I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON 
CBC, CBC NEWS NETWORK, OR 
STREAMING AROUND THE WORLD.
WE ARE, AS WE DO AT THIS TIME 
OF DAY, STANDING BY TO HEAR 
FROM PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN 
TRUDEAU.
HE IS EXPECTED TODAY TO RESPOND 
TO SOME OF THE URGENT APPEALS 
TO SUPPORT VARIOUS INDUSTRIES 
ACROSS CANADA.
FOR WEEKS, AS HIS GOVERNMENT 
HAS BEEN ROLLING OUT EMERGENCY 
AID FOR CANADIAN BUSINESSES AND 
WORKERS.
THE PRIME MINISTER HAS ALSO 
BEEN PROMISING SECOND  -- 
SECTORAL HELP BY CERTAIN 
INDUSTRIS THAT HAVE BEEN HIT 
PARTICULARLY HARD BY THE 
COVID-19 SHUTDOWN.
LET ME BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES 
AS WE STAND BY AND WAIT FOR THE 
PRIME MINISTER.
THE HOST OF "POWER & POLITICS", 
VASSY KAPELOS AND SHALIMA 
SHIVJI.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN OIL 
AND GAS ANNOUNCEMENT FROM WHAT 
I'M HEARING.
BUT THERE WILL BE COMPONENTS 
THAT WILL HELP ALBERTA AND 
OTHER PLACES.
>> Vassy: YEAH, AND I'LL TELL 
YOU WHY I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN 
ASKING VARIOUS PEOPLE IN 
GOVERNMENT, IS THIS GOING TO BE 
TARGETED, ROSEY, TO OIL AND GAS.
BACK AT THE END OF MARCH, I 
THINK IT WAS THE 25TH OR 26TH, 
BILL MORNEAU SAID HELP FOR THE 
OIL PATCH WOULD BE COMING IN 
HOURS OR DAYS.
THAT DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
THERE IS SORT OF A DOUBLE 
WHAMMY WHEN IT COMES TO THE OIL 
PATCH RIGHT NOW.
NOT JUST BECAUSE OF COVID-19 
AND DECREASED DEMAND FOR OIL, 
MUCH DECREASED DEMAND, BUT ALSO 
THIS PRICE WAR THAT EMERGED 
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND SAUDI ARABIA 
THAT KIND OF GOT RESOLD LAST 
WEEK, BUT DIDN'T REALLY END UP 
BUOYING OIL PRICES.
THEY'RE AT ALL-TIME LOWS.
A BARREL OF CANADIAN OIL WAS 
SELLING FOR LESS THAN $5.
THE IDEA WAS -- OR THE QUESTION 
RAISED TO THE GOVERNMENT IS 
GOING TO BE IS THERE SPECIFIC 
HELP FOR THE SECTOR?
AND WHAT MIGHT THAT HELP LOOK 
LIKE?
THERE'S BEEN TWO SPECIFIC ASKS 
FOR IT.
THE FIRST IS ORPHAN WELLS.
THESE ARE SITES THAT THE 
COMPANY ENDED UP GOING BROKE 
AND DIDN'T CLEAN UP.
IT'S ESTIMATED THE CLEANUP OF 
THOSE SITES COULD COST BILLIONS 
OF DOLLARS, UPWARDS OF $8 
BILLION, ONE ASSESSMENT PUT OUT 
THERE.
THE ALBERTA GOVERNMENT HAS 
ANNOUNCED THAT SOME MONEY WOULD 
BE DIRECTED TO IT.
THERE IS THE EXPECTATION THAT 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL 
CHIP IN ON THAT ENDEAVOUR.
I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT DEGREE.
THE SECOND BIG ASK, 
PARTICULARLY FROM INDUSTRY, IS 
AROUND LIQUIDITY FOR PRODUCERS 
THAT HAVE HAD TO SHELVE CAPITAL 
PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ARE 
TRYING TO KEEP EMPLOYEES ON THE 
PAYROLL.
THERE IS THE WAGE SUBSIDY THAT 
THEY CAN ACCESS, BUT THEY ALSO 
ASKED FOR HELP WITH LIQUIDITY.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE 
THAT PART OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
THERE ARE INDICATIONS SO FAR 
THAT THERE THIS WON'T 
NECESSARILY BE, YOU KNOW, A BIG 
PACKAGE TARGETED SPECIFICALLY 
AT THE OIL SECTOR, THAT THERE 
IS ALSO AN ANNOUNCEMENT COMING 
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER THAT 
WOULD BE AIMED AT HELPING 
PEOPLE WHO THE CERB OR THE 
EMERGENCY BUSINESS LOAN HAVE 
MISSED AND WE HAVE CERTAINLY 
HEARD FROM A LOT OF THOSE 
PEOPLE.
THINK OF SOME MUSICIANS, FOR 
EXAMPLE, OR OTHERS IN THE 
CULTURE SECTOR.
THAT KIND OF THING.
I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING TO SEE 
WHAT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT INVOLVES 
BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE LOOKING 
FOR SECTOR-SPECIFIC HELP AND TO 
WHAT DEGREE WILL THIS 
ANNOUNCEMENT ADDRESS THAT.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A, 
QUOTE-UNQUOTE, BAILOUT FOR OIL 
AND GAS TODAY.
THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF 
MEASURES THERE AS YOU SUGGESTED 
TO HELP THEM ALONG.
BUT IT WILL BE, FROM WHAT WE'RE 
HEARING ANYWAY, A MUCH BROAD 
WAY OF HELPING DIFFERENT 
INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN HIT 
IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND YOU 
ALLUDED TO THE CULTURAL SECTOR, 
BUT TOURISM IS AN EXAMPLE AND 
THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHERS.
ARE WE EXPECTING THAT -- IT 
SHOULD BE FAIRLY SUBSTANTIVE,  
I WOULD GUESS, TOO, TALKING 
ABOUT MANY SECTORS AND MANY 
MINISTERS SHOWING UP AT THE 
NOON PRESS CONFERENCE.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
WE'RE HEARING IT IS ACROSS 
MULTIPLE SECTORS AND THAT HAS 
BEEN THE FOCUS FROM THE 
GOVERNMENT FROM THE GIT-GO.
AS VASSY MENTIONED, BILL MORE 
KNOW DID TALK ABOUT HELP FOR 
THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR COMING 
WITHIN HOURS.
THAT WAS THREE LONG WEEKS AGO.
WHENEVER THE GOVERNMENT HAS 
BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, THEY 
HAVE BEEN FRAMING IT AS HELP 
FOR MULTIPLE VULNERABLE 
INDUSTRIES.
AS YOU MENTIONED, TOURISMT 
CULTURE SECTOR AS WELL AND THE 
FOCUS HAS BEEN ON WORKERS.
