.
BUT THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING 
BECAUSE THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE 
WHO COULD NOW BE SERVING THEIR 
COMMUNITIES THROUGH THIS 
PROGRAMME.
AND THEY WILL HAVE TO WAIT A 
LITTLE LONGER.
BECAUSE OF A MISTAKE THAT I 
MADE.
IN THIS PANDEMIC, WE HAVE TRIED 
TO DO NEW THINGS, TO BE 
CREATIVE AND CERTAINLY WE WERE 
FWOUNL MAKE MISTAKE AND WE 
ADJUSTED A NUMBER OF TIMES AS 
THE SITUATION EVOLVED.
BUT IN THE CASE, IT'S MY FAULT.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED 
IN THESE DISCUSSIONS AND I WANT 
TO EXPRESS MY DEEP APOLOGIES 
FOR THAT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND 
HELP CANADIANS RIGHT ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY, THROUGH VARIOUS 
PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING HELPING 
YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE WE ORGANIZATION HAS PAID 
BACK THE MONEY THAT WAS 
PROVIDED TO IT AND WILL BE 
PROVIDING SOME PLACEMENTS AND 
WE WILL BE FINDING ANOTHER 
ORGANIZATION TO INTRODUCE THESE 
PLACEMENTS.
NOW THINGS DID NOT ROLL OUT AS 
WE WANTED IT TO AND I'M REALLY 
DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF AS A 
RESULT.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE 
CONTINUE TO WORK VERY HARD TO 
DELIVER PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES 
TO CANADIANS WHO NEED SUPPORT 
RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 
INCLUDING TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO 
WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE 
ABLE TO HELP OUT BECAUSE OF A 
MISTAKE I MADE IN NOT 
WITHDRAWING FROM THESE 
CONVERSATIONS WHEN THE PUBLIC 
SERVICE RECOMMENDED WE MOVE 
FORWARD WITH THE WE 
ORGANIZATION, IT HAS GOTTEN A 
LITTLE SLOWER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
WHO ARE FACING A DIFFICULT TIME 
RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO GET 
INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES 
AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BUT I KNOW YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS 
THIS COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO 
STEP UP AND SERVE IN THEIR 
COMMUNITIES AND WE, AS A 
GOVERNMENT, WILL CONTINUE TO 
WORK FORWARD ON DELIVERING GOOD 
PROGRAMMES FOR CANADIANS.
FROM THE BEGINNING, WE KNEW WE 
HAD TO MOVE IN UNPRECEDENTED, 
CREATIVE WAYS AND WORK WITH A 
RANGE OF PARTNER AND WE HAVE.
IN THIS SITUATION, THE MISTAKE 
THAT WE MADE WAS ON ME AND I 
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK VERY, 
VERY HARD TO DELIVER THE 
PROGRAMMES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, 
INDEED ALL CANADIANS NEED, TO 
GET THROUGH THIS HISTORIC 
PANDEMIC.
MERCI BEAUCOUP.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: I'M 
NOW HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR 
QUESTIONS.
>> [Speaking French] 
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
FIRST QUESTION, BLOOMBERG.
LINE OPEN.
>> Reporter: HELLO, PRIME 
MINISTER.
I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE 
WE CHARITY.
YOU'RE FACING YOUR THIRD ETHICS 
INVESTIGATION IN SEVERAL YEARS 
AND GIVEN THE LIFE EXPECTANCY 
OF A MINORITY GOVERNMENT IN 
CANADA, DO YOU THINK VOTERSS 
WILL FORGIVE YOU WHENEVER 
CANADIANS GO BACK TO THE POLLS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT 
THAT GOVERNMENTS DO THE BEST 
THEY CAN TO SERVE CANADIANS 
AND, IN THIS SITUATION, I 
SHOULD HAVE RECUSED MYSELF.
CANADIANS WILL MAKE THEIR 
JUDGMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE WERE 
TRYING TO DO AND WHAT I SHOULD 
HAVE DONE INSTEAD OF STAYING 
INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE 
GOING TO KEEP FOCUS ON 
DELIVERING FOR CANADIANS SO WE 
CAN GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, 
COME BACK WITH A STRONGER 
ECONOMY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME 
WE MAKE SURE THAT VULNERABLE 
CANADIAN AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE 
GREATER OPPORTUNITIES THAN THEY 
HAD BEFORE.
>> FOLLOWING UP, KATE?
>> Reporter: YOU SPOKE WITH 
PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY AND I'M 
WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US 
MORE DETAILS REGARDING WHETHER 
THERE WILL BE TARIFFS ON 
CANADIAN ALUMINUM IN THE COMING 
NEXT FEW WEEKS.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
HIGHLIGHTED TO THE PRESIDENT 
THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS DISRUPTED 
USUAL MANUFACTURING PROCESSES 
AND SUPPLY CHAINS AND THAT HAS 
CAUSED FOR CERTAIN DISRUPTION 
IN THE ALUMINUM SECTOR THAT IS 
STARTING TO REALIGN ITSELF 
GIVEN THE ECONOMIES ARE 
STARTING UP AGAIN AND 
MANUFACTURING IS GETTING GOING.
AYE IMPRESSED UPON HIM THAT IT 
WOULD BE A SHAME TO SEE TARIFFS 
COME IN BETWEEN OUR TWO 
COUNTRIES AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE 
CELEBRATING NAFTA AND A TIME 
WHEN WE WANT OUR BUSINESSES AND 
OUR MANUFACTURERS TO GET GOING 
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE PLEDGED TO KEEP WORK ON 
IT TOGETHER.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: I 
POINTED OUT TO THE PRESIDENT 
THAT IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 
TO RE-OPEN OUR TWO ECONOMIES 
AND THE FACT THAT THERE HAS 
BEEN THIS DISRUPTION AS A 
RESULT OF COVID-19 HAS LED TO 
ISSUES IN OUR ALUMINUM INDUSTRY 
IN NORTH AMERICA.
BUT THINGS ARE NOW REALIGNING 
WITH THE RE-OPENING OF OUR 
ECONOMIES ACROSS THE CONTINENT 
AND I SAID I HOPE WE WILL NOT 
SEE ANY TARIFFS IMPOSED THAT 
WOULD ONLY SLOW DOWN THE 
ECONOMIC RECOVERY THAT IS VERY 
IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OUR 
COUNTRIES.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
[Speaking French] 
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: GOOD 
MORNING, PRIME MINISTER.
