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Climate change, reconciliation key takeaways from 2021: Trudeau

Dec 31, 2021 | 3:49 PM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says vaccination against COVID-19 remains one of the country’s top priorities as 2021 turns to 2022.

In a statement, he says Canadians will need to continue working together to end the pandemic.

Trudeau says the country confronted historical wrongs this past year after unmarked graves and burial sites were found near former residential schools.

He says the year proved particularly hard for Indigenous Peoples and the government remains committed to helping those affected by residential schools and the tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Trudeau says Canadians also faced the effects of climate change with record-breaking heat waves, wildfires and historic flooding that destroyed communities and highways.

He says the hard lessons of the past two years have shown how determined Canadians are and they will need to draw on those lessons as the country looks toward ending the pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2021.

The Canadian Press