SO, GETTING PEOPLE BACK WORKING 
ON THIS.
WE ARE HEARING REGIONAL 
DEVELOPMENTS WILL PLAY A PART 
IN THIS, IN TERMS OF, AS VASSY 
WAS MENTIONING, WHAT CERTAIN 
AREAS ARE REALLY FEELING MORE 
PARTICULARLY -- YOU KNOW, 
CERTAIN TOURISM -- THE FOCUS ON 
TOURISM, PEOPLE AREN'T GOING ON 
TOUR BUSES AND PEOPLE AREN'T, 
YOU KNOW, SIGNING UP TO GO INTO 
MUSEUMS AND WHATNOT.
SO, IT IS REALLY THE FOCUS ON 
WORKERS AND THAT IN PARTICULAR 
ACROSS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF 
SECTORS THAT ARE REALLY HARD 
HIT BY THIS.
>> Rosemary: AND ONE OF THE 
THINGS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS 
SAID IS THAT THE FIRST  
PRIORITY WAS TO GET MONEY TO 
INDIVIDUALS AND THE SECOND WAS 
TO GET HELP TO BUSINESSES AND 
NOW WE'RE BROADENING OUT TO 
LARGER INDUSTRIES.
ABI DON'T KNOW IF THAT INCLUDES 
EVEN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY, 
WHICH, AS WE KNOW, IS WHAT'S 
HAPPENING TO THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
BENEFIT, WHICH IS NOT WORKING 
YET, UP AND RUNNING YET.
BUT MAYBE THEY ALSO ARE LOOKING 
FOR SOME SUBSTANTIVE MONEY.
I'M GOING TO -- I'LL COME BACK 
TO BOTH OF YOU.
WHILE WE WAIT TO HEAR MORE FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER ABOUT THESE 
DETAILS OF VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, 
VASSY TALKED A LITTLE BIT THERE 
ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN 
DOING TO HELP ALBERTA A.
LET US GO TO ALBERTA TO TALK 
ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR 
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE 
ECONOMY HAS BEEN HIT VERY HARD.
NOT ONLY BY OIL PRICES, BUT 
ALSO THE PANDEMIC.
A DOUBLE WHAMMY IN THAT PART OF 
THE COUNTRY.
AND JASON KENNEY HAS SAID THAT 
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT EMPLOYMENT 
THERE -- THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 
HITS 25%, WHICH WOULD BE JUST 
ASTOUNDING.
THE CBC'S CAROLYN DUNN JOINS ME 
FROM CALGARY.
ALL RIGHT, CAROLYN, I KNOW YOU 
TALKED TO PEOPLE IN THE 
INDUSTRY REGULARLY AND THERE 
HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ASKS.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THIS IS 
THE BIG, BIG PACKAGE THAT THEY 
MAYBE WERE LOOKING FOR.
BUT THERE WILL BE SOMETHING 
HERE.
>> Reporter:  I THINK THAT IS 
WHAT I'M WATCHING FOR.
ARE WE GOING -- IS THIS GOING 
TO BE PARCELED OUT OF THE GIANT 
INDUSTRY PACKAGE OR ARE WE 
GOING TO START OUT SMALLER 
TODAY AND KIND OF [INAUDIBLE] 
WITH THOSE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS 
WITH AIRLINES, ETC.
WHAT ALBERTA IS ASKING FOR IS 
VERY CLEAR.
$20 TO $30 BILLION PACKAGE.
LIKELY A LOT OF THAT WILL BE 
AROUND LIQUIDITY, YOU KNOW, 
AROUND BACKSTOPPING CREDIT, 
AROUND LOW-INTEREST LOANS, THAT 
KIND OF THING.
AND YOU MENTIONED THE FALLOUT 
FOR WORKERS, AN UNEMPLOYMENT 
RATE OF UP TO 25% OR BEYOND, 
WHICH IS ASTOUNDING.
AND I GUESS FOR INDUSTRY, IF 
THEY DON'T GET IMMEDIATE HELP 
WITH THEIR LIQUIDITY, THEY WILL 
BE LOSING OIL AND GAS 
COMPANIES, GUARANTEED.
BUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, IT IS GOOD 
TO ACCELERATE AND IT COULD EVEN 
BE THE BIG ONE.
WE ARE ALSO HEARING FROM 
INDUSTRY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE 
THE SEE A FREEZE IN THE CARBON 
TAX AS WELL AS A DELAY IN, YOU 
KNOW, CLIMATE AND COLLUSION 
REGULATIONS, WHICH IS COMING 
UNDER SOME CRITICISM AS PERHAPS 
THE INDUSTRY USING THIS 
PANDEMIC CRISIS, YOU KNOW, TO 
KIND OF GET THROUGH THE 
BACKDOOR WHAT IT COULDN'T GET 
THROUGH THE BEGINNING, THROUGH 
THE FRONT DOOR.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING 
IS THAT ORPHAN WELL PACKAGE AND 
I EXPECT THAT WE HEAR FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER TODAY ON THAT.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 150,000 
ORPHANED WELLS IN ALBERTA.
THOSE ARE WELLS THAT HAVE BEEN 
ABANDON AND THEY'RE NOT BEING 
SERVICED.
SO JUST SITTING, WRECKING 
FARMER'S FIELDS, REALLY.
AND A IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, 
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, PERHAPS $8 
BILLION TO REMEDIATE THOSE.
WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN AT THIS TIME 
IS SORT OF A DOUBLE WHAMMY THAT 
WOULD PUT OIL WORKERS BACK TO 
WORK CLEANING THOSE UP AND GET 
THEM CLEANED UP.
NORMALLY IT WOULD COME UNDER A 
LOT OF CRITICISM THAT TAXPAYERS 
WILL BE PAYING TO CLEAN UP THE 
MESS THAT OIL COMPANIES LEFT.
BUT THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES 
AS YOU KNOW.
SO IF THERE IS SOME HELP FOR 
ORPHAN WELLS, IT COULD ACTUALLY 
HELP THE INDUSTRY BY KEEPING 
PEOPLE WORKING AND DEAL WITH A 
REAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM HERE 
IN ALBERTA.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
IT WOULD DO A COUPLE OF THINGS 
ALL AT ONCE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU'LL STAND BY IN CASE WE NEED 
TO GET BACK TO YOU.
CAROLYN DUNN IN CALGARY.
AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER, EXPECTED IN ABOUT 
SEVEN MINUTES, LET ME GO TO 
KATHY DUKE.
SHE IS C.E.O. OF DESTINATION 
ST. JOHN'S, THE AGENCY THAT 
WORKS HARD TO BRING IN VISITORS 
TO THE PROVINCE OF NEWFOUNDLAND 
AND LABRADOR AND LIKE ALL 
PLACES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, IT 
IS A TOUGH CHALLENGE IN THESE 
DIFFICULT TIMES BECAUSE TOURISM 
AND VISITING PLACES ISN'T 
REALLY SOMETHING THAT IS 
HAPPENING.
KATHY, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> Rosemary: A PLEASURE.
HOW ARE THINGS THERE?
OBVIOUSLY YOUR INDUSTRY, WHAT 
YOU'RE DOING ISN'T HAPPENING 
RIGHT NOW.
>> Caller: ABSOLUTELY.
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON OUR 
TOURISM HERE IN NEWFOUNDLAND 
AND LABRADOR HAS REALLY BEEN 
DEVASTATING.
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IS REALLY 
IMPORTANT TO THE PROVINCE.
WE HAVE MAYBE 20,000 PEOPLE 
WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY AND 
MAYBE 2500 SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE ORGANIZATION THAT I WORK 
FOR, DESTINATION ST. JOHN'S, 
REPRESENTS ST. JOHN'S REGION.
AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE FELT IT 
HERE.
MANY OF OUR HOTELS ARE CLOSED.
WHICH IS AMAZING THAT THAT 
COULD HAPPEN.
AND IT IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
RESTAURANTS AND PUBS, RETAILS 
AND BUSINESSES ON WATER STREET 
ARE CLOSED AND THEY'RE ALL 
VERY, VERY WORRIED THAT THEY 
MAY NOT BE AROUND WHEN THE 
TOURISM INDUSTRY STARTS.
>> Rosemary: I IMAGINE YOU DO 
PRETTY WELL IN NORMAL TIMES.
>> SURE.
WELL, [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT $1.3 
BILLION.
IN ST. JOHN'S, WE REALLY DEPEND 
ON THE BUSINESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN MEETINGS AND 
CONVENTIONS, WE MAY DO 100 
CONVENTIONS A YEAR AND THAT 
WOULD BRING IN $450 MILLION 
JUST IN THAT SECTOR IN ST. 
JOHN'S.
SO IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
>> Rosemary: SO WHAT COULD THE 
GOVERNMENT DO OR WHAT HAVE YOU 
BEEN ASKING THE GOVERNMENT TO 
DO THAT WOULD BE OF HELP FOR 
THIS PARTICULAR INDUSTRY AND 
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE JUST ONE 
EXAMPLE, BUT THIS IS HAPPENING 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THINK THAT THE TRAVEL AND 
TOURISM INDUSTRY WAS THE FIRST 
INDUSTRY HIT AND HIT THE 
HARDEST.
WITH THE COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF 
TRAVEL, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE 
THE  IMPACT AND THAT'S HAD A 
RIPPLE EFFECT TO OTHER 
BUSINESSS THAT SERVE OUR 
TRAVELERS WHEN THEY COME TO OUR 
DESTINATION.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TOURISM 
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 
AND PUTTING TOGETHER SOME OF 
THESE IDEAS TO BE PRESENTED TO 
GOVERNMENT.
I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE 
THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO 
UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE NEED AN 
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE BECAUSE MANY 
OF OUR BUSINESSES WON'T EVEN BE 
AROUND WHEN OUR TOURISM SEASON 
STARTS AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT 
RECOVERY PLAN, THAT MARKETING 
RECOVERY PLAN.
SO I THINK THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, 
THE 75% WAGE  SUBSIDY IS 
WONDERFUL, BUT FOR MANY OF OUR 
TOURISM OPERATORS, THEY NEED 
THAT [INAUDIBLE] IN THE SUMMER.
THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE 
UNIQUE, IF YOU WILL, TO THE 
TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT WE NEED 
TO SEE WITH EXTENDED PROGRAMMES 
AROUND THOSE.
>> Rosemary: THE PRIME MINISTER 
IS TALKING ABOUT WEEKS STILL OF 
HAVING TO LIVE UNDER THESE VERY 
STRICT PUBLIC HEALTH 
RESTRICTIONS.
CAN THIS HAPPEN STILL FOR WEEKS 
OR IS THERE ANY PRESSURE COMING 
FROM ANY OF YOUR MEMBERS TO GET 
THE ECONOMY UP AND RUNNING 
AGAIN?
>> OH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE 
HAD OUR [INAUDIBLE], WE WOULD 
START TOMORROW, OF COURSE.
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY 
REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE WORK 
WITH REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET 
A HANDLE ON WHEN THINGS ARE 
GOING TO TURN AROUND.
AND I THINK [INAUDIBLE].
IT MAY START JULY OR AUGUST.
OTHERS THE FOLLOWING SUMMER 
SAYING THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY 
VISITATION UNTIL 2021.
WE DO KNOW THAT AS TRAVEL COMES 
BACK, IT WILL BE MOSTLY 
DOMESTIC TRAVELERS AND THAT IS 
GOOD FOR NEWFOUNDLAND AND 
LABRADOR IN THAT 80% OF OUR 
VISITORS HAVE TRADITIONALLY 
COME FROM CANADA.
SO WE REALLY IMMEDIATE TO BE 
TARGETED TO THE TRAVELER.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT [INAUDIBLE] 
DRIVE RATHER THAN FLY AND PUTS 
A HUGE EMPHASIS ON SPACE, 
SOCIAL DISTANCING, PLANES.
SO I THINK ALL OF OUR TOURISM 
OPERATORS WHO HAVE TO RETHINK 
WHO THE TRAVELER IS.
IT WILL COST US A LOT MORE TO 
DO THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE 
HAVE TO DO FOR INDIVIDUAL 
TRAVELER THAN WE DID IN THE 
PAST.
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
CATHY DAOUFJ I WILL HAPPILY 
COME BACK TO WATER STREET 
ANYTIME I CAN GET THERE.
SENDING YOUR PROVINCE ALL THE 
BEST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Rosemary: OK, CATHY DUKE, 
C.E.O. OF DESTINATION ST. 
JOHN'S, AGENCY OF TOURISM FOR 
THAT PROVINCE WHICH, OF COURSE, 
IS ANOTHER SECTOR THAT HAS BEEN 
HIT HARD.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW 
BAD THINGS ARE, AND THEN I'LL 
BRING IN VASSY, THE 
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICES 
SECTOR IN THIS COUNTRY HAS 
SHRUNK BY A QUARTER.
I.T. ARTS AND CULTURE LOST 13% 
OF ALL ITS JOBS.
EDUCATION, 9%.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE LOST 
7%.
THE ONLY PLACE THAT CONTINUES 
TO ADD SOME JOBS, OTHER THAN 
GROCERY STORES AND ESSENTIAL 
SERVICES WORK WOULD BE 
AGRICULTURE.