NOW WHEN YOU APPROVED THE 
CONTRACT TO WE, WERE YOU AWARE 
THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF 
DOLLARS HAD BEEN WADE TO YOUR 
MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHER?
I KNEW THAT MEMBER OF MY FAMILY 
HAD WORKED WITH THAT 
ORGANIZATION.
THEY HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN IT.
BUT I HAD NO DETAIL ON WHAT 
THEY WERE PAID AND I SHOULD 
HAVE HAD THOSE DETAILS AND I 
REGRET THAT.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
WAS AWARE THAT MEMBERS OF MY 
FAMILY WORKED WITH AND 
CONTRIBUTED TO THE WE 
ORGANIZATION.
BUT I WAS UNAWARE OF THE 
DETAILS OF THE REMUNERATION AND 
I SHOULD HAVE AND I REGRET THAT.
>> [Speaking French]
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: NOW 
WOULD YOU -- CAN YOU SAY THAT 
THERE WAS SW  -- SOMEONE IN 
CABINET OR IN YOUR ORGANIZATION 
THAT RAISED CONCERN ABOUT 
GIVING THE CONTRACT TO WE?
THERE WAS SOME REFLECTION 
CARRIED OUT BY MYSELF AND 
OTHERS IN TERMS OF THE FACT 
THAT THE CONNECTIONS WITH THE 
FAMILY MEANT THAT WE HAD TO BE 
CAREFUL AND MADE SURE THAT WE 
DID THINGS RIGHT.
BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY THE PUBLIC 
SERVICE THAT MADE THAT 
INDEPENDENT RECOMMENDATION.
AND THAT RE-ASSURED US.
BUT AS WE SEE NOW, I SHOULD 
HAVE GONE FURTHER, I SHOULD 
HAVE COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN FROM 
THAT DISCUSSION.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
NEXT QUESTION, REUTERS.
LINE OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
PRIME MINISTER.
YOU SPOKE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.
CAN YOU LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR 
LATEST THINKING IS WHEN THE 
BORDER MIGHT BE OPENED?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
RECOGNIZED THAT THE SITUATION 
CONTINUES TO BE COMPLEX IN THE 
UNITED STATES.
IN REGARDS TO COVID-19.
EVERY MONTH WE HAVE BEEN ABLE 
TO EXTEND THE BORDER CLOSURES 
TO ALL BUT ESSENTIAL GOODS AND 
SERVICES AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS 
ARE ONGOING WITH THE UNITED 
STATES RIGHT NOW AS WE ARE A 
WEEK FROM THE NEXT DEADLINE FOR 
CLOSURES.
WE'LL WORK HARD TO KEEP 
CANADIANS SAFE AND OUR 
ECONOMIES FLOWING AND WE'LL 
HAVE MORE TO SAY LATER THIS 
WEEK, I'M SURE.
OK.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: WE 
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE TO 
ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF 
CANADIANS WHILE AT THE SAME 
TIME, ALLOWING THEM TO TRAVEL 
AND ALLOWING ESSENTIAL GOODS 
AND SERVICES TO CROSS THE 
BORDERS.
WE'RE A WEEK AWAY FROM THE END 
OF THE CURRENT BAN ON TRAVELING 
AND WE'LL HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO 
MAKE IN THE COMING DAYS WITH 
RESPECT TO THE BORDER.
>> SECONDLY, GIVEN THE COMPLETE 
CALAMITY, HOW MUCH ARE YOU 
POSSIBLY THINKING  ABOUT 
EXTENDING THE CLOSURES UNTIL 
TEND OF THE YEAR AS OPPOSED TO 
THIS MONTH-OVER-MONTH MOVE 
?MENT >> Prime Minister 
Trudeau: WE'VE PLEDGEDED TO 
CONTINUE TO MONITOR CLOSELY THE 
SITUATION THAT IS CONSTANTLY 
EVOLVING.
WE'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH OUR 
AMERICAN PARTNERS WHAT THE NEXT 
STEPS SHOULD BE AND I THINK 
THIS IS A SITUATION THAT IS 
EVOLVING RAPIDLY AND WE NEED TO 
KEEP RESPONDING TO THE 
SITUATION ON THE GROUND.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: 
WE'LL CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO 
THE SITUATION AS IT NOW EXISTS.
I THINK MAKING LONG-TERM 
PREDICTIONS IS PROBABLY NOT THE 
BEST IDEA BUT WE'LL DO 
EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO DO OVER 
THE SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM TO 
ENSURE THAT CANADIANS ARE SAFE.
>> LAST QUESTION ON THE PHONE.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: JUST 
TO CLARIFY -- YOU SAID THAT YOU 
WERE NOT AWARE OF THE DETAILS 
OF WHAT YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAD 
BEEN PAID.
SO DOES THAT MEAN YOU DIDN'T 
KNOW WHETHER THEY'D BEEN PAID 
OR YOU DID KNOW THAT THEY'D 
BEEN PAID BUT NOT HOW MUCH?
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW, 
MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY, 
PARTICULARLY MY MOTHER, HAVE 
WORKED AS SPEAKERS AT VARIOUS 
EVENT AND DO THAT FOR VARIOUS 
ORGANISATIONS WHERE THEY TALK 
ABOUT SUCH ISSUES AS MENTAL 
HEALTH AND I KNEW THAT SHE HAD 
A SOURCE OF INCOME FROM VARIOUS 
ORGANISATIONS, BUT I DIDN'T 
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS PAID 
BY ONE OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
AND I DEEPLY REGRET THAT MY 
MOTHER HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN 
THIS SITUATION BECAUSE I MADE 
THE MISTAKE OF NOT RECUSING 
HIMSELF FROM THE DISCUSSION 
RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING 
BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY 
CONNECTIONS.
I HAVE KNOWN FOR MANY YEARS 
THAT MY MOM HAS BEEN AN 
EXTRAORDINARY ADVOCATE FOR 
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, 
PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO 
WORK WITH A RANGE OF DIFFERENT 
ORGANISATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY I KNEW SHE WORKED 
WITH WE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF 
HOW MUCH SHE WAS GETTING PAID 
BY VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS.
