What is PM Trudeau doing about the CEBA repayment deadline - podcast episode cover

What is PM Trudeau doing about the CEBA repayment deadline

Jan 19, 20241 hr 22 min
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Episode description

Responding to questions from reporters, the prime minister comments on the federal government’s decision to not further extend the repayment deadline for businesses who received Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau also faces questions on parental rights in New Brunswick and on the carbon price exemption for Atlantic Canadians.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson joins Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew in Winnipeg to announce support for a planned sustainable aviation fuel facility near Portage la Prairie. The federal government will invest $6.2 million for Azure Sustainable Fuels to conduct an engineering and design study for the proposed plant. Azure president Douglas Cole and Winnipeg South Centre Ben Carr also take part in the news conference

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Transcript

Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights, the show about the government, Policy and human rights. Welcome back to Policy and Write your in Depictions Media Radio. I'm your host Michael Cloggs. As we remember in that Justin Trudeau created the sea Blan in order to help small businesses get around some of the troubles that they were happening with the pandemic and

to help keep those businesses afloat the because of the seaver loan. Now some of those or the repayment of the Sea balon, shall we say, that the small businesses are coming under fry out fire again. They have to come up with with the entire portion of the loan in order to avoid a high

interest rate, and that that deadline is approaching very fast. Different premiers and levels of governments have have been after the federal government to find out what they will do to help small businesses again, as this deadline approaches, and it's not only gonna affect it's affecting UH a lot of pop shops, it's also going to affect some charities and other UH types of businesses that needed just to stay afloat during the pandemic. In order d They just needed the cash in

flux to keep afloat. So it is a big question what is going to happen with the the Sea balloone re payment and what the federal government is going to do to help small businesses and charities that accepted this money to get around the high interest rates that is impending. Along with that some of the other things that have happened politically that we may have heard that Donald Trump won the

state of Iowa, but here's the thing. Right after that, he may have won the state of Iowa, but he is still facing charges and was back in court again right away after winning the state of Iowa, and most recently that he has been asked by the the judge in that same case to, shall we say politely, he was told to shut up. There's a lot of questions around Donald Trump's performance and some of the rhetoric that he is

talking about. There have been social media rumors that he's talking about some sort of a dome over the United States. Well, rather he's talking about a dome or not, isn't necessarily the thing at hand. It is the isolationism that he's talking about. If the United States is to isolate itself. What would happen to the American society if they were to close off borders? That would also mean they were be closing off their borders who imported goods and a

lot of other things that happen. So what would happen to business? What would happen to commerce? And we had to ask ourselves a question of what would happen to the United States if Donald Trump's elected and he is allowed to instill a policy of isolationism. So really here also about Manitoba and Canada and a clean fuel program for aviation and a few other things. So why don't we start with justin true John, I guess the first question is where's everybody

yesterday? Let's have a big guy in questions before I started, I certainly want tomall business do what acknowledgement that we are on traditional and seated territory of the realistic way, alongside of their neighbors, the Bigma and the Pessicato Macati. Welcome everybody, it's a big day for me personally. Welcome Prime Minister, Mayor Reardon, I see Mirrorfield, Deputy Mayor Mackenzie, counselors. It's a huge day for us in this city, and you know I am reflective.

I started as an MP in twenty fifteen because of this guy, because I believed in him. I believed in a government that can do good things for people. I believe that government with programs to help our most vulnerable is what we're there for. And I wanted to be an advocate for this riding. We've delivered federally over one point three billion dollars to this writing since twenty fifteen. We've transformed this writing and I'm just so proud to be your Member

of Parliament. So without further ado, I certainly want to welcome our Prime Minister. Welcome back to this beautiful city, my beautiful riding, and over to you. Thank you Wayne for your words, but thank you also for your extraordinary work for the people. To thank John. It really is a pleasure to be able to do so much with you here over the past many years. Donna, I'm Mary Ridan. Thank you so much for your welcome

as well. Thank you for your leadership as we've come together with this announcement today. I want to thank the assembled Counselors, Mary Mayfield, other officials who are here. This is really about all of us coming together to respond

to the challenges that communities and individuals are facing right across the country. I had the opportunity sit down with April, one of the residents of this building, just earlier, and she talked about how challenging it was to find an affordable place to live, but also how much over the past months she's been able to develop her independence, her sense of building a strong future through having a safe and quite frankly excellent place to live that is also affordable, because

that really matters. And this building we're in here today is a recipient of federal partnership through the Affordable Housing Fund that delivered this excellent building, along with the work that the mayor and the province did on this. Just last week, Wayne, you were here with the mayor as well for a rapid Housing announcement over at Barrick's Green. That is showing what we can do, especially to help the most vulnerable. We know there's real challenges around homeless populations here

in the city and across the country. We need to continue to step up on. Those are two different programs, and today we're here to announce a third program, a really big one, de La Constriction sing avec no vendu ville a travel bi poor acciri la constriction de loge de pre rapid acci really pros don les ville au travailler ensemble selis see Nipple livery in nouvelle farson de batsi delle raid. We're here today for the twenty second Housing Accelerator Fund announcement.

Across the country. We've worked very, very hard with the City of Saint John to come to an ambitious proposal that's going to increase tensification, that's going to accelerate the processes in terms of building more housing more quickly. They're looking at freeing up public land for housing. They're looking at all the different things that are going to not just make individual projects happen, but change the way all housing is built in this community and by extension, right across the

country. We signed the Housing Accelerator Deals with cities who were willing to step up and be bold and ambitious about meeting the growth that Canadians want and need, both in population and in our economy. And that's exactly why I'm so happy to be here. It's about building a better country for everyone in which people can have that building block and that pathway towards greater and greater success by

having a secure and affordable place to live. We know that people are worried that the promise of Canada doesn't hold the way it used to, that promise that every generation should be able to succeed even better than the one before because of the work that we've done over generations and generations. People look at the challenges the world is facing right now and the challenges we're facing in our communities right across the country, and they're worried that maybe that idea and that promise

of progress doesn't hold anymore. Well, that's why we're working so hard to secure that promise, to make the kind of investments that are going to create an even better country and even better opportunities for everyone. It's hard work, but the way it gets done is by rolling up our sleeves and doing it together. And that's why I'm so pleased to be here with the mayor and

the municipality on this one. There's other programs we've worked very closely with the province on, including, for example, accelerating the construction of apartment apartment buildings.

We've removed the GST on the federal side. We encourage New Brunswick to match what the other Atlantic provinces have done and also remove the GST on the provincial side to make sure that the mouth works to build more and more rental homes, me housing across across the city, across the province and indeed across the country. Wit LAO and Canada is the best country in the world.

We're going to keep working together to make it even better. Mer happy now that happy now to pass it over to mard Donna exactly, Prime Minister. It's an honor to be here with you today and with our MP waying long for this announcement. We're a small city with a big heart and so we have to be bold and the Prime Minister spoke about that today. I have a few notes I would like to read because there are a lot of important

details that the Housing Accelerator will help us with. It's a pivotal moment for Saint John as we collaborate with the federal government on the Housing Accelerator Fund. This partnership is more than just a financial commitment. It's a promise to our residents. As a city. We're dedicated to accelerating the development of affordable housing, ensuring every member of our community has a place to call home, exactly what the Prime Minister said. This initiative is more than just building houses.

It's about building a future together. We're laying the foundation for a stronger, more inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Today's announcement of nine point one eight million in funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation through the Housing Accelerator Fund means two hundred and eighty five additional housing units will be created within

our city over the next three years. It brings transformational and most importantly, systemic change at the municipal level that will continue to move us forward in creating a community that is conducive to housing and focuses on addressing the housing challenges face both here in Saint John and throughout Canada. Saint John's Housing Accelerator Fund plan includes incentives to help increase construction of apartments, townhouses, and secondary suites.

It also includes incentives for the creation of affordable units, public land, redeveloped amendments to the zoning by law to permit additional density and key areas, introducing an electronic permitting system, and longer term governance considerations. Today's announcement shows the Government of Canada recognizes that housing is the cornerstone of healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities and the need for assisting municipalities in addressing local housing challenges. On behalf

of Saint Johns City Council and the residence of Saint John. I thank you for supporting us today. Housing is considered by your federal government as a right. So this this demonstrates that I guess you point your money where your mouth is if you say housing is a right. They come to the table with nine point one eight million dollars for Saint John. It's great news. And the other thing I'll say is, as a small city with a big heart,

we have to be bold and we want to grow. And I'm going to use your father's line line and I'm going to say, just watch us. Thank you very much for being here. Thanks, thank you. Will now turn over for question Pally Kisson, all New Brunswickney's, Hi, good morning. My question has to do with developers, with inflation and interest rates

posing to be big challenges for developers to get projects off the ground. Can you comment on what the federal government is doing to help developers actually build apartment buildings. Actually, we've done a couple of really big things. We announced an increase to the loan programs from forty billion to sixty billion dollars to help with financing of construction of the rental constructions. We've also in taking the GST

off of new apartment building constructions. It actually makes the math work that much better. We understand that the cost of labor, the cost of resources and materials is going up with inflation. We're working on bringing inflation down and it's steadily been coming down over the past year. But we knew that we needed to be there to help make the math work for developers to actually build build it. I know the city has programs as well to support the construction of

particularly affordable and middle income arrangement rental housing. We're going to continue to be there to make sure that everyone is working together to build the kind of future we need for Canada. Next question media on secular construction and not problem La mandov comasa in pats Erma don STI down a constriction d came poor accilliary LA certification the Travad Smetro de Maison a community a s Immigration fast considered fire de

Fass miss it exactly. Moscovo cons Russian. Hi. I know the city's application was originally for fourteen point five million. I heard, I think the mayor say about nine point eight million is given. What went into determining how much each municipality received. We put forward four billion dollars a couple of years ago for the express purpose of making sure that cities were able to meet their

own ambitions for growth, for opportunity for their citizens. There is a lot of hard work and a lot of partnership going into looking at what could actually be be done, what is the right level of it. We came down with an agreement around nine point one eight million dollars for the Housing Accelerator Fund, which we feel is the right level to really enable Saint John to accelerate to get more homes built faster, to get people into those homes in an

affordable way, and we're really pleased with that announcement. Next question, Good morning, I'm mean Stter. I wanted to ask about the SIBA program. Of course, the deadline is coming up tomorrow. What was the reasoning behind not extending that program and is there any concerns about the impacts this could have on business as we are still trying to recover from COVID. We have consistently

been there for small businesses across this country since we got elected. Since twenty fifteen, where we lowered small business taxes, we've actually increased the capacity of small businesses to grow and still benefit from small business taxes. And during COVID we knew we had to step up right away to support small businesses so people

keep their doors open and keep their employees on the payroll. We stepped up with significant supports, including direct direct help to Canadians, but also direct helped the small businesses with the SEABA loans. We understand that things, even as the economy has bounced back from COVID, continue to be checkedallenging, which is why we extended twice the repayment deadline for the Sea balloons. But we are now far enough from the pandemic that we do have to wrap up pandemic programs.

Businesses have a number of different options if they're facing challenges around the sea balloons. One is obviously, as the majority of businesses have done, they can repay the Sea beloan by the eighteenth and benefit from the forgiveness that comes with that. If they can't quite make it by the eighteenth. There are plenty of financial institutions who are there to give low cost loans to be able to benefit those businesses as they continue to repay it over the coming years.

And if they don't want to engage with their financial institutions, they still have three years to repay the entire body of the loan. So there are many different options out there, and as a government, we're going to continue to be there and look for ways to encourage small businesses that are the backbone of our communities, the backbone of our economy. We will continue to be there for them in many different ways. But pandemic supports we all know had to

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iersie. Next question. In Brunswi, recently, there's been a lot of rhetoric about gender affirming care, and the premiere is making a lot of comments about potentially scaling that back. I'm wondering if you're worried about that rhetoric and whether you're worried the province will scale back gender affirming care. I think Canada is the best country in the world in part because Canadians respect each other and in Canada people are free to be who they are, to love whom they

love. It's something that our party and quite frankly, millions of Canadians will always stand to defend. Unfortunately, we are seeing in certain parts of the country and certain political parties try to instrumentalize divisions or intolerance into political advantage. We're a party that will always stand with everyone, be there to defend people's rights to be who they are, and I think that's something that all Canadians

expect of their governments. We're a government that will always stand up for people's rights. Well, given the challenges that healthcare is facing across the country and not no surprise in New Brunswick, would you then scale back health transfers as you did with abortion should something come down the pipe. It is part of the federal government's responsibility to ensure that healthcare is provided to all citizens in the

right way. We've recently put on the table hundreds of billions of dollars to improve healthcare services for all Canadians. Indeed, part of what we're asking for is a greater level of transparency and accountability, not necessarily to the federal government, but two citizens about the results that are being delivered by the significant investments

from all of our tax dollars into the healthcare systems across the country. People have a right to expect top quality healthcare, and the federal government will always be active in make suring that people get in. Next question, Good morning. My question is about a Robert Mailman and Walter Gillespie. These are two gentlemen who just were wrongfully convicted of murder. Your Justice Minister had a part of that starting. There's been some apologies offered, there has been some lukewarm

response of a review, but there hasn't been much said about compensation. What can you say about compensation for these two gentlemen. Is it a priority? Keeping in mind that these are older gentlemen and one has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, obviously we take this situation extremely seriously. We're going through the appropriate steps right now. I'm not going to comment more than that, but I can tell you that the Justice Minister is seized with this and we will

be We'll be looking at all all different options. Last question, Hi, mister Prime Minister. I was wondering regarding South Africa's case against Israel Real Canada by the findings of the ICG. I was very very clear on this last week. I'm happy to repeat it. Canada has always supported the international rules based order and the structures around international law, including and especially the International Court of Justice. We have a direct engagement in five different cases before the ICJ

right now, because we believe in the work it does. The same time, our support for the ICJ and its processes does not mean that we we accept the premise of the case brought forward by South Africa and we are watching carefully as all the steps unfold. So what what will Canada do in case ICJ finds that Israel did comit genocide. I'm not going to comment on what could be an eventual finding by a process that we support as it unfolds.

Rippocomonte su di par like there's just Santa Okay, So a lot of questions around what's going to happen with small business. Let's talk about climate because right now North America is in the middle of a cold snap and one of the hardest hit areas has been Alberta and which they are issuing rolling blackouts, and Daniel Smith has issued statements thanking Alburtons for their attention to lowering their their power, their power consumption and is it helping, and what what is happening with

with the weather, what is happening with the resilience to infant to infrastructure in our societies. That things aren't going as well as we thought, especially with the winter cold snaps in our local area, that they've had trouble keeping the roads open because of the amount of snow that has been dumped, and that there have been issued warnings from the government of British Columbia to question do you

need to travel or can you can? Can whatever it is, wait until the roads are are completely clear and that we can get things back to normal because of the cold. So a lot of different things happening. Climate change isn't just about warming. It's about the jet streams that actually help us help keep our climate in a certain direction and having our infrastructure that is built based on the same jet streams so that we have a part p predictable weather pattern.

So UH Florida governor and a town hall meeting, H he issued a a bit of a warning around UH nominating UH Donald Trump again for for president, and he's saying that UH that r simply put, the Republicans are gonna lose and it isn't seeming that that Donald Trump is is getting the warm reception

that he thought he was gonna get by running for president again. So people are are remembering what happened, UH right after he lost the last election, and how the riots happened in Washington, DC and the Capitol building was stormed,

and what part did he actually play in that. So there's something too to think about with with that, I especially in the United States with the r with the Republicans, and on that front, the that there apparently is a impending UH federal government shut down if some deadlines aren't met by this Friday, which means that a lot of government employees will not get paid and the

military along with that and some other things. One of the bill being negotiated is aimed at sending aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan and the southern borders with Mexico, but efforts include changes to the border and immigration policy in particular has stalled progress for months. So and why don't we hear what was said at a meeting around in Manitoba around clean aviation fuel. Thank you so much for joining us. Pleasure to be here. It's such a beautiful building.