NEARLY 7,000 JOBS THERE CREATED 
AS OBVIOUSLY THE RELIANCE ON 
THE DOMESTIC FOOD CHAIN BECOMES 
MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
I'LL BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES 
AGAIN AND TURN TO YOU, VASSY, 
ABOUT IT GUESS THE WAYS IN 
WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS TRIED 
TO SHORE UP SUPPORT.
AND HOW THIS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT 
GIVEN THAT THERE ARE PARTICULAR 
AREAS, OF COURSE, THAT ARE 
BASICALLY NOT FUNCTIONING 
ANYMORE.
>> Vassy: YEAH.
I THINK WE'VE SEEN THE 
UNVEILING AND ROLLING OUT OF 
TWO GIANT FINANCIAL AID 
PACKAGES, RIGHT?
THE FIRST BEING DIRECTED AT 
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE TO STAY 
HOME BECAUSE OF COVID-19, WHO 
CAN'T WORK, AND WHO HAVE LOST 
MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THEIR 
INCOME.
THEY'RE GETTING RIGHT NOW 
$2,000 AND, AS YOU REMINDED OUR 
VIEWERS YESTERDAY, THEY SHOULD 
BE RE-APPLYING FOR THE SECOND 
MONTH, WHICH THEY MIGHT NEED 
THAT MONEY.
THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP.
THE SECOND STEP WAS AIMED AT 
BUSINESSES.
AND IT INVOLVES WAGE SUBSIDIES 
AS WELL AS THIS LOAN, THIS 
CANADIAN EMERGENCY BUSINESS 
ACCOUNT.
BASICALLY A $40,000 
INTEREST-FREE LOAN, A QUARTER 
OF IT CAN BE FORGIVEN.
THEY EXPANDED THE PARAMETERS 
YESTERDAY TO WHO CAN QUALIFY 
FOR THAT LOAN.
I I THINK THEY HAD 220,000 
APPLICATIONS APPROVED SO FAR.
$8.8 BILLION WORTH OF CREDIT.
SO, THE NEED IS CLEAR AND IT'S 
EVIDENTS.
HOWEVER, AS YOU'VE BEEN 
DISCUSSING WITH CAROLYN AND 
YOUR LAST GUEST, THERE ARE 
CERTAIN SECTORS AND THE PRIME 
MINISTER ALWAYS -- I'VE NOTICED 
NAMES IN TANDEM.
AIRLINES, TOURISM AND THE I'LL 
PATCH.
-- OIL PATCH.
THOSE ARE CLEARLY WHAT THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS INDICATED AND 
WHAT WE CAN DISCERN FROM WHAT 
WE SEE IN FRONT OF US AS 
SECTORS, INDUSTRIES THAT ARE 
PARTICULARLY HARD HIT.
THEY'RE SORT OF SUFFERING FROM 
DOUBLE OR TRIPLE WHAMMIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE 
LOOKING TOWARDS HERE FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER IS BEYOND AN 
ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THAT IS THE 
CASE.
SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT HOW THE 
GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ADDRESS THE 
MORE ACUTE NEEDS IN THOSE 
INDUSTRIES.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PAYING 
CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE OIL 
PATCH BECAUSE THERE IS -- IT IS 
SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A 
VERY DIFFERENT POLITICAL 
DISCUSSION.
AND I THINK SORT OF TENSIONS 
THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO ALL OF 
THIS BETWEEN ALBERTA AND THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND I THINK, 
YOU KNOW, THAT FACTORS INTO ALL 
OF THIS, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.
WE KNOW ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION 
APPARENTLY HAPPENING AT CABINET 
WHERE THERE'S PUSHBACK TO 
SUBSIDIZING THE OIL PATCH TO 
ANY DEGREE.
SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING TO 
KEEP OUR EYE ON.
BUT AS I SAID, I THINK WHAT WE 
REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON IS, IF 
THOSE ARE THE INDUSTRIS THAT 
ARE MOST ACUTELY FEELING THE 
PAIN RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS THE 
REMEDY THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES 
HERE TODAY.
>> Rosemary: AND I THINK 
SHALIMA MENTIONED THIS, TOO, 
THERE ARE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
LIKE THE CO-OP OR THE ATLANTIC 
PROVINCES WHERE FEDERAL MONEY 
CAN BE SORT OF  DISTRIBUTED IN 
A VERY QUICK WAY.
IF THERE ARE PARTICULARLY 
HARD-HIT AREAS, IT IS PROBABLY 
EASIER AND FASTER FOR THOSE 
AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO GET IT 
TO PEOPLE THAT NEED IT RATHER 
THAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
DOING IT CENTRALLY FROM OTTAWA.
SO WE WOULD EXPECT SOME OF THAT 
TO BE ADDRESSED HERE TODAY AS 
WELL.
I'LL TURN TO SHALIMA SHIVJI.
THE PRIME MINISTER IS RUNNING A 
FEW MINUTES LATE.
THERE ARE ONGOING CONVERSATION 
AROUND THE CANADA-U.S. BORDER.
WE KNOW THAT THAT SUSPENSION, 
THE PREVENTION TO TRAVEL ACROSS 
THE BORDER EXCEPT FOR ESSENTIAL 
WORKERS, IS SET TO EXPIRE NEXT 
WEEK.
>> Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS 
WHETHER THAT WOULD BE EXTENDED 
OR NOT.
THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE STILL 
ONGOING, THAT OBVIOUSLY THIS 
SITUATION, WE'RE STILL IN THE 
MIDST OF IT IN TERMS OF THIS 
CRISIS AND THE HEALTH EFFECTS 
OF THIS.
SO T LIMITED MOVEMENT, OF 
COURSE, LIMITED TO ONLY 
ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES, ESSENTIAL 
BUSINESSES ACROSS THE 
CANADA-U.S. BORDER SET TO -- 
THERE WAS ALWAYS A DEADLINE FOR 
IT AS MOST OF THESE THINGS AND, 
OF COURSE, WE'RE HEARING THAT 
THERE ARE TALKS TO EXTEND THAT 
AS WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH 
THIS AND AS WE'RE STILL SEEING 
EFFECTS AND CASES RISING.
WE'RE HEARING THAT IS STILL AN 
ONGOING DISCUSSION AND WORKING 
ON THAT WITH OFFICIALS DOWN IN 
THE UNITED STATES.
>> Rosemary: AND THERE HAD BEEN 
CONCERN AFTER THE PRESIDENT 
SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THE 
CANADA-U.S. BORDER WOULD BE ONE 
OF FASTEST TO RE-OPEN AND SOME 
INTERPRETATION THAT IT WAS 
ABOUT TO RE-OPEN.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE FROM THE 
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER THAT 
THERE WILL LIKELY BE AN 
EXTENSION BUT THEY HAVEN'T 
ACTUALLY REACHED THAT DEAL YET.
THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, YOU'RE 
RIGHT.
BECAUSE THE CONTAINMENT OF THE 
VIRUS AND SEEING HOW CANADA IS 
DOING AT A TIME LIKE THIS 
VERSUS THE UNITED STATES, 
PROBABLY THE LAST THING THAT 
ANYONE WOULD WANT IS OPEN 
BORDERS AND START TO SEE TRAVEL 
MOVE AGAIN.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER AS WE DO AT THIS TIME 
OF DAY.
HE IS RUNNING A COUPLE OF 
MINUTES LATE.
THAT IS RIDEAU COTTAGE YOU ARE 
LOOKING AT LIVE.
I'M SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH 
IT NOW.
A COUPLE OTHER ISSUES TO KEEP 
YOUR EYE ON TODAY.
AND WE HEARD EARLIER FROM 
CONSERVATIVE LEADER AND DOCTOR 
SHEER AND THAT IS THE RETURN OF 
PARLIAMENT.
IT, TOO, WAS ON A DEADLINE.
ALL PARTIES HAD AGREED THAT IT 
WOULD BE SUSPENDED UNTIL MONDAY 
UNLESS THEY COULD REACH ANOTHER 
AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE THAT 
SUSPENSION.
AS OF NOW, THERE IS NO DEAL ON, 
THAT EITHER.
AND ANDREW SCHEER HAS BEEN 
PUSHING VERY HARD TO SEE 
IN-PERSON SITINGS.
HE IS ASKING FOR FOUR TIMES A 
WEEK.
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT IS 
ACCEPTABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT.
AND IT DOESN'T EVEN SOUND LIKE 
OTHER PARTIS ARE INTERESTED IN 
COMING IN AND HAVING M.P.s HERE 
IN A REDUCED CAPACITY FOR THAT 
MANY DAYS OF WEEK.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT 
CONSERVATIVES CONTINUE TO PUSH.
AND FOR NOW, THERE IS NO DEAL.
AND IF THEY DON'T GET A DEAL BY 
MONDAY, WHICH I IMAGINE THEY 
WILL, WE WOULD BE IN A PLACE 
WHERE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 
WOULD HAVE TO RESUME.
WHICH OBVIOUSLY WOULD FLY IN 
THE FACE OF PUBLIC HEALTH 
DIRECTIVES.
ANOTHER ISSUE TO KEEP YOUR EYE 
ON.
AND I WILL BRING IN VASSY 
BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER 
TWO-MINUTE WARNING.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THAT 
MUCH ON MY OWN.
[LAUGHTER]
MAYBE WE'LL JUST PICK UP ON 
THAT ISSUE THAT THE 
CONSERVATIVES ARE PUSHING VERY 
HARD FOR INCREASED 
ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCREASED 
QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT, 
WHICH, YOU KNOW, I TOTALLY GET.
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE ARE -- 
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE'RE 
ANYWHERE NEAR CLOSE ON A DEAL 
IN TERMS OF EVERYONE AGREEING 
THAT ONE OR TWO OR THREE TIMES 
A WEEK WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
>> Vassy: THIS IS AN 
INTERESTING OTTAWA SCENARIO 
HERE.
IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THIS, 
THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE, I 
THINK, FROM BOTH POINTS OF VIEW.
THE NEXUS OF THE DISAGREEMENT 
SEEMS TO BE HOW MUCH IN-PERSON 
PARLIAMENT SHOULD POLITICIANS 
BE ENGAGING IN.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THE 
CONSERVATIVES  WANT SITINGS 
IN-PERSON, FOUR TIMES A WEEK.
MY UNDERSTANDING LATE YESTERDAY 
IS IT LOOKED LIKE THERE MIGHT 
BE SOME MOVEMENT TOWARDS AN 
AGREEMENT FOR A REDUCED NUMBER 
OF SITINGS.
MAYBE ONCE A WEEK AND END UP 
BEING A FEW HOURS AND VERY MUCH 
AN ACCOUNTABILITY SESSION.
MAYBE NOT LIKE QUESTION PERIOD, 
BUT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE COME 
TO KNOW AS COMMITTEE AS THE 
WHOLE.
THE OPPOSITION GETTING A 
CHANCES TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE 
GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE POLICIES 
THAT THEY HAVE ROLLED OUT AND 
THEY PLAN TO ROLL OUT.
THE CORRESPONDING REQUEST  IS, 
WELL CAN THEY DO THAT VIRTUALLY?
WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO THAT 
VIRTUALLY?
THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE, IN 
PARTICULAR, IS WORKING ON SOME 
SORT OF PLAN TO MAKE THAT 
HAPPEN.
FOR THE OPPOSITION, THEY WOULD 
LIKE TO CONTINUE SOME IN PERSON.
THEY SAY THE VIRTUAL THING CAN 
BE A COMPANION PIECE.
IF IT'S NOT READY YET, THERE 
HAS TO BE SOMETHING HAPPENING 
IN PERSON.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUT FORWARD 
THE IDEA THAT THAT VIRTUAL IDEA 
MIGHT WORK GOING FORWARD, BUT 
TO HAVE THOSE IN-SESSION 
SITINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY, TO BE 
IN PERSON EVERY SINGLE DAY 
DOESN'T REALLY ADHERE TO 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING RULES FROM 
WHERE THEY SIT OR DOESN'T SPEAK 
TO THE SENTIMENT BEHIND 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND THEN 
THE MESSAGE THAT THEY PUT FORTH.
>> Rosemary: HERE'S THE PRIME 
MINISTER OF CANADA.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: THIS MORNING, I 
WANT TO BEGIN BY TALKING ABOUT 
THE REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WE 
RECEIVED FROM QUEBEC ON 
WEDNESDAY AND GIVE YOU THE MOST 
RECENT NEWS ABOUT MEDICAL 
EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES.
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH 
HAS BEEN WORKING WITH QUEBEC 
AND THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL 
DEFENCE AND I CAN NOW CONFIRM 
THAT APPROXIMATELY 125 MEMBERS 
OF THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, 
WITH HEALTH CARE TRAINING, WILL 
BE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO WORKERS 
IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE 
GOVERNMENT OF QUEBEC TO FIND 
OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THEM, 
INCLUDING WITH THE RED CROSS 
AND SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS 
REGISTERED WITH HEALTH CANADA.
WITH REGARDS TO THE SUPPLIES OF 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, BELL CANADA 
HAS DONATED 1.5 MILLION N-95 
MASKS AND WE'RE WORKING AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET THEM 
TO OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS.
