Tag: Justin Trudeau

  • PM Imran expresses grief over killing of Muslim family in Canada in a suspected Islamophobic attack

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his grief over the killing of four members of a Muslim Pakistani-origin Canadian family in London, Ontario.

    “Saddened to learn of the killing of a Muslim Pakistani-origin Canadian family in London, Ontario,” wrote PM Imran.

    “This condemnable act of terrorism reveals the growing Islamophobia in Western countries. Islamophonia needs to be countered holistically by the international community,” he added.

    Police in London, Ontario, citing witnesses, said that 20-year-old Nathaniel Veltman jumped the curb in his vehicle on Sunday, struck five members of the same family ranging in age from 9 to 74, and then drove off at high speed, Reuters has reported.

    Police have not released the victims’ names, but the London Free Press said that among the dead were Syed Afzaal, 46, his wife, Madiha Salman, 44, and their 15-year-old daughter, Yumnah Afzaal. Syed Afzaal’s 74-year-old mother, whose name has not been confirmed, also died. Their 9-year-old son, Faez Afzaal, is in the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

    As per media reports, the family immigrated from Pakistan about 14 years ago.

    “We believe this was an intentional act and that the victims of this horrific incident were targeted,” Police Chief Steve Williams said. “We believe the victims were targeted because of their Islamic faith.”

    “I’m horrified by the news from London, Ontario. To the loved ones of those who were terrorised by yesterday’s act of hatred, we are here for you. We are also here for the child who remains in hospital – our hearts go out to you, and you will be in our thoughts as you recover,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter.

    “To the Muslim community in London and to Muslims across the country, know that we stand with you. Islamophobia has no place in any of our communities. This hate is insidious and despicable – and it must stop.”

  • VIDEO: Boris, Trudeau, Macron caught gossiping about Trump on camera

    VIDEO: Boris, Trudeau, Macron caught gossiping about Trump on camera

    The leaders of Britain, Canada, France and the Netherlands have been caught on camera at a Buckingham Palace reception mocking US President Donald Trump’s lengthy media appearances ahead of Wednesday’s Nato summit.

    The footage, shot by the British host’s camera pool on Tuesday evening and spotted and subtitled by Canada’s CBC, set the tone for the allies’ summit in Watford, just outside London.

    British Prime Minister Boris Johnson can be heard asking France’s President Emmanuel Macron: “Is that why you were late?”

    Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau interjects: “He was late because he takes a 40 minute press conference off the top.”

    In the video, Macron appears to tell an anecdote about his encounter with Trump, as Britain’s Princess Anne and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte look on, but the French leader’s back is to the camera and he is inaudible amid the hubbub.

    “Oh, yeah, yeah, he announced…” an amused Trudeau declares, adding: “You just watched his team’s jaw drop to the floor.”

    Watch video:

    Following the video, Trump responded by reviving his feud with Trudeau, labelling him “two-faced” over his leading role in the exchange.

    The prickly president’s honour was apparently satisfied by this, as he was later overheard on a second hot mic boasting: “That was funny when I said that guy was two-faced.”

    And in a final irony, Trump cancelled his scheduled press conference at the end of the summit, concluding not unreasonably that he had already said all he had to say during his ad hoc Q&As.

    It could have gone very differently, and Nato diplomats admitted that they feared the worst on Wednesday morning when video footage emerged of the leaders laughing about Trump at a Buckingham Palace reception.

    Meanwhile, in another press appearance, Trump told reporters, “He’s two-faced.”

    “With Trudeau, he’s a nice guy. I find him to be a nice guy, but the truth is, I called him out on the fact that he’s not paying two percent and I guess he’s not very happy about it,” he said.

    It is a known fact that Trump loves to dominate an international summit with impromptu, rambling press briefings that leave his fellow world leaders struggling to stick to their agenda.

  • Hasan Minhaj roasts Justin Trudeau in ‘Patriotic Act’s’ latest episode

    Hasan Minhaj roasts Justin Trudeau in ‘Patriotic Act’s’ latest episode

    Hasan Minhaj has been creating waves ever since his Netflix show Patriotic Act started streaming on Netflix. Which is why Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to do an exclusive interview with the comedian only months before the federal election in Canada. It was definitely a risk considering Minhaj’s unfiltered opinions and sharp political commentary. Trudeau is the only Prime Minister ever to be interviewed by Minhaj.

    Hence it comes as almost no surprise that the Canadian premiere was roasted by Minhaj.

    The interview started off very gently, with Minhaj paying Trudeau a few compliments and praising some of Trudeau’s greatest public relations hits, including his gender-balanced cabinet, his welcoming stance towards refugees, and his stated dedication to combating climate change.

    However, things take a turn when Minhaj begins to question, Trudeau’s contradicting views and actions.

    During the interview, Minhaj touches on Trudeau’s global reputation as a ‘progressive politician’, but then goes on to ask Trudeau about Canadians opposing the entry of more refugees, and the selling of arms to Algeria, Nigeria, Libya and Iraq. Minhaj even brings in Canada’s trade with Saudi Arabia and asks Trudeau to stop selling arms to them, pointing out that Canada has condemned that country for its involvement in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trudeau responds by saying Canada takes breaking contracts and its legal responsibilities seriously.

    https://twitter.com/hasanminhaj/status/1168961606480478210

    Minhaj then presses him about Canada’s Trans Mountain pipelines, asking why Canada pretends to be a leader in the fight against climate change when it still has the third largest reserve of oil in the world?

    Trudeau responds to this by attempting to explain the country’s need for oil and pipelines, to which Minhaj simply says, “What you’re saying sounds like trying to whiten your teeth by drinking wine at every meal.”

    If Trudeau had not been ‘roasted’ enough already, Minhaj also explains the SNC-Lavalin scandal saying that Trudeau has broken several of his election promises.

    Minhaj also brings up Quebec’s new secularism bill and tries to get Trudeau to recite the Kalma Shahada. Quebec’s new law has banned people from wearing religious symbols, such as turbans or hijabs while working in the public sector.

    https://twitter.com/hasanminhaj/status/1168161587393388544

    On this Trudeau responded, “I disagree with it. A government shouldn’t be telling anyone what they should or shouldn’t wear in a free society, so I strongly disagree with that. I have been very clear that in a free society you cannot legitimize discrimination against someone based on their religion.”

    However, the problem is that Trudeau hasn’t done anything about the deeply discriminatory law.

    The whole thing wasn’t very pretty for Trudeau but a lot of Canadians are happy that the PM was called out for his contradictions.

    “I understand, we all love Canada — I know it,” says Minhaj in the end. “None of you guys wanted to hear any of this. I might as well have done a 20-minute takedown of Tom Hanks. But there are realities about Canada and Trudeau that we cannot ignore. … Political pragmatism has to reckon with the reality of climate change.”

    Watch the full episode here: