 Bonjour à tous. Hello everyone. This morning we got the news that Health Canada has completed the review of the Moderna vaccine and found it to be safe and effective. Canada has an internationally recognized process of independent review, and I know that our best experts have upheld this highest standard. Now that Health Canada has approved the Moderna vaccine, we have the green light to start rolling it out across the country. The first doses of our guaranteed 40 million-dose order from Moderna will arrive in the coming days. Health Canada has reviewed the Moderna vaccine and determined that it is safe and effective. Canada has an independent review of the Moderna vaccine, and I know that our best experts have upheld this highest standard. Now that the Moderna vaccine has been approved by Health Canada, we can begin to distribute it across the country. The first doses, part of our 40 million doses, will arrive in the coming days. Later today, I will meet with Dr Afeyan of Moderna, an old diplomat from McGill, about deliveries and efforts to vaccinate Canadians as quickly as possible. On the Pfizer vaccine, today I also have some more good news to share. I can announce that we will be receiving an additional quarter of a million doses from Pfizer next month. That takes us up to a total of almost 751,000 Pfizer vaccine doses for January. In the early doses we've already received and the shipments now scheduled, we're on track to have at least 1.2 million doses from both Pfizer and Moderna, delivered by January 31st. We have begun to vaccinate the most vulnerable people and the first-line workers. Already, these vaccines will save lives, and while we are working to distribute the vaccines as quickly as possible, we are continuing to do everything we can to ensure the safety of people. Our government has agreed to continue providing federal support to the Canadian Red Cross in Quebec. Thus, the 500 people deployed in long-term care facilities will remain in place until March 31st. At this date, Quebec should be able to fully assume the management of the CHSLD and to take back control of the situation. Our government's top priority is keeping Canadians safe. As cases keep rising, we will continue to be there for communities that need additional targeted support. We've now extended the Canadian Red Cross deployment for long-term care homes in Quebec. Just last week, our government also committed to additional civilian support for Red Sucker Lake in Manitoba and a Canadian Armed Forces deployment to Attawapiskat First Nation in Ontario to support elders and vulnerable community members. This is an addition to the requests we approved for the Red Cross in long-term care homes in Ontario and for isolation sites in Windsor Essex. The Red Cross has done outstanding work over the last year to keep people safe. As we deal with this second wave, we need their expertise more than ever. That's why today I can announce that we are investing an additional $70 million to support their work. Half of this funding will go towards the Red Cross COVID-19 testing assistance response teams which support communities on testing capacity. The other half of the funding is for the Red Cross Outbreak Crisis Management Teams which help with everything from isolation sites to mental health services. To everyone helping on the ground, whether you're with the Canadian Red Cross or you serve in the Canadian Armed Forces, you're doing remarkable work. Whenever we need you, you're there to help. During floods, wildfires, and now COVID-19, you consistently step up, step towards trouble, step towards danger to keep your fellow Canadians safe. Thank you for everything you are doing. I know many members of the Canadian Armed Forces are apart from family right now, serving at home and around the world to protect us. So thank you for everything you do and a special thank you to your families and kids who might miss you an awful lot this Christmas. We're thinking of you. To all our men and women in uniform, thank you. You're doing an incredible job and thank you to your families who support you in this service in our country. On that note, today, I can announce that we're going to call on a new Chief of State for Defence, Vice Admiral Art MacDonald, who is currently the Commander of the Canadian Royal Navy, will replace General Jonathan Vance, who takes his retreat from the Armed Forces. Vice Admiral MacDonald has been with him for decades of experience and service. He has played a role in directing in many areas, particularly by directing humanitarian operations and rescue operations in Catastrophe Codes, ensuring the command of a multinational operational group at the end of the article, among others. I know that he will continue to ensure a solid leadership for the Canadian Armed Forces as it works to protect Canadians in the country and to defend our values in the entire world. General Vance now holds the record of the Chief of State for Defence for the longest time in post, and I want to thank him for his years of service and his leadership. The General has led the Canadian Armed Forces to defend our country, military threats, and to protect Canadians on our territory when we were in the hands of natural disasters more recently with COVID-19. Today, I can announce that we will be appointing a new Chief of Defence staff. Vice Admiral Art