THAT CAN BE ADDED TO THE 
MILLIONS OF SURGICAL MASKS THAT 
WE SENT OUT TO THE PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES THIS WEEK.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: OVER 
THE PAST FEW WEEKS, THE 
PANDEMIC HAS CREATED ANXIETY 
AND UNCERTAINTY FOR ALL 
CANADIANS BUT SOME ARE GOING 
THROUGH AN ESPECIALLY TOUGH 
TIME.
COVID-19 HAS BROUGHT MANY 
INDUSTRIS TO A HALT AND WORKERS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE 
STRUGGLING AS A RESULT.
FROM THE START, OUR GOAL AS A 
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CLEAR -- TO 
HELP ALL CANADIANS GET THROUGH 
THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, 
WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU, TO 
LEND YOU A HELPING HAND WHEN 
YOU NEED IT MOST.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CANADIANS 
ARE STANDING SHOULDER TO 
SHOULDER AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS 
TOGETHER.
TODAY, OUR GOVERNMENT IS 
ANNOUNCING MORE HELP FOR 
WORKERS IN ALBERTA, 
SASKATCHEWAN, B.C. AND 
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR.
WE'RE ALSO ANNOUNCING MORE HELP 
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND MORE 
HELP FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN THE 
ARTS, CULTURE AND SPORTS 
SECTORS.
I'LL START WITH THE ENERGY 
SECTOR.
RIGHT NOW, WORKERS AND FAMILIES 
ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF 
THINGS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL.
BOTH THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF 
THE PANDEMIC AND PRICE WAR 
DRIVEN BY FOREIGN INTERESTS ARE 
A CHALLENGE.
AS A RESULT, COMPANIES HAVE HAD 
TO SLOWDOWN OR PAUSE THEIR 
OPERATIONS, LEAVING TOO MANY 
PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.
TO HELP THESE WORKER, OUR 
GOVERNMENT WILL INVEST $1.7 
BILLION TO CLEAN UP ORPHAN AND 
INACTIVE WELLS IN ALBERTA, 
SASKATCHEWAN AND B.C..
THESE WELLS, WHICH ARE NO 
LONGER IN USE, CAN BE 
DETRIMENTAL NOT ONLY TO OUR 
ENVIRONMENT, BUT TO PEOPLE'S 
HEALTH.
THINK OF THE FARMER WHO CAN'T 
GO ANYTHING ON HIS LAND BECAUSE 
OF AN ABANDONED WELL A FEW 
STEPS AWAY FROM HIS HOME.
THINK OF THE SMALL TOWN OR 
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES 
STRUGLING WITH THIS ISSUTHAT 
HAS BEEN FESTERING FOR YEARS OR 
EVEN DECADES.
CLEANING THEM UP WILL BRING 
PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND HELP 
MANY LANDOWNERS WHO HAVE HAD 
THESE WELLS ON THEIR PROPERTY 
FOR YEARS BUT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE 
TO GET THEM TAKEN CARE OF AND 
THE LAND RESTORED.
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE IMMEDIATE 
JOBS IN THESE PROVINCES WHILE 
HELPING COMPANIES AVOID 
BANKRUPTCY AND SUPPORTING OUR 
ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS.
IN ALBERTA ALONE, THESE 
INVESTMENTS WILL MAINTAIN 5200 
JOBS.
WE LISTENED TO THE CONCERNS OF 
LANDOWNERS, MUNICIPALITIES AND 
INDIGENOUS COMMUTERS WHO WANT 
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLLUTE 
OR PAY PRINCIPLE IS 
STRENGTHENED AND THEIR VOICES 
ARE HEARD.
I WANT TO THANK GOVERNMENT OF 
ALBERTA FOR WORKING WITH US AND 
LISTENING TO THEIR CONCERNS.
OUR GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO 
ESTABLISH A $750 MILLION 
EMISSION REDUCTION FUND WITH 
THE FOCUS ON METHANE TO CREATE 
AND MAINTAIN JOBS THROUGH 
POLLUTION REDUCTION EFFORTS.
THIS INCLUDES $75 MILLION TO 
HELP THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY CUT  
EMISSIONS IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND 
LABRADOR.
THIS FUND WILL PRIMARILY 
PROVIDE REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO FIRMS TO MAKE THEM MORE 
COMPETITIVE, REDUCE WASTE AND 
POLLUTION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY 
PROTECT JOBS.
RIGHT NOW, MANY ENERGY FIRMS 
ARE EXPERIENCING A CASH CRUNCH 
SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO 
INVEST IN TECHNOLOGIES, TO 
REDUCE  EMISSIONS OR FIX 
METHANE LEAKS.
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL ALLOW 
FOR THIS KIND OF WORK TO BE 
DONE AND CREATE JOBS PEOPLE 
NEED DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
THROUGH THE WELLS AND METHANE 
INITIATIVES, WE ESTIMATE THAT 
WE WILL MAINTAIN ROUGHLY 10,000 
JOBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
JUST BECAUSE WE'RE IN A HEALTH 
CRISIS DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN 
NEGLECT THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
CRISIS.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH B.D.C. 
AND E.D.C. TO EXPAND CREDIT 
SUPPORT FOR AT-RISK 
MEDIUM-SIZED ENERGY COMPANIS SO 
THEY CAN MAINTAIN OPERATIONS 
AND KEEP EMPLOYEES.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: OUR GOVERNMENT 
WILL BE INVESTING $1.7 BILLION 
TO CLEAN UP ORPHANED AND 
ABANDONED WELLS IN ALBERTA, 
SASKATCHEWAN AND BRITISH 
COLUMBIA.
THE GOAL IS TO CREATE JOBS FOR 
WORKERS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR TO 
AVOID COMPANIES GOING BANKRUPT 
AND SUPPORT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL 
TARGETS.
THESE WELLS, WHICH ARE NO 
LONGER USED TO PRODUCE OIL MAY 
PRESENT A RISK NOT ONLY FOR OUR 
ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO FOR OUR 
HEALTH.
BY CLEANING THEM UP, WE WILL 
CREATE JOBS FOR WORKERS.
WE WILL ALSO HELP PEOPLE WHO 
HAVE THESE ABANDONED WELLS ON 
THEIR LAND AND WE ARE 
PREDICTING THAT THESE FUNDS 
WILL MAINTAIN ELECTORAL COLLEGE 
$5200 JOBS IN ALBERTA ALONE.
WE DEVELOP THIS POLICY WITH THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA AND 
MUNICIPAL PARTNERS AND I WANT 
TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR 
CONTRIBUTIONS.
OUR GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO BE 
SETTING UP A $750 MILLION FUND 
TO REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT WILL 
FOCUS ON POLLUTION CAUSED BY 
METHANE IN ORDER TO CREATE AND 
MAINTAIN JOBS.
OF THAT SUM, $75 MILLION WILL 
BE ALLOCATED TO OIL AND GAS 
COMPANIES WHO WORK OFFSHORE, 
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, TO 
REDUCE THEIR EMISSIONS.
THIS FUND WILL PROVIDE FOR 
REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
COMPANIES IN ORDER TO PROTECT 
JOBS, INCREASE THEIR 
COMPETITIVENESS AND REDUCE 
POLLUTION.
RIGHT NOW, ENERGY SECTOR 
COMPANIES HAVE CASH FLOW 
PROBLEMS, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY 
DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY MONEY 
TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGIS THAT 
HELP TO REDUCE EMISSIONS OR 
REPAIR METHANE LEAKS.
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL ALLOW 
THESE COMPANIES TO CARRY OUT 
THAT WORK WHILE, AT THE SAME 
TIME, CREATING JOBS FOR WORKERS 
DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS MUST 
NOT PREVENT US FROM TAKING 
ACTION TO FIGHT THE CLIMATE 
CRISIS.
WITH THIS NICHETIVE TO CLEAN UP 
THE WELLS AND THE FUND TO 
REDUCE EMISSIONS, WE BELIEVE 
THAT 10,000 JOBS WILL BE 
MAINTAINED.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE WORKING 
WITH B.D.C. AND E.D.C. TO 
STRENGTHEN CREDIT SUPPORT FOR 
MEDIUM-SIZED ENERGY COMPANIES 
THAT ARE PARTICULARLY AT RISK.
ONCE AGAIN, THE GOAL IS TO 
ALLOW THESE COMPANIES TO 
CONTINUE THEIR ACTIVITY IN 
ORDER TO KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s NOW 
I WANT TO TURN TO WHAT WE'RE 
GOING TO DO NEXT FOR SMALL 
BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE THEY 
EMPLOY.
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEK, WE'VE 
TAKEN A NUMBER OF STEPS TO 
SUPPORT THESE EMPLOYERS AND 
MOSTLY THEIR EMPLOYERS.
WE INTRODUCED THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY TO HELP 
KEEP PEOPLE ON THE PAYROLL.
WE LAUNCHED AND EXPANDED THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS 
ACCOUNT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES 
STRUGGLING WITH CASH FLOW.
BUT MINISTERS JOLY, BAIN AND 
OTHERS HAVE HEARD THAT SOME 
BUSINESSS ARE STILL FALLING 
THROUGH THE CRACKS.
TO FIX THAT, OUR GOVERNMENT 
WILL PROVIDE $962 MILLION TO 
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES 
AND THE COMMUNITY FUTURES 
NETWORK.
THIS FUNDING WILL HELP ENSURE 
THAT MORE BUSINESSES, 
ESPECIALLY EMPLOYEES BASED IN 
RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY OR 
THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A 
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE 
TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL 
INSTITUTION ARE GETTING THE 
SUPPORT THEY THAT THEY NEED.
THERE IS AN ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAMME TO SUPPORT INKNOW 
VAIZ TOS AND OTHER EARLY STAGE 
DEVELOPMENT FIRMS THAT DON'T 
QUALIFY FOR THE WAGE SUBSIDY BY 
STILL NEED HELP.
>> FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, TODAY 
WE'RE ANNOUNCING TWO FURTHER 
INVESTMENTS.
FIRST OUR GOVERNMENT WILL 
PROVIDE $962 MILLION TO 
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTINGS AS AND 
TO THE COMMUNITY FUTURES 
NETWORK.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WILL MAKE IT 
POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE HELP TO 
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT DON'T 
QUALIFY FOR THE EMERGENCY WAGE 
SUBSIDY OR TO RECEIVE A LOAN 
THROUGH THE EMERGENCY ACCOUNT.
OUR GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO 
ALLOCATE $270 MILLION TO 
[SPEAKING FRENCH] AND TO THE 
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAMME TO SUPPORT INNOVATORS 
AND OTHER STARTUPS THAT ARE NOT 
ELIGIBLE FOR THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
WE ALSO HAVE NEWS FOR PEOPLE 
WORKING IN THE ARTS, CULTURE 
AND SPORTS SECTORS.
THESE ARE INDUSTRIES WHICH 
SOME, LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESSES 
I JUST DESCRIBED, ARE NOT ABLE 
TO RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE 
ALREADY ANNOUNCED BECAUSE THEIR 
INCOME STRUCTURES ARE NOT THE 
SAME OR THEY DON'T OPERATE THE 
SAME WAY.
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS 
CRISIS, ARTISTS HAVE BEEN 
PROVIDING US WITH COMFORT, 
LAUGHTER AND HAPPINESS.
NOW OUR ATHLETES CONTINUE TO 
INSPIRE US, ENCOURAGE US AND 
MAKE US PROUD.
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE ARTS, 
CULTURE AND SPORTS SECTORS 
SHARE THEIR PASSION WITH US AND 
ALLOW US TO DREAM AND THESE 
DAYS, WHEN WE'RE ALL AT HOME 
AND ISOLATED THEY MAKE US FEEL 
A LITTLE BIT LESS ALONE.
THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE 
REASONS WHY WE HAVE TO BE THERE 
FOR THEM.
AS THEY ARE THERE FOR US.
THEREFORE, OUR GOVERNMENT WILL 
PROVIDE $500 MILLION TO 
HERITAGE CANADA TO SUPPORT OUR 
ARTISTS, CREATORS AND THE 
RISING STARS OF OUR SPORTING 
ASSOCIATIONS.
THROUGH THIS FUNDING, PEOPLE 
WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE WAGE 
SUPPORT AND ORGANIZATIONS WILL 
HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDING IF THEY 
ARE EXPERIENCING LIQUIDITY 
PROBLEMS.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
WE'LL GIVE $500 MILLION TO 
HERITAGE CANADA TO SUPPORT 
THOSE WHO WORK IN THE ARTS, 
CULTURE AND SPORTS SECTORS.
LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESSES I WAS 
TALKING ABOUT, PEOPLE IN 
BUSINESSES IN THESE SECTORS DO 
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF HELP 
WE ANNOUNCED BECAUSE OF HOW THE 
COMPANIES OPERATE OR HOW 
REVENUES ARE GENERATED.
WITH THIS INVESTMENT, PEOPLE 
WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE WAGE 
SUPPORT AND ORGANISATIONS 
STRUGGLING WITH CASH FLOW WILL 
BE ABLE TO ACCESS FINANCING.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE CONTINUE 
TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO LOST THEIR 
JOBS WITH THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT.