BUT I SHOULD HAVE AND I DEEPLY 
REGRET THAT.
I ALSO DEEPLY REGRET THE FACT 
THAT I HAVE BROUGHT MY MOTHER 
INTO THIS SITUATION IN A WAY 
THAT,YOU KNOW, IS REALLY UNFAIR 
TO HER.
I SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWING THAT 
I SHOULD HAVE RECUSE MYSELF 
FROM THE CONNECTIONS FROM THE 
VERY BEGINNING AND I DID NOT 
AND I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> FRENCH
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: 
FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: [Speaking French] 
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: YOU 
SAID THAT THE WE CHARITY DID 
PAY YOUR MOTHER FOR SPEAKING 
ENGAGEMENTS.
BUT MR. BLANCHET, FRANÇOIS 
BLANCHET ASKED YOU LAST WEEK TO 
STEP DOWN AND ALLOW MS. 
FREELAND TAKE OVER BECAUSE WE 
BELIEVES THAT ONE ETHICS 
INQUIRY ONCE, A SECOND ONE 
MAYBE, BUT NOW WE'RE AT YOUR 
THIRD ETHICS INQUIRY.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO MR. BLANCHET?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: I 
BELIEVE THE OPPOSITION PARTIES 
HAVE THEIR JOB TO DO AND 
THEY'LL DON'T DO THEIR JOB.
BUT I ALSO HAVE A JOB AND MY 
JOB IS TO DELIVER PROGRAMMES TO 
CANADIANS AND WORK WITH MY 
CABINET INCLUDING THE DEPUTY 
PRIME MINISTER AND ENSURE THAT 
CANADA CAN GET THROUGH THIS 
PANDEMIC AND GET THE ECONOMY 
BACK ON TRACK AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL 
CONTINUE TO DO.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
OBVIOUSLY THE OPPOSITION 
PARTIES HAVE THEIR JOB TO DO 
AND THEY'LL KEEP DOING IT.
I HAVE MY JOB TO DO AS WELL, 
WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT 
CANADIANS ARE WELL-SUPPORTED 
THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND WE 
HAVE AN ECONOMIC RESTART THAT 
GOES SMOOTHLY.
I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AN 
OUTSTANDING GROUP OF MINISTERS 
INCLUDING THE DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY 
FOCUSED ON DELIVERING FOR 
CANADIANS.
>> Reporter: HI, PRIME MINISTER.
YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T AWARE OF 
YOUR FAMILY'S SIGNIFICANT 
INVOLVEMENT WE, BUT DID YOU 
KNOW THAT YOUR MOTHER AND 
BROTHER WERE PAID BY THEM, 
PERIOD.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
KNEW THAT MY MOTHER AND BROTHER 
WORK AS PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC 
SPEAKERS, AND IT IS NOT 
SURPRISING TO ME THAT THEY GOT 
PAID BY WE.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THE DETAILS.
AS I SAID, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN 
THE DETAILS AND I REGRET THAT.
AS I SAID, MY BROTHER AND MY 
MOTHER HAVE WORKED AS 
PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SPEAK  AND 
I KNOW THAT THEY WORKED WITH 
VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS INCLUDING 
THE WE CHAIR ACTIVITY.
HOWEVER, I DID NOT KNOW EXACTLY 
WHAT THEY HAD BEEN PAID BY 
THOSE ORGANISATIONS AND I 
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN AND I REGRET 
THAT.
>> Reporter: IS IT CORRECT THAT 
YOU'RE SAYING YOU KNEW THEY 
WERE PAID BUT NOT HOW MUCH?
IS THAT THE DISTINCTION YOU'RE 
MAKING?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
KNEW THEY WERE WORKING AS 
PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKER AND 
WORKED FOR A RANGE OF 
ORGANISATIONS.
INCLUDING WE.
IT IS NOT A SURPRISE TO ME THAT 
THEY GOT PAID BY WE.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY 
GOT PAID BY WE.
BUT I SHOULD HAVE AND I REGRET 
THAT.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: I 
KNEW THAT MY BROTHER AND MY 
FATHER WERE WORKING AS 
PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
BUT I DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH 
THEY HAD BEEN PAID BY THE WE 
CHARITY AND I REGRET THAT.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
>> Reporter: WILL YOU BE 
ACCEPTING THE CONSERVATIVE'S 
PROPOSAL THAT YOU TESTIFY AT 
FINANCE COMMITTEE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
HAVE A NUMBER OF MINISTERS AND 
OFFICIALS TESTIFYING THIS WEEK 
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT 
COMMITTEE.
AND I WILL LOOK AT ANY 
INVITATIONS TO THAT COME IN AND 
DISCUSSING THEM WITH MY TEAM.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: I 
KNOW THAT THE MINISTER OF YOUTH 
AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WILL BE 
THERE TO TESTIFY AT THE 
COMMITTEE THIS WEEK AND WE WILL 
BE LOOKING AT THE INVITATIONS 
AND MAKE THE DECISIONS 
ACCORDINGLY.
>> Reporter: PEOPLE ARE 
WONDERING ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE 
GRANT TO WE.
$900 MILLION.
YOU HAVE 35,000 APPLICATION AND 
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IF PEOPLE 
TAKE THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE YOU 
WOULD COME ANYWHERE NEAR TO $9 
MILLION AND HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU 
WERE EXPECTING TO ASSIST 
THROUGH THIS PROGRAMME.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
FIRST OF ALL, THE AMOUNT IN THE 
DISTRICT COURT WE WAS ABOUT $20 
MILLION FOR DELIVERY OF 
THOUSANDS OF TENS OF THOUSANDS 
OF YOUTH PLACEMENTS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE 
NETWORK THAT WAS ABLE TO DO 
THAT QUICKLY.
THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION BY 
THE PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE.
AS TO THE LARGER CONTRACT, 
WHICH INCLUDES DIRECT PAYMENTS 
TO YOUNG PEOPLE FOR 
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR VOLUNTEERING 
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, WE'LL WORK 
WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS AND 
PERHAPS WITH SERVICE CANADA AS 
A WAY OF DELIVERING THOSE 
GRANTS FOR SUMMER VOLUNTEERISM.
