۴ý

Skip to main content

Trudeau on boosters, inflation and Quebec's religious symbols ban

Share

As Omicron case numbers continue to rise, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau affirmed his government will be able to deliver vaccine booster shots and support Canadians through rising inflation.

In a year-end interview with ۴ý’ Evan Solomon, airing in full on CTV’s Question Period this Sunday at 11 a.m. EST, Trudeau stated his government has secured enough vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna “for everyone to get boosters,” but offered no timeline for their rollout.

“The delivery of those boosters is on the provinces and they are setting up their timelines in terms of that,” he said. “There are commitments to have the boosters in Canada as soon as we need them.”

Trudeau also addressed growing inflation, which has seen consumer prices rise across the country. He urged Canadians to get vaccines and boosters as a means of helping get the economy back on track.

“Inflation is a direct consequence of the global COVID crisis,” Trudeau explained. “We promised to be there to support people through COVID and all its impacts, and that's what we're doing. So, the supports for small businesses, the supports for families, the supports for vulnerable people, we're going to continue to do them, even as we make fiscally responsible investments in things that will make a difference in the long term.”

In the interview, Trudeau defended his government’s handling of Quebec’s controversial Bill 21, which bans public sector employees in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols and recently led to a Grade 3 teacher in Quebec losing her job because of a hijab.

“The best place to be fighting this as a first step is for Quebecers themselves to be challenging this unjust law in their courts that their provincial government put forward,” Trudeau said. “We have taken (a) very clear stance that this bill is… wrong. We have also said we’re not putting aside the possibility of challenging it at the Supreme Court.”

Trudeau also confirmed that he will run in Canada’s next election.

The full interview with the prime minister will air on CTV’s Question Period this Sunday at 11 a.m. EST.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.

Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

Argentine star Lionel Messi was on the bench to start Inter Miami CF's game in Toronto on Saturday.

A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.

Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

Stay Connected