Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights,
the show about the government, policy and human rights. Okay, welcome back
to the Policy and Rights here and depicts this Media Radio. I'm your host,
Michael Cloggs a former White House Trump White House advisor Peter Navarro. He
was attempting to stay out of jail while he was appealing his conviction for ignoring
a congressional subpoena. He is charged with contempt of Congress and other charges related
to that subpoena. And because he has information of as an advisor to mister
Trump about things that were happening inside the White House at the time, he
was denied the ability to leave jail while he continues his his appeals. So,
according to the Supreme Court, it would seem that that we while we're
on Donald Trump, that h it him and his followers. They think they
that well, his followers think of him as some sort of demigod and they
don't think that he can actually do anything wrong, and they think that that
he is the savior to the to the world that has yet to be seen.
Yeah, he's made a statements in NATO about throwing other countries straight to
to see what pra what what is the worst that Vladimir Putin could actually do
to them because they they hadn't paid up their dues. When you enter a
international treaty like that, it isn't just about being able to pay your dues
in order to seek protection. It is about what he is you can do
for your fellow countries to help all of those countries stay safe. It isn't
just about money, and it's something that Donald Trump may have forgotten about or
may or a lessen he may not have ever known, and his followers and
supporters continue to do things that would terrorized civilized society in his name. So
with that being said, of course, mister Trump's own hushmaney tr criminal trial
is set to start, and we'll have to watch closer to see how that
alt actually all starts to play out. We're gonna hear from the United Nations
in today's recorded segments about some disturbances and escalations that are happening in Syria,
and we do hope that de escalation is found as will be asked for by
the US and the United Kingdom's ambassadors to the United Nations. We'll have to
follow and see how that actually starts to pan out. We're also going to
hear from Vice President Harris as she talks about the economy that is happening in
the United States and how it needs to be set up so that everyone can
benefit from it. And along with that, we're going to hear some other
things about decrimination, decriminalization of street drugs and how they can con servatives don't
want to see the the street drugs the criminalize because it well as they're they're
saying that all those programs hinder the idea of recovery and the atticts can recover
from the addiction and move forward with positive lives. So with that, we're
also going to have we have some reports from CNN and India's Prime Minister Narenda
Modi will preside over the installation of the Lord Rams Statue, a controversial Hindu
temple that will open on disputed land. Modi's Hindu Nationalism has campaigned for decades
to construct a temple at the site of the holy city of Ayudaha, which
is widely believed to by devotees to be where the Lord Ram and one of
the revere deities in Hinduism, was born. The site of the temple,
previously claimed by both Hindus and Muslims, has long been the center of controversy.
So moving into forward, New Hampshire holds a first in the nation presidential
primary and former President Donald Trump is looking for a wide wave of momentum following
his big win in Iowa. Trump hosts a victory in New Hampshire will quickly
in the GOP nominating race, but he faces serious challenge in the grantited state
from Nikki Hailey, who has her best chance to win an early contest against
her former boss and prolong the race. How President Joe Biden will fare in
the Democratic primary remains to be seen, as his name does not appear on
any ballot. Okay, and then moving forward, It's been almost forty years
since Apple Computer began selling its very first Macintosh. It's featured eight megahertz processor
and one hundred twenty five k of RAM, all in a beage all in
one case with a nine inch monochrome display monitor, sold for around twenty five
hundred dollars. Hey, I suppose it isn't too bad in comparison to today's
prices on buying a new back now, all right, So when we move
forward, and we're gonna start by listening to Vice President Harris as she is
discussing the economy for everyone. Good afternoon, everybody. I'm Congressman Stephen Horsford
from Nevada's fourth Congressional District. I'm honored to service Chairman of the Congressional Black
Caucus and to join with all of you and the Vice President today for this
kickoff of our Economic Opportunities Tour. I'm delighted to be joined today by three
phenomenal panelists. Janice Bowdler from the Department of Treasury Counselor for Racial Equity,
Christopher Coles, Department of Transportation Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, and Eric
Morsett from the Department of Commerce Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development Administration.
Please welcome our first panel. Well, good afternoon, everybody. We're
really excited to be here. This is the kickoff to really have a conversation
with the American people about the ways that we together can build economic opportunity,
prosperity, and wealth that is inclusive. That is about bringing everyone into full
economic participation and to make sure that as we have passed some of the most
historic legislation in our country's history that those investments reach the communities that need it
the most. So again, I'm Congressman Stephen Horsford, Chair of the Congressional
Black Caucus. We have been working with the Vice President as well as the
Biden Harris administration to center the people in the policy that we are working to
advance, and that is what today is all about. I'm honored to join
forces with the Vice President for the kickoff here and to join all of you.