BUT THAT IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO 
WORK OUT WITH THE PUBLIC 
SERVICE NOW.
[Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: WITH 
RESPECT TO THE CONTRACT WE, 
THERE WAS $20 MILLION TO 
ADMINISTER THE PROGRAMME THAT 
WAS PROVIDED TO THEM, THAT THEY 
HAVE REPAID.
AND THEY WILL STILL BE 
DELIVERING MANY, MANY 
PLACEMENTS FREE OF CHARGE FOR 
THE GOVERNMENT.
WITH TROPT THE DIRECT PAYMENTS 
TO STUPIDS FOR THEIR 
VOLUNTEERISM, THAT MONEY WILL 
HAVE TO GO THROUGH OTHER MEANS, 
PERHAPS DPREKTLY THROUGH 
SERVICE CANADA WHICH WILL BE 
MORE COMPLICATED BUT RIGHT NOW 
WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT 
YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO 
SERVE AND HELP OUT IN THEIR 
COMMUNITIES AND THAT HAS ALWAYS 
BEEN A PRIORITY FOR MYSELF AND 
WE'LL DON'T DO THAT.
>> [Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: MR. 
TRUDEAU, YOU WERE BLAMED TWICE 
BY THE ETHICS COMMISSIONER FOR 
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE 
CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT?
WELL, I REALISE THIS IS A 
SITUATION WHERE I SHOULD HAVE 
RECUSED MYSELF RIGHT OFF THE 
BAT BECAUSE OF THE INVOLVEMENT 
OF MY FAMILY.
I DID NOT DO THAT.
THIS AN ISSUE AND THIS IS AN 
AREA WHERE I'VE BEEN WORKING 
THROUGHOUT MY POLITICAL CAREER.
GETTING INVOLVED WITH YOUNG 
PEOPLE, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE, 
GETTING THEM OPPORTUNITIES.
I DID ALL OF THAT BEFORE I WENT 
INTO POLITICS.
THIS IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT 
HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO ME 
AND I DID NOT REMOVE MYSELF 
FROM THE DISCUSSIONS FOR THAT 
REASON.
BUT I SHOULD HAVE.
AND I REGRET THAT.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
INVOLVED IN YOUTH ORGANISATIONS 
AND YOUTH SERVICE SINCE WELL 
BEFORE I WAS IN POLITICS AND 
THROUGHOUT MY TIME IN POLITICS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE 
DEEPLY IN AND SHOULD EVEN GIVEN 
ALL, THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE 
STAYED INVOLVED IN THE 
CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE OF THE 
ORGANIZATION INVOLVED, BECAUSE 
OF THE LINKS TO WE THAT ARE 
WITH MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN 
THE PAST.
I REGRET THIS BECAUSE SOMETHING 
THAT I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT, 
GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE 
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE HAS 
BECOME MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE 
OF A MISTAKE I MADE.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK VERY, VERY 
HARD TO ENSURE THAT THESE YOUNG 
PEOPLE CONTINUE TO GET 
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE.
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
>> [Voice of Interpreter]: OF 
COURSE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO 
TALK ABOUT THAT.
NOW IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT 
WE SHOULD KNOW NOW WITH RESPECT 
TO THIS ISSUE?
BEFORE YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE A 
SECOND TIME?
WELL, I'M BEING VERY CLEAR WITH 
YOU.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED 
IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
WHEN THE PUBLIC SERVICE CAME 
FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION 
TO DEAL WITH THIS CHARITY, 
BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY 
CONNECTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION.
I SHOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN FROM 
THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
I DID NOT AND I REGRET THAT.
IT WAS A MISTAKE THATTY  -- 
THAT I MADE AND I WILL TAKE THE 
CONSEQUENCES.
>> Reporter: YOU ARE MAKING A 
MASSIVE U-TURN TODAY BY SAYING 
SORRY AFTER A WEEK OF DEFENDING 
YOUR DECISION ON WE.
HOW DO YOU CONVINCE CANADIANS 
THAT THIS IS A GENUINE APOLOGY 
AND YOU'RE SORRY AND NOT JUST 
BECAUSE YOU GOT YOUR HANDS 
STUCK IN THE COOKIE JAFRM >> 
Prime Minister Trudeau: I'M 
SORRY BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO 
SHOULD BE OUT THERE AND 
CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR 
COMMUNITIES THROUGH THIS 
PROGRAMME NOW HAVE TO WAIT A 
LITTLE LONGER.
I WORKED HARD THROUGH THIS 
PANDEMIC AND ALSO THROUGH MY 
CAREER TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE PUT 
FORWARD MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
YOUNG PEOPLE, WHETHER IT IS THE 
INCREASE IN THE CANADA SUMMER 
JOBS, WHETHER IT IS CREATION OF 
NEW JOBS IN PANDEMIC-RELATE 
AREAS.
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY STUDENT RESPONSE 
BENEFIT.
WE ARE THERE TO HELP YOUNG 
PEOPLE AND IT IS REALLY 
FRUSTRATING FOR ME BECAUSE I 
MADE A MISTAKE ON THIS AND I 
DIDN'T STEP BACK FROM THIS 
DECISION WHEN IT CAME FORWARD 
FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE 
TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER TO BE 
ABLE TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY.
I AM FRUSTRATED BY THAT.
I DEEPLY REGRET IT AND TAKE 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
OK.
[Speaking French] 
>> Caller: I THINK THAT WHAT 
FRUSTRATES ME THE MOST ABOUT 
THIS IS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE 
SHOULD HAVE AND COULD HAVE HAD 
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THEIR 
COMMUNITY NOW ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY THROUGH THIS PROGRAMME 
AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO 
THAT QUITE SO QUICKLY BECAUSE I 
MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT 
WITHDRAWING FROM THE DISCUSSION 
RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING 
BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY 
CONNECTIONS.
SO IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR ME, BUT 
WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY AND HELP 
THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AS WE HELPED 
WITH THE STUDENT RESPONSE 
BENEFIT AND MORE SUMMER JOBS 
AND WITH VARIOUS PROGRAMMES AND 
THE CREATION OF JOBS IN SECTORS 
THAT NEED HELP THROUGHOUT THE 
PANDEMIC.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR 
YOUNG PEOPLE.