MacDonald, who is currently the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, will take on this role as General Jonathan Vance retires from the Armed Forces. I want to thank General Vance for his service, including as the longest serving Chief of Defence staff. General Vance has led the Canadian Armed Forces as they defended our country against military threats, deployed overseas, and protected Canadians at home from everything from floods to now COVID-19. Thank you, General Vance, for your service and your leadership. In his new role as Chief, Vice Admiral MacDonald will oversee the work of the Canadian Armed Forces, including on vaccine rollout through Operation Vector. The Canadian Armed Forces have been part of the national response to this pandemic since the spring, whether deployed to long-term care homes or helping with contact tracing. I know that Vice Admiral MacDonald's leadership and expertise will be invaluable as the Armed Forces continue to work around the clock to keep Canadians safe. This afternoon, I also want to say a few words about travelling and the holidays. Let's be clear, this is not the time for a vacation abroad. Even if you travel every winter, please rethink your plans. In many parts of the country, hospitals are already struggling to cope with new cases. There are new strains of this disease in places like the United Kingdom. The situation is very serious. By staying home, by following public health rules, you can be part of the solution. Canada continues to have significant travel and border measures in place for anyone entering the country. Unlike most of our allies, we have a mandatory two-week quarantine, including for Canadians returning to the country. In March, we brought in these measures, which continue to be some of the strongest in the world, to keep people safe and save lives. Today, just like on day one, protecting you and your family is our top priority. That's why, in addition to the significant measures we already have in place, we acted quickly on additional travel restrictions in response to the situation in the United Kingdom. On Sunday, I convened the Incident Response Group to discuss the new variant of COVID-19 that has been identified in the UK. Our government temporarily suspended all commercial and private passenger flights from the UK to Canada. Today, I can announce that we will extend this temporary suspension of passenger flights from the UK to Canada for another two weeks, until January 6th. So we can prevent this new variant of COVID-19 from spreading in Canada. If you've arrived from the UK recently, the Government of Canada has been in the process of reaching out with more directions. I want to remind everyone that you shouldn't travel abroad at the moment. The airports shouldn't be crowded. If you have reserved a trip, think again. Even if you go abroad on vacation every year, the circumstances are very different now. And if you decide to travel anyway, on your return, you should make a mandatory quarantine for 14 days. If you don't respect this rule and have severe consequences, our priority is to ensure everyone's safety. These holidays will be tough for a lot of people. I think of everyone who can't be with family or lost someone they loved. It's been less than a year since Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 was shot down, killing all those on board, and less than two years since the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. To the families and friends who will be spending the holidays without a loved one, you will be in our thoughts. In honour of the victims, we are working to establish January 8th of every year as the national day of remembrance for victims of air disasters. Their memories and their stories will not be forgotten. And to everyone who's lost someone this year to this terrible virus, I want to extend to you my deepest condolences. We are standing with you. We are grieving with you. You are not alone. In 2020, we have been confronted with a too large number of tragedies. It's not like that we wanted to spend the year and even less spent Christmas. Days are short, there is less sun. As Canadians, we know what it is to close our eyes so that we can cross a winter that is too long and too cold. So do what you can. Stay at home. Protect your loved ones, our frontline workers, our doctors, our nurses, our nurses. As Canadians, we stick together when times get tough. It's just what we do. We can't afford to let up now, so keep doing your part. This is not the time for Christmas or New Year's parties. This is the time to continue wearing a mask, to keep your distance, to avoid gatherings, and to download and use the COVID Alert app. In other words, please continue to protect those around you. Our country has been through difficult Christmases before. There have been times when our grandparents or parents couldn't be with family or had to put traditions on hold. They had faith that better days would come round. Well, this Christmas, it's our turn. It's up to us to protect each other. It's up to us to pull together, to hold on, and to know. However dark the winter may be, spring is coming. Better days will be back. To you and your family, I wish you a very happy Christmas. Merry Christmas, everyone, and happy holidays. Stay safe, stay well, and together we'll get through this. Thank you very much.