And this builds on the work that the members of the Congressional Black Caucus
have been advancing throughout this Congress. Today, the Congressional Black Caucus has the
largest membership in our history, sixty members. We went from thirteen when we
were founded and one black woman in Shirley Chisholm, to having sixty members,
thirty one black women representing every region of the country. Recently, we introduced
a plan to build Black Wealth that is endorsed and sponsored by one hundred percent
of the CBC members, and today this economic tour will allow us to continue
to advance that discussion, to close the racial wealth gap, to build economic
opportunity, and to address the inequities that we have seen at a time when
there are forces who are trying to take away those tools of opportunity, and
I want to thank organizations including the Black Economic Alliance, the US Black Chamber,
among others, who have worked with us to ground this work. So
today we're going to have a conversation about the resources that are available from the
historic legislation that has been passed. And I want to start with Under Secretary
cos The Vice President is here in Atlanta in part to highlight the Biden Harris
administration's efforts in making investments in communities that have historically been left out and left
behind. So talk to us about how the Department of Transportation is working on
those issues, including with the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program. Canenzwahauser, First,
I want to just take this moment to acknowledge you and your leadership as
the chair of the CBC. We are here because of your great leadership.
So I want to first acknowledge that as a native of Thomasville, Georgia,
I can tell you what it means when you hear a statement of living on
the other side of the railroad tracks and two meaning communities across the country has
seen what infrastructure, when not aligned with community voices, with community aspirations,
can't do to the communities. And that is no different from a community here
in Atlanta where the I seventy five eighty five, known as the Downtown Connector
came into what was known as the Butter Sweet Butterment Biscuit District also Sweet Auburn
Avenue and destroyed thirteen thousand homes and businesses. Now that legacy right still is
seen today in experience today. But through the Bipartis the Infestal Law passed by
President President Bideny and Vice President Harris, we have now been able to create
what is called the Reconnecting Communities a Neighborhood's Program, which is a three billion
dollar initiative to actually right the wrongs that came from these investments. And just
as we were so excited to announce that we were giving one hundred and fifty
million dollars to fund the Stitch Project, now this is just one step of
repairing the harm. But what we also are decided about that we're supporting three
thousand new affordable housing projects, thirteen thousand construction jobs, and a new apprenticeship
to allow a Lancens those natives to actually come back, not only start new
businesses, but actually have a place to stay. That is an example of
how the bipartisential law under leadership re present by day and vice persons, is
trying to write the wrongs of the past. So Under Secretary Coaches you just
mentioned the investments in what they mean around housing, reconnecting communities that have been
discriminated against BACE on past discrimination and policies, and the fact that it's also
about job creation and small business opportunities as well. So Under Secretary Morissett,
the Vice President just met with business owner owners that have worked with the Urban
League of Greater Atlanta to grow their business. Tell us about the new capital
Readiness program that you are leading and what it is and how people in this
room can benefit directly. Absolutely, thank you so much for the question.
Thank you so much for leading this panel. I can't help but mention our
partner in the Capital Redness Program, which is Department of Treasury, which is
thinking right in there and their and their team sitting right right right in front
of us. The Capital Rediness Program is a part of the State Small Business
Credit Initiative which is opening up ten billion dollars to communities around the country.
And if you noted, the Urban League is helping to leave that f here
in Metro Atlanta. But we also have the US Black Chamber, I see
Ron Buzzby back there with the US Black Chamber helping to lead that effort.
We have forty three partners around the country throughout the Capital Writeness Program that are
helping folks access that ten billion dollars in state Small Business Credit Initiative funding.
But they're also helping communities around the country access all sorts of capital through throughout
this country. The idea that that small minority business entrepreneurs have a hard time
accessing capital is something that this administration has taken to heart and it's done something
about They've done something about that through the Capital Writiness Program, but they did
something about that in authorizing the Minority Business Development Agency. We talk about the
Infrastructure Law NBDA. My agency has been around for fifty five years, but
we're three years old as an authorized agency. Fifty five we were founded under
the Nixon administration, but this administration, I keep telling folks, we're fifty
five years but three years young. Yeah, thank you. The NBDA has
at its core, and I have the best job, I think on this
panel to create wealth in communities of color around this country. And that's something
different. Creating wealth the ability for folks to pull themselves up, create a
new life for themselves and their families and their communities. We're not giving out
anything to anyone. We're helping people who are exceedingly and abundantly able to help
themselves but for an opportunity. The Capital Rightness Program is a part of that
opportunity, giving folks the tools that they need to create change for themselves in
their communities. So that's why I'm so proud of this administration and this line
of work and that partnership with a Department of Treasury. Now you kind of
stepped on the lead when you said it was just three years fully authorized.
What was it before? Why is it important for it to be the rise
and what does that provide as far as permanent funding to not just help businesses
start, but to actually grow and thrive, which is one of the initiatives
from this Economic Opportunities Tour today. Absolutely, so, being of permanently authorized
agency is something different. We were around for fifty five years, found out
of the Knickson administration. But it took a bipartisan coalition of Congress to pass
this agency and make it a fully authorized federallyation is thanks to the leadership of
the Congressional Black Caucus a number of other leaders in content. But they didn't
look the same. They look like the tapestry of this country, and they
realized we were born, born as the authorized agency in the aftermath of the
pandemic. And we know acutely that the pandemic hit communities like ours differently.
They hit those communities differently, those socially and economically disadvantaged communities differently. Our
agency, as an authorized agency, in partnership with Treasury, to this capital
Rediness program, has at our core the ability to reach across the entire federal
government and lift up our communities, leveraging not only our capital, but the
capital of our partner agencies, leveraging the authorities that this administration lifts up through
their executive orders, but also through the meaningful and intentionality of changing the way
we are doing business inside of agencies. I think about this in the context
of the Department of Commerce. We as the agencies where have worked to have
over one hundred and twenty five billion of above based funding. We talk about
the Chips Act, talk about the broad Band Act that's trying to get this
entire country plugged in. An MBDA, a new federal agency's ability to reach
inside of those above based program areas and ensure that communities that look like ours,
that socially and economically disadvantaged communities, have a part of this investment.
That's something real. You ask about what this administration is doing and how it's
doing things differently. We're putting our money where our values are, and that's
something meaningful. I've heard a lot about the sixteen million new small businesses that
have been started since the beginning of this Biden Harris administration, the historic legislation
that really is providing investments and to make sure that our communities, every community
that has been underserved or disadvantaged historically, are not left out or left behind,
and to make sure that we're connecting those businesses, those owners with the
opportunities. And these are just three of the federal agencies that oversee the federal
procurement process. And so in addition to all of the booths that are here
and the information that will be shared both during and following this Economic Opportunities tour.
This is ways that we're reaching directly into the community to make sure we
have this conversation. A counselor Bowdler from Treasury. When the Vice President was
a senator, she fought for and secured twelve billion dollars for Community development Financial
Institutions and Minority Development Depository institutions across our nation. The Biden Harris administration has
been able to administer that funding and give it out directly to local CDFIs and
MDIs, some of whom are here today. Can you talk to us about
how you work with CDFIs and MDIs to advance specifically racial equity and what that
means for the people here in Atlanta. Absolutely well. First of all,
Congressman Horsford, thank you so much for your championship as well of CDFIs and
MDIs. And for those who don't know what that means, we're really talking
about mission Community oriented Lenders. CDFI's Community development Financial institutions have a mission and
a special certification to serve low income families, low income neighborhoods and communities that
have long been overlooked and under resource when it comes to credit. Minority depository
institutions, Black owned banks, Latino owned banks, Asian Native owned banks.
And we have been super fortunate Senator when she was a Senator, Harris now
VP Harris and the Congressional Black Caucus, among other leaders, have really championed
getting resources into institutions that we know are proximate to the communities we're trying to
serve. And that is incredibly important that we're investing in those CDFIs and MDIs
that are delivering capital in culturally competent ways, that have the relationships with the
community, have the presence in the ground. So the signature initiative here,
the Emergency Capital Investment Program was eight point five billion dollars to one hundred and
seventy five CDFIs. Of that, one point four billion went to black own
and black majority shareholder institutions. And we estimate that over the course of this
program, over the next ten years, that's going to be eighty billion dollars
to black communities flowing through this program. Okay, but you asked me what
does this mean for Atlantic because we throw around these big numbers, so I
want to make sure that I'm bringing it home. Georgia. CDFIs received one
hundred and twenty five million, and two of them are black owner, black
majority shareholder institutions, and they're here. Hopefully you got to see them.
And Cynthia and Robert, I can't see you because the lights are in my
face. But Citizens Trust Bank and Carver State Bank are both here. They
are recipients and participants in the ESIT program, and their resources are outside.
There's also other another thirty five million dollars in grants to CDFIs that are serving
Georgia Avenue, including ACE, which is a local small business lender that some
of you in this room might know, and it matters. Let me just
give you one example. Because of some of the investments that Carver State Bank
received, they were able to provide financing for Medcure, which is a local
of federally qualified health clinic and health provider healthcare provider here in the Greater Atlanta
region. Because of the six million dollars in financing they receive, they're opening
up and expanding a new location. That clinic is expected to see five thousand
new patients a year, ninety percent of which are people of color and seventy
five percent of which are low income families that might not otherwise have gotten access
to healthcare or have to travel really far to get quality care. So when
we invest in proximate institutions, that means that our businesses, our community assets
like healthcare centers and childcare centers are getting the resources that they need. They're
also hiring people along the way and creating stable jobs in their communities. You
know, there are a lot of people who question why we need these programs,
why do we need to invest in certain communities that have historically been underserved,
And I just want to share that the disparity in wealth is stark,
with a significant gap between black and white per capita wealth. In fact,
today the typical white per capita wealth of white Americans is two hundred and eighty
four thousand, three hundred and ten dollars compared to a mere forty four thousand,
one hundred dollars for Black Americans. So the agenda around economic prosperity and
wealth, this Economic Opportunities Tour and the resources that you all are administering to
get to the communities are intended to help close and narrow this racial wealth gap
that has persisted. And under the Biden Harris administration, this has been a
center of their agenda across the whole of government. So, what resources are
available from the federal government to help someone turn their awesome ideas, which we've
got a lot of people here with great ideas, great passion, great products.