BUT THIS IS A MISTAKE THAT HAS 
MADE THINGS MORE DIFFICULT AND 
I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT 
AND APOLOGIZE.
>> Reporter: THIS IS THE THIRD 
TIME YOU'VE HAD A CONFLICT OF 
INTEREST AS PRIME MINISTER.
HOW MANY WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU 
TO ACTUALLY LEARN A LESSON?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
WE'LL WORK HARD TO CONTINUE TO 
DELIVER PROGRAMMES FOR CANADIAN.
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THE 
INTENTION WAS TO GET YOUNG 
PEOPLE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY IN 
A DIFFERENT WAY, IN A CREATIVE 
WAY, IN A WAY THAT WE HAD TO 
MOVE QUICKLY ON BECAUSE OF THE 
PANDEMIC.
WE ALWAYS KNEW FROM THE 
BEGINNING THAT THEY WERE GOING 
TO NEED TO BE ADJUSTMENTS AND 
TWEAKS TO VARIOUS PROGRAMMES 
AND WE DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT 
THE PAST MONTHS THAT WE HAVE 
ADJUSTED AND TWEAKED AND FIXED 
ERRORS AND PUT PROGRAMMES ASIDE 
THAT WEREN'T QUITE WORKING AND 
IMPROVED OTHER PROGRAMMES THAT 
WERE WORKING WELL.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT 
CANADIANS EXPECT US TO DO.
BUT ON THIS ONE, THIS WAS MY 
MISTAKE.
THIS WAS ME NOT STEPPING BACK 
FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT I 
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN TO NOT GET 
INVOLVED WITH EVEN AS PRIME 
MINISTER.
AND ALLOW THEM -- ALLOW THE 
PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE 
NONCONNECTED MINISTERS TO MOVE 
FORWARD ON DELIVERING THIS 
PROGRAMME.
THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T MADE IT 
MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
AT A TIME WHEN THINGS ARE 
DIFFICULT ENOUGH ALREADY AND 
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DEEPLY 
REGRET.
>> [Speaking French] 
>> Rosemary: THAT IS THE PRIME 
MINISTER OF CANADA ON THIS 
MONDAY, DOING SOMETHING THAT HE 
PROBABLY HAD TO DO, TAKING A 
VARIETY OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 
WE CHARITY CONTROVERSY THAT HAS 
CONSUMED THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE 
BETTER PART OF A WEEK AND A 
HALF AND THE PRIME MINISTER 
SPEAKING WITHOUT NOTES TODAY, 
OFFERING AN APOLOGY AND TAKING 
FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT 
RECUSING HIMSELF FROM THE 
CABINET TABLE WHEN THEY HAD TO 
SIGN OFF ON GIVING THE WE 
CHARITY THIS STUDENT CONTRACT.
LET'S BRING IN VASSY AND DAVID.
I GUESS THIS IS A VERY 
DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN WE'VE 
SEEN THE PRIME MINISTER DO IN 
PAST.
MISTAKE.
THE AGA KHAN COMES TO MIND.
THE TRIP TO THE PRIVATE ISLAND 
FOR A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.
I'M NOT SURE THAT IT UNFOLD ED 
IN THIS WAY.
THAT THERE WAS AN APOLOGY AND 
HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE.
>> Vassy: VERY DIFFERENT.
RIGHT AWAY THE ALLEGATIONS WERE 
CALLED FALSE BY THE PRIME 
MINISTER IN THE ?A. AND A 
DIFFERENT SET OF ALLEGATIONS 
AND EVEN WHEN THE ETHICS 
COMMISSIONER CAME OUT WITH HIS 
REPORT, WHICH CONCLUDED THAT HE 
BREACHED THE CONFLICT OF 
INTEREST ACT, HE INSISTED THAT 
HE DIDN'T FULLY AGREE WITH IT.
IN THIS INSTANCE, I GUESS THERE 
IS TWO WAYS TO LOOK A IT.
IT IS A LOT EARLIER THAN THE 
PAST TWO ETHICS CONTROVERSIES 
TO COME OUT AND APOLOGIZE BUT 
IT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, A GOOD 
NUMBER OF WEEKS BEFORE THIS ALL 
BROKE OR AT LEAST A WEEK AND A 
HALF AND I REMEMBER NOW UNTIL 
LAST WEDNESDAY WHEN THE PRIME 
MINISTER WAS ASKED 
SPECIFICALLY, DID YOU RECUSE 
YOURSELF?
NO.
AND IF NOT, WHY NOT?
AND THE PRIME MINISTER JUST 
WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT THE 
IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAMME AND 
THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING OUT 
YOUTH.
THIS IS A DISTINCT DEPARTURE 
FROM WHAT HE AND OTHER 
MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE 
GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN SAYING IN 
THE PAST WEEK AND A HALF ABOUT 
THEIR INVOLVE INDEPENDENT THIS.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I GUESS 
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUT OF 
THOSE REMARKS.
SO, THE PRIME MINISTER WAS 
SPECIFIC IN HIS APOLOGY RELATED 
TO NOT RECUSING HIMSELF.
SO WE KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE 
GOVERNMENT, THAT THE PUBLIC 
SERVICE IS THE ONE THAT PUT 
FORTH THIS IDEA THAT WE WAS THE 
RIGHT ORGANIZATION TO HANDLE 
THIS STUDENT VOLUNTEER 
PROGRAMME, WHICH STUDENTS GET 
COMPENSATED FOR THE NUMBER OF 
HOURS THEY VOLUNTEER, UP UNTIL 
THE END OF OCTOBER.
THE PRIME MINISTER SAID TODAY 
HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PART 
OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AT ALL.
HE SAID IT OFTEN, HE SAID IT 
MANY TIMES THAT HE REGRETS NOT 
RECUSING HIMSELF AT THE OUTSET 
OF THAT.
HE WAS ASKED A NUMBER OF 
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS AND THAT 
WAS THE IDEA THAT HIS MOTHER 
AND BROTHER WERE PAID, AS YOU 
POINTED OUT, ESPECIALLY IN HIS 
MOTHER'S CASE, QUITE A BIT OF 
MONEY OVER THE PERIOD -- BY WE 
OVER THE PERIOD IN WHICH HE HAS 
BEEN IN OFFICE AS PRIME 
MINISTER.