And a wonderful new addition to the City of Winnipeg into the Airport region. Here. My name is Ben Carr. I'm the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Center. Before we begin the formality of today's event, I'd like to acknowledge that we're gathered here on Treaty one Territory, which is the traditional homelands of the Innitionabe Cree Og created Dakota peoples, as well as the traditional

homeland of the Red River may Tea. I want to also begin by thanking the staff at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada for having us here today. I'm looking forward to spending some time here in the building later on. We've got a number of special guests here that I would like to introduce. My friend and colleague, Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who is our Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Of course, to my right, Premier wab Canoe of

the Province of Manitoba. Also my colleagues from the Province of Manitoba, Ministers Schmidt and Moses, who are here with us today. Also would like to acknowledge the presence of the Mayor of the City of Porte la Prairie as SHERYLN. Knox, as well as Deputy Rae of Roy Tufford from the municipality of Portige la Prairie, and to my left Douglas Cole, president and CEO of

Aser Sustainability Fuels Corporation, and Carl Andry from Canada's Infrastructure Bank. So I would like to turn the microphone over to Minister Wilkinson, who's going to kick us off with some information about why we're gathered here today. Jonathan Monde givin you sit ATESCD. I grew up in Saskatoon, so not so different from a weather perspective to Winnipeg, and I must say it is always a great

feeling to be back on the prairies. I would like to acknowledge all of the dignitaries local provincial business leaders and an infrastructure bank, and certainly the new Premier of Manitoba, with whom I had the great pleasure of meeting this morning, as a member of a progressive federal government, As someone who worked very closely with former Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romano, I certainly see a lot of common values and common interests on which we can and we will build. Jami Resui

de cost and so did the productive avect de Nuvogubnema di Manitoba. We talk a lot these days about the issue of climate change. Climate change is altering our natural world in a myriad of harmful ways. Here in Manitoba. This past summer saw some of the worst hailstorms in the province's history, causing millions in property damage and decimating farmer's crops. Fact as you folks will know very well, a single hairstorm in August was estimated to have caused one hundred and

forty million dollars in ensurable losses. We also saw across this country terrible season of forest fires. I represent a riding in British Columbia, and I think many of you will have seen the pictures from Colonna that showed the devastation that these these events are causing to many many Canadians. While some politicians these days choose to deny, or deflect or downplace such events, Canadians know the facts.

Our planet is effectively burning up and extreme weather is becoming more prevalent with each passing year, and climate change is the cost. Rismond, New zavon Icillo, Manetovas and partner Quirocone Set and port Alite sic. The recent manitoa Throne speech underlined the fact that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of

our time, one that requires real solutions. At the same time, climate change is also rapidly transforming the global economy and global finance in ways that are creating economic opportunities for those who approach the shift to a lower carbon world in a thoughtful, determined and strategic manner. The global energy transformation is both an environmental imperative to protect the planet for future generations and an economic opportunity on the

scale of the Industrial revolution, Set Transformercientur a Sacclaire. Last week's release of the global Top one hundred Clean tech Companies reinformed that Canada is punching well above its weight and key aspects of the rapidly emerging clean economy, with thirteen Canadian companies making this year's list, the most of any country aside from the United

States. Majerite Dead Effective, Mont Pretic may Il Sanquette Egelmont de l economic A Ville etres Sieur comme urentd bnsois a the Bunz Opportunite Economic alavenear I am here to tell you that for Canada to seize the extraordinary economic opportunities that can be enabled through the transition to a net zero economy, we must accept the scientific reality of climate change and ensure that it informs and shapes Canada's economic strategy

going forward. What Canada needs at this moment in our history is a thoughtful and ambitious economic strategy that will create wealth and good jobs in every province and territory in this country. Set in Suge serletl V GOUVERNM federl cir CONSSANT.

Since twenty fifteen, your federal government has invested over two hundred billion dollars in the fight against climate change and in accelerating the development of a prosperous green economy, including eighty six billion dollars in last year's budget alone, and the world is taking notice. In just the last three years, we have seen more than forty billion dollars invested in almost one hundred clean growth projects, and we're

seeing this economic progress from coast to to coast. In Newfoundland, Bray of Fuels is converting its refinery to renewable diesel. In Ontario, we are seeing massive investments in the entirety of the electric vehicle value chain. In Alberta, DOO recently announced its decision to proceed with a twelve billion dollars net zero petro

chemical facility, the first net zero petro chemical facility in the world. And here in Manitoba we are seeing the success of new flyers, electric buses and increased activity relating to critical minerals des mvestisment tel c susulignier en surlei l prosperite, quillcre ron naissent pas la frie du asre yes rendu passible global, qui comprent, derig days, encitasent days, mvestisment edo, tressigno, politic y camprix le price l pelucion carbon. It is up to us as a country

to make smart choices. We can choose to lead by recognizing where the world is heading and aggressively pursuing major areas of economic opportunity, or we can choose to bury our heads in the sand, pretend the world is not moving towards a cleaner, greener future, eroding our long term competitiveness and our long term

prosperity. I call the first choice a green economic plan for the future, one that is thoughtful one that is relevant, one that is strategic, and I call the second simply hoping for the best, taking a reckless gamble with the future of the planet and with Canada's current and future prosperity. This federal government has chosen the first path. Unfortunately, there are other federal politicians in

this country who are seemingly choosing the second. In doing so, they are, as I say, taking a reckless gamble with the future of the planet and with Canada's prosperity. They would allow the planet to burn and the damage caused by climate change to accelerate. They would ensure Canada fails to seize the significant opportunities presented by the global energy transition, the billions of dollars in investments and the hundreds of thousands of well paying jobs to countries that are more thoughtful

and more strategic. The new government in Manitoba, through its statements and its early actations, has demonstrated it intends to lead in the fight against climate change

and in seizing economic opportunities. Manitoba has joined provinces including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Prince Edward Island at BC in committing to a net zero grid by twenty thirty five, a goal the federal government shares, and a goal that recognizes that the future is electric and that meeting our climate targets and competing in a rapidly decarbonizing global economy means strengthening our clean

electricity advantage. In fact, we are already making progress together in this space, with nearly five hundred million dollar federal investment announced just a few weeks ago in hydro electric turbines and a new transmission network strengthening Manitoba is already robust and almost entirely non emitting grid. Le gun feder Elenubo Guvnment de Manitoba partage egelmint conviccient celemison placet in economy props enidois affair biais then on geshmos significat if a

patine active eve atucton. That is why we recently announced, in why the Premier and I discussed this morning, the Indigenous Loan Guarantee program that the federal government will soon be standing up. And perhaps most importantly, this Manitoba government

understands that a collaborative approach is more productive than a combative one. My discussions with Minister Schmidt and Moses yesterday and with the Premier today were indeed productive and collaborative, and in the spirit of this collaborative approach, I am very pleased to announce that we are working together on another investment in Manitoba's clean economy.