They want to become the creators of wealth, not just the consumers of
it. What would you recommend that they do from the standpoint of your programs
that you administer within your agency to connect their ideas to the programs that are
available through the federal government. I'll go first out. Well, thank you
so much for the question, and i'd ask you for some of you in
this room go outside. I have tables of the five equities that we have
at the Minority Business Development Agency. We have a business center here that's outstanding
with through Georgia Tech. They are doing innovative and novel things. But more
importantly, they're trying to connect with you. They're trying to connect with all
those who have an interesting idea that they want to get off the ground at
anything of development. We also have the relationship that I mentioned before with the
Urban League and the US Black Chamber. We also have a relationship with the
MSIs, a minority serving institutions around the Metro Atlanta area. The truth is
we have equities around the country, one hundred and thirty one equities around this
country. Please MBDA dot gov. If you have an idea that you're trying
to launch, or if you're trying to create a business, formalize your business,
connect with our business centers. But if you're a member of other affiliated
other groups that are affiliated with MBDA, if you're a member of a Greek
organization, we just thought an MoU with the Divine Nine, I'd ask for
you to connect with them. We have lasting like we have new and developing
MOUs across both federal government and the private sector and inefititing groups. If you
think that we can be of any value to you, or if you have
an idea that just needs to get incubated and developed, come to us,
come to me, reach out, and we're happy to work with you and
help that idea blossom. Yeah. I want to put a fine point on
why this is so important and how much we're working together right now. Christopher
here is in charge of one of the largest public investments that we're going to
see in our generation, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In Eric's agency, they're
leading the Chips and Science Act, and in my agency we have the Inflation
Reduction Act. Now practically that's happening all over federal agencies. But what you
have up here on stage represents once in a generation suite of investments that are
not only going to transform our economy, but let's be real about what we're
talking about. We are in the middle of building the next middle class.
These investments that we're talking about are not only on shoring our manufacturing supply and
improving our national security, improving our infrastructure, improving our climate resiliency. They
are creating job opportunities and contracting opportunities that have the ability to take those business
take our communities that have not just been under resource but frankly underestimated, and
create a set of opportunities. And now we didn't just say like, okay,
go build some manufacturing plans and go build some bridges. We also put
the financing out there for businesses to be able to get those contracts, and
the technical assistance and resources, the Capital Readiness Program is strategic to help businesses
really seize these opportunities. Similarly, through your state here, the State of
Georgia, there are more technical assistance opportunities with many of the partners that have
already been named, with the financial institutions that I talked about. What I
want to make clear is that whether you are trying to take your side hustle
and turn it into your full time job, or you're looking for an equity
investment to scale your tech company, we are putting the financing and resources out
there, and we're doing it through proximate partners that understand black and brown communities,
that understand how to invest in our companies and help scale those enterprises.
It's because we're going to be able to get these contracts that I think we're
in the best position we've ever been to completely transform black and brown wealth in
this country. And let me say that is good for everybody, because on
behalf of the Treasury Department, I can tell you it's the right thing to
do, but it is also the economically smart thing to do. Right now,
we are leaving money on the table when we leave our communities on the
economic sidelines. When we get our communities off the economic sidelines, we're generating
more wealth, more jobs, and more revenue. That is good for everyone,
and investment in our black and brown communities is an investment in America.
Christopher, I would say, we can stop there, there's an amen and
all of that. The thing I would just add, you know, as
Jennis mentioned, we at the Department translation do not take it lightly that we
have half of the one point two trillion dollars or the biparts interestial law and
the fact that we have to look at in a sense, this is not
just about building roads and bridges. This is literally rebuilding America and for all
Americans and particularly those that have been left behind and disinvest it. And that
is the black and brown communities as well as rural communities. As someone who
comes from a rural South, I can tell you right now, our main
focus is to eliminate and reduce barriers to access to capital. So right now,
as mentioned by my colleagues, we have a booth manned by our office,
a small and Disadvantaged utilization where they have now launched this past week a
new access to Capital portal which will allow entrepreneurs small own businesses to directly connect
interviews, solicit and secure private equity to scale your businesses. That is at
the table right now. So that's going to open up billions of dollars,
I can tell you, in addition to helping eliminate, it's also allowing the
Department translation to put our money where our mouth is. So when we came
in on day one, we had a procurement of dbes and minority contract and
women contracting set roughly about seventeen to eighteen percent. Our secretary said that's not
good enough. In one year, we said we're going to go from eighteen
to twenty percent. We acceded that that goes through Jani's points that there is
amazing businesses who are ready to take on the work. The other piece here,
one of the things I'm really excited about, especially being here in Atlanta,
in addition to the announcing the dollars that we did to the STITCH,
having a working partnership with the Atlanta belt Line, who also received a fifteen
million dollar grant for the Flint Trail segment. Is really fascinating about that element
is that Clyde and and a Roads with the ARC are finding ways to break
up the contract so that local businesses can take advantage of that opportunity, particularly
in places like East Point and Clayton County that hasn't seen a federal grant.
