Canadians interview the prime minister about issues that matter to them

If you could ask the prime minister any question, what would it be?

• Peter Mansbridge: A new way to interview the prime minister
• How we picked 10 Canadians to interview the PM

CBC brought 10 Canadians with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints from across the country to Ottawa to question Justin Trudeau face to face.

Neither politicians nor special interest advocates, these Canadians were given unprecedented access, each sitting down with Trudeau alone in his office for 10 minutes, behind closed doors, to ask him about the issues that matter to them.

The interviewers grilled Trudeau on a wide range of issues. Throughout it all, only CBC cameras were allowed in the room no staffers, no advisers and no reporters.

See full 10-minute interviews below, and watch above as The National's Peter Mansbridgesits down with Trudeau for in-depth follow-up questions.

Nikki Fraser, a 25-year-old youth worker from Kamloops, B.C., asks Trudeau how he plans to keep indigenous women safe.

With tears in her eyes, Fraser showed the prime minister photographs of her aunt and cousin, both Indigenous women who have gone missing. She demandedto know what Trudeau will do to keep Canada safe for her three-year-old daughter.

"I don't want her to grow up in a country where I feel like her life is less valuable than a non-indigenous girl's life," she said.

"This matters," Trudeau replied. "Indigenous lives matter."

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Keeping indigenous women safe

9 years ago

Duration 11:30

Nikki Fraser, a 25-year-old youth worker from Kamloops, asks Justin Trudeau how he plans to keep indigenous women safe

Danny Strilchuk, a 30-year-old oilfield worker from Edmonton, asks Trudeau if there is anything to give him hope for the future in Alberta and how he will generate jobs.

"When Alberta does poorly, the rest of the country is going to feel the impact,"Strilchuktold CBC News ahead of his interview withTrudeau.

Trudeau told Strilchuk:"Hopefully oil is going to start bouncing back ....at the same time, we're going to start diversifying the economy."

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: The future of Alberta

9 years ago

Duration 11:54

Danny Strilchuk, a 30-year-old oil field worker from Edmonton, asks Justin Trudeau if there is anything to give him hope or the future in Alberta and how he will generate jobs

Neil Piercey, 58, formerly worked in manufacturing but now delivers fruit in London, Ont. He asks Trudeau how he plans to help people who have lost their jobs in manufacturing and are struggling to survive.

Piercey made a very personal plea to the prime minister, and left disappointed.

"I have a mortgage and Ihave family, so Ihad to cash in my RRSP," he told Trudeau. "Now I'm stuck. I have no pension.I had to use it up. I don't know what I'm going to do."

Trudeausaidthe government is working to address pension security for Canadians and create employment opportunities.

"But in the meantime I'll be starving and maybe living on the streets by the time I'm 65?" Pierceyasked.

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Manufacturing jobs in Canada

9 years ago

Duration 14:58

Neil Piercey, 58, formerly worked in manufacturing but now delivers fruit in London, Ont. He asks Justin Trudeau how he plans to help people who have lost their jobs in manufacturing and are struggling to survive

Larry Audlaluk, 65, is a hunter and leader from Grise Fiord, Nunavut. He asks the prime minister about the government's plan to deal with the direct impact climate change has on Canadians in the North.

This self-described patriotasked the prime minister whether the government would defend Canada's Northwest Passage from foreign powers looking to make use of its resources.

"The Northwest Passage is Canadian," Trudeau said. "People can't just abuse it."

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Climate change in the North

9 years ago

Duration 12:00

Larry Audlaluk, 65, is a hunter and leader from Grise Fiord, Nunavut. He asks the prime minister what is the governments plan to deal with the direct impact climate change has on Canadians in the North

Gary Mauris, 47, of Vancouver is president of Dominion Lending Centres. He asks Trudeau about the impact tax hikes to the wealthiest Canadians will have on the economy.

Maurisbelieves hikes to the highest tax bracket negatively affect businesses like his, which employ many Canadians.Trudeau defended the hikes as a necessary so the governmentcould give middle-class Canadians a tax break.

Mauristoldthe prime minister: "You're not Robin Hood."

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Tax hikes to the wealthy

9 years ago

Duration 10:48

Gary Mauris, 47, of Vancouver is president of Dominion Lending Centres. He asks Justin Trudeau about the impact tax hikes to the wealthiest Canadians will have on the economy

Jihane El Atifi, 29, is a Montrealer who works with refugees. She asks Trudeau how he's working to integrate Canadian newcomers, and why there is no black representation in Cabinet.

"I was pleasantly surprised to see your cabinet [had] gender parity," Atifitold Trudeau. "But I couldn't help but notice, and I think I'm not the onlyone, that there's no representatives fromthe black community."

The prime minister replied that there's always more to do.

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Integrating Canadian refugees

9 years ago

Duration 10:19

Jihane El Atifi, 29, is a Montrealer who works with refugees. She asks Justin Trudeau how hes working to integrate Canadian newcomers

Jenna Fray, 31, a social worker from Ajax, Ont., asks Trudeau what he's doing to help middle-class families like hers.

"My biggest fear is that I don't give my son a better life," Fray told CBC News before meeting the prime minister.

She told Trudeau:"Think of us. Do the work every single day on the ground."

He replied: "The day I forget about you and your family is the day I'm no longer worthy of sitting in that chair."

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: The middle class

9 years ago

Duration 11:49

Jenna Fray, 31, a social worker from Ajax, Ont., asks Justin Trudeau what hes doing to help middle class families

Yvonne Jacobs, 71, is a retired nurse in St. John's, N.L. She asks Justin what can he do to improve health care for seniors and for everyone else in Canada.

Jacobs reminded the prime minister about Canada's aging population and insisted home care needs to be more than "just light housework," but also include comprehensive medical care. Trudeau agreed.

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Senior health care

9 years ago

Duration 9:56

Yvonne Jacobs, 71, is a retired nurse in St. Johns. She asks Justin Trudeau what can he do to improve health care for seniors and for everyone else in Canada

Charlotte Kiddell, 24, is an undergraduate student from Halifax. She asks Trudeau about his plan for graduating students in bleak economic times and how he plans to tackle student debt.

When Kiddellasked whether Trudeau would end what she calls "exploitative" unpaidinternships, Trudeau said it's something the government is lookingat.

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: Students economic future

9 years ago

Duration 10:24

Charlotte Kiddell, 24, is an undergraduate student from Halifax. She asks Justin Trudeau about his plan for graduating students in bleak economic times and how he plans to tackle student debt

Maulik Doshi, 30, works in e-commerce in Regina. He asks Trudeau what he's doing to enforce national security and keep up the fight against ISIS and prevent radicalization of Canadians.

Doshi was unimpressed with Trudeau'splans to pull Canada's fighter jets out Iraq and Syria, saying more needs to be done to end terrorism abroad and at home.

Trudeau insisted: "Weare going to remain an important partof the coalition against ISIL."

Face to Face with the Prime Minister - The interview: National security

9 years ago

Duration 12:02

Maulik Doshi, 30, works in e-commerce in Regina. He asks Justin Trudeau what hes doing to enforce national security and keep up the fight against ISIS and prevent radicalization of Canadians