YOU TOUCHED ON IT THERE, THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS 
ACCOUNT.
THE PRIME MINISTER WILL SPEAK 
TO THAT.
THOSE APPLICATIONS WENT ONLINE 
YESTERDAY.
THAT IS THE LOAN FOR SMALL AND 
MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES, $10 
THOUSAND NOW OF WHICH WILL BE 
FORGIVABLE IF YOU PAY IT BACK 
BEFORE 2022 AND IT IS 
INTEREST-FREE FOR THE FIRST 
YEAR.
THIS IS DIRECTED, ACCORDING TO 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, TO ALL 
OF THOSE BUSINESSES WE'VE HEARD 
FROM WHO SAY THE WAGE SIX DID  
-- SUBSIDY IS A BIT OF A HELP, 
BUT DOESN'T HELP WITH MY FIXED 
COSTS, PARTICULARLY, FOR 
EXAMPLE, PAYING RENT.
THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT 
ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS LOAN AND 
SORT OF HOW IT WILL WORK GOING 
FORWARD.
IT COVERS PEOPLE WITH A 
BUSINESS AND A PAYROLL BETWEEN 
$50,000 AND $1 MILLION.
IS THERE ANY LOOSENING OF THE 
RESTRICTIONS COMING UP AROUND 
THAT OR HOW STRICT, I GUESS, 
WILL THE RESTRICTIONS BE FOR SO 
MANY BUSINESSES WHO ARE CURIOUS 
TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS.
I'VE SORT OF SEEN A MYRIAD OF 
RESPONSES ON TWITTER, SOME SAY 
THAT IT HASN'T WORKED YET FOR 
THEM.
OTHERS WERE APPROVED.
THAE APPLIED VERY QUICKLY AND 
IT WAS VERY EASY.
LIKE WITH PREVIOUS FINANCIAL 
AID PACKAGES, WE'LL KEEP OUR 
EYES ON HOW THE PROCESS UNFOLDS 
AND HOW HELPFUL THE MEASURES 
END UP BEING.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE MM 
SPEAK TO THAT.
I EXPECT HIM ALSO, ROSEY, TO 
FACE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS 
ABOUT A PIECE OUR COLLEAGUE 
J.P. TASKER WROTE OVERNIGHT 
THAT WAS PUBLISHED ON CBC'S 
WEBSITE THIS MORNING, ALONGSIDE 
A NUMBER OF OTHER OUTLETS THAT 
HAVE COVERED A BUNCH OF 
BRIEFING DOCUMENTS THAT WERE 
TABLED IN THE HEALTH COMMITTEE.
AND THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE ALL 
SORT OF ABOUT GIVE, US A WINDOW 
INTO WHAT KIND OF ADVICE 
POLITICAL DECISION-MAKERS WERE 
GETTING WHEN THEY MADE ALL THE 
KINDS OF DECISIONS WE'VE BEEN 
SEEING OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS 
AND THE NUMBER I'M REFERRING TO 
IS AROUND, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT 
WAS HAPPENING IN CHINA.
WHAT WE KNEW ABOUT THE DISEASE 
OR THE VIRUS AT THE TEEM.
HOW CONTAGIOUS IS IT?
DOES IT SPREAD FROM 
HUMAN-TO-HUMAN?
WHAT THOSE DOCUMENTS REVEALED 
-- FOR EXAMPLE, A FEW MONTHS 
AGO IN LATE JANUARY-EARLY 
FEBRUARY, THE GOVERNMENT WAS 
STILL GETTING ADVICE THAT THE 
EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT 
HUMAN-TO-HUMAN --  IT IS NOT -- 
EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS NO CLEAR 
EVIDENCE, RATHER, THAT THE 
VIRUS IS EASILY TRANSMITTED 
BETWEEN PEOPLE.
WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE CASE TO 
BE DIFFERENT NOW.
THEY WERE ALSO GETTING ADVICE 
ON THE ABILITY TO QUARANTINE OR 
THE LACK OF ABILITY TO 
QUARANTINE TRAVELERS COMING 
FROM CHINA AND PARTICULARLY 
HUBEI PROVINCE T EPICENTER.
SAYING IT WOULD BE TOO 
DIFFICULT AND TOO MUCH PRESSURE 
ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM TO 
QUARANTINE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY WOULD NEED TO USE THE 
QUAERN TEEN ACT.
-- QUARANTINE ACT AND WE KNOW 
MONTHS LATER THEY DID USE THE 
QUARANTINE ACT.
THE DOCUMENTS ARE HELPFUL IN 
LOOKING BEHIND, BUT REALLY FOR 
FOCUSING ON HOW THE GOVERNMENT 
MAKES DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.
THERE ARE SO MANY DECISIONS 
AHEAD OF THEM WHEN IT COMES TO 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECT OF 
THIS.
DO THEY NEED TO SORT OF 
SCRUTINIZE THE ADVICE THAE EAR 
GETTING -- I'M NOT SAYING IT'S 
ALL BAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, 
BUT THIS DOES RAISE QUESTIONS 
ABOUT THE SORT OF PROCESS BY 
WHICH THEY'RE MAKING THE 
DECISIONS, THE VALIDITY OF THE 
INFORMATION COMING OUT OF 
CHINA, PARTICULARLY, AND HOW 
THAT PROCESS WILL UNFOLD GOING 
FORWARD.
I EXPECT THE PRIME MINISTER TO 
BE ASKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE QUESTIONS 
AROUND SORT OF THESE KINDS OF 
THINGS SO FAR HAVE BEEN TO DR. 
TAM AND THE ANSWERS HAVE BEEN 
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A NEW VIRUS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT.
YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT.
DATA COMING OUT OF CHINA.
THAT MADE THINGS MORE 
COMPLICATE.
SO, YES.
THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS 
ABOUT THE ADVICE THAT WAS GIVEN 
AND WHETHER THIS WAS JUST AN 
UNPRECEDENTED TIME AND SO THERE 
WAS REALLY NOTHING MORE TO DO 
THAN DEPEND ON THAT ADVICE.
I ALSO THINK HE IS GOING TO 
TALK ABOUT THE EASTER BUNNY, 
WHICH I KNOW WILL BE CRITICALLY 
IMPORTANT TO SO MANY OF OUR 
VIEWERS.
[LAUGHTER]
I'LL LEAVE YOU THERE, VASSY, 
FROM TIME TO TIME AND TURN NOT 
TO THE EASTER  BUNNY, BUT ALSO 
WHAT EASTER IS ABOUT AND THAT 
IS CHURCHES AND WORSHIPPERS.
THE ARCHBISHOP OF MONTREAL IS 
HOLDING A SPECIAL MASS FOR PALM 
SUNDAY THAT WILL BE BROADCAST 
REMOTELY ON SKYPE AND YouTube.
NICE TO SEE YOU, REVEREND.
>> NICE TO BE WITH YOU.
GOOD DAY.
>> Rosemary: HOW CHALLENGING IS 
THIS IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU HAVE 
SEEN IN YOUR TIME AS ARCHBISHOP 
OR IN YOUR TIME IN YOUR 
RELIGIOUS PRACTICE?
>> WELL, IT IS VERY CHALLENGING 
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REACH OUT TO 
PEOPLE AND HELP THEM TO PRAY, 
IN OTHER WAYS THAT WE WOULD DO 
USUALLY BY GATHERING PEOPLE 
TOGETHER.
SO, IT IS A CONSTANT.
PRAYER AT HOME IS IMPORTANT BUT 
NOW ET BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT 
BECAUSE THE DOORS OF THE 
CHURCHES ARE CLOSED.
THE CHURCH IS NOT CLOSED, BUT 
THE DOORS OF THE CHURCHES ARE 
CLOSED AND WE INVITE PEOPLE TO 
PRAY AT HOME.
>> Rosemary: I SAW A NUMBER OF 
PRIESTS GATHERING AT THE NOTRE 
DAME BASILICA IN PARIS FOR GOOD 
FRIDAY AND YOU, TOO, ARE GOING 
TO DO A SPECIAL SERVICE ON 
SUNDAY ONLINE.
NOW IMPORTANT IS THAT AND HOW 
CHALLENGING WILL THAT BE TO DO 
ONLINE?
>> THE SERVICES WE DO ARE 
REALLY -- WE ARE TWO, THREE 
PEOPLE.
THERE ARE NO MORE THAN THAT.
SO, IT'S REALLY LIKE A CLOSED 
CELEBRATION.
BUT WITH THE HELP OF THE MEDIA, 
WE REGISTER OUR [INAUDIBLE] AND 
WANTED TO DMEKTS ONE WAY OR 
ANOTHER.
>> Rosemary: IT IS ALSO 
PASSOVER, RAMADAN IS JUST 
AROUND THE CORNER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE TALKED 
TO OTHER FAITH LEADERS ABOUT 
THE CHALLENGES OF THESE 
CELEBRATIONS AT A TIME WHEN YOU 
ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER.
AND WHETHER YOU'VE ALL GIVEN 
EACH OTHER ANY TIPS OR LESSONS 
ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK.
>> THERE IS LIKE A SADNESS FOR 
PEOPLE NOT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO 
THEIR CHURCH OR HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THERES A SADNESS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE IDEA 
THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING GOOD 
COME OUT OF IT, THEN IT WILL BE 
ALSO HOPE.
THIS WAY SOME GOOD COMES OUT OF 
IT AND IT MIGHT DO SUCH WITH 
[INAUDIBLE] BUT NOT WITH GOD.
>> Rosemary: WE HAVE HEARD FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER AND PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICIALS ABOUT THE 
IMPORTANCE OF THIS WEEKEND.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL FEEL THE 
NEED TO GATHER, TO CELEBRATE OR 
TO BE AMONGST FAMILY.
WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE DO THAT NOW 
ONLINE.
BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE 
STILL JUST REALLY WANTING TO 
REACH OUT TO FAMILY AT THIS 
TIME, WHAT WOULD YOUR BEST 
ADVICE BE TO THEM, REVEREND?
>> WELL, SOMEHOW, IT MIGHT BE 
CONTRARY, BUT LET'S SEA  -- 
LET'S SAY WE NEED TO RESPECT 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED 
TO BE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
SO WE NEED TO WORK OUT A WAY TO 
GET THE TWO TOGETHER .
PHYSICAL DISTANCING SHOULD NOT 
BE CUTTING OFF FROM OTHERS, BUT 
A LINK ON THE PHONE LINE OR ANY 
WAY THAT YOU HAVE AT HOME, 
FIEND A WAY TO LINK YOURSELF TO 
MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILIES WHO 
ARE IN OTHER HOMES.
FIND A WAY TO LINK YOURSELF TO 
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT 
YOU LIVE.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ALONE IN 
THEIR HOME.
SO YES, WE ARE [INAUDIBLE] THAT 
WE CANNOT GET PHYSICALLY CLOSE 
TO EACH OTHER.
AT THE SAME TIME, MAYBE WE 
BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS THAT WE 
NEED EACH OTHER.
BECAUSE NORMALLY WE TAKE OFTEN 
IN LIFE WHAT IS DAILY, WE TAKE 
IT FOR GRANTED.
SO, IT IS A TIME TO REDISCOVER 
HOW THE OTHER IS IMPORTANT IN 
OUR LIVES.
>> Rosemary: WHAT IS YOUR 
MESSAGE TO CATHOLICS OR TO 
NEEDIANS O.
-- TO CANADIANS OF ALL FAITHS?
IT IS A CHALLENGING TIME, 
ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT 
BE VULNERABLE OR LIVING ALONE.
>> I WOULD SAY EVERYBODY TALKS 
ABOUT ETC. RIGHT NOW AND 
CERTAINLY IT IS ONE OF THE 
IMPORTANT MESSAGES, FAITH LEADS 
TO SOLIDARITY BECAUSE WE'RE ALL 
BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN 
HUMANITY.
SO, FAITH, EVEN DIFFERENT 
FAITHS, EVEN WITH NONBELIEVERS, 
IT ALL LEADS TO SOLIDARITY.
WITH THAT, MAYBE SOMETHING 
WHICH SOMETIMES WE HEAR AND 
THERE IS NOT MUCH CRITICIZING 
OR JUDGING OF PEOPLE TO BLAME 
SOMEONE FOR THE PANDEMIC.
IF THOSE THOUGHTS COME IN YOUR 
MIND, DON'T BEGIN THE BLAME 
GAME, LET'S SAY.
I DON'T THINK -- IT WOULDN'T 
HELP.
WE NEED JUST TO THINK IN TERMS 
OF SOLIDARITY AND DON'T FORGET 
THAT GOD IS NEAR US, IS WITH US 
AND DOESN'T LEAVE US ALONE.
>> Rosemary: THANK YOU SO MUCH 
FOR YOUR TIME OVER THIS LONG 
WEEKEND.
I WISH YOU A GOOD EASTER AND A 
HAPPY SERMON ON SUNDAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS REVEREND 
CHRISTIAN LEXERPINE JOINING US 
FROM MONTREAL.
THAT WAS AN INTERLUDE BECAUSE 
THERE ARE SO MANY FAITH-BASED 
HOLIDAYS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW 
AND WITH RAMADAN AROUND THE 
CORNER AND  ONE OF THE CRITICAL 
MESSAGES HAS BEEN TO PRACTICE 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, BUT IN THE 
CIRCUMSTANCE THAT YOU MUST 
REMAIN WITHIN YOUR IMMEDIATE 
FAMILY AND YOUR IMMEDIATE 
FAMILY MEANS, AGAIN, JUST TO 
CLARIFY, PEOPLE THAT YOU LIVE 
WITH.
SO YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T GO OVER 
TO YOUR PARENT'S HOUSE AND 
CELEBRATE EVEN IF YOU MAY WANT 
TO DO THAT.
YOU CAN LEAVE A SNACK ON THEIR 
DOORWAY IF YOU WANT.
THAT'S FINE.
AND RING THE DOORBELL.
BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO FIND OTHER 
WAYS, VIRTUAL WAYS AS THE 
ARCHBISHOP OF MONTREAL IS DOING 
TO CELEBRATE SOME OF THOSE 
RELIGIOUS EVENTS THAT ARE 
HAPPENING AND WILL CONTINUE.
LET'S BRING IN THE HOST -- BACK 
IN, THE HOST OF CBC'S "POWER & 
POLITICS", VASSY KAPELOS.
I DO THINK THAT, ESPECIALLY AT 
TIMES LIKE THIS, WHEN PEOPLE 
ARE LOOKING TO CONGREGATE AND 
CELEBRATE OR THINK AND WANT TO 
BE AMONGST FAMILY, WHETHER IT 
BE PASSOVER OR EASTER, IT 
BECOMES A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO 
ADHERE TO THE PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING.
IT PUTS A LITTLE MORE STRAIN ON 
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
BUT AS WE'VE HEARD FROM 
EVERYONE, WE ARE IN THE EARLY 
STAGES OF THIS AND IT IS REALLY 
IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE, 
THAT WE SORT OF BUCKLE DOWN AND 
KEEP GOING, EVEN WHEN WE ARE 
TESTED.
LIKE IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS.
>> Vassy: VERY MUCH SO, ROSEY.
I WOULD EVEN POINT TO OUR 
CONVERSATION YESTERDAY THAT 
FOLLOWED ON THE RELEASE OF ALL 
OF THAT DATA AND THOSE 
PROJECTIONS THAT WERE SOMEWHAT 
HARD TO TAKE BECAUSE WHAT THEY 
SHOWED US WAS THAT THESE KINDS 
OF MEASURES, WE'RE JUST IN THE 
BEGINNING OF AND WE'LL LEEKLY 
-- WELL CERTAINLY, ACTUALLY, 
HAVE TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE 
UNTIL THE SUMMER.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING, THE 
SORT OF UNDERLYING FACTOR TO 
ALL OF THAT THAT WAS ALMOST A 
BIT OF GOOD NEWS IS THAT SO FAR 
THOSE MEASURES ARE BEGINNING TO 
WORK.
IN SO FAR AS IT IS STARTING TO 
PAINT A SCENARIO IN THIS 
COUNTRY WHERE THE WORST CASE 
WILL LIKE HE NOT HAPPEN.
AND BY THE WORST CASE, I MEAN 
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE 
DIEING FROM THE VIRUS.
AND SO IT IS A GOOD REMINDER TO 
SORT OF THINK OF THE -- THAT 
THOSE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE TAKING 
RIGHT NOW, AS HARD AS THEY FEEL 
AND ESPECIALLY AS 
COUNTERINTUITIVE AS THEY FEEL 
DURING THE HOLIDAYS, ARE 
INCREDIBLY NECESSARY TO KEEP US 
ON A PATH ALTHOUGH, WHERE IT 
FEELS HARD, A BETTER-CASE 
SCENARIO IS UNFOLDING.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
DR. TAM SAID YESTERDAY YOU 
COULD SEE A TINY, TINY BEND IN 
THE CURVE.
IF THE GOAL IS TO PLANK THE 
CURVE AS SHE SAYS SO OFTEN, TO 
ALLOW FOR THE HEALTH CARE TO 
HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MANAGE 
WHATEVER CASES ARE OUT THERE, 
THEN THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS TO 
CONTINUE.
AND LISTEN, I GET IT, TOO.
YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE 
PEOPLE AND SEE THEIR FRIENDS 
AND HANG OUT.
BUT IT IS JUST NOT WHAT THE 
GOVERNMENT AND WHAT PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICIALS WANT YOU TO DO 
RIGHT NOW.
ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY THE EASTER 
BUNNY IS ALLOWED INTO YOUR 
HOMES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Vassy: I DON'T KNOW IF I 
NEED ANYMORE CHOCOLATE IN I 
MANY HOUSE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Rosemary: I'M SURE WE'LL 
HEAR MORE.
AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER, BUT JUST ON TOMORROW 
AND THE HOUSE BEING RECALLED 
FOR THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
LEGISLATION.
WHAT ARE WE HEARING ABOUT THAT?
>> Vassy: YEAH.
LOOK.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT 
LEGISLATION FOR BUSINESSES.
IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT 
MEASURE FOR THEM THAT ALLOWS 
THEM TO REHIRE THEIR EMPLOYEES 
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WILL PAY 
75% OF THEIR WAGES.
IT NEEDS TO BES PAED IN THE 
HOUSE OF COMMONS BEFORE IT CAN 
ACTUALLY ROLL OUT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID 
WE ARE LOOKING AT A THREE TO 
SIX-WEEK TIMELINE.
THERE IS SOME POLITICAL 
POSTURING GOING ON, ON ALL 
SIDES BEHIND THE SCENES.
PARTIES WANT OTHER THINGS 
ATTACHED TO THIS.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS RESISTED 
SOME OF THAT.
THEY HAVE ACQUIESCED ON SOME OF 
THAT.
BUT WHAT WE'LL SEE TOMORROW AS 
THE HOUSE RESUMES TO WHAT 
DEGREE?
WHAT KIND OF COMPROMISE CAN WE 
SEE BETWEEN THE POLITICAL 
PARTIES OR LACK THEREOF THAT 
GET THIS IS THING OUT THE DOOR.
THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF M.P.s 
HERE IN OTTAWA, A REDUCED 
CONTINGENT.
BUT OUR EYES WILL BE ON 
PARLIAMENT HILL TOMORROW AS THE 
HOUSE RESAOULS ON  -- RESUMES 
ON THIS EASTER WEEKEND TO GET 
THE BELL OUT THE DOOR.
>> Rosemary: UNUSUAL FOR THEM 
TO CONVENE ON ANY SATURDAY, BUT 
 PARTICULARLY ON A SATURDAY OF 
A LONG WEEKEND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT A LONG 
WEEKEND IS ANYMORE, BUT THAT IS 
EXTREMELY UNUSUAL AND PART OF 
THE CONVERSATION SEEMS TO BE 
AROUND A DESIRE BY THE 
GOVERNMENT AND AN EXAMINATION 
BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF 
COMMONS TO COME UP WITH SOME 
SORT OF VIRTUAL MECHANISM SO 
THAT M.P.s AND PARLIAMENTARIANS 
FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY CAN 
PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER DEBATE 
OR VOTES OR WHAT HAVE YOU MIGHT 
BE NEEDED GOING FORWARD IF 
WE'RE IN THIS FOR A LONG HAUL.
OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T BE FLYING IN 
PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE 
COUNTRY AT ALL MOMENTS.
THE 20 OR SO PEOPLE THAT COME 
ARE USUALLY WITHIN DRIVING 
DISTANCE.
ALTHOUGH I KNOW ANDREW SCHEER, 
I BELIEVE, IS AGAIN USING A 
GOVERNMENT PLANE TO GET HERE 
TOMORROW.
SO IT IS REALLY A MEASURE TO 
TRY AND DEAL WITH THE FACT 
THAT, YOU KNOW, PARLIAMENT HAS 
TO CONTINUE.
THE ACT OF WHAT THEY DO IN 
THERE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN 
TERMS OF ASKING QUESTIONS OF 
THE GOVERNMENT AND TRYING TO 
IMPROVE LEGISLATION.
BUT THEY ARE NOT SURE THE BEST 
WAY FORWARD FOR THAT AND THE 
CONSERVATIVES SEEM QUITE 
ADAMANT ABOUT SOME SORT OF 
VIRTUAL AND A PHYSICAL MODEL.
SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS 
WHAT'S HOLDING UP THE 
NEGOTIATIONS AT THIS STAGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE TRYING 
TO TIE ALL OF THOSE THINGS 
TOGETHER.
BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE AN 
IMPORTANT PART OF THE 
CONVERSATION THAT IS HAPPENING 
BEHIND THE SCENES, TOO.
>> Vassy: DEFINITELY.
THAT IS THE ASK FROM THE 
CONSERVATIVES.
THE N.D.P. WANT ADDITIONS TO 
THE LEGISLATION OR AT LEAST 
SOME SORT OF ADDRESS THROUGH 
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS OF THE 
ISSUE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT 
OUT OF THE C.R.B. SO YOU LOST 
SOME OF YOUR INCOME, MOST OF 
YOUR INCOME, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.
EVERYONE IS COMING AT IT WITH 
CERTAIN CONCEPTIONS WITH WHAT 
THEY WANT TO SEE.
MY QUESTION IS ARE THOSE 
CONDITIONS OF SUPPORTING THE 
LEGISLATION?
WE'LL FIND THAT OUT, I GUESS, 
IN THE COMING HOURS.
>> Rosemary: OK.
HERE IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
CANADA ON THIS GOOD FRIDAY.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
WHETHER YOU MARK GOOD FRIDAY OR 
PASSOVER, EASTER, TAMEL NEW 
YEAR OR VISAKE, USUALLY THIS IS 
A TIME WE SPEND TOGETHER.
YOU MAY GO TO CHURCH OR TEMPLE 
OR TO VOLUNTEER.
LAST YEAR, WHEN I SERVED A 
COMMUNITY LUNCH IN HAMILTON, I 
SAW JUST HOW MUCH PEOPLE COME 
TOGETHER OVER THESE NEXT FEW 
DAYS.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS WEEKEND IS 
GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT.
YOU'LL HAVE TO STAY HOME.
YOU'LL HAVE TO SKYPE THAT BIG 
FAMILY DINNER.
AND THE EASTER EGG HUNT, WELL, 
IT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN AROUND 
THE HOUSE INSTEAD OF AROUND THE 
NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT ON THAT 
TO HAVE A WORD WITH KIDS OUT 
THERE.
THE EASTER BUNNY HAS A BIG JOB 
TO DO THIS YEAR AND MAYBE THERE 
IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP.
ASK YOUR PARENTS TO LET YOU PUT 
UP A PICTURE IN THE WINDOW TO 
BRING SOME EXTRA CHOCOLATE FOR 
NURSES AND DOCTORS.
THEY NEED A LOT OF ENERGY TO 
KEEP US ALL SAFE AND THIS IS 
HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM TO DO 
THEIR JOB.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WHATEVER OUR 
AGE, WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY TO 
COUNTER CORONAVIRUS.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, I MENTIONED 
THAT HEALTH CANADA HAD LAUNCHED 
A CALL TO VOLUNTEERS TO COME 
AND HELP OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS 
AND ALREADY MORE THAN 27,000 
PEOPLE HAVE REGISTERED TO HELP 
OUT AND GIVE THEM A BIT OF 
RESPITE.
FROM ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, THERE 
ARE MANY OF YOU DOING YOUR PART 
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR 
THAT.
YOU'RE THERE FOR EACH OTHER AND 
I KNOW THAT TOGETHER WE WILL 
COME THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT 
TIME.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: YOU 
DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEM 
ALONE.
IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB AND ARE 
HAVING TROUBLES MAKING ENDS 
MEET, YOU CAN APPLY FOR THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY 
HAD THEIR CLAIM PROCESSED AND 
THEY'RE GETTING THEIR $2,000 
DEPOSIT.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN APPLY TODAY 
OR THIS WEEKEND IF YOU HAVEN'T 
DONE SO YET BY GOING TO 
CANADA.CA OR CALLING 
800-959-2041.
IF YOU OWN A SMALL BUSINESS OR 
STRUGGLING TO PAY THE BELLS OR 
PAY YOUR STAFF, WE LAUNCHED THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS 
ACCOUNT YESTERDAY.
YOU CAN NOW GET A $40,000 
INTEREST-FREE LOAN THROUGH YOUR 
BANK OR CREDIT UNION.
AND IF YOU REPAY IT WITHIN TWO 
YEARS, 25%, UP TO $10,000 OF 
THAT LOAN IS FORGIVABLE.
IT WILL ONLY TAKE A FEW DAYS 
FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THE FULL 
AMOUNT IN YOUR ACCOUNT.
THAT IS MONEY YOU CAN USE FOR 
WHATEVER YOU NEED, WHETHER IT 
IS MONTHLY EXPENSES OR PAYING 
EMPLOYEES.
ON THAT NOTE, WE'RE GETTING 
CLOSER TO IMPLEMENTING THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY, TOO.
WE'RE WORKING WITH OTHER 
PARTIES TO GET THIS IN PLACE AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
TOMORROW, WE'RE BRINGING BACK 
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO PASS 
THE LARGEST ECONOMIC MEASURES 
CANADA HAS SEEN SINCE WORLD WAR 
II.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, DESPITE 
A TIME OF CRISIS, IN FACT 
BECAUSE OF A TIME OF CRISIS 
THAT OUR INSTITUTIONS REMAIN 
STRONG AND OUR DEMOCRATIC 
PRINCIPLES CONTINUE.
THEREFORE, THIS ADDRESS TO 
CANADIANS TOMORROW WILL BE A 
LITTLE LATER AND FROM THE FLOOR 
OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
AND ON THAT NOTE, I'LL BE 
TAKING SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH 
SOPHIE AND THE KIDS.
BUT I'LL BE BACK TUESDAY WITH 
MORE UPDATES ON HOW WE'RE 
HELPING YOU.
IF YOU JUST FEEL OVERWHELMED, 
WE'LL SOON HAVE MORE TO SAY 
ABOUT HOW YOU CAN ACCESS 
RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP.
IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS, REACH OUT.
LEAN ON EACH OTHER.
AND KNOW THAT WE WILL GET 
THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
[CLEARING THROAT]
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE 
ARE STORIES OF PEOPLE STEPPING 
UP TO DO THEIR PART.
TO ENSURE THAT CANADIANS ARE 
SAFE AND OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS 
HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, 
WE'RE HELPING CANADIANS JOIN IN 
THE EFFORT.
LOOK NO FORWARD THAN FLUID 
ENERGY FROM ALBERTA.
THEY WILL PRODUCE OVER ONE 
MILLION LITERS OF HAND 
SANITIZER EACH MONTH WITH 
SHIPMENTS STARTING AS EARLY AS 
NEXT WEEK.
WE'VE INVESTED IN THIS 
LARGE-SCALE PRODUCTION AS PART 
OF OUR PLAN TO HAVE ENOUGH 
VITAL SUPPLIES PRODUCED RIGHT 
HERE AT HOME.
WHEN CANADIANS WORK TOGETHER, 
WE GET THINGS DONE.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: LAST NIGHT, I, 
AGAIN, HAD A DISCUSSION WITH 
THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND 
THE PREMIERS OF THE PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES.
RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, WE 
SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE JOIN TEAM 
CANADA, INCLUDING THE PREMIERS.
WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME 
WAVELENGTH AND WE'RE ALL 
WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE YOUR 
SAFETY.
OVER THE LONG WEEKEND, WE WILL 
ALL HAVE TO REMAIN AT HOME.
WE CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE OVER FOR 
DINNER AND WE ARE HAVE TO BE 
CREATIVE IN ORGANIZING AN EGG 
HUNT AND STAYING ENSEED.
BUT NOT JUST  BECAUSE WE'RE 
SEPARATED PHYSICALLY DOESN'T 
MEAN WE CAN'T LEAN ON EACH 
OTHER.
YOU CAN ORGANIZE A DINNER ON 
FACETIME AND, IF YOU CAN, MAKE 
A DONATION TO AN ORGANIZATION.
DURING THE EASTER WEEKEND, THIS 
WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN USUAL, 
BUT I KNOW IT WILL BE FILLED 
WITH JOY, LAUGHTER AND LOVE.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU, PRIME MINISTER.
WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR 
QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO TO THE PHONE LINE.
ONE QUESTION, ONE FOLLOW-UP.
OPERATOR?
OPERATOR: THANK YOU, MERCI.
FIRST QUESTION, MIKE 
BLANCHEFIELD, CANADIAN PRESS.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
PRIME MINISTER.
HAPPY EASTER.
AND WHATEVER ELSE IS ON YOUR 
PLATE.
ENERGY MINISTERS ARE MEETING 
TODAY, AS YOU KNOW.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT 
CANADA'S PLAN IS FOR 
[INAUDIBLE] WITH OTHER 
COUNTRIES IN THE G-20 AFTER 
OPEC CUT PRODUCTION AND TRY TO 
BOOST OIL PRICES.
WHAT IS CANADA GOING TO BE 
DOING?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
CANADA IS PART OF THE 
DISCUSSION OBVIOUSLY WITH THE 
G-20 ENERGY METAPHORSTERS.
MINISTER O REAGAN IS SHARING 
OUR PERSPECTIVE AND THE 
CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING 
THROUGH IN CANADA FROM 
NEWFOUNDLAND AND ALBERTA AND 
SASKATCHEWAN.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK BECAUSE 
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A 
GLOBAL CHALLENGE FOR MANY, MANY 
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
AND HAVING A CONCERTED APPROACH 
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WE NOTED WHAT THE OPEC 
COUNTRIES DID YESTERDAY AND I 
KNOW THAT IS GOING TO BE A 
SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION AT THE 
G-20 CONVERSATION TODAY.
OK.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE ARE PART OF 
THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE 
ENERGY G-20 MINISTERS.
YESTERDAY WE DID NOTE WHAT THE 
OPEC COUNTRIES MADE AS A 
DECISION AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS 
ARE CONTINUING.
BECAUSE CANADA IS VERY 
SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY THE OIL 
PRODUCTION ISSUE.
>> HELLO?
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
WHAT YOU SEE CANADA DOING?
DO YOU SEE IT CUTTING 
PRODUCTION ALONG WITH THESE 
OPEC COUNTRIS?
IF SO, WHAT EFFECT WOULD THAT 
HAVE IN CANADA?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: AS 
WE KNOW, ALBERTA HAS ALREADY 
CURTAILED PRODUCTION AND HAS 
FOR SOME TIME NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK 
TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER 
COUNTRIES ARE DOING THEIR PART 
AND THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT 
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING 
THROUGH THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT 
FAMILIES AND WORKERS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY AND INDEED AROUND THE 
WORLD ARE GETTING THE SUPPORT 
THEY NEED TO GET THROUGH THIS 
CRISIS SAFELY.
>> NEXT QUESTION, OPERATOR.
OPERATOR: THANK YOU, MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE 
CONFERENCE CALL YOU HAD WITH 
THE PROVINCES YESTERDAY.
THERE WAS CONSULTATION ABOUT THE
 INVOKING OF THE EMERGENCY 
MEASURES ACT AND THIS WOULD BE 
TO ENSURE THE DISTRIBUTION OF 
P.P.E. ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BUT LAST WEEK, YOU SAID THAT 
THE PROVINCES COULD SHARE THAT 
EQUIPMENT AND THAT THE 
PROVINCES HAD AGREED TO SEND 
THAT EQUIPMENT TO THE PROVINCES 
THAT NEEDED IT THE MOST.
SO, I UNDERSTAND NOW THAT THE 
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE 
PROVINCES IS NOT GOING SO WELL.
IS THAT CORRECT?
NO, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE 
COOPERATION CONTINUES AND IT IS 
IMPROVING BETWEEN THE PROVINCES.
WE REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS AN 
HISTORIC MOMENT WHERE ALL THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES ARE 
WORKING TOGETHER.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE 
EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT, IT 
INCLUDES FAIRLY STRINGENT 
REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF 
CONSULTATIONS AND WE ARE 
FOLLOWING THAT ACT AND LOOKING 
AT THE IN CASE WE HAVE TO 
INVOEK THAT LEGISLATION.
NOW AT THE TIME -- AT THIS 
TIME, WE DO NOT NEED IT AND WE 
HOPE WE WON'T NEED IT.
BUT THE WAY OUR COUNTRY WORKS 
IS THE PROVINCES HAVE EMERGENCY 
MEASURES ACTS THAT THEY HAVE 
ENACTED AND IF THOSE ACTS DO 
NOT SUFFICE, THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT HAS ITS OWN 
LEGISLATION THAT CAN BE ADDED 
ON.
BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, THAT IS 
NOT NECESSARY AND WE ALL HOPE 
THAT IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: AS A FOLLOW-UP, 
THIS EMERGENCY MERCKS ACT STILL 
WITH RESPECT TO SUPPLY 
PROBLEMS, COULD IT ALLOW YOU TO 
CENTRALIZE THE PROCUREMENT OF 
P.P.E. AND INCREASE YOUR BUYING 
POWER IN THAT WAY?
AND MIGHT THAT NOT HELP US TO 
AVOID THE PROBLEMS WE'RE 
EXPERIENCING NOW?
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 
SUPPLY, SUPPLY IS NOT AN ISSUE 
BECAUSE OF THE COST OR BUYING 
POWER.
THE COSTS ARE GOING UP.
BUT THE REALITY IS THE 
PROVINCES AND THE HOSPITALS 
HAVE THEIR OWN CONNECTIONS TO 
PRODUCERS RIGHT AROUND THE 
WORLD AND THEY ARE USING THOSE 
CONTACTS AND CONNECTIONS TO 
SECURE THE EQUIPMENT THEY 
REQUIRE.
IN ADDITION, OF COURSE, TO ALL 
THE OTHER EFFORTS THAT ARE 
BEING MADE RIGHT ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
SO IT'S NOT A BAD THING FOR 
EVERYONE TO BE DOING WHAT THEY 
CAN.
OF COURSE, WE MUST ENSURE THAT 
WE ARE COORDINATING OR EFFORTS 
AND ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S WORKING 
AND HOW THINGS ARE WORKING.
SO, IT REALLY IS COORDINATION 
EFFORT THAT WE'RE MAKING AT 
THIS TIME AND THERE IS A 
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF 
COOPERATION AND THAT IS WHY WE 
DO NOT NEED TO INVOKE THE 
EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT AT THIS 
TIME.
THAT COOPERATION IS ALREADY 
VERY STRONG.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION, OPERATOR.
OPERATOR: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
NEXT QUESTION, STEVE SCHEER, 
REUTERS.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: HELLO, PRIME 
MINISTER.
GOOD MORNING.
THERE IS A STORY OUT TODAY 
SAYING THAT THE BANK OF CANADA 
GOVERNOR, POLOZ, WAS NOT ASKED 
TO EXTEND HIS MANDATE AND I WAS 
WONDERING -- I KNOW THIS 
SELECTION PROCESS AND PROGRESS 
AND THAT IT IS NOT OVER.
BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS THE 
GOVERNMENT THAT DECIDES.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU THINK 
IT MAKES SENSE FOR CURRENT 
GOVERNOR TO STAY ON A BIT 
LONGER TO HELP UNDERPIN 
CONFIDENCE DURING THIS CRISIS.
THANK YOU.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THIS 
IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 
QUESTION BECAUSE WE KNOW THE 
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THE BANK OF 
CANADA HAS IN LEADING ON 
MONETARY POLICY THAT IS AN 
ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR HANDLING 
OF THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS RELATED 
TO COVID-19.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS MANY FES CAL 
MEASURES.
-- FISCAL MEASURES, BUT A 
STRONG BANK OF CANADA IS 
ESSENTIAL IN GETTING US THROUGH 
THIS AS WELL AND GOVERNOR 
POLOZ, AS ALWAYS, HAS DONE AN 
EXTRAORDINARY JOB AND CONTINUES 
TO DO AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB.
THE PROCESS IS ONGOING AND 
DECISIONS HAVEN'T BEEN MADE AS 
TO WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.
OK.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Caller: WE RECOGNIZE THAT 
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR 
THE BANK OF CANADA TO BE ABLE 
TO PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN 
CANADA WHEN IT COMES TO 
RESPONDING TO THE ECONOMIC 
CHALLENGE OF COVID-19.
GOVERNOR POLOZ IS AN 
EXTRAORDINARY MAN AND HE HAS 
ALWAYS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB 
AND IS SHOWING EVEN MORE 
EXCELLENCE IN THESE TIMES OF 
REAL CHALLENGES.
IN TERMS OF HIS SUCCESSOR, NO 
DECISION HAS YET BEEN MADE.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: YEAH, IF I COULD 
FOLLOW UP, COULD YOU GIVE US AN 
IDEA OF WHEN THAT DECISION 
MIGHT BE MADE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THE 
DISCUSSIONS AND REFLECTIONS ARE 
ONGOING.
>> THANK YOU.
ONE MORE QUESTION, PLEASE, 
OPERATOR.
OPERATOR: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
MINISTER TRUDEAU.
JUST TO COME BACK TO THE 
EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT, I'M 
WONDERING UNDER WHAT 
CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD YOU NEED IT?
WELL, THERE ARE VARIOUS 
SCENARIOS THAT WE'VE ALREADY 
DISCUSSED WITH THE PROVINCES, 
WHETHER IT IS IN TERMS OF 
CHALLENGES INVOLVING SUPPLY OF 
EQUIPMENT OR LIMITING 
CANADIANS' MOVEMENT EVEN 
FURTHER.
SO, THERE ARE VARIOUS MEASURES 
THAT WE COULD THEORETICALLY 
CONSIDER.
BUT THOSE MEASURES ARE NOT 
NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.
AND FOR NOW, THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES CAN MAKE THEIR OWN 
DECISIONS AND INTRODUCE THE 
MEASURES THAT THEY NEED.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS 
RIGHT NOW, SUCH AS THE 
QUARANTINE ACT, MEAN THAT WE 
HOPE WE WON'T HAVE TO USE THE 
EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT AND 
CERTAINLY THAT WOULD BE OUR 
PREFERENCE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF 
TOOLS THAT THE EMERGENCY'S ACT 
PROVIDES FOR.
MUCH STRONGER CONTROLS ON 
DISTRIBUTION OF NECESSARY 
MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT, 
FOR EXAMPLE.
OR FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON 
TRAVEL OR ON CANADIANS' 
FREEDOMS.
BUT AS I SAID, THE WAY OUR 
COUNTRY WORKS IS THAT PROVINCES 
HAVE EMERGENCY'S ACTS THAT THEY 
CAN BRING IN WITH VERY STRONG 
MEASURES THAT THEY HAVE ALL 
DONE.
IF AT ONE POINT THOSE MEASURES 
ARE INSUFFICIENT TO DO THE 
THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO DO 
AND ALL THE TOOLS THAT THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS AT ITS 
DISPOSABLE ARE INSUFFICIENT TO 
BRING FORWARD MEASURES THAT ARE 
DEEMED NECESSARY, THEN AND ONLY 
THEN DO WE CONSIDER THE 
EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT.
BUT AS I'VE SAID, IT IS OUR 
HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO USE IT 
EVER.
WE ARE SEEING THE PARTNERSHIP 
AMONG PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES 
AND THE WAY WE'RE MOVING 
FORWARD ON THIS MEANS THAT WE 
MIGHT NOT EVER HAVE TO USE THE 
EMERGENCIES ACT AND THAT WOULD 
BE OUR PREFERENCE.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: IT HAS BEEN 
ALMOST A MONTH SINCE YOUR 
GOVERNMENT DEVELOPED THE FIRST 
MEASURES TO ADDRESS COVID-19.
AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE 
TAKEN HE IS SONS FROM THE LAST 
MONTH.
WELL, IN RECENT MONTHS, WE 
WANTED TO MOVE VERY, VERY 
QUICKLY IN ORDER TO CREATE NEW 
METHODS AND NEW PROGRAMS TO 
DELIVER AID TO A HUGE NUMBER OF 
CANADIANS.
NOW CERTAINLY OUR ABILITY TO DO 
THAT WAS TESTED IN RECENT 
MONTHS AND IN THESE RECENT 
WEEKS.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO A 
GREAT DEAL TO ENSURE THAT 
CANADIANS THIS WEEK WILL BE 
RECEIVING HELP.
AND AT THE SAME TIME WE 
RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY TIME WE 
WANT TO MOVE QUICKLY, TO MOVE 
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THERE 
ARE ALWAYS SOME THINGS THAT 
NEED TO BE EM PROVED AND THAT 
IS  -- NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED AND 
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON 
NOW.
IT SHOWS THAT OUR PUBLIC 
SERVICE IS EXTREMELY RESILIENT 
AND CAN DELIVER IN DIFFICULT 
CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ALL CANADIANS.
AND THAT WILL GIVE US GREATER 
COMFORT IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE 
TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL MEASURES 
THAT ARE APPROPRIATE AND MAY BE 
NEW AS WELL.
AS I SAY, WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE 
CAN RESPOND QUICKLY WHEN THE 
NEED IS THERE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: ONE 
OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED OVER 
THE PAST MONTH, IS THAT WHEN IT 
NEEDS TO, GOVERNMENT CAN MOVE 
VERY QUICKLY TO SHEP KNEADIANS.
-- IS TO HELP CANADIANS.
WE'VE SEEN MONEY FLOW INTO 
CANADIANS'S BANK ACCOUNTS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THAT WAS A MONUMENTAL TASK FOR 
OUR PUBLIC SERVICE, FOR 
HARD-WORKING CANADIANS ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY WHO MAKE SURE THAT 
THEY ARE SERVING CANADIANS WITH 
THE BEST THAT THEY HAVE AND 
THAT LESSON THAT WHEN IT'S 
NECESSARY, WE CAN MOVE VERY, 
VERY QUICKLY AND NIMBLY AS A 
GOVERNMENT IS ONE THAT SHOULD 
INFORM REFLECTIONS OF A 
GOVERNMENT GOING FORWARD.
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
YOU SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT 
TESTING IS AN ESSENTIAL WAY TO 
FLATTEN THE CURVE AND YOU SPOKE 
TO PREMIER DOUG FORD YESTERDAY, 
WHO WAS ALSO PUSHING FOR MORE 
TESTING IN ONTARIO.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO KNOW 
THAT THERE STILL REMAINS A 
NUMBER OF SHORTAGES WHEN IT 
COMES TO TESTING KITS.
HOW LONG WILL IT BE UNTIL EVERY 
PERSON WHO NEEDS A TEST RIGHT 
NOW IS ABLE TO GET ONE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
ARE CONTINUALLY RAMPING UP OUR 
TESTING.
WE STARTED EARLIER THAN OTHER 
COUNTRIES IN TERMS OF IMPROVING 
OUR TESTING KITS.
CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING 
EXTRAORDINARILY WELL ON TESTING 
LIKE ALBERTA AND BRITISH 
COLUMBIA.
QUEBEC IS COMING A LONG WAY 
VERY QUICKLY AND ONTARIO IS 
ADDRESSING SOME OF THE 
CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACED OVER 
THE COMING DAYS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE TO 
DO.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY KNOW THAT 
THE LEAD THAT WE'VE TAKEN ON 
TESTING IS PART OF WHY WE ARE 
SEEING A FLATTER CURVE THAN 
DIFFERENT PLACES.
WE HAVE SEEN MORE TESTS IN 
TOTAL THAN THE UNITED STATES 
HAS AND THEY'RE 10 TIMES THE 
SIZE OF US.
SO, WE KNOW THAT CANADA'S 
TESTING REGIME HAS BEEN GOOD.
BUT ABSOLUTELY CAN GET BETTER.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP MORE 
TESTING KITS, FASTER TESTING 
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EVEN AS WE 
GET THROUGH THIS FIRST WAVE OF 
COVID-19, ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO 
GET INTO THOSE COMING MONTHS 
WHERE WE WILL BE ON GUARD BUT 
NOT AS SHUT DOWN OR PAUSED AS 
WE ARE RIGHT NOW, TESTING, 
RAPIDLY AND EFFICIENTLY OF AS 
MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, 
WILLABLE A KEY PART OF PATH 
FORWARD.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE HAVE MADE A 
HUGE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS IN 
TERMS OF TESTING OVER THE LAST 
FEW WEEKS AND WE KNEW RIGHT 
FROM THE BEGINNING THAT TESTING 
FOR THE VIRUS WAS A CRITICAL 
PIECE OF OUR STRATEGY TO LIMIT 
THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
EVERY SINGLE DAY WE'RE IMPROVING
 OUR TESTING PROTOCOLS.
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALBERTA 
ARE DOING VERY WELL WHEN IT 
COMES TO TESTING.
QUEBEC HAS MADE A LOT OF 
PROGRESS AS WELL AND IMPROVED 
ITS TESTING IN RECENT WEEKS AND 
ONTARIO IS NOW ADDRESSING SOME 
PROBLEMS WITH ITS TESTING 
PROGRAM.
WE KNOW THERE IS MORE TO BE 
DONE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO 
MORE BECAUSE THAT IS A CRITICAL 
PART OF OUR ABILITY TO GET 
THROUGH THE FOLLOWING YEAR 
WITHOUT THE KIND OF 
RESTRICTIONS WE'RE UNDER NOW.
BUT ALSO HAVING THE ABILITY TO 
LIMIT FURTHER SPREAD OR 
OUTBREAKS OF THE VIRUS.
WE HAVE TESTED FAR MORE PEOPLE 
THAN IN THE UNITED STATES.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE 10 TIMES 
LARGER THAN CANADA IN TERMS OF 
POPULATION.
>> Reporter: AND [INAUDIBLE] 
NUMBER OF ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT 
CANADIAN COMPANIES AND 
[INAUDIBLE] FACILITIES IN ORDER 
TO RAMP UP DOMESTIC PRODUCTION 
AND YOU JUST SAID IN ONE OF 
YOUR PREVIOUS ANSWERS THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT CAN MOVE QUICKLY 
WHEN IT NEEDS TO.
BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF 
CANADIAN COMPANIS WHO SAY THAT 
THEY CAN SUPPLY THIS MEDICAL 
EQUIPMENT BUT EITHER GETTING 
CAUGHT IN RED TAPE OR HAVEN'T 
HEARD BACK FROM PROVINCIAL OR 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, HOW LONG WILL IT BE UNTIL 
THESE DOMESTIC SUPPLIES MAKE IT 
TO THE FRONTLINES AND TO THE 
HOSPITAL?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
WE'VE HAD THOUSANDS AND 
THOUSANDS OF CANADIAN COMPANIES 
STEP UP AND OFFER TO BE PART OF 
SUPPLY CHAINS FOR ESSENTIAL 
SERVICES, FOR ESSENTIAL 
EQUIPMENT AND MEDICATIONS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF THEM 
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THERE HAD TO BE CHOICES AS TO 
WHO WE COULD MOVE QUICKEST 
WITH, WHO WAS FURTHEREST ALONG.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
WITH ALL COMPANIS WHO PUT UP 
THEIR HANDS TO BE HELPFUL, TO 
FIGURE OUT WAYS THEY CAN BEST 
HELP.
THIS IS SOMETHING IN WHICH ALL 
CANADIANS CAN PULL TOGETHER AND 
ARE PULLING TOGETHER AND WE'LL 
CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
>> Reporter: HI, PRIME MINISTER.
IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
CONSIDERING ANY MEASURES SUCH 
AS REGULATION OR FEDERAL 
OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE LONG-TERM 
CARE FACILITIES ARE PROTECTED 
FROM THIS OR FUTURE PANDEMICS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF 
REFLECTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ON 
THIS.
WE'VE SEEN THAT BRITISH 
COLUMBIA HAS TAKEN STRONG STEPS 
TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF 
LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS AND 
RESIDENTS.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A POINT OF 
VULNERABILITY AS WE'VE SEEN 
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN TERMS 
OF IMPACT OF COVID-19.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH 
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND 
MEDICAL EXPERTS TO MAKE SURE 
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN 
TO PROTECT OUR SENIORS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE RECOGNIZE 
THAT LONG-TERM CARE HOMES AND 
SENIORS HOMES ARE A POINT OF 
VULNERABILITY FOR SPREAD OF 
COVID-19.
AND PARTICULARLY FOR OUR 
SENIORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORK 
WITH THEM.
AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE LOOKING 
AT A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS 
INCLUDING SFROM -- FROM BRITISH 
COLUMBIA TO ENSURE THAT OUR 
SENIORS ARE PROTECTED AS MUCH 
AS POSSIBLE DURING THESE TOUGH 
TIMES.
>> Reporter: HEALTH CARE 
WORKERS ARE CONTRACTING THE 
VIRUS.
IS THAT A CONCERN FOR THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WHAT IS 
BEING DONE TO HELP PROTECT THEM?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: OF 
COURSE WE ARE TREMENDOUSLY 
WORRIED WHENEVER A HEALTH CARE 
PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS THE 
VIRUS.
THAT IS WHY PROVIDING ADEQUATE 
AND SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, 
MAKING SHHH YOU ARE THAT 
PROTOCOLS ARE BEING FOLLOWED, 
HELPING PROVINCES ADJUST THEIR 
MEDICAL SYSTEMS IN WAYS THAT 
PROTECT OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS 
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
WE NEED OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS 
NOT JUST TO STAY HEALTHY FOR 
THEIR OWN BENEFITS OR THE 
BENEFITS OF THEIR FAMILIES, BUT 
WE NEED THEM TO BE ABLE TO STAY 
HEALTHY FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR 
ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
BUT WE ALSO NEED THEM TO KNOW 
THAT WE HAVE THEIR BACK.
AS THEY DON THEIR PROTECTIVE 
GEAR, AS THEY GO INTO BATTLE 
AGAINST THIS VIRUS FOR THE REST 
OF US, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE 
THEY'RE GETTING ALL THE SUPPORT 
THEY NEED BECAUSE THEY ARE THE 
ONES THAT ARE GOING TO SAVE 
CANADIANS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE KNOW IT IS 
ESSENTIAL TO GIVE ALL THE HELP 
AND SUPPORT POSSIBLE TO OUR 
HEALTH CARE WORKERS.
THAT IS WIE WE'RE WORKING VERY 
HARD TO GIVE THEM THAT 
EQUIPMENT AND COORDINATE OUR 
APPROACH WITH THE PROVINCES AND 
WORKING WITH THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES AS TO HOW THEY FEEL 
THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEIR 
HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND THEIR 
SYSTEM.
THEY MUST BE PROTECTED FOR 
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES 
IN ORDER TO PROTECT US BUT THEY 
HAVE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE THERE 
FOR THEM.
THAE ARE THE ONES ON THE 
FRONTLINES OF THIS FIGHT AND 
THEY ARE THE ONES PUTTING 
THEMSELVES AT RISK TO KEEP US 
SAFE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THEM.
AND WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY 
CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE 
EXTRAORDINARY WORK THEY ARE 
DOING NOW FOR US.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
PRIME MINISTER.
A BRIEFING [INAUDIBLE] PREPARED 
FOR YOUR MINISTER OF HEALTH ON 
MARCH 10 ACTUALLY SAID THAT THE 
RISK OF THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS 
WITHIN CANADA REMAINS LOW AT 
THIS TIME.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE 
MISINTERPRETATION OF THE THREAT 
OF THE PANDEMIC AT SUCH A LATE 
STAGE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK WE SAW THAT WITHIN DAYS, 
WE'D BEGUN TO TAKE VERY SERIOUS 
MEASURES TO RESTRICT TRAVEL, TO 
ENCOURAGE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND 
WE MOVED QUEBECKER  -- QUICKER 
THAN SOME COUNTRIES ON 
COUNTERING THE PARTICULAR 
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
THE NUMBER OF CANADIANS 
INFECTED THEN WERE STILL LOW, 
BUT WE SAW THE POTENTIAL THAT 
WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW AND WE 
STARTED TO ACT EARLY AND THAT 
IS WHY THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE 
TAKING RIGHT NOW, THE 
SIGNIFICANT MEASURES THAT WE'RE 
IN RIGHT NOW ARE KEEPING US.