Ever, and I can tell you at a larger level, we are looking
at how do we make sure these investments, these grant dollars are not just
canalyzing in black, brown communities, but we're also making sure that they're transforming.
And the last thing I'll say here is that we are in Atlanta.
Atlanta is the post and child of what it means if you get good infrastructure,
how it can help create the black middle class. And that is right
here at the airport and the importance of our dB, our Disadvantage Enterprise and
Airport Concession program. We know how it has helped Atlanta. But here's the
thing. We just this past week announced that we need to make changes to
the dB program because we've heard some all of you that the current rules actually
graduated businesses before where they can get to scale. So that's why we may
change this. We are now allowing dbs to have a larger or bigger personal
wealth so they can actually stay in the program longer. We're also allowing you
to use your certification as a regional so you're not going to each state to
try to get certification. In addition to that, we are forcing more prompt
payments because it's one thing to say we want you on these contracts, but
we need to make sure you get your money so you can also play your
own employees to invest in your own communities. So these are just some of
the examples that we are taking at Department Transtation to ensure that these dollars truly
build back our communities for everyone. You guys get real excited about talking about
all of these great opportunities that are available, and this is exciting information and
it's why we wanted to be able to have this direct conversation led by the
Vice President, kicked off here in Atlanta. This is part of a national
tour around economic opportunities for all and making sure that that freedom that we're fighting
for for economic justice parity is available to everyone within the federal government as well
as in the private sector. So as time comes to an end, I
would like to ask for you to talk about for anyone who is here who
wants to know how they can see themselves in the Biden Harris Administration's historic efforts
and infrastructure around small business support and in financing, how should they connect in
order for their ideas to be fulfilled based on the opportunities that each of you
have talked about. Janice will start with you. Sure well. First of
all, since I know this last time i'll have the mic on this,
let me just say thank you to a lot of people in this room,
because up here we can build a really good mouse chap. But if we
don't have the partners, like the people that are in the room, that
are going to help get the word out, who are going to make the
connections with communities, then our stuff can fall really flat. Which brings me
to how people should see themselves in this administration. Please see them through our
partners and who we align ourselves with. Again, for us our booth out
there is Carver State Bank and Citizens Trust Bank, Please stop buy and see
them. Also, come see Treasury and learn about tax credits. I didn't
have a chance to talk about that on this panel, but who we are
partnering with should tell you everything about the intentionality we're bringing to make sure we
get to communities that haven't always felt like the federal government has been on their
side because it hasn't, and we are doing everything we can to change that.
Three ways you can see yourself. Number one, go see Tower Ruffis
who's the head of our audit office. She will connect you literally, make
you sign and create a profile where you have a media access to lenders and
equity partners who want to invest in your business. That's number one. Number
two, if you want a contract, go to sam dot gov register and
there you will see the hundreds and thousands of contracts that are coming through the
Department Transtation as well as our sensor agencies. And number three, if you
are working with the local government and you say, look, my streets are
not paved, I need more trends of access. But you know what,
I have a great technical assistance program to train young black men who are performing
and concentrated. Well, guess what we have programs for that. So all
you have to do is go to the Department of Transtation's website Transtation dot gov,
go to our dot navigator, and we will show you how to put
together an application to get resources to your communities. And I can tell you
one of the things that we have to do as administration. We have a
Justice forty Initiative to make sure forty percent of our investments are going to disadvantaged
communities. Already in f y twenty two and f y twenty three, the
Department transtation has went from sixty to sixty two percent on average of our investments
going on that have workforce and entrepreneur opportunities. So again, and those are
the three places I would say you should go and see yourselves enter it's outstanding.
I just I'd reiterate some of the things that I've highlighted before, but
acutely for those folks here in Atlanta. We've got five equities here. We've
had enterprising women of color here, We've got our connection to MSI's Minority serving
institutions here, We've got two Therpy or grantees that are working to connect people
to capital access opportunities here in Atlanta. And we also have our Business Center.
But beyond that, we have procurement centers that are helping people access procurement
opportunities within the federal government and outside of federal government, we have our manufacturing
Specialty centers for those people who are interested in accessing manufacturing opportunities. And also
look inside of yourself for how you are affiliated with different organizations that might be
connected to us. We've got a whole line of equities that are connected to
this country. But more importantly, we are here to work for you.
I say this, and I said four, and I'll say it again.
I have the best job in the federal government. My job is to help
communities like ours create wealth. I am here and interested in helping all of
you, and all of your communities, and all the socially and economically disadvantaged
communities around this country create some thing different for themselves. Thank you to the
Biden Harris administration. Thank you to the Congress for passing a law that allows
for me to have this amazing job, but more importantly, change the life
introjectory of a whole flock of folks who've been looking for this for a really
long time. Let's give our panel a round of applause, and on behalf
of the Congressional Black Caucus, we are honored to work in collaboration with the
Biden Harris administration and the launch of this Economic Opportunity Tour, which focuses on
more than just growth. It's also about advocating for total economic participation, particularly
for communities that have been left out, left behind, the black community and
other marginalized communities. We deserve a seat at the table, and as the
panel has said, when we lift up Black America, we lift up all
of America. When we move more people to the middle class and create more
small businesses, it helps increase the GDP for all of America. So that's
what this Economic Opportunities Tour is all about. Thank you for joining us today
and let's make sure that you get out and connect to the resources available from
the Biden Harris administration. Good morning, everyone wants to be moved up.
Let me thank all of you for being here this morning. Today the UN
Security Council met to discuss the crisis in Al Fasher, which is on the
precipice of a large scale massacre. This is not conjecture. This is the
grim reality facing millions of people in El Fasher in North Darfur. There are
already credible reports that the RSF and it's allied Allied militias have raised multiple villages
west of Al Fasher, and as we speak, the RSF is planning an
imminent attack on Al Fasher. As I've said before, history is repeating itself
in darfour in the worst possible way, and an attack on El Fasher would
be a disaster. On top of a disaster, it would put five hundred
thousand internally displaced persons at risk, people who'd traveled from across Darfur to seek
refuge. And that's on top of the two million Sudanese who call Al Fasher
home. A crisis of epic proportions is brewing, and to avoid for the
death, destruction and suffering, five things need to happen immediately. First,
the RSF must end a siege and build up military forces. Build up of
military forces in El Fasher and swear off any attack on the city. All
parties to the conflict must take urgent steps to de escalate. The UN Security
Council already call for this, but that's not enough. Every single member state
must speak out. The entire international community must speak out. Second, armed
actors in Sudan must respect international law and protect civilians and recall the ICC's jurisdiction
to investigate war crimes. Third, all regional powers must stop providing weapons to
both parties in accordance with the UN arms embargo. Fourth, the warren parties
must engage in direct negotiations in Jedda. Because this conflict will not be solved
on the battlefield, it will be solved at the negotiating table. Fifth,
and finally, all parties must enable full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian
access, including crosswater and cross line access. Right now, five million,
five million people in Sudan on the brink of famine, and tens of millions
of people are in desperate need of aid, and yet the warren parties continue
to obstruct humanitarian access and aid. Members of the press, I have an
urgent ask of all of you, please help us warn the world about the
grave dangers facing the people of ol Fashion who are trapped under the threat of
violence of mass The people of Sudan are counting on all of us at this
moment of peril. I thank you and I look forward to your questions.
Thank you, Ambassador Gabriel Azando from Al Jazeera English, thank you for doing
the stakeout A follow up, ma'am. In terms of armed actors and refrain
from external influence, How important is that and specifically is the US talking to
talking to other countries in terms of alleviating that, particularly the UAE. Thank
you. That is particularly important because we do know that both sides are receiving
support, both with weapons and other support to fuel their efforts to continue to
destroy Sudan, and yes, we having give aged with parties on that,
including with our colleagues from the UE. Sure question on the speculation in the
media about impossible ICC or rest warrant for senior Israeli officials is the United Nation?
Is the United States intervening on Israel's b are for the ICC? What
role are you playing in terms of how this might play itself out. The
ICC is an independent organization and their efforts are being undertaken without any contact or
interference by the US. Thank you very much, Madam ambassador. First,
a follow up on Sudan. Is there anything else that this Security Council can
do, particularly to put pressure on the countries that are fueling this conflict with
weapons to stop doing that? And secondly, could you give us an update
on what's happening with the US peer that's being constructed off Glaza? Okay?
On the question of what the Security Council can do, and I would say
also what we can do as individual countries. We have raised this as as
a concern. It was raised today and our closed consultations, it has been
raised in open consultations, and we have appealed strongly to all of the countries
who are providing support to the warring parties to cease that support, and we
will continue to pressure those countries to do that. Idie, I don't have
an update on the peer. Can we get back to you on that.
Yeah, I think that's all we get it said. Thanks everyone may names
So, I think you just heard from our American colleague and the Council's just
had a private consultations on the situation in Sudan, where we are all very
concerned about the potential escalation and build up a military forces around El fasher The
Council was united in the conversation and in our statement over the weekend about our
concern about the possibility of an escalation there and the imminent risk of a threat
to the hundreds of thousands of people in El Fashier who are sheltering, many
of whom have come from other IDP counts. As you know, the last
thing that Sudan needs is a further escalation on top of this conflict that's been
going on for a whole year. The Council is concerned about the humanitarian crisis,
it's concerned about the scale of the famine risk, and it's concerned about
the displacement of people. And we've heard in particular how troubling the problem of
humanitarian access is given the barriers imposed by both sides of the conflict on humanitarian
aid. So what we need to do, what we need to see,
and what we've been clear on is we need to see an escalate the escalation,
We need to see humanitarian access and we need to see both sides returning
to the political talks in Jedder And that's the concern is probably the most overused
word in the United Nations when it comes to resolving geopolitics. Concern doesn't really
go a long way in putting pressure on parties to act differently. What was
the point of this meeting? What did the Council decide to do moving forward
beyond the statement that expressed concern. Well, I mean what you heard,
what you saw with the weekend was very clear statement, collective statement of unity
from the Council with very clear message to the parties in this conflict. We
agreed amongst ourselves that we will continue to do that and those who have influence
on the parties, I must must say there's very clear messages that there must
be no no escalation and de escalation is necessary, mister ambassador, but if
if nothing happens, I mean we heard also their US ambassador to says if
those three points, if they don't, they escalate. If they don't,
but actually they go ahead. Don't you think that this is so it start
to look very much as it was the situation heres ago in Liberia and Moravia.
Only the intervention of the United States and the order of President Bush to
stop those harmy save the thousands of lives. So do you think this is
I know, I understand there's a question that maybe it should have been for
the US ambassador, But do you think that if they are not listened in
the Security Council, somebody will have to save those people trap in the city.
Well, I think you're What you need is a United international message.
It's not about one country or two countries. It's about sending United messages and
each country using the leverage it has with the parties to encourage them, to
press them, to urge them to de escalate. The United in a shocking
decision, the Speaker has refused to grant an emergency debate on the tragic issue
of drug overdose deaths and drug decriminalized in British Columbia. Remember it was the
NDP government of British Columbia who asked Justin Trudeau to decriminalize the use of dangerous
drugs in public places all over the province. As a result, the number
of overdose deaths has skyrocketed and people no longer feel safe in their communities.
We've heard just tragic reports of things like nurses having to forego breastfeeding their children
because they're worried about the exposure that they face to from drug fumes in hospitals.
The Minister of Mental Health and Addictions today refused to take immediate action,
and as a result, Conservatives are calling on the government to hold an emergency
take note debate so that Minister Sacks can be held accountable for her decision today.
Worse than refusing to take immediate action, the government has refus used to
rule out expanding this dangerous and extreme pilot project to other communities, most notably
in Toronto. So they're refusing to rule out expanding this deadly policy to other
communities in Canada, and that is why Conservatives believe that the Trudeau government needs
to be held accountable to parliamentarians and are calling on the government to grant this
emergency take note debate immediately so that Canadians can hold this government accountable. I'll
hand it over to my colleague to uh to repeat that. In French,
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Look Guernoma Liberal du responsibility the totally person more vers see. We have
heard so clearly in committee as we've been studying the opioid crisis and the obrudo's
crisis in our Health committee that the police do not have the tools they need
to be able to act. In fact, we had Deputy Commissioner of the
Vancouver Police Department talk about the fact that they do not have the tools to
stop someone that is smoking crack cocaine on a beach beside a family. They
don't have the tools to tell someone they can't smoke meth in a hospital by
patients and putting nerves at risk. And what is the response from this government.
They can't take immediate action. What we need right now is immediate action.
We need the government to stand up and explain why they refuse to grant
this exemption, the exemption to the exceptions that the BC government has asked for.
This is an absolute failure from the Liberal government. This was a failure
of an idea to begin with, and now BC is asking the Liberals to
save them from the mess that they created. And we need to hear from
Minister Sacks as to why she is supporting more people dying in British Columbia.
We see the devastating effects of these failed decriminalization policies every single day. The
premier NBC NDP premier asked the federal government in twenty twenty two to sponsor and
agree with decriminalization of hard drugs. Well, the facts are now in.
In twenty twenty three, we had the most overdose deaths in one year we've
ever had in BC, over twenty five hundred. That's over six deaths a
day, every single day. These drugs, and when we talk about drugs,
we're talking about opioids, methamphetamines, heroin, crack cocaine. These drugs
are being used in playgrounds, in parks, in our hospitals. You have
parents in British Columbia having to save their kids from needles cast on the ground
at playgrounds. I mean, this is just not acceptable and it's dangerous.