Today, the federal government is announcing that it will be investing six point two million dollars for A Zero's Sustainable Fuels to conduct a front end engineering design study for the planned sustainable aviation fuel facility near Portage Liprairie. This includes five million dollars from Natural Resources Canada My Department and one point two million dollars from the

Canada Infrastructure Bank. These funds will complement the Government of Manitoba's nearly three million dollar investment in the project Lincete Lacion de Caberan, a vision d'abres proposi parazeure produirey entviirent emiliare delitre de saff Chaconis Prince Valmont, a pertier de Matier Premier

Canadien Telcuil the Canoe La de Soja. It will create fifteen hundred construction jobs and approximately one hundred and fifty direct permanent highly specialized jobs once in production, and its construction is projected to potentially bring two billion dollars to Manitoba's economy. The establishment of a SAF facility would be yet another significant gain for Portera's Li Prairie, which has seen strong investment in business development and housing since twenty seventeen.

Lincete lascient proposi parasiere devre permetre de reduier les mission de sieux de d'n virent du vill cis milon de ton suki akvore de plu de sanque sant vehicles as yours staff facility is what success looks like in a rapidly decarbonizing global economy. Ladies and gentlemen, As I said earlier, we have a choice, and I would suggest that thoughtful people must conclude that we simply must choose to act thoughtfully, and indeed we must choose to have the courage and the foresight

to lead. Today is yet another step along the path of climate and economic leadership, and I very much look forward to taking further steps with our partners in the Manitoba government in the months and years to come. Thanks very much, mister Wilkinson, and I just want to take an opportunity before I invite the Premier up to speak, to say that the working relationship between the provincial government in Manitoba is since their election in October and the federal government has been

outstanding. Every minister that has come into town, every one of my colleagues, all of those that I've spoken to, including River Heights MLA Mike Morose who I met with yesterday, as well as the Premier and ministers from across the cabinet, have enjoyed a genuine relationship that is built on trust, It's built on mutual values, a progressive vision for the Province of Manitoba and for Canada as a whole. We have really enjoyed the last couple of months working

together and I think today is another example of a positive step forward. So with that, and with big thanks and commending to the Premier for his leadership and that of his team, i'd like to ask Premier Wab Canoe to come up and deliver remarks on the announcement today. Thank you, wonderful thanks form here well, that's very kind in p Car and of course Wilkinson, this is a very welcome announcement and we're happy to be making an investment alongside your

government, the folks at Azure and the candidate Infrastructure Bank. I think it's pretty amazing to see the sort of economic potential that's going to be unlocked here and then to Mayor Knox and to the Deputy Reef here. You know, Portage is an important hub in Manitoba's provincial framework and we really look forward to continuing to grow the economic pie for your region and for the whole province. To my colleagues, Minister's Schmidt and Moses, this is all part of the

plan, isn't it right. Grow the economy. Economic horse pulls a social cart. We'll be doing lots of great healthcare and education announcements based on the economic development potential that we help to realize. I'm very excited about the announcement that we're making here today because at the end of the day, Manitoba is going to be a winner economically speeding in a net zero future. Our province has made the investment over the past five decades to have a low carbon electricity

grid. We have a skilled workforce. We have from critical minerals through advanced manufacturers and ports to bring goods to market. The entire supply chain for a net zero economy of the future. And the best part about it is if there is a long tradition here of putting blue collar Manitobins to work building these

sorts of projects. And so whether you're the finance person, the person putting the steel toson in minus fifty weather, or the person who's going to work inside the plant in the future, there's a ton of economic potential that's going to be unlocked by furthering those investments in a zero emissions future across Canada and here in Manitoba. When our team was elected in the recent provincial election,

there was a clear message sent by Manitobans. Manitobans wanted a government that was going to bring people together, and not only bring people together from different walks of life and different regions of the province, but also just to have a government that was going to work together with other governments. And so we've extended that hand offered a warm and hearty handshake to municipal leaders, to indigenous leaders, and of course to the federal government, because at the end of the

day, we're all working for you. And today's announcement done jointly with various levels of leadership is emblematic of that and it's really important that we continue to deliver for you, the people of Manitoba and for Canadians across this great country.

And this investment today is a direct result of that willingness to work together, the idea that we're going to be able to connect the egg industry with sustainable aviation fuel opportunity, and that there'll be a cyclical opportunity unity there as well to feedback into future egg development, to do regional development, workforce development. This is a really smart investment and we're very very optimistic and excited.

That's level joining with the announcement of funding Minister Wilkinson have brought forward here today. We know that good jobs are on the way for Manitoban's This is an investment in Manitoba, but I also hope Manitoba can act as a showcase for the rest of the country. Sometimes we're asking people and other jurisdictions when we talk about green jobs to engage in an active imagination. But here in Manitoba, for the last fifty years, everyone has known somebody who works in a

green job. We know people who work for Manitoba Hydro and the subcontractors there. So if we can show the rest of the country that you can have good paying, middle class jobs, blue collar work by investing in a climate friendly future, I think that's a positive contribution to our overall Canada wide framework as well. So is with great gratitude and humility that we're standing here with

the Mini partners who are going to bring this forward. Again. We're talking about the early stage work of what is going to be a very very exciting

opportunity that we hope comes online in the very near future. So with a lot of humility and the willingness to continue the collaboration, our team is very proud to stand here today and to say that this investment in Azure and this investment in our province is a good move for Manitobins me much, Elsie, thank you very much, Thanks very much, Premier, And just to build on that, you know, every announcement build Just a couple of weeks ago,

we had Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence McCauley here who made an announcement of upwards of ten million dollars toward investments in the Canola industry here in Manitoban, as the Premier said, it's these investments in biofuels like Canola that build on top of the type of research and innovation that's taking place that's going to compound and continue to deliver results for Manitoban's both economically as well as the contribution that we

have to play to the fight against the climate crisis. So I'd like to turn the microphone over now to a Douglas Cole, who is going to provide remarks on behalf of his organization that's really at the heart of this wonderful investment that's being made here today. Douglas, thank you, Good afternoon everyone. Minister will Wilkinson, Premier Canoe, thank you very much for inviting az you're

here today to be part of this very exciting announcement. I'd like to start by recognizing the Indigenous people that have walked on this land long before I was

ever here. Azure has been engaging with various indigenous groups across the country and the areas we're working in since the inception of the company, and i'd like to acknowledge the support that we've received from these indigenous groups regarding our intent to help construct to be a leader in this energy transition and to construct the first facility in Canada that would be focused on producing sustainable aviation fuel or saf or

staff as we call it. We had Azure or Honor to receive funding from the Clean Fuels Fund from the Government of Manitoba and from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. I believe the support Canada validates our vision to create a mating Canada solution

to reduce carbon emissions globally by utilizing Canada's resources and skills. The funding received from Natural Resources Canada's Clean Fuel Fund, along with funding received from Manitoba Sustainable Agriculture Fund and from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, means AZURE is now fully funded to complete the front end engineering design or feed stage of this project, and

that's a very important milestone in any project development. With this funding, we anticipate completing the feed study for all three of our Canadian sites by the end of this calendar year, with a view to making a final investment decision in

early twenty twenty five, which would enable production in twenty twenty seven. Undertaking a project of this magnitude requires an exceptionally broad set of skills, and ASER is partnered with industry leaders across the value chain from technology, engineering, logistics, finance, just to name a few, to ensure that the resources needed

are brought together to ensure a successful project. And I'm very proud today to be now partnering with the Government of Canada and with as we announced earlier,

the Government of Manitoba and the Canada Infrastructure Bank to advance this project. We believe at AZURE, we believe that Canadian saf Facility is truly a win win win scenario for our aviation industry, for agricultural industry and for all Canadians, as the saf produced from this facility will be able to reduce carbon emissions by roughly eighty percent and as Minister Wilkinson said that that's for our facility, that would be the equivalent of taking about a half a million cars off the road

every year, which quite a way to look at it. This will create a long term stable market for Canada's canola products, for Canola oil, and it reduces our reliance on volatile international markets. And it will support our Canadian airline industry to doing their part to reach Canada's goals and the world's climate goals. And these benefits, along with the employment impact and the GDP impact that you referred to, I think are truly a win for Canada. Minster Wilkinson,

Premium Canoe. Mister Laundry, your commitment and your support to these innovative initiatives really serves as a testament to your shared vision for decarbonized Canada. These investments will enable us to lay the groundwork for Canada to be a leader in the energy transition and create a transformative change to our country. So on behalf of all of the team at AZURE. I'd like to thank Natural Resources Canada, the Province of Manitoba, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank for partnering with us

to support our vision. Thank you, Thanks very much, Douglas. So they're going to conclude the formal part of the announcement here today. I do see we have some members of the press that are present, so we will begin the media Q and a portion if we just ask, we probably have time for a question and a follow up question. So for those from the media here today, if you could just step forward to the microphone, identify which outlet you're representing, please, and who the question is directed to.

Go first. There are Global News, and I have one question for the Premiere and one question for the Minister, and both are carbon tax related, So I don't know who like to answer first. More provinces and territories keep saying they want to see the carbon change and they frame it around the cost of living. It meets people feel it's adding pressure to the cost of living. Is this assign Ottawa needs to adjust plans before the next price increase in

April? So I would say that before I was Minister of Energy Natural Resources, I was the Minister of the Environment, and I'm quite familiar with how the carbon price works. The carbon price is one tool in the context of a broad approach to addressing the climate emergency. It is not the silver bullet.

It is part of a broad range of things, including regulatory tools, including investments, etc. The design of the price on pollution was developed in such a way that we actually directly addressed the issue of affordability through carbon rebates in provinces that use the federal system, and those rebates for eighty percent of

Canadian families are more than what they pay through direct and indirect costs. And in fact, there was a study done recently by Trevor Toumbs at the University of Calgary and another one that was referenced by a University of Regina economists that actually showed that the vast majority of folks that live in those two provinces, which have been the most vocal on this issue, get more money back.

I think the most recent study shows that ninety six percent of Canadians who actually earn less than I believe it's seventy thousand dollars a year as a family income, get more money back. So getting rid of the price on pollution actually would work in reverse order to affordability. It would actually make poorer people poorer because they receive more money than they actually pay. It would also remove the

incentive people have to address efficiency and to actually reduce their carbon emissions. So the Government of Canada will continue to communicate a number of those issues. We will continue to move forward with a plan that actually does address affordability, but

does so in a manner that also helps us with the climate issue. I would also say to some provinces and territories, if they actually have an interest in designing their own plan that would reach the criteria that are established by the federal government, they are welcome to do that and provinces like British Columbia have their own price on pollution that is different than the federal governments. So does Quebec. So to a number of other provinces. That's a cue. Sure.