WE ARE HOPEFUL ON THE BEST 
POSSIBLE CURVE TO GET THROUGH 
THIS IN THE COMING MONTHS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE REALIZE THAT 
IT WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE 
SERIOUS AND THAT THERE WAS A 
POTENTIAL FOR A GREATER IMPACT 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THAT IS 
WHY WE ACTED QUICKLY TO LIMIT 
PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS AND 
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PRACTICE 
SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
WE TOOK SIGNIFICANT MEASURES, 
WHICH DID ENSURE THAT THE 
IMPACT IN CANADA WAS SLOWER AND 
NOT AS SERIOUS AS IN OTHER 
COUNTRIES.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE 
WHATEVER MEASURES ARE NECESSARY 
TO ENSURE THERE IS THE LEAST 
IMPACT AND THE SHORTEST IMPACT 
THANKS TO DISTANCING.
>> Reporter: SO WITH THAT 
ADVICE, THAT THERE WAS A LOW 
RISK SPREAD OF THIS FLAWED AND 
WHAT [INAUDIBLE] TO CONTAIN THE 
VIRUS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s OUR 
WORK CONTINUED EVERY STEP OF 
THE WAY, INFORMED BY THE 
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY OUR 
HEALTH OFFICIALS.
WE WANTED TO BOTH MAKE SURE 
THAT THERE WERE NO PANICS ON 
CANADIANS WHILE AT THE SAME 
TIME GETTING PEOPLE TO TAKE 
MORE AND MORE SIGNIFICANT 
MEASURES BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT 
THE BEHAVIOR OF CANADIANS WAS 
THE STRONGEST WAY OF DOING WHAT 
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO FAR, 
WHICH IS SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE 
VIRUS, DELAY IT BEYOND WHERE IT 
HAS BEEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND 
GIVE US THE BEST POSSIBLE 
CHANCE OF GETTING THROUGH IT.
AS WE LOOK BACK, OF COURSE 
THERE IS GOING TO BE THINGS WE 
SAID OH, WE MIGHT HAVE SAID 
THIS DIFFERENTLY OR THAT 
DIFFERENTLY.
THERE IS GOING TO BE AN AWFUL 
LOT OF LEARNING THROUGH THIS.
BUT IT REMAINS THAT, AS WE GET 
THROUGH THIS NOW AND LIVE 
THROUGH THE MEASURES THAT WE 
PUT IN PLACE AND LEAN ON EACH 
OTHER AND HOLD TOGETHER, WE 
HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF GETTING 
THROUGH THIS IN THE COMING 
WEEKS AND MONTHS BY REMAINING 
TRUE TO THE ADVICE THAT EXPERTS 
ARE GIVING US, TO STAY HOME, TO 
KEEP TWO METERS APART AND WASH 
OUR HANDS REGULARLY AND NOT GO 
OUTSIDE UNLESS WE ABSOLUTELY 
HAVE TO, TO HUNKER DOWN, LEAN 
ON EACH OTHER, VIRTUALLY AND 
METAPHORICALLY AND BE ABLE TO 
SUPPORT EACH OTHER THROUGH THIS 
TIME.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE RECOGNIZE, 
OF COURSE, THAT WE MAY THINK 
THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS 
OR SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING 
DIFFERENT.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE TOOK 
MEASURES QUICKLY THAT ENSURED 
THAT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IS 
NOT AS QUICK AS IN OTHER 
COUNTRIES.
WE ARE STILL ON A PATH THAT 
SHOULD ALLOW US TO COME OUT OF 
THIS PANDEMIC MORE QUICKLY THAN 
OTHER COUNTRIES AND WE MUST 
CONTINUE THE PATH, STAY AT 
HOME, MAINTAIN THE RIGHT 
DISTANCE AND NOT GO OUT UNLESS 
WE NEED TO.
WASH OUR HANDS FREQUENTLY.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL 
ENSURE THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH 
THIS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE AND 
REBOUND ECONOMICALLY AND 
QUICKLY AS A SOCIETY.
WITH RESPECT TO THE ECONOMIC 
IMPACT, THE PREMIER OF QUEBEC 
IS SAYING THAT SOME ECONOMIC 
SECTORS WILL BE ABLE TO START 
UP SOON.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT WILL 
BE A YEAR OR YEAR AND A HALF 
BEFORE WE GET BACK TO NORMAL.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE 
SOME ECONOMIC SECTORS THAT CAN 
START UP SOONER AND, IF SO, 
WHICH ONES?
WELL, WE CANNOT TALK TO A 
RETURN TO NORMALITY UNLESS 
THERE IS A VACCINE OR UNTIL 
THERE IS A VACCINE AGAINST 
COVID-19.
HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE SOME 
RELAXATION OF RESTRICTIONS ONCE 
WE HAVE COME THROUGH THIS FIRST 
WAVE OF CONTAGION.
IN OUR MODELS, WE CAN SEE THAT 
THAT RELAXATION COULD POSSIBLY 
START THIS SUMMER.
BUT EVEN IN THE FALL, WE WILL 
HAVE TO LIVE WITH CERTAIN 
MEASURES TO KEEP YOU SAFE AND 
MINIMIZE THE RISK OF A 
RESURGENCE OF COVID-19.
WHICH MEANS THAT WE WILL NOT GO 
BACK TO NORMALITY TO THE 
PREVIOUS SITUATION BEFORE 
COVID-19 UNLESS OR UNTIL THERE 
IS A VACCINE AGAINST THE VIRUS.
BUT THERE ARE VARIOUS SECTORS 
OF THE ECONOMY AND CERTAIN 
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES THAT CAN 
START UP AGAIN ONCE WE'VE 
COMPLETED THIS FIRST WAVE.
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING 
THAT WITH THE PROVINCES AND THE 
INDUSTRIES AND HEALTH CARE 
EXPERTS IN OUR SCIENTISTS.
IT WILL DETERMINE WHERE AND HOW 
WE RELAX THE RESTRICTIONS AND 
HOW TO DO IT GRADUALLY.
SO I AGREE WITH MR. LEGAULT 
THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO 
THAT IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS TO 
COME, BUT WE HAVE TO REFLECT 
VERY CAREFULLY AND IN FULL 
COORDINATION WITH OTHERS AS TO 
HOW THAT CAN HAPPEN.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN A 
LITTLE DISCOURAGING YESTERDAY 
TO HEAR YOU SAY ET WOULD TAKE A 
YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF TO 
RETURN TO NORMAL.
COULD YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC AND 
PERHAPS TALK ABOUT WHICH 
SECTORS COULD START UP AGAIN?
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MEASURES 
THAT COULD BE IN PLACE FOR A 
YEAR AND YEAR AND A HALF.
IN CONCRETE TERMS, WHAT ARE YOU 
TALKING ABOUT?
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHAT TO 
EXPECT IN THE COMING MONTHS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE FIRST 
PHASE OF THE VIRUS.
WE ARE DEALING WITH THE SPREAD 
OF THIS VIRUS RIGHT ACROSS OUR 
SOCIETY, CONCENTRATED IN 
CERTAIN REGIONS BUT WE'RE ALL 
VULNERABLE TO COVID-19 AT THIS 
TIME.
SO WE ARE TAKING STEPS NOW TO 
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE STAY HOME IN 
ORDER SO THAT -- IN ORDER THAT 
PEOPLE DON'T GO TO WORK UNLESS 
THEY HAVE TO, TO ENSURE THAT 
PEOPLE DON'T GO OUT UNLESS THEY 
ABSOLUTELY NEED TOM AND PEOPLE 
ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE 
SITUATION WE'RE DEALING WITH 
NOW.
WE BASICALLY HAVE PAUSED OUR 
ECONOMY AND PAUSED OUR NORMAL 
LIFE AS CANADIANS.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO 
DO THAT UNTIL WE COME THROUGH 
THIS FIRST WAVE OF COVID-19.
IT SHOULD BE THE MOST SERIOUS.
ONCE WE COME THROUGH THIS FIRST 
WAVE, WE WILL BE IN A PLACE 
WHERE WE CAN RELAX CERTAIN 
RULES.
MORE PEOPLE PERHAPS CAN GO TO 
WORK.
MAYBE SOME SCHOOLS CAN OPEN UP 
AGAIN.
SOME ECONOMIC ACTIVITY CAN 
BEGIN.
BUT THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE 
IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MINIMIZE 
THE RISK OF FURTHER OUTBREAKS 
OF COVID-19.
AT THAT TIME, WE WILL HAVE 
DEVELOPED MUCH BETTER TESTING 
PROTOCOLS, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE WILL HAVE THE TECHNICAL AND 
TECHNOLOGICAL ABILITY TO FOLLOW 
OR DO THE CONTACT TRACING OF 
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED.
WE WILL BE IN A MUCH BETTER 
POSITION AT THAT POINT TO LIMIT 
FURTHER PEAKS OF THE SPREAD.
AND IT WON'T BE NORMALITY AS WE 
KNEW IT BEFORE.
BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO A 
GREAT MANY THINGS THAT WE 
CANNOT DO RIGHT NOW EVEN THOUGH 
WE'D LIKE TO.
BUT THERE WILL BE ONGOING 
VIGILANCE UNTIL WE HAVE A 
VACCINE THAT IS DISTRIBUTED TO 
EVERYONE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN 
THAT WILL BE.
IT COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS OR A 
YEAR OR YEAR AND A HALF.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME 
THAT WILL TAKE.
IN THE MEANTIME, OUR 
RESEARCHERS ARE WORKING ON THAT 
VERY HARD.
BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT OUR 
ABILITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS 
FIRST WAVE OF CONTAGIOUS 
FINISHES THIS SUMMER, DEPENDS 
ENTIRELY ON US, ON THE CITIZENS 
OF THIS COUNTRY.
ON PEOPLE CONTINUING TO STAY 
HOME, ON PEOPLE CONTINUING TO 
MAINTAIN THEIR DISTANCE, ON 
CONTINUING TO DO WHAT WE'RE 
DOING NOW FOR A NUMBER OF WEEKS 
AND THEN POSSIBLY WE CAN, AND I 
HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT 
RELAXING THE CURRENT RULES IN 
THE SUMMER.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WHAT 
WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW IS THE 
FIRST PHASE OF THE SPREAD OF 
THE VIRUS.
THIS IS THE PHASE THAT RUNS TO 
A CERTAIN EXTENT UNCHECKED OR 
DIFFICULTLY CHECKED THROUGH OUR 
SOCIETY, THROUGH OUR 
COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE SEEING IN CASES POP UP 
HERE AND THERE.
WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO 
HANDLE IT AND TO KEEP THESE 
MEASURES FROM OVERWHELMING OUR 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
IF WE DO THINGS RIGHT, THIS 
WILL BE THE FIRST AND WORST 
PHASE THAT WE GO THROUGH AS A 
COUNTRY IN TERMS OF COVID-19.
IF WE KEEP THESE MEASURES, 
THESE STRONG MEASURES IN PLACE 
OF STAYING HOME, OF NOT GOING 
OUTSIDE UNLESS WE ABSOLUTELY 
HAVE TO, ON KEEPING TWO METERS 
APART AND BEING STRONG ABOUT 
SOCIAL DISTANCING, THESE ARE 
THE THINGS THAT WILL ENSURE 
THAT WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS 
FIRST WAVE OF THE VIRUS AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH 
MINIMUM -- MINIMAL LOSS OF LIFE 
AS WELL.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, 
OF NOT OVERWHELMING OUR HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM AND THAT HAPPENS IF 
WE STAY STRONG ABOUT REMAINING 
AT HOME FOR THE COMING WEEKS.
ACCORDING TO THE MODELS WE PUT 
FORWARD, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT 
WOE WILL BE ABLE TO BE OUT OF 
THAT WAVE THIS SUMMER.
AT THAT POINT, WE WILL BE ABLE 
TO TALK ABOUT LOOSENING UP SOME 
OF THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE.
LOOKING AT PARTICULAR SECTORS 
WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO BACK TO 
WORK, BRINGING IN NEW RULES 
AROUND HOW PEOPLE CAN INTERACT 
WITH EACH OTHER IN SOCIETY AND 
GET THINGS ROLLING AGAIN.
WE'LL HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL 
ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT AND WE'LL 
HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT AND 
ACTIVE EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 
POSSIBLE RESURGENCES OF THE 
VIRUS.
AT THAT POINT, HOWEVER, WE WILL 
HAVE DEVELOPED MUCH BETTER 
TESTING PROTOCOLS BECAUSE EVERY 
SINGLE DAY WE'RE IMPROVING THEM.
WE WILL DEVELOP NEW 
TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONTACT 
TRACING AND WE WILL ALL BECOME 
MUCH, MUCH BETTER AT REACTING 
WHEN A RESURGENCE HAPPENS.
AS WE LOOK AT POSSIBLE 
RESURGENCES OVER THE COMING 
MONTHS, WE WILL BE BETTER 
ADJUSTED AND ADAPTED AS A 
SOCIETY TO MINIMIZE THEM AND, 
THEREFORE, MINIMIZE THE 
DISRUPTION TO EVERYDAY LIFE TO 
OUR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
THAT IS THE IDEAL ?AER YO.
-- SCENARIO.
BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS IF WE 
CONTINUE TO STAY STRONG FOR THE 
COMING WEEKS AND STAY INSIDE, 
KEEP THOSE TWO METERS APART AND 
BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT NOT 
ALLOWING COVID-19 TO SPREAD 
FURTHER.
THAT PHASE OF VIGILANCE, OF 
EASING OFF TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, 
BUT STILL BEING CAREFUL WILL 
CONTINUE UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS 
WE HAVE A VACCINE FOR THE VIRUS.
RESEARCHERS ACROSS CANADA AND 
THE WORLD ARE WORKING HARD ON 
THIS.
IT COULD TAKE AS LITTLE AS SIX 
MONTHS, BUT MORE LIKELY A YEAR 
AND YEAR AND A HALF.
MAYBE LONGER.
BUT I KNOW THE BEST MINDS ARE 
WORKING ON THAT.
SO, WE WILL, ONCE WE'RE THROUGH 
THIS FIRST PHASE, BE ABLE TO 
GET BACK TO SOMETHING THAT IS 
MORE NORMAL.
BUT WE WILL NOT GET BACK TO THE 
NORMAL THAT WE HAD BEFORE, AT 
LEAST UNTIL WE HAVE DEVELOPED A 
VACCINE FOR THE VIRUS.
THAT IS THE REALITY.
BUT THE FUNDAMENTAL BOTTOM LINE 
THAT PEOPLE CAN REFLEX  -- 
REFLECT ON THIS WEEKEND, IF WE 
STAY STRONG ON OUR SOCIAL 
DISTANCING MEASURES NOW AND FOR 
THE COMING WEEKS, WE CAN SEE 
HOW THINGS CAN START GETTING 
BACK TO NORMAL IN THE COMING 
MONTHS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO 
GET THROUGH THIS BECAUSE THAT 
IS WHAT CANADIANS DO.
WE LEAN ON EACH OTHER.
WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO, YOU 
KNOW, GET THROUGH THE BIG 
CHALLENGES THAT LIFE THROWS AT 
US.
MERCI BEAUCOUP.
HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER.
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
CANADA WITH HIS DAILY UPDATE ON 
THE PANDEMIC, ON COVID-19.
JUST OUT OF INTEREST, THAT IS 
THE 26TH BRIEFING IN A ROW THAT 
HE HAS GIVEN OUTSIDE OF HIS 
HOME THERE, RIDEAU COTTAGE.
BUT HE DOES SAY TOMORROW HE 
WILL NOT DO A BRIEFING.
HE WILL BE INSIDE THE HOUSE OF 
COMMONS FOR THAT CRITICAL 
DEBATE AROUND THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
LEGISLATION AND THEN HE WILL 
TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS A YOU 
HAVE WITH HIS FAMILY, BOTH 
SUNDAY AND MONDAY.
WE HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF 
QUESTIONS THERE ABOUT SOME OF 
THE REPORTING THAT HAS BEEN 
DONE BY MY COLLEAGUES SO I'LL 
BRING IN VASSY KAPELOS TO WEIGH 
IN AS WE WAIT FOR THE CABINET 
MINISTERS AND FEDERAL HEALTH 
OFFICIALS THERE.
LET'S START WITH THE 
EMERGENCIES ACT.
AS THAT WAS HAPPENING, OUR 
COLLEAGUES PUBLISHED THEIR 
STORY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN 
WORKING ON THROUGH THE NIGHT.
IT SORT OF GAVE US A SENSE OF 
THE PHONE CALL LAST NIGHT 
BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER AND 
THE PREMIERS AND I CERTAINLY 
SEEMS AS THOUGH THE PRIME 
MINISTER IS NOT INTERESTED IN 
USING THE EMERGENCIES ACT YET 
EITHER, VASSY.
>> Vassy: NO.
DEFINITELY FROM THE COMMENTS 
TODAY, DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE 
INTEREST IS THERE.
THE COLLEAGUES REPORTED ON THAT 
CALL BETWEEN THE PREMIERS AND 
THE PRIME MINISTER YESTERDAY 
AND THE BOTTOM LINE WAS THE 
PREMIERS, FOR THE MOST PART.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF BITS AND 
PIECES THAT I FOUND INTERESTING 
ON THE ACT AND APPLICATION OF 
IT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER.
FIRST OF ALL, HE WAS VERY 
SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT HE SAW AS 
ITS USE AND WE HAD HEARD  
ITERATIONS OF THIS BEFORE, THE 
DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES AND 
TALKING ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 
IF THERE ARE CERTAIN HOTSPOTS.
DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
NEED TO INTERVENE IN ORDER TO 
MAKE SURE THAT EQUIPMENT IS 
MOVED FROM, LET'S SAY, ONE 
PROVINCE THAT DOESN'T NEED IT 
AS MUCH TO ANOTHER.
AND THE SECOND IS FOR FURTHER 
RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL.
NO SPECIFICITY AS TO WHAT THOSE 
RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE.
BUT THAT WOULD BE THE GENERAL 
APPLICATION OF INVOKING THE ACT.
ON THAT, THE PRIME MINISTER 
AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, WAS VERY 
CLEAR.
THE PROVINCES ARE WORKING 
TOGETHER VERY WELL.
THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO.
AT THIS POINT, HE DOESN'T SEE 
THE USE OF EMERGENCIES ACT AND 
NEED FOR THE USE OF IT.
AND HE SAID THEY MIGHT NOT EVER 
HAVE TO USE IT AND THAT WOULD 
BE OUR PREFRNLS.
-- PREFERENCE.
SO, PRETTY CLEAR STATEMENT FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER WHERE THE 
EMERGENCIES ACT IS CONCERNED.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT WILL 
BE USED ANYTIME SOON.
HOWEVER, WHAT OUR COLLEAGUES 
HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON IS 
LETTERS WENT OUT TO THE 
PROVINCES.
IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN 
VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
SOME PREMIERS MORE THAN OTHERS, 
NOT HAPPY THAT IT IS RAISED AT 
ALL.
FOR EXAMPLE, SASKATCHEWAN 
PREMIER SCOTT MOE AS WELL AS 
B.C.'S PREMIER JOHN HORGAN.
IN ANY EVENT, MY UNDERSTANDING 
FROM PEOPLE I TALKED TO IN THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS THIS IS 
SORT OF A PRECURSOR TO THE 
ACTUAL INVOKE -- WOULD BE A 
PRECURSOR, RATHER, TO THE 
INVOCATION OF THE ACT.
SO, THAT YOU'RE GETTING READY 
FOR THE POSSIBILITY THEY MAY 
HAVE TO USE IT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE IT UNTRUE THAT 
THEY DON'T WANT TO UZ YOO IT.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE 
CHECKLISTS BEFORE HAVING TO.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S RIGHT.
AS WE RUN OUT OF TIME, I JUST 
WANT TO GET YOU TO SUMMARIZE 
HOW YOU TOOK THE QUESTIONS 
AROUND, AGAIN, J.P. TASKER'S 
REPORTING ABOUT SOME OF THE 
ADVICE THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE 
GOVERNMENT BY PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS AND THE PRIME 
MINISTER WAS BASICALLY ASKED BY 
OUR COLLEAGUES WHETHER SOME OF 
THAT ADVICE WAS MAYBE NOT THE 
GREATEST.
AND I'LL GET YOU TO SORT OF 
BRIEF US ON WHAT YOU TOOK FROM 
THAT.
>> AND SHE ZEROED IN ON THE ONE 
MOST INTERESTING PIECE -- PART 
OF THE MOST INTERESTING PIECE 
FROM A BRIEFING NOTE FOR THE 
HEALTH MINISTER BACK ON JANUARY 
19.
WHICH TOLD HER, BASED ON THE 
LATEST INFORMATION THAT WE 
HAVE, THERE IS NO CLEAR 
EVIDENCE THAT THE VIRUS IS 
EASILY TRANSMITTED BETWEEN 
PEOPLE.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW NOW THAT NOT 
TO BE TRUE.
THE PRIME MINISTER SORT OF 
DIDN'T DIRECTLY ADDRESS THAT 
SPECIFIC CLAIM AND THE VALIDITY 
OF IT, BUT SAID THAT THEY HAVE 
NOW DONE THE PROPER THING.
THEY HAVE ACTED IN AN ADEQUATE 
MEASURE.
I'M PARAPHRASING HERE.
AND HE SEES EVIDENCE OF THAT IN 
SORT OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM DR. 
TAM AROUND THE PROJECTIONS 
YESTERDAY.
YOU KNOW, ECHOING WHAT WE HEARD 
FROM HIM IN THE PAST, NOT SO 
MUCH OF A DESIRE TO LOOK BACK 
ON THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS 
THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED AND 
RATHER FOCUS ON WHAT'S 
HAPPENING NOW.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WILL ALLAY 
CONCERNS.
>> Rosemary: HE SAID THE 
DECISIONS THEY MADE WERE 
INFORMED BY THE HEALTH 
OFFICIALS AND THEY WANTED TO 
MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO PANIC 
AMONGST CANADIANS.
I'M SURE THERE WILL BE FURTHER 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE THINGS 
AND MORE.
THE PRIME MINISTER ALSO GIVING 
US SOME CLARITY AROUND THIS NEW 
NORMAL, SAYING THINGS WILL EASE 
OFF ONCE WE START TO GET A 
HANDLE ON THINGS.
BUT NOT REALLY UNTIL THERE IS A 
VACCINE.
WE'LL LEAVE YOU NOW ON CBC 
TELEVISION.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE 
WATCHING THE FEDERAL BRIEFING, 
CBC NEWS NETWORK, cbc.ca.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
[PLEASE STAND BY] 
-- THERE ARE NO PLANS TO INVOKE
THE EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT,
ESPECIALLY AFTER A CONVERSATION
WITH THE PREMIERS YESTERDAY AND
HE SAID THAT HE HOPES THAT HE
NEVER HAS TO USE IT.
HE SAYS BECAUSE THE COOPERATION
BETWEEN OTTAWA AND THE PROVINCES
REMAIN STRONG DURING THIS
PANDEMIC.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU SAYS THAT HIS
DAILY ADDRESS TO CANADIANS
TOMORROW WILL BE FROM THE FLOOR
OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
THE COMMONS AND THE SENATE.
AND THEY'RE RECALLED FOR A RARE
HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO TALK ABOUT
THE EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY
PROGRAMME.
AND THEN THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS
THAT HE'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE
DAYS OFF WITH HIS FAMILY.
ALL RIGHT, AS WE WAIT FOR THAT
BRIEFING FROM FEDERAL OFFICIALS
I WANT TO GO TO MY NEXT GUEST.
DR. NADIA ALUM, AND SHE'S
TREATING COVID-19 PATIENTS.
NADIA IS JOINING US LIVE FROM
GEORGETOWN, ONTARIO.
DOCTOR, NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> Rosemary: IT'S HARD TO SAY
-- I WANTED TO GET YOU ON THE
SHOW BECAUSE OF A TWEET THAT YOU
SENT OUT LAST NIGHT THAT CAUGHT
MY EYE AND MADE MY HEART TWINGE
A LITTLE BIT TOO.
AND THIS IS A PICTURE OF YOU IN
YOUR GEAR AFTER A VERY LONG
SHIFT.
CAN YOU TELL US -- TELL US A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
LAST NIGHT.
>> WELL, LIKE THE OTHER
ANESTHESIOLOGISTS AROUND THE
PROVINCE, I WAS ON CALL AND
WORKING IN THE O.R.
GOING TO PUTTING PATIENTS
THROUGH INTUBATION AND ON LIFE
SUPPORT YESTERDAY.
I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR ABOUT
10 HOURS.
IT WAS -- A VERY LONG DAY, I
HAVE TO ADMIT.
BUT IT'S GOOD WORK, IT'S
IMPORTANT WORK, AND THIS ONE
PATIENT STOLE MY HEART.
AND IN THAT MOMENT OF
DESPERATION AND SADNESS AND
HOPE, I TWEETED.
AND I'M SURPRISED BY THE
RESPONSE TO THAT TWEET.
>> Rosemary: SO YOU WERE
COMING OFF THIS VERY LONG SHIFT
DOING VERY HARD WORK AND THIS
OLDER GENTLEMAN, HE ASKED YOU
FOR WHAT?
HOW DID HE CAPTURE YOUR HEART?
>> SO I WAS CALLED IN TO
INTUBATE HIM.
HE'S AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN, AND
HE HAD POOR LUNG FUNCTION AND
COPD AND A NUMBER OF ILLNESS
THAT MADE HIM QUITE FRAIL.
HE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE HOSPITAL
BECAUSE HE NEEDED SUPPLEMENTAL
OXYGEN TO HELP TO KEEP HIM
STABLE AND TO KEEP HIM WELL
UNTIL HE COULD RECOVER FROM
COVID-19.
THERE IS NO CURE FOR COVID-19.
THE REASON I WAS CALLED IS THAT
HE WAS WORSENING, HE WAS GETTING
SICKER.
IF HE WASN'T PUT ON A
VENTILATOR, IT WASN'T CLEAR
WHETHER HE WOULD SURVIVE OR NOT.
NOW I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT
BEING ON A VENTILATOR IS NOT A
CURE FOR COVID-19 EITHER.
SO I GEARED UP, WENT IN TO
INTUBATE HIM AND PUT HIM ON LIFE
SUPPORT AND WE SPOKE, AND I GOT
HIS CONSENT, HE REALISED THAT
THERE'S A HIGH CHANCE THAT HE
WOULD END UP PASSING AWAY, DYING
ON THE VENTILATOR AND THAT'S NOT
HOW HE WANTED TO GO.
THAT'S NOT HOW HE SAW ALL OF
THIS PLAYING OUT.
>> Rosemary: SO YOU SAT WITH
HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE?
>> YES.
HE TURNED TO ME AND SAID, IF I
GO, IF I DIE FROM THIS, I WOULD
RATHER DIE LOOKING AT THE SKY.
I WOULD RATHER DIE TALKING TO MY
FAMILY.
AND SO I SAT WITH HIM AND WE
LOOKED AT THE SKY AND IT WAS A
BEAUTIFUL SUNNY -- IT WAS A
BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
AND HE PUT HIS FAMILY ON THE
PHONE SO THAT I COULD TALK TO
THEM TOO.
AND LIKE I SAID, YESTERDAY WAS A
HARD DAY, BUT THAT TIME WITH HIM
WAS PROBABLY THE MOST PEACEFUL
MOMENT THAT I HAD.
>> Rosemary: AND DID HE END UP
GOING ON THE VENTILATOR OR
DECIDED TO NOT GO DOWN THAT ROAD
AT ALL?
>> HE TOLD ME HE DIDN'T WANT THE
TUBE.
I WENT BACK TO SEE HIM AGAIN
THIS MORNING AND HE'S SICKER
THIS MORNING.
AND WE TALKED AGAIN.
AND HE STILL UNDERSTANDS ALL OF
THE RISKS.
HE'S MADE AN INFORMED DECISION.
HE REALIZES THAT HE'S HAD A
REALLY GOOD LIFE.
HE REALIZES THAT HE'S VERY
SERIOUSLY ILL.
HE KNOWS THAT HE COULD PASS AWAY
FROM THIS, BUT HE WANTS TO GO
OUT ON HIS OWN TERMS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GIVING HIM.
>> Rosemary: SO HOW ARE YOU
DOING IN THE MIDST OF THIS?
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE STORY BUT
YOU'RE SEEING MANY, MANY STORIES
RIGHT NOW.
>> YEP.
THIS MORNING AFTER I SPOKE TO
HIM, AFTER I SAW HIM, I WENT ON
A COUPLE CALLS.
ONE OF MY PATIENTS, SHE'S
ELDERLY AND SHE'S ALSO VERY
FRAIL -- I APOLOGISE, MY KIDS
ARE IN THE BACKGROUND.
>> Rosemary: IT'S ALL GOOD.
WE'RE ALL DEALING WITH IT, DON'T
WORRY.
>> SHE'S VERY FRAIL AND DISABLED
AND ESSENTIALLY BED BOUND.
AND I WENT IN TO SEE HER BECAUSE
HER HUSBAND CALLED ME -- HE'S A
PRIMARY CAREGIVER AND HE'S
WORKING REALLY HARD TO TAKE CARE
OF HER AND KEEP HER SAFE AND
KEEP HER AT HOME.
EVERYONE IS VERY CAREFUL AROUND
HER BUT SHE STARTED HAVING A
FEVER THIS MORNING AND A SORE
THROAT THIS MORNING AND I WENT
IN TO SEE HER BECAUSE I WAS
WORRIED THAT SHE MIGHT BE
DEVELOPING COVID-19.
PATIENTS WHO ARE ELDERLY AND
FRAIL AND COMPLEX, SHE'S ON
IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS, THEY DON'T
PRESENT WITH THE USUAL FEVER AND
COUGH AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
THEY COULD PRESENT WITH FALLS OR
PRESENT WITH HALLUCINATIONS OR
PRESENT WITH WEAKNESS AND -- AND
SO NOW WE'RE WATCHING AND
WAITING.
I LOVE THIS FAMILY.
I'M VERY NERVOUS THAT IF IT IS
COVID-19 THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO
LOOK VERY GOOD.
>> Rosemary: YOU KNOW, LIKE SO
MANY HEALTH CARE WORKERS I ASKED
YOU SORT OF HOW YOU ARE DOING,
AND LIKE MANY FRONT-LINE WORKERS
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
PATIENTS AND I KNOW THAT'S SORT
OF THE WAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE
TRAINED.
BUT I HEAR THE KIDS IN THE
BACKGROUND AND I KNOW THAT
YOU'RE PUTTING YOURSELF AT RISK
EVERY DAY.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT YOUR
OWN HEALTH AND YOUR KIDS?
>> I'M SCARED.
I READ AN ARTICLE TODAY ABOUT A
PHYSICIAN WHO HAD URGED HIS
COUNTRY TO PROVIDE PROPER
P.T.E., PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT, FOR THE FRONTLINE
HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND HE
PASSED AWAY.
SO I KNOW THAT THE WORK THAT I
DO, IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I LOVE IT.
I LOVE BEING A DOCTOR.
THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THIS
MORE CLEARLY THAN IN THESE DAYS.
BUT I'M SCARED.
I'M SCARED BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF
CATCHING THE DISEASE.
I'M AFRAID OF PASSING IT ON TO
MY MORE VULNERABLE PATIENTS.
AND I'M AFRAID OF BEING ONE OF
THE STATISTICS THAT PASSES AWAY
FROM IT.
I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT.
I AM AFRAID.
AND MY KIDS, THEY FEEL IT TOO.
THEY -- A COUPLE DAYS AGO MY
6-YEAR-OLD TURNED TO ME AND
HUGGED ME AND SAID, PLEASE DON'T
DIE.
AND THAT WAS REALLY HARD TALKING
TO HIM AND MAKING HIM UNDERSTAND
THAT I'M YOUNG AND HEALTHY AND
I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE FINE.
BUT HE WAS, LIKE, YOU TALKED
ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE
YOUNG AND HEALTHY WHO PASSED
AWAY.
AND I HAD NO ANSWER FOR THAT.
SO ALL I DID WAS HUG HIM.
I JUST SAT THERE HOLDING HIM
UNTIL HE STOPPED BEING AFRAID
FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
WE'RE ALL TRYING.
WE'RE ALL TRYING VERY HARD.
BUT IT'S -- THESE ARE NOT EASY
TIMES.
>> Rosemary: NO, THEY ARE NOT.
ABOUT PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT, I SAW LAST NIGHT IN
THE PHOTO THAT YOU SEEMED TO
HAVE WHAT YOU NEED, BUT DO YOU?
DO YOU NEED MORE?
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT
PART OF IT?
>> WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
MY HOSPITAL HAS ENOUGH FOR NOW.
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT
SUPPLIES ARE GOING TO BE COMING.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING
TO BE COMING FROM.
THERE'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF
UNCERTAINTY AROUND IT AND THERE
ARE SOME HOSPITALS THAT ARE AT
IMMINENT RISK OF RUNNING OUT.
WE ARE ALL SAVING OUR USED
MASKS.
IN THE HOPES THAT ONTARIO HEALTH
WILL BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO REPROCESS THEM AND
RE-SANITIZE THEM SO WE CAN
CONTINUE USING THEM.
IN THE COMMUNITY IT'S EVEN
WORSE.
SO I NOT ONLY DO ANESTHESIA AT
THE HOSPITAL BUT I'M A FAMILY
DOCTOR IN THE COMMUNITY AND
THAT'S WHY I WAS DOING HOUSE
CALLS THIS MORNING.
SO I DO CRADLE TO THE GRAVE
CARE.
A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE NO
P.P.E. LEFT.
AND THAT'S WHY SOME OF US LIKE
ME ARE RUNNING COMMUNITY DRIVES,
TRYING TO GET MASKS FROM NAIL
SALONS, AND FROM FACTORIES AND
GOWNS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE AT
HOME WHO CAN SEW US RE-USABLE
CLOTH GOWNS.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET ENOUGH
P.P.E. GOING.
AND MY HOPE IS -- AND THIS IS MY
PLEA TO THE GOVERNMENT, TO ALL
LEVELS OF THE GOVERNMENT -- I
KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING HARD TO
GET US THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO DO OUR JOBS PROPERLY.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON
THE HOSPITAL.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET THE
COMMUNITIES.
BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE TAKE
CARE OF OUR PREGNANT PATIENTS
AND THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE CARE OF
LITTLE KIDS.
THAT'S WHERE I TAKE CARE OF MY
PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE AND
CANCER, FOR PAIN CONTROL.
THAT'S WHERE I TAKE CARE OF MY
PALLIATIVE PATIENTS.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET THE
COMMUNITIES.
>> Rosemary: I'VE GOT A
BRIEFING THAT I HAVE TO GET TO
BUT LET ME ASK YOU ONE LAST
QUESTION.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO CANADIANS,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT
WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS,
WE'VE GOT TO BUCKLE DOWN FOR
MANY, MANY MORE WEEKS.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL CANADIANS?
>> KEEP FAITH.
THIS IS WORKING.
THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THAT
YOU'RE DOING, THE HAND WASHING,
BEING CAREFUL, IT'S MAKING A
DIFFERENCE.
PLEASE CONTINUE IT.
I KNOW THAT IT'S HARD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR
JOBS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING
FROM JUST THE ISOLATION, THE
MENTAL CHALLENGES OF BEING STUCK
AT HOME BY THEMSELVES.
I'VE HAD PATIENTS WHO HAVE
BROKEN DOWN ON THE PHONE ABOUT
IT ON THE PHONE WITH ME, BUT IT
IS WORTH IT.
IT IS HELPING.
PLEASE STAY SAFE.
AND KEEP SAFE.
>> Rosemary: WELL, DOCTOR,
SAME TO YOU AND STAY SAFE AND
KEEP FAITH.
I KNEW WHEN I SAW THAT TWEET
LAST NIGHT THAT YOU WOULD BE
MORE THAN GOOD TO TALK TO.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO
HONEST AND SO PERSONAL.
AND, LISTEN, I WISH YOU LOTS OF
COURAGE GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Rosemary: DR. NADIA ALAM IN
GEORGETOWN, ONTARIO.
>>> LET'S BRING YOU TO THAT
BRIEFING WITH THE FEDERAL
CABINET MINISTERS AND THE HEALTH
OFFICIALS.
WE'RE COMING IN LATE BECAUSE I
WANTED TO FINISH THAT
CONVERSATION WITH THE DOCTOR.
HERE'S MINISTER CARLA 
QUALTROUGH.
>> (Voice of Translator): I
WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT OUR
PRIORITIES ARE TO ENSURE THAT
CANADIANS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE CAN
ACCESS IT IN THE MOST SIMPLE WAY
POSSIBLE.
TO DELIVER MONEY TO CANADIANS
QUICKLY.
TO DO THIS WE PUT THE INTEGRITY
MEASURES AT THE BACKHAND.
WE HAVE A SINGLE BENEFIT TO
CANADIANS WHO ARE E.I. ELIGIBLE
AND NON-E.I. ELIGIBLE.
IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR E.I. AND
YOU APPLY YOU WILL RECEIVE.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT ELIGIBLE AND
APPLY YOU WILL RECEIVE.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS HOW WE
PROCESS THESE CLAIMS.
THIS BENEFIT IS JOINTLY
DELIVERED BY SERVICE CANADA AND
THE C.R.A.
IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR E.I., WE
WILL PROCESS YOU THROUGH SERVICE
CANADA.
IF YOU'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR E.I.
WE PROCESS YOU THROUGH THE
CANADA REVENUE AGENCY.
ONLINE REGARDLESS ALL CANADIANS
APPLY AT
WWW.CANADA.CA/CORONAVIRUS.
FROM THERE OUR SYSTEM ASKS A FEW
SIMPLE QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU GO TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF
THE SYSTEM.
WE'RE ASKING CANADIANS TO DO
THEIR PART BY FOLLOWING THE
PROCESS AND HONESTLY ANSWERING
THE QUESTIONS ON YOUR SCREEN.
AND WE KNOW THAT SOME CANADIANS
MAY HAVE BEEN WORRIED THEY
APPLIED FOR E.I. SO THEY ENDED
UP APPLYING TWICE.
THIS MEANS THAT SOME CANADIANS
MAY HAVE RECEIVED TWO PAYMENTS.
DON'T WORRY, IT'S FINE, WE'RE ON
IT.
WE'RE SORTING IT OUT.
AND THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO
ENSURE THAT THE SITUATIONS ARE
RECONCILED AND PAYMENTS DO NOT
EXCEED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT
ALLOWED PER INDIVIDUAL OF $8,000
OVER A 16-WEEK PERIOD.
WE'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH CANADIANS
THAT HAVE RECEIVED TWO PAYMENTS
OF $2,000 WITH DETAILS ON NEXT
STEPS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO CONTACT THE
CALL CENTRE.
I REPEAT -- YOU DON'T NEED TO
REACH OUT TO US AT THIS TIME.
BUT WE ARE REMINDING CANADIANS
THAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR A
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF $8,000 OVER 16
WEEKS.
MEAN FIGURE YOU GOT AN
ADDITIONAL EXTRA PAYMENT THIS
MONTH YOU MUST BUDGET
ACCORDINGLY.
SOME CANADIANS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE
FOR E.I. COULD HAVE ALSO
RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
HOWEVER, NOT A DOUBLE PAYMENT OF
$2,000.
IN THESE CASES, THESE ARE OTHER
ENTITLEMENTS WHICH YOU
PREVIOUSLY QUALIFIED FOR, BUT
WERE PAID OUT AT THE SAME TIME
AS YOU GOT YOUR S.U.R. WHEN YOU
WERE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED FOR
SERVICE CANADA.
IN THESE CASES YOU DO NOT NEED
TO WORRY, THERE IS NOTHING FOR
TO YOU DO.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): I WANT
TO REPEAT THAT IF YOU HAVE
ALREADY MADE AN E.I. CLAIM SINCE
MARCH 15th, YOU WILL -- YOU
WILL ALSO BE AUTOMATICALLY
ELIGIBLE FOR THE C.R.B. AND YOU
DO NOT NEED TO FILE ANOTHER
CLAIM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE
WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK AROUND THE
CLOCK TO ENSURE THAT CANADIANS
GET THIS SUPPORT THEY NEED
DURING THIS CRITICAL PERIOD.
THANK YOU.
>> (Voice of Translator):
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CARLA.
AND NOW I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR TO
MARC MILLER, MINISTER OF --
>> I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN FIRST
BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE'RE
GATHERED ON THE TRADITIONAL
TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN
PEOPLE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
LONG-STANDING SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES MEAN
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES COULD BE
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
COVID-19.
MY SOLE PRIORITY IS THE HIT AND
SAFETY OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
IN CANADA, AND AS SUCH WE'RE
FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH RESPONSE
THAT WILL SAVE LIVES.
TRANSFER OF $305 MILLION IN
FUNDS TO SUPPORT INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES AND ORGINISATIONS
ACROSS CANADA HAS BEGUN.
THE FUNDING WILL ADDRESS
IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND TO HELP THE
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO
PREPARE FOR AND TO REACT TO THE
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
WE KNOW THAT EACH COMMUNITY,
EACH NATION, HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE
NEEDS AND THE INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY SUPPORT FUND IS
DESIGNED TO GIVE THE MAXIMUM
FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS THAT.
WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THOSE
FUNDS ARE FLOWING DIRECTLY TO
COMMUNITIES, $15 MILLION WILL GO
TOWARDS INDIGENOUS ORGINISATIONS
PROVIDING SERVICES TO INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES IN URBAN CENTRES AND
THOSE LIVING OFF-RESERVE.
AS ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY, THESE
ORGINISATIONS ARE INVITED TO
SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS ONLINE
NOW.
I DO READILY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THESE FUNDS MAY NOT BE
SUFFICIENT.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): WE
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS IN THE
PROVINCES AND THE TERRITORIES TO
ENSURE THAT THE NECESSARIES SUCH
AS P.P.E.s, INCLUDING HAND
SANITIZERS AND OTHER
DISINFECTANTS ARE READY TO TRY
TO STEM THE PROPAGATION OF
COVID-19.
IN COOPERATION WITH THE
COMMUNITIES WE WILL CONTINUE TO
FURTHER PLAN AND PROVIDE STAFF
ON THE GROUND SUCH AS MEDICAL
STAFF AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES.
WE ALSO HAVE PROVIDED
RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROTOCOLS TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITIES, AND THESE
WERE TRANSLATED INTO MANY
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES.
THIS CONTENT INCLUDES PROTOCOLS
FOR SELF-MONITORING FOR HEALTH
CARE WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITIES,
AS WELL AS DIRECTIVES ON SOCIAL
DISTANCING, ESPECIALLY FOR
VULNERABLE PEOPLES.
THESE ARE DIRECTIVES THAT MUST
BE FOLLOWED.
SO FAR WE HAVE SENT ON --
EXPEDITED 400 REQUESTS FOR
MATERIALS AND FOR HEALTH CARE
CENTRES AND TESTING CENTRES,
PEOPLE HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AND
WE ARE WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN
TO OBTAIN FURTHER TESTING KITS
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM TO
RURAL AND REMOTE INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES BASED ON NEED.
AS OF APRIL 9, THERE ARE 40
CONFIRMED CASES IN THE FIRST
NATIONS COMMUNITIES ON RESERVES
AND FIVE CASES IN INUIT
COMMUNITIES IN INUVIK.
[end of translation]
AND FIVE IN NUNAVIK.
THROUGH THIS TIME WE ARE SEEING
GREAT LEADERSHIP IN ACTION AS
THE COMMUNITIES ARE TAKING
STRONG AND NECESSARY AND
INNOVATIVE MEASURES TO PREVENT
THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE AT-HOMELAND
INITIATIVE TO HELP THE FAMILIES
IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TO
MOVE ON TO THE LAND WHERE THEY
CAN MAINTAIN SAFER PHYSICAL
DISTANCES THAN IF THEY WERE TO
REMAIN IN THEIR HOME
COMMUNITIES.
SOME COMMUNITIES ARE ADAPTING
COMMUNITY SPACES TO SUPPORT
SELF-ISOLATION MEASURES AND
OTHERS HAVE READY-TO-MOVE
STRUCTURES IN ORDER TO HAVE
ADDITIONAL SPACE AVAILABLE.
FOR COMMUNITIES THAT REQUIRE
ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES, WE
ARE EXPLORING ALL OPTIONS.
WITH OUR PARTNERS TO BEST MEET
THE COMMUNITIES' NEEDS.
WE'RE GETTING RESOURCES OUT THE
DOOR AND ARE STANDING READY TO
HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
I RECOGNIZE THE CONCERNS, IN
PARTICULAR IN THE REMOTE AND
FLY-IN COMMUNITIES.
I WOULD NOTE THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY
WORKING TO EXPAND THE NURSING
CONTRACTS AND ASSESSING THE NEED
FOR OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
SUCH AS PARAMEDICS AND FIRST
LINE RESPONDERS TO HELP THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSES.
WE'VE ALSO RECOMMENDED FIRST
NATIONS WITH UPCOMING ELECTIONS
NOT TO PROCEED WITH ELECTIONS AT
THIS TIME.
AS A RESULT OF THE CURRENT
PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS.
WE HAVE INTRODUCED A TEMPORARY
REGULATORY OPTION, THE FIRST
NATIONS ELECTION CANCELLATION
AND POSTPONEMENT REGULATIONS TO
HAVE FIRST NATION LEADERS TO
HAVE ROLES FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS
WITH A POTENTIAL EXPANSION AS
LEADERS FOCUS ON PREVENTING THE
SPREAD OF COVID-19 FOR THE NEXT
YEAR.
THE DECISION OF WHETHER TO HOLD
SCHEDULED ELECTIONS IN THE
CURRENT CONTEXT OF THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19 REMAINS WITH FIRST
NATIONS.
IN ADDITION, I RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION CAN
PLACE UNPRECEDENTED FINANCIAL
BURDEN ON INDIGENOUS FAMILIES,
ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE.
THE INDIGENOUS SERVICES CANADA
INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
PROVIDES FUNDING TO ALLOW FIRST
NATIONS TO MATCH RATES AND
ELIGIBILITY OF THEIR PROVINCE OF
RESIDENCE.
AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAMME,
B.C. FIRST NATIONS WILL RECEIVE
$300 PER MONTH, PER ADULT, AS
WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNMENT
OF B.C. FOR CURRENT INCOME
ASSISTANCE CLIENTS LIVING ON
RESERVE.
WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF POSITIVE
MEASURES TAKEN BY THE INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES TO PROTECT THEIR
POPULATIONS.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, AGAIN,
THEIR IMPORTANT WORK AND THE
STRENGTH THEY HAVE SHOWN.
BUT LET ME BE CLEAR -- THIS IS
JUST THE BEGINNING.
WE KNOW MORE SUPPORT WILL BE
NEEDED AND WE WILL BE THERE TO
MAKE SURE THAT NO INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY IS LEFT BEHIND.
BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE
LIVES.
TO THOSE IN ISOLATION I WANT TO
ASSURE YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT
ALONE.
CANADA WILL BE WITH YOU EVERY
STEP OF THE WAY.
[SPEAKING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE]
[Speaking French]
>> THANK YOU, MARC AND WE'LL BE
PLEASED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> SO AS USUAL THREE QUESTIONS
ON THE PHONE BEFORE RETURNING TO
THE ROOM.
AND ONE QUESTION AND ONE
FOLLOW-UP.
OPERATOR?
>> THANK YOU.
MERCI.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 1 AT THIS TIME
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
[Speaking French]
OUR FIRST QUESTION [Speaking
French]
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question: QUESTION.
WHY YES, MY FIRST QUESTION IS
THAT I WANT TO COME BACK TO THE
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS THAT WE SAW
YESTERDAY.
HUGE NUMBERS.
WE ALSO READ YOUR OWN
PROGNOSTICS, YOUR OWN MODELING,
LOOKING AT A PANDEMIC THAT COULD
GO ON UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
NOW WE'RE CLEARLY IN A RECESSION
ALREADY.
AND IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD
FALL INTO A DEPRESSION AND THAT
IS THE CASE THAT WE'RE ALREADY
OVER $100 MILLION FOR THE
PROVINCES, I MEAN $300 BILLION,
THAT IS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO
NEXT YEAR.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT?
>> ANSWER.
FIRST, I'LL GIVE IT TO MISS
CARLA QUALTROUGH FOR THE
IMPORTANT NUMBERS.
BUT LET'S BE CLEAR THAT CANADA
IS GOING THROUGH AN EMERGENCY
SITUATION THAT WE HAVE NEVER
SEEN BEFORE OVER THE PAST MANY
GENERATIONS IN TERMS OF HEALTH
AND THE ECONOMY.
AND THAT'S WHY PRIME MINISTER
TRUDEAU WAS VERY CLEAR THAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE FAMILIES AND
THE WORKERS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED
TO MAKE IT THROUGH.
IF WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, WE
WOULD END UP WITH A HUGE SOCIAL
CRISIS IN CANADA.
WE ALSO TOOK RAPID MEASURES TO
SECURE OUR COUNTRY IN TERMS OF
WHAT'S HAPPENING SOCIALLY.
THAT IS ENSURING THAT EMPLOYERS
HAVE THE MEANS TO PAY THEIR
WORKERS AND TO RETAIN THEM SO
THAT THROUGH THE WAGE SUBSIDY WE
ARE LUCKY IN OUR FISCAL CAPACITY
IN CANADA COMPARED TO THE OTHER
G7 COUNTRIES.
AND PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU SAID
IT VERY CLEARLY THAT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO USE THIS CAPACITY
AND THIS FISCAL CAPACITY TO
INTERVENE AND SUPPORT AS LONG AS
IT'S NECESSARY.
CARLA?
>> [Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): ANSWER.
YESTERDAY WE ANNOUNCED THAT
THERE'S ABOUT ONE MILLION JOBS
THAT WERE LOST.
AS MR. DUPLOIS SAID, WE HAVE THE
FISCAL CAPACITY.
WE ARE QUITE LUCKY TO HAVE THAT
CAPACITY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR MEASURES
ARE IN PLACE FOR THE 16 WEEKS.
AND THE PRIME MINISTER AND
CABINET HAS STARTED LOOKING AT
WHETHER THIS SHOULD BE EXTENDED
FURTHER.
ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE.
WE CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE
SITUATION AND IF WE DO NEED TO
GO FURTHER, WE DO HAVE THE
ABILITY TO DO SO, BUT WE ARE
QUITE CONSCIOUS OF THE AMOUNT OF
MONEY THAT THIS IS TAKING.
SO THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS
DECISION THAT THE CABINET MUST
TAKE.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION.
BUT IS IT REALLY ON THE TABLE TO
CONTINUE WITH THOSE SUPPORT
MEASURES OF THE SAME SCALE?
MISS QUALTROUGH, YOU SAID
YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF
HOW MUCH THIS IS COSTING.
OF ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE
ON THE TABLE, IS IT POSSIBLE TO
MAINTAIN THIS SUPPORT AT THE
SAME LEVEL?
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY THAT'S ON
THE TABLE.
BUT WE HAVE MADE THAT DECISION.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE
SITUATION WILL EVOLVE.
THIS REALLY DEPENDS ON
CANADIANS' ACTIONS AND THAT'S
HOW LONG THE PANDEMIC WILL LAST.
WE CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE
SITUATION DAY-TO-DAY AND
EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE.
>> (Voice of Translator):
THANK YOU, NEXT QUESTION,
PLEASE.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
ALTHIA RAJ WITH THE ""HUFFINGTON
POST"."
GO AHEAD.
>> Question: THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
MY FIRST QUESTION I THINK IS
BETTER PLACED FOR MR. DUPLOIS.
I'M HEARING -- IT'S A BIT
SPECIFIC -- I'M HEARING ABOUT
THIS, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT
THERE'S OTHER CASES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, BUT I WAS CONTACTED
LAST NIGHT BY A MAN WHO WAS TOLD
BY HIS EMPLOYER THAT EVERYONE IN
THE OFFICE WILL HAVE TO TAKE A
25% PAY CUT BECAUSE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS ONLY PAYING 75% OF
THE WAGES.
AND FOR CONTEXT, NOBODY AT THIS
COMPANY HAS BEEN LAID OFF YET.
THEY'RE CONSIDERED AN ESSENTIAL
SERVICE.
SO I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR
REACTION IS TO THIS?
AND MIGHT YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR
EMPLOYERS WHO ARE DOING THIS AND
EMPLOYEES WHO ARE BEING TOLD
THIS?
THANKS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
THE QUESTION.
AND WE ALL HEAR FROM YOUR
QUESTION THAT WE ALL HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO GO THROUGH
THIS CRISIS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLEARLY
HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.
AND IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED
OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO ACT
IN AN EMERGENCY MANNER IN A WAY
WHICH IS MAKING THE LIVES OF
MILLIONS OF CANADIANS, YOU KNOW,
UNSUSTAINABLE IN MAKING ENDS
MEET.
WE EXPECT AND I THINK WE HAVE
COMMUNICATED THAT CLEARLY TO ALL
BUSINESS LEADERS ACROSS CANADA
THAT WE ALSO EXPECT BUSINESSES
TO DO THEIR OWN WORK, TO -- TO
MEET THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY.
AND WE DO THIS IN A VARIETY OF
WAYS.
AND ONE MANNER WHICH IS
CERTAINLY VERY STRONG AND I
THINK THAT MUCH APPRECIATED IS
THROUGH THE 75% WAGE SUBSIDY.