So now the BC premier comes to the federal government, comes back and says
this hasn't worked. It's not working at all. We are having such a
public backlash, please reverse this. We ask that today, do it now,
and these dangerous policies now. And the answer we got from the minister,
two ministers and the government is well, not yet anyway, it's under
review. Six deaths every day while they delay their review. Then we ask
for an emergency debate, and the Speaker turned that request down. I don't
know what's more urgent than the death of Canadians. Forty thousand Canadians have lost
their lives to drug overdoses since twenty fifteen, and this government has been in
power. So we're asking it to end now. We're now asking for a
take note debate. This is serious, it is grave. It is a
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permit sex Doi response. What is the conservative solution to this? Because conservatives
have also where you talk about concerns about public drug use, conservatives also come
out against things like safe consumption sites or drug testing where people can can Conservative
support supervised consumption sites. I'm just trying to clarify supervise but yes, well,
thank you for that question. Conservatives have been exceptionally clear. We want
to support treatment and recovery. These are important pillars. We believe that people
have the capacity of recovering from addiction. We know and we believe in people,
and we have a compassionate solution. I have to look at to my
home province of Alberta, where they are applying a recovery oriented lens, where
we are having a variety of supports in place, expanding treatment capacity as well
as still having many of those harm reduction supports in place. And I would
question and point to you that they are not safe. They are supervised,
and we need to be very cautious and careful in the language. And this
is one of the challenges we have right now with the so called safe supply,
because the government is marketing it as if it's safe. We have kids
on the street in British Columbia that go out and buy these dillies and they
call them dillies because they're delauded pills, and they call them dillies and they
think they're safe because the government has said they're safe. And this is absolutely
problematic. These are dangerous, potent drugs and we need to take that more
seriously and more responsibly, and we have to be very cautious in the words
we use. And so I will not buy into that idea that this is
somehow going to be safer. I just to clarify, what harm reduction strategies
would a future conservative government support. If it's not supervised consumption sites, if
it's not things like safeer supply, if it's not things like a decriminalization pilely,
Like, what harm reduction strategies could you get behind? Well, I
reject the premise of that entire question, because I didn't at any point in
my statement say that I didn't support harm reduction. In fact, conservatives in
my home province of Alberta have been very clear in supporting harm reduction. We
have a variety of supports available to people that are struggling with addiction, but
it's done in a recovery oriented lens so that people can get the support they
require. But the end goal is always going to be to try and find
recovery. And I think this is the challenge this federal government does not believe
that people are capable of recovering from addiction, and so they're offering palliative care
as the first form of treatment, and that is absolutely unacceptable. What does
recovery oriented lens mean? Then, if conservatives don't say they don't have a
problem with harm reduction, what harm reduction would you be? Okay? So
to answer your question, that's a really good point. So a recovery oriented
lens is building out a system so that people can find recovery and a variety
of different off ramps and so having those kinds of supports in place. So
whether it be a consumption site where people are asked, would you like support,
would you like to get better from this? Would you like a space
in in detox? You know what, we can get you into that detox
center. We can get you into treatment. Across this country, families are
having to mortgage their homes just to be able to put their child into treatment.
That is absolutely not the right solution. I'm very proud of my home
province of Alberta and the work that they have done in reducing and removing fees
for those access to those supports, which means that families can put their loved
ones into treatment. That means that people have the ability to get better.
And that's what a recovery oriented lens looks like. It looks at a very
holistic solution and trying to find as many off ramps for people that are struggling
with addiction to get the care and compassion they need yet better. But some
consumption takes do already offer resources for housing or for detox options. So what's
the differentiation between what you would support and what the problem is. Well,
what you're pointing out is the fact that it's a patchwork and not all of
them actually believe that recovery is possible, and so I think it is very
important as we're going forward in this that we continue to prioritize education prevention of
addictions. And this is one of the big challenges we have right now with
this so called safe supply, is that we are fueling the next addiction crisis
by making more drugs available on our streets. And this is creating addiction in
youth, and this is creating a problem that we need to will then solve,
for we could get much better if we simply reduce the number of drugs
on the street, helped people get into treatment and find recovery, and support
recovery as a space. Thank you so much. Okay, thoughts, and
this goes out again to Donald Trump and his supporters that we have to remember
that laws they are supposed to be for everyone, that no one should actually
hold a true immunity over another. When it comes to the law. No
one should be able to rise above it, but we should all be able
to work with it. And to those who think that Donald Trump should be
allowed to operate beyond the law, that he should be held immune to the
effects of the law so that he can break it whenever he pleases and not
have to worry about the consequences. That's just simply not right. That those
who are supporting him in many directions have some superior ideas about who they are,
and that how them and their families made the United States something great.
When the truth of the matter was before fourteen ninety two, there were great
things happening in that land, before the Europeans ever came. That the indigenous
people who were there were doing wonderful things by working with the environment, working
with nature, and building things that were incredibly useful to mankind. So thank
you for listening to Policy and here on Depictions Media Radio. I am your
host, Michael Cloggs, and please find a subscribe button wherever it may be.
This show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact us at depictions
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