I THINK IT WAS $250,000 IN HIS 
MOTHER'S CASE.
AND WHETHER HE KNEW THAT WHILE 
HE WAS INVOLVED IN THOSE 
DISCUSSION AND INVOLVED IN 
CABINET SINGH OFF ON THIS 
DECISION, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT 
INSISTS WAS PUT FORTH BY THE 
PUBLIC SERVICE.
HE WAS ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES 
BECAUSE HE WASN'T AWARE OF THE 
DETAILS OF RENUMERATION.
HE WASN'T AWARE OF THE DETAILS 
OF WHAT THEY WERE PAID BUT HE 
DID EVENTUALLY SAY I KNEW MY 
MOM AND MY BROTHER ARE 
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKERS, THAT 
THEY'RE PAID BY ORGANIZATION.
IT'S NOT SURPRISING BUT I 
GARNERED HE DIDN'T KNOW THE 
EXACT AMOUNT.
SO, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, 
OBVIOUSLY WILL I'M SURE BEG 
MORE QUESTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO 
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS 
INCIDENT IF YOU HAD THE GUT 
FEELING OR IF YOU KIND OF KNEW 
OR WEREN'T SURPRISED THAT THEY 
WERE BEING, WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE 
THOSE INQUIRIES AT THE OUTSET 
BEFORE AWARDING WAS A $20 
MILLION CONTRACT BUT FOR A 
NEARLY BILLION-DOLLAR PROGRAMME.
A PROGRAMME THAT IS OF UTMOST 
IMPORTANCE NOT ONLY TO THE 
GOVERNMENT BUT PERSONALLY TO 
HIM AS WELL.
AND HE SEEMED TO REALLY PUT HIS 
APOLOGY IN THAT CONTEXT.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T RECUSE 
MYSELF BECAUSE OF THE STUDENTS 
WHO ARE TRYING TO ACCESS THIS 
PROGRAMME.
IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT AND 
CHALLENGING TO HAPPEN IN LIGHT 
OF WHAT HE DID.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT.
HE DIDN'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF 
HOW MUCH PEOPLE HAD BEEN PAID.
BUT HE SAYS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THOSE 
QUESTIONS.
WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO BE 
THE PROBLEM GOING FORWARD, 
DAVID.
BECAUSE, AS HE WAS ALSO ASKED, 
THIS IS A THIRD INVESTIGATION 
INTO ISSUES AROUND ETHICS AND 
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND THE THIRD TIME THAT 
SOMETHING POPS UP, YOU'RE INTO 
YOUR SECOND MANDATE.
WHY ARE YOU NOT ASKING THOSE 
QUESTIONS?
I GUESS WOULD BE MY FOLLOW-UP 
TO HIM.
LIKE WHY -- LIKE WHAT -- HOW 
ARE YOU GOING TO GET TO THE 
PLACE WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO ASK 
THOSE QUESTION AND FEEL OK 
MAKING DECISIONS OR RECUSING 
YOURSELF FROM THIS?
>> David: THERE IS NO TEACHER 
QUITE LIKE EXPERIENCE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER, HE HAS A FAIR BIT OF 
EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH 
QUESTIONS ABOUT ETHICAL 
CONTROVERSIES.
FROM A PUBLIC RELATIONS POINT 
OF VIEW, COMING OUT TODAY ON 
THE STEPS OF RIDEAU COTTAGE AND 
SWALLOWING HIMSELF WHOLE, 
SAYING I DID THIS, THIS WAS A 
MISTAKE.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.
I DIDN'T DO BETTER.
I'M SORRY.
I'M SORRY TO MY MOM.
I'M SORRY TO WE AND I'M SORRY 
TO ALL THE CANADIANS WHO ARE 
NOW GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT A 
LONG TIME OR A LONGER TIME TO 
GET THE STUDENT GRANT 
PROGRAMMES THAT THEY WERE 
COUNTING ON.
THAT'S GOOD.
THAT MEANS HE'S LEARNED THE 
EXPERIENCE FROM SNC-LAVALIN, 
WHICH WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
BUT THE CONTROVERSIES ARE SO 
DIFFERENT.
THAT WAS FAR MORE COMPLICATE 
AND YOU HAD TO UNDERSTAND THE 
ROLES OF THE JUSTICE MINISTER 
AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND 
HOW THE SHAW CROSS DOCTRINE 
APPLIED.
THIS IS WE GAVE MONEY TO A 
CHARITY THAT GAVE MONEY TO MY 
MOM.
PEOPLE GET THAT AND PEOPLE CAN 
GET MAD AT THAT AND THERE IS 
NOT A LOT OF GREY AREA IN THAT, 
DESPITE WHAT VARIOUS PARTISANS 
ON TWITTER MIGHT TELL YOU.
SO I THINK WHAT IS INTERESTING 
THERE IS THAT HE SORT OF SAID 
WE DIDN'T DO THE WRONG THING.
WE JUST DID IT IN THE WRONG WAY.
YOU KNOW, GIVING THIS TO WE, ON 
THE ADVICE OF THE CIVIL 
SERVICE, WAS THE RIGHT THING TO 
DO.
I JUST MADE A SCREWUP AS PRIME 
MINISTER BY NOT RECUSING MYSELF 
AND NOT ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
THAT IS WHERE YOUR POINT ON THE 
FAILURE TO LEARN FROM THE PAST 
EXPERIENCES A PROBLEM FOR THEM.
AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS 
LAST WEEK, AND THE STATEMENTS 
THAT HE MADE THAT VASSY TALKED 
ABOUT WHERE HE ASKED THE 
QUESTION -- AND ANSWERED THE 
QUESTION OF DID YOU RECUSE 
YOURSELF AND HE SAID NO AND 
EXPLAINED WHY, THAT WAS 
WEDNESDAY.
IT WAS THURSDAY THAT THE STORY 
OF THE FINANCIAL PAYMENTS 
THROUGH THE FAMILY MEMBERS CAME 
OUT.
OBVIOUSLY IT COULDN'T HOLD 
GOING INTO WEDNESDAY AND WE HAD 
THIS TODAY.
BUT WHEN CABINET DEALT WITH 
THIS, IT WAS EITHER THEY DID 
KNOW ABOUT THE FINANCIAL 
RELATIONSHIP AND THEY DIDN'T 
CARE OR THEY DIDN'T KNOW AND 
THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN AND 
NEITHER SOMEONE A GOOD 
EXPLANATION WHICH BRINGS US TO 
TODAY WITH THE PRIME MINISTER 
SAYING THIS IS MY FAULT.
I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THESE 
QUESTIONS AND SHOULD HAVE 
RECUSED MYSELF.
WE DON'T YET KNOW IF THE 
FINANCE MINISTER WILL ISSUE A 
STATEMENT ALONG THOSE LINES 
GIVEN THE FACT THAT ONE OF HIS 
DAUGHTERS A DIRECT EMPLOYEE OF 
WE AND OTHER HELPS WE VENTS.
BUT THE OATHICS COMMISSIONER 
HASN'T DONE HIS WORK AND THE 
PRIME MINISTER HAS ALREADY 
RAISED HIS HAND AND SAID THIS 
WAS A MISTAKE.
I AM SORRY.
I APOLOGIZE.
LOST IN THIS IS BIG NEWS.
THE WAGE SUBSIDY IS GOING TO BE 
EXTENDED UNTIL DECEMBER.
WHILE A LOT OF US IN OTTAWA AND 
THE POLITICAL CLASS ARE TALKING 
ABOUT THE WE CONTROVERSY, 
BUSINESSES AND CANADIANS TRYING 
TO GET BACK TO WORK, THAT 
REALLY MATTERS TO THEM.
WE DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC 
DETAILS BUT THERE WAS $50 
BILLION IN THE FISCAL UPDATE 
LAST WEEK TO PAY FOR THIS AND 
WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT 
FIXING THE FISCAL CLIFF WHERE 
IF A BUSINESS MAKES MORE THAN 
30% THAN ITS PREVIOUS YEAR, IT 
LOSES THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
THEY EEL MASSAGE THAT AND MAKE 
IT EXTEND.
WI EEL GET DETAILS LATER FROM 
THE FINANCE MINISTER.
IN TERMS OF DAMAGE CONTROL ON 
WE, THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD AS THE 
PRIME MINISTER COULD DO TODAY, 
I THINK, BECAUSE HE JUST 
ACKNOWLEDGED HE MADE A BIG 
MISTAKE AND HE IS REALLY SORRY.
>> Rosemary: YOU'RE RIGHT TO 
BRING UP THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
IT IS IMPORTANT.
I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE 
YESTERDAY ON "CROSS COUNTRY 
CHECK UP "WHO WERE VERY 
CONCERNED AND EMPLOYERS KNOWING 
THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF THEIR 
OWN FINANCIAL STABILITY.
SO, BEING ABLE TO SAY TO 
EMPLOYERS BECAUSE THERE HASN'T 
BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF UPTAKE, 
CLOSE TO 600,000 APPLICATIONS 
AND TO KNOW THAT THAT PLANT GO 
UNTIL DECEMBER.
THAT IS HUGELY SIGNIFICANT FOR 
PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THE 
PANDEMIC.
AND ON THE APOLOGY, THERE WAS 
REALLY NOTHING ELSE TO DO AT 
THIS POINT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I DON'T KNOW THAT DENYING IT OR 
SAYING I DIDN'T MATTER OR 
TRYING TO PLAY IT DOWN WOULD 
HAVE WORKED.
THE ONLY THING FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER TO DO HERE WAS TO 
ACKNOWLEDGE IT, APOLOGIZE, TAKE 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
AND I THINK HIS HOPE WOULD BE 
TO MOVE ON.
UNFORTUNATELY AS YOU MENTIONED 
EARLIER, FOR HIM, THERE ARE 
OTHER PARTS OF THIS THAT ARE 
BEING CONTROLLED BY THE 
OPPOSITION PARTIES WHO WE SAW 
YESTERDAY WITH PIERRE 
POILIEVRE, DON'T INTEND TO LET 
THIS GO EASILY AND WANT HIM TO 
BE A WITNESS IN FRONT OF 
COMMITTEE, SOMETHING THAT THE 
PRIME MINISTER WAS ASKED AS 
WELL AND DIDN'T COMMIT TO DOING.
THE ETHICS COMMISSIONER WILL 
ALSO LOOK INTO THE DETAILS OF 
THIS AND PROBABLY WANT TO 
INTERVIEW THE PRIME MINISTER 
AND OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF 
AROUND SOME OF THIS AS WELL.
SO, THIS IS SORT OF THE PUBLIC 
PART OF THIS THAT HAD TO BE 
DONE TO EXPLAIN TO CANADIANS 
WHAT WENT WRONG IN THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S MIND.
BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER PIECES 
OF THIS THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD 
BEHIND THE SCENES IN 
PARLIAMENTARY WORK AND 
OTHERWISE TO SEE IF THERE ARE 
OTHER PARTS THAT NEED TO EMERGE 
AND HOW THIS ALL UNFOLDED.
ONE LAST THOUGHT FROM BOTH OF 
YOU, VASSY AND DAVID.
I GUESS IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD 
HAPPEN NEXT, WHAT YOU WOULD BE 
LOOKING FOR IN THE DAYS AHEAD 
ON THIS.
>> Vassy: I AGREE WITH YOU.
I DON'T THINK THE OPPOSITION 
WILL SAY OK, THAT APOLOGY WAS 
GOOD FOR ME.
WE'RE READY TO GO ON.
[LAUGHTER]
AND, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN PART 
OF THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE 
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU 
HIGHLIGHTED, ROSEY, WHAT YOUR 
FOLLOW-UP WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE 
IS PRETTY CENTRAL TO ALL OF 
THIS FROM A POLITICAL 
PERSPECTIVE, AT LEAST, OR WHY 
QUESTIONS WILL CONTINUE.
THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE'S 
SORRY HE DIDN'T ASK ABOUT 
WHETHER OR NOT HIS MOM OR 
BROTHER HAD BEEN PAID OR DIDN'T 
ASK ABOUT THOSE DETAIL AND 
DIDN'T RECUSE HIMSELF AT THE 
OUTSET OF ALL THIS.