So you've mentioned before wanting Ottawa to take another look at the carbon tax in Manitoba. Are you hoping to see the federal backstop price change or some other provinces or do what some other provinces have done and bring in an eventual pricing plan that incorporates the federal price minimums. You know, today's announcement is

about working together and we're talking about cleaner aviation fuel. I hope that this investment moves forward in the way that we're all envisioning it here, because when I think about leaving a safe, clean and healthy environment for future generations of Manitobans, I want them to be able to jump on the plane and go somewhere warm as part of that future. And so this investment today, I think is really pave in the way for Manitoba to once again be a leader

in a zero emissions net zero future. Whatever you want to call it, I call it a safe, clean, healthy environment for future generations. Our government as part of that idea of working together, we're doing the things within our purview that we can to help you. That's why on January first of this year, our team was very proud to remove the fuel tax on gasoline

and diesel. That helps you right now. We know that people are struggling, and I was very proud on January first to drive west with my family and we saw the price of gas dropping in West Winnipeg, in Portage Lo Prairie, in Brandon, in Verden, and you know, really across the province. So there are things we can do right now to help during this affordability challenge while also be inconsistent with a long term fight against climate change.

And I've been very clear, I think that Manitoba has a very strong case to make that the carbon price could be revisited here in our province. And we're going to be having those conversations with the same sort of constructive, collaborative tone that we're bringing for this exciting investment today, which is to say that good things happen for you, the people of Manitoba and across Canada, when your leaders work together. So you see, for Minister Wilkinson, will the

greener Homes grant program still accept applications past March. So the Greener Homes Program has been an enormously popular program. It was initially set up to run for seven years, probably the first four or so years of that for intake and then the rest of it to complete all of the retrofits. It has been so popular that it has used up a lot of the available funds earlier than

we had anticipated. As is the case with any budgetary allocation, as you use up your budgetary allocation, you go back and have conversations within the government and with the Department of Finance about how we actually address that going forward. Building efficiency is very important. The Government of Canada recognizes that and certainly we are having those conversations as we speak with the Department of Finance and we will

have answers for you associated with the next budget for the premiere. Different topic. Yeah, what is your concern that former Cabinet Minister Cliff Cullen approached your transition team asking for a meeting between Faise Osomgy and Minister Moses, Minister Schmidt. So without confirming the specifics of what you're saying there, because I'm not sure all of that is the same information that I have, So let's follow

up offline information comes directly from your office. But okay, yeah, so we can go back and forth on the disputing of assertions if you like. But what I would say the overall concern that we have is when you cast a vote in an election, the most sacred of values is at play that we hold dear in our society, that the people get to choose who they

are going to have as a government. And in a case like this one where it appears at the caretaker Convention was violated probably on a few occasions, it casts that value into doubt because you have folks who are no longer carrying the mandate from the people of Manitoba attempting to make decisions about the future of government policy. So that's a very serious democratic ideal and public policy concern that

needs to be addressed. And so that's why members of our team have set those wheels in motion when it comes to the former Minister of Finance and the

former Deputy Premier and his conduct. I think that the concern that our team has is that it appears as though there is a pattern of behavior on the part of the outgoing government and if nothing else, if there were so many people as part of that former government pushing in a certain direction on a project that was supposed to be the subject of an independent environmental approval process and decision making process, it does bring into question the validity of that approval process and

so operationally in terms of when the rubber meets the road, what does that mean for our administration. It means that we're now taking the time to review the steps towards the potential approval of that process. Our team is very committed

to ensuring that critical minerals are developed as an industry here in Manitoba. But the best way for us to capitalize on that opportunity is to develop those critical minerals in the right way, which means Manitoba wins as an economy when we can bring minerals to market and say we're bringing these out of the ground with the highest environmental standards, highest labor standards, best respect for human rights of

any jurisdiction in the world, but where certain actions appear to cast that value proposition into doubt, our team owes it to the people of Manitoba to take the time to get it right, and so that's what We're doing quad only Prince the Finance may Uh contribution the gol A p U lebank p stay see uh Tromillon do you do NIVO Provincial content t c eic cleminist Wilkinson a p A Deputy car p uhls q V the portage a p the azure a p

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with the Winnipeg Free Press. I also have a question for Premier, can you the CIBY Loans Forgivable portion deadline is coming up, it's not not being pushed back, and wondering what do you think about the sorry, So what do you think about that? And is the government going to do anything for businesses that can't or have not paid back their sea balloons just yet. It's

a big challenge for a lot of businesses out there. You know, we've heard the stories in our constituencies about business owners in a very tough situation. That's why my colleagues, the other premiers and I have gone on record and

asking the federal government for some consideration here. And so I understand that my colleague Minister of Finance, Adrian Salah, is also speaking to your organization today, and so in addition to the work that we do at the premierial level, I know the finance ministers are engaging on this as well, because small

businesses have had it tough these past few years. And while we want to make the big bets on a clean economy in the future, we also know that it's those small businesses, medium sized businesses that are the job creators for so many working Manitalent, I'm together to find an opportunity to ensure that they're able to make it through, and I think that's something that we'd all want to work together on. Thank you also have a question for mister Okay.

So we're still having impending issues with the Hamas and Israel as we know all the massive devastation and there is You're going to hear a four minute statement from the United Nations about why the Gaza stript is the most dangerous place on the planet to be a child. So this is a report from the CNN about Israel and moss have agreed to deal that agreed on a deal that we'll see medisine delivered to hostages in exchange for delivery of humaniture and aid to Palestinian citizens.

Guitars said on Tuesday, the relatives of more than one hundred remaining hostages believed to be alive and Gaza are calling for medicine to medications to be passed on to their loved ones. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an advocacy group for victims' families, said each new day in captivity in dangers the lives of their loved ones, and at least one third Israeli hostages have chronic illnesses require medications, the Forum said in a report released last week, adding other

others suffer from illness related to harsh captivity captivity conditions. The medication aid leave Dona today and GTAR, but it is unclear how it will reach Gaza. So it is an area that of course we've we've heard the the trials again and charges a bent against Israel on genocide and what. Most of that is based on the fact that getting humanitarian aid in to Gaza is difficult, if not nearly impossible, because of the conditions that Israel has created, and that

they there has to be a system. If they're creating safe zones, they have to ensure that that a few things are possible such as sanitation, medication, food and water, which don't seem to be possible in those safe zones in Gaza, so that people can stay out of harm's way. And also the targeting and shelling of hospitals and medical centers, which according to the rules

of of war is not legal. So genocide maybe maybe not. War crimes look more than likely if you're targeting Savilian states like hospitals and medication centers, and you have seized the zones that are not adequate to sustain human life. So let's listen to that fore minute statement from the United Nations representative from UNICAF about why is so dangerous to be a child in Gaza remains the most dangerous place in the world to be a child, and day after day that brutal

reality is reinforced. Over the past forty eight hours, the largest remaining fully functional hospital in Gaza has been shelled twice. Now, that Hospital Al Nassa in carn Unis was a hospital I was at on a daily basis. It not only shelters large numbers of children who have brutal wounds of war, but it also shelters hundreds and hundreds of women and children from across the Gaza strip who are simply seeking safety. Over the weekend, UNICEF had shared the story

of a thirteen year old girl called Dina. Now. When Dina's house in carn Unice was completely destroyed, her mother and her father and her two brothers were killed. Dina survived, but she was badly injured and had her leg amputated. Somehow, Dina had not lost hope. She told us about her dreams about being a lawyer. Her quote was, I feel injustice. When I grew up, I'll become a lawyer so I can enjoy my rights and

the rights of all children. Dina was one of those killed in the shelling of Nasa Hospital on Sunday, the day after she shared her story of hope. So where do children and families go. They're not safe in hospitals, they're not safe in shelters, and they're certainly not safe in so called safe zones. So let me just spend a minute explaining why these safe zones are anything but Parties to the conflict have an obligation to take all feasible precautions to

protect the civilian population. In this case, one of those precautions they've chosen to take is evacuation or moving to so called safe zones. Now, as the United Nations said a month ago, these zones cannot be humanitarian when they're unilaterally declared. In addition, under international law, when you evacuate people to a place, you must have sufficient resources for survival, medical facilities, food, and water. Sounds very obvious. We have not even heard lip service

paid to medical facilities, food and water. So that is that the so called safe zones are only safe when they're not only free from bombardment, but when those conditions food, water, medicine and shelter are met. However, under the current besiege conditions, adequate supplies for such zones are impossible. This for myself. They are tiny patches of barren land or their street corners in neighborhoods, or their half built buildings with no water, no facilities, no

shelter from the cold and now the rain, and certainly no sanitation. Currently in Gaza there is a toilet for around every seven hundred people. You can imagine the three or four hours that means for an adolescent girl one toilet for seven hundred people. Relocate people from these shelters to the so called safe zones, and we're talking about tens of thousands of people resorting to buckets or open defecation, and so without water, without sanitation nor shelter, these so called

safe zones have become zones of disease. Diarrhea cases in children are now above one hundred thousand, acute respiratory illness in civilians above one hundred and fifty thousand. Both these numbers will be gross undercounts of the woeful reality. Malnutrition is also soaring in Garza's children. Therefore, things like diarrheal diseases are now deadly.

Consider this, More than one hundred and thirty thousand of Garza's most vulnerable children, that is, newborns up to two years of age, are not receiving the critical life saving breastfeeding or age appropriate complementary feeding that they absolutely require. So that's our scenario. Without sufficient safe water, food, and sanitation that only a humanitarian ceasefire would bring. Child deaths due to disease could well

surpass those already killed in bombardments. Now parents are painfully aware that hospitals are not an option for their sick child, both because hospitals are, as we've mentioned, being hit, and because hospitals are utterly overwhelmed with children and citizens with ghastly wounds of war. As a parent who I became friends with who sent me a message just a couple of days ago of a critically sick little child, told me quote, our situation is pure misery. Overwhelmed. My

son is very sick. I told my wife, we have to lower expectations. All we have is hope. I don't know if we will make it through this. Please tell the world now as we speak, the delivery of aid is a matter of life and death for children in Gaza, and the

conditions to provide that aid are simply not being met. An immediate and long lasting humanitarians cease fire is the only way to end the killing and injuring of children and ensure the urgent delivery of desperately leaded life saving aids so we do not see thousands of children die from disease. Thank you, Thank you for listening today the polsy and rates and we like to ask you this time to subscribe to us in finance subscribe button wherever it may be sitting on your screen.

Also, let's think about what it means to be human human as a those to one of the things that was brought up in the genocide trial, a human animal. What does that really mean and what does that mean if we want equality for everyone around the world, so that we are uplifting people into the same status as those who have privilege. Thank you for listening and we'll talk to you next time. The show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact us at depictions dot media for more information.

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