Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Apologizes, Recognizes Her “Privilege” After Relating Average Citizens’ Economic Struggles To Her Family’s Cancellation Of Disney Plus

Source: Turning Red (2022), Disney

Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland has issued an apology after her comparison of the pressures of rising inflation on the average Canadian citizen to her own family’s cancelling of their Disney Plus description was met with massive outrage from across the Great White North.

Source: Turning Red (2022), Disney

RELATED RUMOR: Disney To Race-Swap A Number Of X-Men For The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Use Cameos From Fox Films As “Better Bait” For Fan Interest

The Trudeau government member first drew the ire of the Canadian public following a November 6th appearance on the political talk show The West Block.

Speaking with host Mercedes Stephenson about the growing economic hardships country’s rising inflation rate – which as of September 2022 sits at 6.9% – Freeland attempted to relate to her fellow citizens by acknowledging the problem rather than ignoring it.

“I agree with your basic premise, Mercedes,” said the Deputy Prime Minister [time stamp 5:50 in the video above]. “I think things are really challenging for Canadian families, and I think Canadian families are looking really closely at all of their expenses.”

MOTHER, PLEASE! — Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red” introduces 13-year-old Mei Lee and her mother, Ming. They’ve always been close, so when Mei begins showing interest in typical teenager things—like boys, for example—Ming is a little (or a lot) tempted to overreact. Featuring Rosalie Chiang as the voice of Mei Lee, and Sandra Oh as the voice of Ming, “Turning Red” will debut exclusively on Disney+ (where Disney+ is available) on March 11, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

RELATED: New Disney Short Film ‘Reflect’ Helps Plus-Size Girls Feel Good About Dancing, Diabetes

Seeking to communicate how said problem was effecting Canadians across the economic spectrum, Freeland then recalled how “I personally, as a mother and wife, look carefully at my credit card bill once a month, and last Sunday I said to the kids, ‘You’re older now, you don’t watch Disney anymore, let’s cut that Disney Plus subscription.”

“So we cut it,” she continued. “It’s only 13.99 a month that we’re saving, but every little bit helps.”

Source: Turning Red (2022), Pixar

“And I think every mother in Canada is doing that right now,” she concluded. ” And I want to say to all of those mothers, I believe that I need to take exact the same approach with the federal government’s finances, because that’s the money of Canadians.”

Source: Turning Red (2022), Disney

RELATED: Bob Chapek Denies Disney Has Become ‘Too Woke’: “The Company Survived For A Hundred Years By Catering To Its Audience, And It’s Going To Thrive The Next Hundred By Doing The Same”

Unfortunately, Freeland’s attempt at coming off as relatable did not go over well with Canadians, as many felt her comments showed a flippant disregard for the realities of the country’s current economic situation.

“Trudeau’s inflation-causing deficits drove up prices and robbed your paycheque of its value,” criticized Regina—Qu’Appelle MP Andrew Scheer. “[And this is] his Finance Minister’s message to people visiting food banks and defaulting on their mortgages?”

Archive Link Source: Andrew Scheer Twitter

“[This is] the Trudeau Team’s answer to people skipping meals & cutting portions, hiked mortgage & rent payments, record food bank visits,” asserted Carleton MP Pierre and running candidate for the Prime Minister Pierre Poilievere. “Canadians are out of money and Liberals are out of touch.”

Archive Link Source: Pierre Poilievre Twitter

“One month of rent in Toronto costs the same as 14 years of Disney Plus,” observed @EvanSambasivam. “You might as well tell voters to eat cake at this point.”

Archive Link Source: @EvanSambasivam Twitter

“So to recap today the Finance Minister is targeting $13.99,” said Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas. ” This is coming from the same Liberal Government that feels entitled to spend $6,000 a night on a luxury hotel room when it is your money. It is simply incredible how all over the fiscal map these Liberals have become.”

Archive Link Source: Dan Albas Twitter

Eventually, in the face of this overwhelming backlash, Freeland issued a public apology for her comments.

“I want to start by recognizing that I am a very privileged person,” the politician told reporters on November 7th. “For sure. Like other elected federal leaders, I am paid a really significant salary and I know that that puts me in a really, really privileged position.”

RELATED: Disney Plus Acquires Exclusive Rights To Distribute New Episodes Of ‘Doctor Who’ Outside The UK And Ireland

“And I really recognize that it is not people like me – people who have my really good fortune – who are struggling the most in Canada today,” Freeland added. “The people who are struggling in Canada today, with today’s high prices, aren’t people like me.”

Source: Turning Red (2022), Disney

“They are not federally elected politicians,” she concluded. They are people across the country who earn a low income, who really do find that today’s high prices mean they have to make difficult choices about what food to buy, about whether to buy groceries or pull together the money to pay the rent. So I 100% recognize that.”

Source: Turning Red (2022), Disney

NEXT: Disney Doubles Down On J.J. Abrams’ Influence, Taps His ‘Lost’ Co-Creator Damon Lindelof To Pen New ‘Star Wars’ Film

Share: 
Mentioned This Article:

More About: