Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is seen as he pauses during a response to a question on racism during a news conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Tuesday June 2, 2020. As long-standing anger about discrimination boils over in the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians must recognize there is systemic racism in their own country. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Trudeau fell silent for 21 seconds after being asked about Trump

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hesitated for 21 seconds on Tuesday before answering a question about President Donald Trump’s threat to use military force to quell protests gripping the United States.

After several attempts to utter something, Trudeau eventually spoke without ever referring to Trump by name.

“We all watch in horror and consternation what’s going on in the United States,” Trudeau told the press conference in Ottawa.

“It is a time to pull people together … it is a time to listen. It is a time to learn, when injustices continue despite progress over years and decades.”

Watch: Trudeau pauses for 21 seconds on question about Trump’s actions

On Monday, Trump threatened to deploy the military if governors fail to quickly quell the violence and “dominate” the protests.

He also directed police and national guardsmen under his control to forcibly remove protesters from Lafayette Square, a park directly across from the north lawn of the White House, so that he could later walk to neighbouring St. John’s Episcopal Church for a photo opportunity.

When asked again why he did not want to directly address Trump’s actions, Trudeau said his job as prime minister is to focus on Canadians.

“Canadians need a government that will be there for them, that will support them and that will move us forward in the right direction, and I will do that,” Trudeau said.

A White House staff member gestures to move the press corps back as U.S. President Donald Trump walks between lines of riot police for a photo opportunity at St John’s Church during ongoing protests over racial inequality in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, near the White House in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2020. (Tom Brenner/REUTERS)

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was equally reluctant to speak about Trump’s handling of the crisis, saying she’s focused on issues closer to home.

“As a Canadian politician, as a Canadian leader, my focus is on Canada and it is on being very clear within our government and with Canadians that this is not a problem to which we are immune. It is a problem here in Canada, and it is our job today to listen to Canadians, to listen to black Canadians, and it’s time for us to act,” Freeland said.

She was concerned about “Canadian complacency,” Freeland added.

“I think it’s really important for us to set our own house in order and for us to be really aware of the pain that anti-black racism causes here in our own country,” she said. “My focus is on Canada.”

Several Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, saw massive protests in solidarity with the demonstrations against police brutality in the U.S., following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis police custody.

With files from John Paul Tasker of CBC News

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