NOW THAT WAGE SUBSIDY IS
TARGETED TO THOSE EMPLOYERS WHO
WOULD AND WHO ARE EXPERIENCING
AN IMPORTANT FALL IN THEIR
REVENUE, IN THEIR INCOME, AND
DECISIONS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ON
THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAMME BY THE
MINISTER OF FINANCE JUST A FEW
DAYS AGO.
THAT'S 75% PAID BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
HOWEVER, WE DO HOPE AND IN SOME
CASES WE WOULD EXPECT THAT
EMPLOYERS WOULD ADD ANOTHER 25%
SO THAT WAGES -- THE FULL WAGES
WOULD BE PAID.
BUT WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT
NOT ALL BUSINESSES WILL BE ABLE
TO FILL THE GAP BETWEEN THE 75%
AND THE 100%.
NOW FOR THOSE OTHER BUSINESSES
THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY
STRUGGLING, AT SOME CASES OR
EVEN INVITED -- OR EVEN ADDING
TO THEIR BUSINESS -- BUSINESS
ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF PARTICULAR
CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE WOULD
UNDERSTAND AND WE CERTAINLY
WOULD EXPECT THOSE BUSINESSES TO
MAINTAIN THEIR WORKERS AND TO
PAY THEM AT THE LEVEL WHICH
WOULD NORMALLY BE THE RIGHT
LEVEL BECAUSE IN THOSE CASES
BUSINESSES WOULD BE GOING
THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES VERY
DIFFERENT FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES
OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE
CURRENTLY BEING VERY CHALLENGED.
>> OKAY, A FOLLOW-UP?
>> Question: THANK YOU.
SO AS A FOLLOW-UP AND I'M GOING
TO ASK THIS TO MINISTER
QUALTROUGH, IF YOU WANT TO WEIGH
IN, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
TO BE FAIR TO THIS EMPLOYER I DO
THINK THAT THEIR SALES HAVE
DECLINED BUT THE IDEA WHEN
YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE IN YOUR OWN
FAMILY LAID OFF AND YOU'RE JUST
TOLD THAT YOUR SALARY IS GOING
TO BE CUT BY A QUARTER BECAUSE
OTTAWA IS NOT PAYING YOUR FULL
WAGE, YOU KNOW, AS IF OTTAWA WAS
PAYING YOUR WAGE LAST MONTH,
THAT CAN COME AS QUITE A SHOCK.
BUT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE
CRCB.
AND THERE WAS A REPORT IN "THE
STAR" YESTERDAY THAT ANYONE WHO
APPLIES FOR CREB IS GIVEN CREB.
SO IS THE MESSAGE TO CANADIANS
WHO NOW ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE
FALLEN THROUGH THOSE CRACKS THAT
CURRENTLY EXIST, SELF-EMPLOYED
CANADIANS AND THOSE WITH REDUCED
WORK HOURS, BASICALLY ANYONE IN
NEED OF FINANCIAL HELP, IS THE
GOVERNMENT BASICALLY SAYING TO
APPLY TO CERB AND USE IT AS AN
INTEREST-FREE LOAN AND PAY IT
BACK NEXT YEAR IF YOU DON'T
SPECIFICALLY QUALIFY FOR CERB?
INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE
GOVERNMENT TO COME FORWARD WITH
A PROGRAMME THAT HELPS THESE
PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY?
>> WE'LL TURN TO CARLA FOR AN
ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL ANSWER YOUR SECOND QUESTION
FIRST, ALTHIA A. SO THE CERB WAS
BY DESIGN CREATED AS A SIMPLE
STRAIGHTFORWARD AUTOMATIC
PROCESS.
WE BUILT INTEGRITY MEASURES IN
AT THE BEGINNING LIKE SOCIAL
INSURANCE NUMBER VERIFICATIONS,
BUT THERE'S ALSO INTEGRITY
MEASURES BUILT IN THE END AND
DURING THE PROCESS AT OUR
BACKEND.
SO WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW TO
VERIFY IF SOMEONE HAS INCOME OR
DIDN'T HAVE INCOME, AND I HEAR
YOU.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW HOW VERY HONEST
CANADIANS ARE.
AND THE TRADE-OFF WOULD HAVE
BEEN TO BUILD THESE INTEGRITY
MEASURES SO SHOW ME YOUR O.R.E.
AND PROVE YOUR INCOME AND IT
WOULD HAVE TAKEN MONTHS TO
DELIVER THIS TO THAT MANY
MILLIONS OF CANADIANS.
SO ON THE ONE HAND THE INTEGRITY
MEASURES ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD AT
THE BEGINNING, BUT WE WILL
WHETHER IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS OR
IN THE TAX TIME NEXT YEAR
RECONCILE ACCOUNTS AND MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T GAME THE
SYSTEM OR FRAUDULENTLY SAY
SOMETHING THAT WASN'T TRUE.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT QUESTION
FROM RADIO-CANADA (Voice of
Translator): YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): QUESTION.
YES, HELLO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WAS WONDERING WHETHER YOU HAVE
OBTAINED GUARANTEES FROM ALL
OPPOSITION PARTIES TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAMME
WOULD BE ADOPTED WITHOUT A HITCH
TOMORROW, IF YOU'D HAVE TO BE
AROUND FOR A FEW DAYS AGAIN?
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
IF I MAY, I THINK THAT ALL
PARTIES IN GOVERNMENT OR IN THE
OPPOSITION UNDERSTAND HOW URGENT
THE SITUATION IS.
ALL PARTIES WORK TOGETHER OVER
THE PAST FEW DAYS TO ENSURE THAT
THE SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMME, THE
LARGEST MEASURES IN CANADA'S
HISTORY CAN BE VOTED ON QUICKLY
AND VOTED THROUGH QUICKLY BY
PARLIAMENT, BY THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS.
WE UNDERSTAND AND AS THE LEADER
OF THE HOUSE UNDERSTANDS BEST,
THERE HAVE BEEN ALL KINDS OF
DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST FEW
DAYS, BUT THE HOUSE LEADER OF
THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE
LEADERS IN THE HOUSE OF THE
OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE DOING
EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ENSURE
THAT THIS PROGRAMME CAN BE
PASSED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS BY
PARLIAMENT.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION.
NOW AFTER THIS ISOLATION PERIOD,
I'M WONDERING WHAT WOULD BE AN
ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY
TRANSMISSION THAT WOULD ALLOW
AUTHORITIES TO SAY NOW WE CAN
TAKE OUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKES A
LITTLE BIT.
IS IT ZERO PERCENT, 5%, 25% OF
COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION?
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
ONCE AGAIN THIS IS SOMETHING
WHICH IS BETTER ANSWERED BY
DR. NJOO WITH PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'LL GIVE HIM THE FLOOR.
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
THANK YOU.
AS WE SAID DURING OUR MODELING
BRIEFING IS THAT IT WILL REALLY
DEPEND.
EVERYBODY IS DOING THEIR BEST
RIGHT NOW, ALL CANADIANS ARE
DOING THEIR BEST, AND IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP
AN EYE ON.
PERHAPS 1% OF THE POPULATION
WILL BE INFECTED DURING THE
ENTIRE PANDEMIC IN CANADA.
IT WILL LAST A FEW MONTHS AT
LEAST FOR THE FIRST WAVE.
AND THEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL
HAPPEN FOR THE SMALLER WAVE
LATER ON.
SO WE NEED TO BE MONITORING THE
DATA.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EPIDEMIC
CURVE, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE
PEAK WILL BE, BECAUSE AS WE SAID
THAT IT'S ONLY IN RETROSPECT
THAT WE CAN REALLY SEE WHETHER
WE ARE ON THE LOWER PORTION OF
THE WAVE AND THEN WE CAN SEE
THAT WE'RE PAST THE PEAK.
FOR NOW THAT'S THE KEY MESSAGE
THAT WE WANT TO SEND OUT --
EVERYBODY HAS TO DO THEIR PART,
ALL CANADIANS MUST CONTINUE WITH
THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES.
THAT IS PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND
SO ON.
WE HOPE THAT WE'LL GET GOOD
RESULTS FROM THAT.
>> TURNING TO THE ROOM.
STARTING WITH GLOBAL.
YOU HAVE BEEN SO PATIENT, MIKE.
>> Question: OKAY.
IS THIS ON?
OKAY, COOL.
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE POSITIVE
COVID CASES ARE BEING CONTACT
TRACED RIGHT NOW?
AND HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT
TRACING TO GETTING THESE
RESTRICTIVE MEASURES REMOVED OR
REDUCED OR GETTING US BACK TO
NORMAL?
>> DR. TAM?
>> SO I KNOW THAT WITHIN --
ACROSS CANADA, ALL OF THE
PROVINCES AND THE TERRITORIES
ARE DOING CONTACT TRACING ON THE
CASES.
AT THE SAME TIME AS WE'RE ASKING
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANY KIND OF
SYMPTOMS TO STAY AT HOME, AND,
OF COURSE, THE SELF-ISOLATION AS
DIRECTED FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO THAT IS A VERY KEY PART OF
THE CURRENT RESPONSE.
AND THAT WE KNOW THAT THIS VIRUS
A VERY DIFFICULT VIRUS TO
ASCERTAIN WHO MIGHT BE INFECTED
OR NOT, SO THIS IS WHY THE
SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES AND
STAYING HOME IS SO CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.
MOVING FORWARD THOUGH,
ABSOLUTELY, AS WE GET THIS FIRST
WAVE UNDER CONTROL, THE ABSOLUTE
KEY IS HAVING SENSITIVE SYSTEMS
TO DETECT ANY NEW CASES AND THEN
TO DO RIGOROUS CONTACT TRACING
AROUND THOSE CASES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Question: AND THIS IS -- I
HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
AND ARE WE -- IS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING ANY
MEASURES OR REGULATIONS OR
FEDERAL OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES ARE
PROTECTED FROM THIS OR ANY
FURTHER PANDEMIC?
>> SO AS EVERYBODY HAS SEEN,
SOME OF THE KEY DRIVERS OF THE
OUTBREAKS IN CANADA ARE THE
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
SO TOGETHER WITH ALL CHIEF
MEDICAL OFFICERS THIS IS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP AREAS OF
COLLABORATION RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THAT YOU HAVE SEEN
DR. HENRY AND OTHERS IN THEIR
JURISDICTION, ENACTING SOME VERY
IMPORTANT POLICIES AND
MEASURING, NOT ONLY FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF REALLY KEY
INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES, BUT
ALSO MEASURES TO REDUCE THE
AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT OF THE STAFF
BETWEEN THE FACILITIES, THAT IS
ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT
PEOPLE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THAT
HAPPENS.
SO RIGHT NOW THE SPECIAL
ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OUR KEY
PIECE OF WORK IS LOOKING AT THE
GUIDANCE RELATED TO HOW TO DO
INFECTION PREVENTION CONTROL IN
THIS POPULATION.
REALLY VITAL.
AND SO I THINK THAT FROM THE
FEDERAL SIDE, RIGHT NOW AT LEAST
FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY
SIDE, WE'RE PROVIDING THE
FEDERAL GUIDANCE ON THE NEXT
MEASURES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Question: HI, DR. TAM.
MY QUESTION IS FOR YOU AND I'D
LIKE TO FOLLOW-UP ON WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING THERE ABOUT THE FEDERAL
GUIDANCE FOR NEW MEASURES FOR
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES AS I'M
FOLLOWING.
I KNOW THAT IN B.C. THEY'RE
SAYING THAT THE MEASURES WERE TO
PREVENT THE WORKERS FROM WORKING
AT ONE FACILITY AND THEN WORKING
AT ANOTHER FACILITY.
PART OF THESE MEASURES ARE GOING
TO RECOMMEND TO PREMIER FORD AND
PREMIER LEGAULT IN QUÉBEC AS
WELL TO FOLLOW THOSE SAME
MEASURES THAT WERE PUT IN B.C.?
>> SO THIS IS EXPERT GUIDANCE
BUT ALSO IT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE
A CONSENSUS POSITION FROM THE
SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND
WE PROVIDE AND ADVISE ACROSS
CANADA.
AND JUST STAY TUNED BECAUSE
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THIS
RIGHT NOW.
>> Question: AND MY NEXT
QUESTION WOULD BE FOR MINISTER
DUCLOS AS WELL AS DR. TAM.
THAT THE RCMP WILL ENFORCE THE
QUARANTINE ACT AND FOLLOWING UP
ON COMPLIANCE MEASURES THAT
PUBLIC HEALTH IS DOING NOW.
SOME OF THESE MEASURES WOULD
ALSO INCLUDE BEING ABLE TO TAKE
PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY RATHER THAN
JUST A COURT SUMMONS.
SO WHY IS THIS CHANGE IN POLICY
NECESSARY TO GET THE RCMP
INVOLVED?
IS IT BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY
PEOPLE THAT WERE ALREADY
VIOLATING THE QUARANTINE ACT?
WHY ARE WE STEPPING UP THESE
MEASURES?
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL START AND THEN DR. TAM
MIGHT WANT TO ADD.
WE ALL KNOW THAT MAKING SURE
THAT THIS SITUATION IS RESOLVED
AS QUICKLY AND AS SAFELY AS
POSSIBLE REQUIRES THE
COOPERATION AND THE WORK OF
EVERYONE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE MADE IT
CLEAR OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS
AND DAYS THAT WE EXPECT EVERYONE
AND EVERY TRAVELLER FROM OUTSIDE
OF CANADA AND INSIDE OF CANADA
TO FOLLOW THIS STRICT
SELF-ISOLATION, NOT ONLY
GUIDELINES BUT -- NOT ONLY
RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES
BUT THESE ARE REQUIREMENTS THAT
PEOPLE MUST SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14
DAYS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT MOST AND THE
LARGE MAJORITY OF CANADIAN
TRAVELLERS UNDERSTAND AND APPLY
THOSE MEASURES.
BUT WE ARE ALSO MINDFUL THAT
THERE ARE A FEW THAT MIGHT
REQUIRE PERHAPS MORE SERIOUS
CARE, IN PARTICULAR -- AND
THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING WITH
SECURITY AGENCIES AND POLICE
FORCES ACROSS CANADA TO MAKE
SURE THAT WHEN THAT IS NEEDED,
AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS
RARELY NEEDED, THAT THE
COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENT OF ALL
POLICE FORCES AND INCLUDING THE
RCMP, MAY BE REQUIRED AND MAY BE
IMPLEMENTED.
BUT, DR. TAM, YOU MIGHT HAVE A
PUBLIC SAFETY PROSPECTIVE ON
THAT AS WELL.
>> YES.
I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY TO GIVE
US THE RANGE OF TOOLS THAT MIGHT
BE NEEDED.
OF COURSE WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE
THAT WHEN YOU ARE ISSUED AN
ORDER FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ON THE QUARANTINE ACT
THAT WE EXPECT THAT TO BE
FOLLOWED.
WE ARE CONTACTING PEOPLE AND FOR
THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME YOU CAN
FIND THEM IN THEIR RIGHTFUL
PLACE OF SELF-ISOLATION AND
QUARANTINE.
BUT THIS IS JUST A RANGE OF
MEASURES.
AND THEN OUR PEACE OFFICERS WHO
ARE DESIGNATED UNDER THE
QUARANTINE ACT CAN THEN TAKE
NECESSARY MEASURES.
AND THE QUARANTINE ACT HAS VERY
POWERFUL PENALTIES.
BUT WHAT YOU DON'T WANT IS TO
JUST APPLY THE REALLY HIGH END
OF THE -- THOSE MEASURES.
YOU WANT TO SORT OF MAKE SURE
THAT, YOU KNOW, FAIR WARNINGS
ARE GIVEN, AND EDUCATION IS
GIVEN.
AND CALIBRATE WHAT YOU MAY WANT
TO APPLY TO A PARTICULAR PERSONN
NOT FOLLOWING THE QUARANTINE ACT
IN A SORT OF CALIBRATED WAY, IF
YOU LIKE.
SO IT'S TO LOOK AT THE RANGE OF
INSTRUMENTS AND HOW YOU
IMPLEMENT THIS THAT THE RCMP IS
CURRENTLY LOOKING AT.
>> THANK YOU, DR. TAM.
I WANT TO TURN BACK TO THE
PHONE.
OPERATOR?
>> THANK YOU.
MERCI.
OUR NEXT QUESTION, [Speaking
French]
IS FROM BRIAN SLATT WITH "THE
NATIONAL POST."
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[Speaking French]
>> Question: HI.
I HAD A QUESTION FOR DR. TAM.
I WANTED TO ASK AGAIN ABOUT
CONTACT TRACING.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S A VERY
RESOURCE INTENSIVE PROCESS WITH
A SMALL ARMY OF PEOPLE TO MAKE
PHONE CALLS AND SO ON.
WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR PROVINCIAL
COUNTERPARTS, WHAT IS YOUR SENSE
OF HAVING THE CAPACITY TO DO
THIS PROPERLY?
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN
PLACE OR ARE WE GETTING THERE?
>> YES, THIS IS A TOPIC OF
ONGOING SITUATIONAL UPDATE IF
YOU LIKE IN AN ONGOING BASIS.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING IS THAT
PEOPLE DO HAVE THE HUMAN
RESOURCES THEY NEED, BUT WE'RE
ALSO THERE TO SUPPORT AS NEEDED
IN TERMS OF SURGE.
OF COURSE WE HAVE BEEN
MONITORING AND FORECASTING, SAY,
IF THERE'S INCREASING IN THE
CASES AND INCREASING IN
CONTACTS.
AND SO YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT
WE ARE LOOKING AT ROSTERS OF, OF
COURSE, STUDENTS, RETIRED PUBLIC
HEALTH OR MEDICAL WORKERS.
PROVINCES ARE DOING THAT
ALREADY.
SO YOU WILL SEE THAT SOME
JURISDICTIONS HAVE ALREADY PUT
IN THAT SURGE AND OTHERS IF THEY
SHOULD REQUIRE IT AND WE CAN
HELP IN ANY WAY, WE HAVE THAT
BEING PULLED TOGETHER AS WELL.
>> Question: THE OTHER THING
THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WITH
CONTACT TRACING IS THE
POSSIBILITY OF TECHNOLOGY,
INCLUDING CELLPHONE LOCATION
DATA.
WHAT KIND OF DISCUSSIONS ARE YOU
HAVING ABOUT THAT NOW, INCLUDING
WHETHER IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO THIS
WITHOUT VIOLATING PRIVACY LAWS?
>> I THINK THAT IS AN AREA OF
GREAT INTEREST TO EVERY
JURISDICTION.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY INNOVATORS
WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.
SO WE ARE PULLING TOGETHER A
GROUP AMONGST THE PROVINCES AND
THE TERRITORIES TO GAUGE
INTEREST.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INTEREST.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INNOVATORS.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT EACH
OTHER'S INNOVATIONS AS YOU SAY,
IN PARTICULAR AS IT PERTAINS TO
THINGS LIKE PRIVACY.
I DO THINK THAT THERE'S
DIFFERENT RANGES OF
APPLICATIONS.
SOME ARE OFF COURSE FOR CONTACT
TRACING, BUT OTHERS ARE MORE TO
SORT OF GIVING PEOPLE A LOOK SO
THEY'RE NUDGED TO DO THE RIGHT
THING IN TERMS OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
SO THE RANGE OF DIFFERENT
INNOVATION.
BUT WE ARE TOGETHER EVALUATING
SOME OF THESE.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
CATHERINE TUNY WITH CBC NEWS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question: HI, THANK YOU FOR
TAKING OUR QUESTIONS ON THIS
GOOD FRIDAY.
A QUESTION FOR DR. TAM.
FROM FEBRUARY, THE HEALTH
OFFICIALS WERE AWARE OF THE
PRESSURES FOR P.P.E.s.
AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER A PUSH
TO GET SUPPLIES IN FEBRUARY WERE
ADEQUATE, WITH THE OFFICIALS
STILL ADVISING THE GOVERNMENT
THAT THE RISK OF THE SPREAD HERE
WAS LOW?
>> SO JUST TO SITUATE THIS, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT FROM ABOUT
THE DAY ONE THAT WE HEARD ABOUT
THE OUTBREAK OF AN UNUSUAL
OUTBREAK IN WUHAN, WE STARTED
PREPARING THE HEALTH RESPONSE.
SO ABSOLUTELY EVERY ASPECT OF
THIS WERE LOOKED AT.
BUT, OF COURSE, AT THE BEGINNING
THERE WERE FEWER CASES.
THIS IS A COMPLETELY NOVEL
VIRUS.
WE DID NOT KNOW NECESSARILY
WHERE IT WAS GOING.
BUT WE'RE TRACKING IT VERY
CLOSELY.
AND OUR RISK ASSESSMENTS, BUT
ALSO OUR RESPONSE EVOLVED, OF
COURSE, AS WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT
THE VIRUS EVERY DAY.
IF NOT EVERY HOUR.
SO THOSE UNDERWENT A EVOLUTION
AS WE WENT ALONG.
I THINK THAT IT IS -- AS THE
WORLD CAME TO RESPOND TO THIS
PARTICULAR SITUATION WITH SOME
VERY UNPRECEDENTED MEASURES,
INCLUDING A LOT OF THE OLDER
MEASURES THAT RESTRICTED
FLIGHTS, ETC., AND THE MAJOR
GLOBAL DEMAND FOR THESE
P.P.E.s, OF COURSE, WE HAVE
BEEN ESCALATING EVERY SINGLE
ASPECT OF THAT RESPONSE AS
RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO AS YOU HAVE HEARD EVERY
SINGLE OPTION WAS EXAMINED.
SO I THINK -- I THINK THAT,
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REMIND
PEOPLE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN AT
THIS VERY LONG AND EVERY
DEPARTMENT ESCALATED AND THE
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT,
AND WE'RE LEARNING -- WE'RE
HUMBLED BY THIS VIRUS AND WE'RE
LEARNING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT I THINK THAT P.P.E. WAS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITY
ISSUES IN OUR COLLECTIVE
RESPONSE AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO
DEAL WITH IT.
SO I THINK THAT, ABSOLUTELY.
>> Question: I WOULD LOVE TO
FOLLOW UP ON THAT BUT I HAVE TO
ASK ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THE
COLLEAGUES WHO ARE CHASING THE
LOW TESTING RATE IN ONTARIO.
AND THEY'RE WONDERING, WHAT IS
THE NATIONAL STRATEGY TO
COORDINATE THE TESTING ACROSS
THE COUNTRY?
OR ARE YOU GOING TO JUST LEAVE
IT TO THE PROVINCES?
>> THAT'S A REALLY HUGE
COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE FROM THE
LABORATORIES, AGAIN, FROM DAY
ONE IN GETTING THE INITIAL NOVEL
TESTING ACTUALLY IN PLACE IN
CANADA.
AND NOW, OF COURSE, IMPROVING
OUR RANGE OF TESTING
CAPABILITIES, NOT JUST A SINGLE
TYPE OF TEST BUT MORE THAN ONE.
BUT ALSO AS EVERYBODY
APPRECIATED, JUST AS THERE WAS A
GLOBAL DEMAND FOR THINGS LIKE
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
THERE WAS AN EQUAL DEMAND ON
LABORATORY RE-AGENTS AND SWABS.
AND SO ALL STOPS WERE PULLED OUT
FOR DOING THAT AS WELL.
BUT EVERY LABORATORY, AND EVERY
PUBLIC HEALTH LAB, HAVE BEEN
ENGAGED.
AND WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT EACH
OF THEM.
THERE'S A NEED, AND THERE'S A
NEED FOR FURTHER SURGE AND
SUPPORT FOR ANY JURISDICTION,
WE'RE ALL THERE TO HELP.
>> THANK YOU, DR. TAM.
ONE QUESTION IN THE ROOM AND
THEN ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE
PHONE.
>> Question: HI, DR. TAM.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
TESTING.
YOU SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND
THE PRIME MINISTER SAID A NUMBER
OF TIMES, THAT TESTING IS THE
NUMBER ONE WAY TO BEAT THIS.
ONTARIO DOES HAVE A SMALLER
AMOUNT OF TESTING THAT IS BEING
DONE EVERY DAY.
THEY DID CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS
YESTERDAY OR THE CRITERIA IN
ORDER TO GET A TEST AND IT'S
APPLYING TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS
AND PEOPLE GOING INTO A HIGHER
RISK SETTINGS.
HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD
BE UNTIL WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY
AND THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY OR
JUST THE ABILITY TO TEST EVERY
SINGLE PERSON WHO NEEDS ONE
RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT WE DID
ACHIEVE CONSENSUS AT A SPECIAL
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE KEY
PARTIES THAT MUST BE TESTED
BECAUSE THAT'S THE DRIVER OF THE
EPIDEMIC.
SO I THINK THAT THOSE GROUPS WE
ABSOLUTELY WANT TO BE COVER ALL
OF THOSE REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE
WHATEVER WE DO IN THOSE KIND OF
SETTINGS WILL DETERMINE THE
TRAJECTORY OF THIS EPIDEMIC.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY
SINGLE DAY THAT WE LOOK AT OUR
CAPACITY AND HOW WE IMPROVE IT,
INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT
THE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF
TESTING CAPABILITIES.
SO ALL OF THAT ARE ON THE GO.
IT IS VERY DYNAMIC EVERY SINGLE
DAY.
SO WE LOOK AT OUR SUPPLIES AND
WE LOOK AT HOW WE SUPPORT
JURISDICTIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS THE NUMBER OF
CASES COME DOWN, OF COURSE, ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CURVE THE
DEMAND WILL ALSO BE LOWER.
SO IT'S A VERY DYNAMIC PROCESS.
BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT EVERY
JURISDICTION IS TRYING REALLY
HARD TO GET THEIR TESTING
PLATFORMS UP AND RUNNING.
SOME OF THEM MIGHT ACTUALLY BE
CHANGING THEIR PLATFORMS AT THE
SAME TIME.
SO HERE'S THE SORT OF THE
DIFFERENT DYNAMICS AT PLAY.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR
CAPACITY WOULD JUST KEEP
INCREASING.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE PHONE.
OPERATOR?
>> THANK YOU.
MERCI.
OUR LAST QUESTION [Speaking
French]
GLOBAL NEWS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[Speaking French]
>> Question: HI, YES, MY
QUESTION IS FOR MINISTER
QUALTROUGH, AGAIN, ON THE CERB
APPLICATIONS.
I WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THE
GOVERNMENT WILL BE I GUESS
CLAWING BACK OR RECOUPING THE
MONEY FROM APPLICANTS WHO DO GET
THE FUNDING BUT AREN'T ELIGIBLE
AND WHEN THAT IS GOING TO 
HAPPEN?
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE
IMPORTANT QUESTION.
SO C.R.A. AND SERVICE CANADA
WILL FOLLOW UP WITH PEOPLE WHO
GOT TWO PAYMENTS OF $2,000.
THAT'S NOT THE PEOPLE WHO GOT
MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT THEY
SHOULD HAVE, AND ONLY PEOPLE WHO
SEE A DOUBLE PAYMENT OF $2,000
WILL BE CONTACTED.
AND AS I SAID IN MY REMARKS YOU
DON'T HAVE TO CALL US, WE'LL
CALL YOU.
THE IDEA BEING THAT WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT OVERALL PEOPLE
DON'T GET MORE THAN $8,000
DURING THE 16 WEEKS.
SO IT WON'T NECESSARILY BE A
CLAW BACK SITUATION.
IT MIGHT BE THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE
MORE THAN THE $8,000.
AND WE'LL WORK WITH CANADIANS
AND WORKING WITH C.R.A. AND
WE'RE STILL GETTING A HANDLE ON
HOW MANY OF THESE DOUBLE
PAYMENTS ACTUALLY HAPPENED WHICH
WERE COMPLETELY DRIVEN BY THE
CONFUSION BY APPLICANTS OF THE
NEED TO APPLY ONCE OR TWICE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE VERY
SURE THAT IT DOESN'T PRODUCE ANY
HARDSHIPS FINANCIALLY ON PEOPLE.
AND IT'S WHY MY MESSAGE IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU BUDGET
BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF 16
WEEKS YOU'RE ONLY ENTITLED TO
$8,000 TOTAL.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Question: YES, SPECIFICALLY
ON APPLICANTS THOUGH WHO DON'T
MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
BUT APPLY ANYWAY AND RECEIVE
FUNDING, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO
BE VERIFYING OR CONDUCTING THE
VERIFICATION PROCESS AND TRYING
TO GET THAT MONEY BACK?
>> I WOULD SAY THAT IS A BIT OF
A WORK IN PROGRESS.
AND THAT'S NOT TOO AWFUL, BUT AS
THE SITUATION EVOLVES AND, QUITE
FRANKLY, I THINK THAT THE
QUESTION PRESUMES A LITTLE BIT
OF INTENT ON THE PART OF
CANADIANS THAT JUST ISN'T THERE.
WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO
TRUTHFULLY STATE IF THEY STOPPED
WORKING BECAUSE OF COVID AND
PEOPLE ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT
BEING OVERLY HONEST IN CANADA.
AND OUR FRAUD LEVELS JUST AREN'T
HIGH.
AND WE KNOW THIS FROM OTHER
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES.
BUT, ABSOLUTELY, OVER THE COURSE
OF WHETHER IT'S WEEKS OR MONTHS
TO FOLLOW, WE WILL DEFINITELY
VERIFY INCOME, VERIFY
ELIGIBILITY, AND PEOPLE WILL --
IT WILL BE OFFSET, AT LEAST
DURING THE TAX TIME, IF NOT
BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
[Speaking French]
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
>> Rosemary: A BRIEFING FROM
THE FEDERAL CABINET MINISTERS
AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.
I'LL PICK UP ON THE LAST POINT
THERE BY MINISTER QUALTROUGH
ABOUT THE CERB.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU
HAVE RECEIVED DIFFERENT KINDS OF
PAYMENTS.
AND THE MINISTER MAKING IT VERY
CLEAR THAT IF YOU RECEIVED TWO
PAYMENTS OF THE CERB, SO A TOTAL
OF $4,000, YOU WILL NEED TO
BUDGET THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO GET MORE THAN THE
MAXIMUM OF $8,000 OVER 16 WEEKS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO
PEOPLE THOUGH THAT GOT THEIR
EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND THEN
THEIR CERB.
IN THAT CASE WE PREVIOUSLY HEARD
FROM THE MINISTERS THAT THAT IS
OKAY.
YOU GOT THE E.I. FROM BEFORE AND
YOU'RE GETTING THE CERB GOING
FORWARD.
SO HARD TO FIGURE OUT, I KNOW,
FOR MANY PEOPLE.
BUT I THINK THAT THE MESSAGE
THERE FROM THE MINISTER IS TO
BUDGET WHAT YOU'VE GOT BECAUSE
THERE WILL BE A LIMIT AT LEAST
FOR NOW ON WHAT THE CERB IS.
AND I'LL BRING IN MY HOST -- MY
COLLEAGUE OF "POWER &
POLITICS,", VASSY KAPELOS.
SORT OF MY HOST TOO.
ANYTHING OF INTEREST THERE?
>> Reporter: AND PICKING UP ON
WHAT YOU SAID BECAUSE WE HEARD
FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE CONFUSED
DID I GET TOO MUCH MONEY OR
WHATEVER.
AND THE MOST THAT YOU WILL GET
OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR MONTHS,
I THINK THAT SHE SAID WOULD BE
$8,000.
>> Rosemary: YEP.
>> Reporter: SO BUDGET WITHIN
THAT, THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT
FOUR MONTHS.
BUT ALSO IF THERE'S DOUBLED UP
PAYMENTS OR SOMETHING WENT WRONG
TO EXPECT A CALL FROM THE
GOVERNMENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO REACH OUT TO
THEM, THEY WILL GET IN TOUCH
WITH YOU.
BECAUSE, AGAIN, A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT.
AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING ONTARIO
PREMIER DOUG FORD'S PRESS
CONFERENCE ANY MINUTE NOW, IS
THE TESTING IN ONTARIO.
AND THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
DIRECTED PARTICULARLY AT
DR. THERESA TAM ABOUT WHAT ROLE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE
PLAYING IN SORT OF MANDATING
STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO
TESTING.
TWO ISSUES THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN
ONTARIO.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE THE
CAPACITY NOW -- THEY HAVE RAMPED
UP THE CAPACITY TO DO TESTS AND
THEY SHOULD DO 13,000 TESTS A
DAY.
AND THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE FALLING
WELL SHORT OF IT AND 2,000,
PREVIOUSLY THIS WEEK.
AND WE'RE HEARING THAT SWABS
AREN'T AVAILABLE AT CERTAIN
ASSESSMENT CENTRES.
WE'RE HEARING THAT THINGS WERE
TAKING A LONG TIME BEFORE --
THERE'S A HOST OF DIFFERENT
REASONS.
THE CRITERIA WAS TOO NARROW.
IT WAS WIDENED A BIT YESTERDAY.
IS THERE A ROLE IN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO SAY, OKAY, HERE'S
THE CRITERIA AND THE AMOUNT PER
CAPIT THAT YOU NEED TO TEST AND
WE'LL GET YOU THOSE SUPPLIES.
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS
THEY'RE SUPPORTING THE PROVINCES
IN THOSE AREAS, BUT SINCE
THERE'S MORE QUESTIONS FOR
DR. TAM AND MINISTER HAJDU AND
WHAT ROLE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS TO PLAY IN THIS, BECAUSE
THERE'S DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN
THE PROVINCES AND THEIR ABILITY
TO TEST.
>> Rosemary: AND THE TESTING
IS KEY TO GET THINGS UNDER
CONTROL.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN -- THE
PRIME MINISTER MENTIONED ALBERTA
AND ONTARIO CONTINUES TO BE A
PROBLEM.
SO WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM PREMIER
FORD SHORTLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AS
ALWAYS, VASSY.
VASSY IS BACK AT 5:00 EASTERN
FOR HER SHOW "POWER & POLITICS"
AND SHE'LL HAVE THE LATEST ON
EVERYTHING AS SHE ALWAYS DOES.
I APPRECIATE IT.
AND SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS,
TOMORROW THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
WILL BE SITTING JUST AFTERNOON
TOMORROW, AND NOON EASTERN.
THE PRIME MINISTER WILL NOT GIVE
A DAILY BRIEFING AT 11:15
BECAUSE HE'LL ADDRESS THE
PARLIAMENTARIANS IN A REDUCED
WAY INSIDE OF THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS.
WE ARE EXPECTING ABOUT 20
PARLIAMENTARIANS TO BE THERE
TOMORROW, INCLUDING A LEADER OF
THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION ANDREW
SCHEER AND THE N.D.P. LEADER
JAGMEET SINGH.
THE SENATE IS SET TO MEET LATER
IN THE AFTERNOON TOMORROW IN
HOPES THAT THIS WAGE SUBSIDY
LEGISLATION CAN GET PASSED VERY
QUICKLY.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
ONGOING PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF THE
NEGOTIATION OF HOW THAT WILL
HAPPEN.
OBVIOUSLY, A CRITICAL MEASURE
THAT SO MANY BUSINESSES AND
EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE
WAITING FOR IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
>>> I'M ROSEMARY BARTON AND I'LL
SIGN OFF FOR NOW.
I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW FOR THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
BUT FOR NOW I'LL LET ANDREW
NICHOLS, MY FRIEND, CONTINUE
WITH OUR ONGOING COVERAGE OF THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
REMEMBER TO STAY SAFE.
SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
(♪♪♪