BUT THAT QUESTION AS TO WHY HAS 
YET TO BE ANSWERED AND I THINK 
IT IS THAT QUESTION AT THE ROOT 
OF A GREAT VULNERABILITY FOR 
THE PRIME MINISTER AND THIS 
GOVERNMENT AROUND ETHICAL 
ISSUES.
WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOW OR HAVE AN 
INSTINCT OR WHY WEREN'T PEOPLE 
AROUND YOU SAYING IT IS 
PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO GO 
TO THAT ISLAND OR MAYBE THIS 
WILL BE, YOU KNOW, PRESSURING 
OR, YOU KNOW, ALLEGEDLY 
PRESSURING.
THE JUSTICE MINISTER WILL BE 
PERCEIVED A CERTAIN WAY.
WHY DIDN'T YOU, AT THE OUTSET 
OF THIS THING, BEING INVOLVED 
WITH THIS ORGANIZATION FOR SO 
LONG, AWARDING THIS 
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT 
AND NEARLY BILLION-DOLLAR 
PROGRAMME IS SOMETHING I SHOULD 
KNOW MORE ABOUT, ASK MORE ABOUT 
AND NOT WANT TO APPEAR AS 
THOUGH THERE IS A CONFLICT OF 
INTEREST.
AGE THINK THAT THOSE ANSWERS 
HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN, AT 
LEAST IN THIS INSTANCE, NOT YET 
PROVIDED AND THEY, IN TURN T 
PROVIDE FUEL FOR THOSE WHO SAY 
ETHICAL LAPSES ARE A MAJOR 
VULNERABLE FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER AND THIS GOVERNMENT.
UNTIL THOSE QUESTIONS ARE 
ANSWERED, I THINK THAT THAT 
KIND OF VULNERABILITY WILL 
PERSIST FOR THEM.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE SOLE 
MISTAKE THAT THE PRIME MINISTER 
HAS ADMITTED TO HERE.
IT'S A PATTERN OF WHAT YOU DID, 
WHAT YOU LEARNED AND HOW YOU 
MOVE FORWARD THAT BECOMES PART 
OF THE NARRATIVE THAT CERTAINLY 
THE OPPOSITION WILL TRY AND 
CONSTRUCT OVER TIME AROUND THE 
PRIME MINISTER'S OWN 
CREDIBILITY AND JUDGMENT.
DAVID, YOUR LAST THOUGHT.
>> David: THIS IS SUPPOSED TO 
BE GOVERNMENT BY CABINET.
AND THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE 
FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAMME 
AND WHEN THAT PROPOSAL COMES TO 
CABINET, ALTHOUGH I KNOW THE 
NORMAL PROCESSES ARE NOT BEING 
FOLLOWED BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS 
IS UNDER SPECIAL RULES TO DEAL 
WITH THE PANDEMIC, THERE IS A 
LOT OF PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT 
PAID TO BE ISSUES MANAGER AND 
SENIOR ADVISERS AND DID HER 
DEPARTMENT OR HER POLITICAL 
STAFF RAISE WITH CABINET THAT 
THIS WAS A POTENTIAL ISSUE AND 
DID THE CABINET MINISTERS ALL 
KNOW?
WHEN I WAS FILLING IN FOR VASSY 
ON FRIDAY, WE HAD PABLO 
RODRIGUEZ ON "POWER & POLITICS" 
AND HOE WAS RIGHTLY ADHERING TO 
HIS DUTIES UNDER CABINET 
CONFIDENTIALITY.
AND NOW THERE IS THE QUESTION 
OF WHETHER L YOU WAIVE ALL THAT?
PIERRE POILIEVRE ISN'T GOING TO 
SAY, WELL HE SAID I'M SORRY, 
IT'S OK.
THEY'LL DEMAND FULL WAIVERS OF 
TESTIMONY AND WANT THEM TO DO A 
FULLSOME AND COMPLETE 
INVESTIGATION.
AND IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, THE 
APOLOGY MAY SATISFY A LOT OF 
IT, THERE ARE STILL THESE OTHER 
PAINTING IN THE CORNERS OF 
PICTURE THAT PEOPLE WILL STILL 
WANT TO SEE DONE.
AND THE OTHER THING HE SAID 
TODAY, TOO, THAT'S NEWS THAT WE 
SHOULD LOOK FORWARD TO IS MAYBE 
PROGRESS ON THE SAFE RESTART 
AGREEMENT.
THIS IS $14 BILLION THAT THEY 
PUT ON THE TABLE, THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT HAS, FOR THE 
PROVINCES TO HELP RESTART, BUY 
P.P.E., EXPAND CHILD CARE, DO 
THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
ANOTHER PUBLIC POLICY THAT 
GOVERNMENTS ARE DEALING WITH IN 
THE MIDDLE OF THIS PANDEMIC WE 
SHOULD ISN'T LOSE SIGHT OF.
IT'S OVERSHADOWED TODAY BY THE 
WE APOLOGY.
BUT LOOKING AHEAD, SIGNIFICANT 
THINGS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT 
LATER ON IN THE WEEK.
>> Rosemary: AND YOU WILL BE 
TALKING ABOUT IT THROUGHOUTED 
THE DAY.
AND VASSY WILL HAVE LOTS MORE 
COVERAGE ON THIS ON "POWER & 
POLITICS" AT 5:00 EASTERN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
APPRECIATE IT AS ALWAYS.
VASSY KAPELOS AND DAVID 
COCHRANE.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THINGS 
BACK TO MY COLLEAGUE, MICHAEL 
SERAPIO, WHO WILL CONTINUE OUR 
COVERAGE HERE ON CBC NEWS 
NETWORK.
THANKS.
>> Michael: ROSEMARY BARTON IN 
OTTAWA.
THANK YOU.
FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING 
US, WE JUST HEARD THE PRIME 
MINISTER NOW ADMITING THAT HE 
MISHANDLED THE AWARDING OF A 
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TO THE WE 
CHARITY.
HE APOLOGIZED FOR NOT STEPPING 
ASIDE FROM THE DECISION.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU ADMITING HE KNEW 
HIS MOTHER AND BROTHER EARNED 
MONEY SPEAKING AT EVENT BUT DID 
NOT KNOW THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED 
ALMOST $300,000 IN FEES FROM 
THE WE CHARITY.
>> Prime