SO FAR OVER 7.5 MILLION 
PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
THAT IS MONEY SENT DIRECTLY TO 
THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.
I WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK MY 
AMAZING PUBLIC SERVANTS 
PROCESSING THESE CLAIMS AT 
RECORD SPEED.
MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL BE 
RELEASING THE LATEST FIGURES  
ON THE CERB THROUGH THE 
GOVERNMENT OPEN PORTAL THREE 
TIMES A WEEK SO ACADEMICS, 
RESEARCHERS AND CANADIANS CAN 
KEEP TRACK OF THE WORK BEING 
DONE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AND 
OPEN UP DA I THAT SO THAT WE 
CAN GET THE BEST ADVICE FROM 
EXPERTS AND CONTINUE TO HELP 
CANADIANS.
I WANT TO END THIS MORNING BY 
REMINDING EVERYONE THAT TODAY 
IS THE 38TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.
WHICH UNDERPINS WHO WE ARE AS A 
PEOPLE AND STRIVE TO BE AS A 
PEOPLE.
IT PROTECTS THE RIGHT OF EACH 
AND EVERY ONE OF US TO BE WHO 
WE ARE, TO WORSHIP HOW WE WANT, 
TO LOVE WHOM WE LOVE.
AT THE HEART OF THE CHARTER IS 
THE NOTION OF CHOICE, THAT WE 
CAN CHOOSE THE KIND OF LIFE WE 
WANT FOR OURSELVES.
AS OUR COUNTRY CONFRONT THIS IS 
PANDEMIC, I'M ESPECIALLY 
GRATEFUL THAT CANADIANS HAVE 
CHOSEN TO PROTECT EACH OTHER 
AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
TO EVERYONE WHO HAS STAYED HOME 
AND FOLLOWED PUBLIC HEALTH 
RECOMMENDATIONS, THANK YOU.
MAKING THAT CHOICE TOGETHER 
TODAY WILL ENSURE THAT WE 
REMAIN WHO WE ARE AS CANADIANS 
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: I'M NOW READY 
TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH].
OPERATOR: MERCI.
THANK YOU.
THE FIRST QUESTION, DYLAN 
ROBERTSON, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Caller: PRIME MINISTER.
YOU'VE EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE 
FOR VIRTUAL PARLIAMENT.
MANY REGIONS OF CANADA HAVE 
TERRIBLE INTERNET CONNECTION 
AND THEY TEND TO BE THE ONES 
THAT FEEL THE MOST IGNORED BY 
OTTAWA.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING 
VIRTUAL SITINGS IF M.P.s CAN'T 
PARTICIPATE IN REALTIME FROM 
THEIR HOME?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
OBVIOUSLY THE POINT OF VIRTUAL 
SITINGS WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT 
CANADIANS NOT WITHIN DRIVING 
DISTANCE OF OTTAWA CONTINUE TO 
HAVE THEIR VIEWS REPRESENTED 
AND THEIR CONCERNS HEARD.
THAT IS A TECHNOLOGICAL 
CHALLENGE THAT WE'LL WORK VERY, 
VERY HARD ON TO ENSURE THAT, AS 
WE MOVE FORWARD ON VIRTUAL 
PARLIAMENT SOLUTIONS AS THE 
SPEAKER IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 
WORK ON THAT, THAT WE MAKE SURE 
THAT EVERY VOICE CAN BE HEARD 
OF THE 338 CANADIANS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE 
PROPOSED TO THE OPPOSITION 
PARTIES THAT PARLIAMENT COULD 
COME BACK EVERY SINGLE WEEK TO 
DISCUSS LEGISLATION AND TO 
ENSURE THAT THERE IS 
ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE IMMEDIATE TO MAKE SURE THAT 
OUR DEMOCRACY CONTINUES TO 
FUNCTION AND THIS IS SOMETHING 
THAT WE'RE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT.
RIGHT NOW, ON THE BOOKS, THERE 
IS A RULE THAT SAYS 338M.P.s 
NEED TO GET ON FLIGHTS SUNDAY 
EVENING TO COME BACK TO OTTAWA 
ON MONDAY MORNING AS PARLIAMENT 
IS SUPPOSED TO RESUME.
THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A GOOD 
IDEA.
WE'RE NOT IN NORMAL 
CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH ALL 
OPPOSITION PARTIES TO TRY AND 
MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO 
KEEP THE IMPORTANT WORK OF OUR 
DEMOCRACY GOING WHILE AT THE 
SAME TIME RESPECTING PUBLIC 
HEALTH ADVICE.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: FIRST OF ALL, 
IN TERMS OF A VIRTUAL 
PARLIAMENT, I THINK IT WILL BE 
IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT 
MEMBERS FROM EVERY PART OF THE 
COUNTRY CAN SHAEFR THEIR 
PREOCCUPATIONS AND THOSE OF 
THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND THAT IS 
WHY WE'RE WORKING WITH THE 
HOUSE OF COMMONS TO ENSURE THAT 
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO 
THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT 
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR 
DEMOCRACY TO CONTINUE TO WORK 
AND, THEREFORE, WE HAVE 
PROPOSED THAT PARLIAMENT RESUME 
ITS WORK EVERY WEEK TO PASS 
LEGISLATION AND ENSURE THAT 
THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE 
QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED OF THE 
GOVERNMENT.
WE DO HOPE THAT THE OPPOSITION 
PARTIES WILL AGREE TO THAT 
PROPOSAL BECAUSE OTHERWISE 
PARLIAMENT IS SUPPOSED TO SIT 
WITH 338 MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 
STARTING ON MONDAY MORNING AND 
I THINK WE ALL REALISE THAT 
THAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD IDEA.
>> Caller: PRIME MINISTER, THE 
PREMIER OF SASKATCHEWAN HAS 
ASKED FOR [INAUDIBLE] INTEREST 
RATES.
GOVERNOR POLOZ SAYS THEY HAVE 
NOT ASKED TO HELP WITH THE 
PROVINCIAL DEBT MARKET.
HE SAYS NO ONE HAS ASKED US TO 
DO ANYTHING ON THE PROVINCIAL 
FRONT T. PREMIER HAS ALSO ASKED 
TO PUT PUBLIC SERVANTS ON E.I. 
TODAY'S JOB ANNOUNCEMENT 
DIFFERENTSER AFFECT THE 
PROVINCIAL DEBT MARKET.
MY QUESTION IS, WHEN WILL THE 
PROVINCES LEARN WHAT YOU'RE 
DOING FOR THEIR DEBT AND WHAT 
IS ALREADY OFF THE TABLE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
HAD AN EXCELLENT CONVERSATION 
LAST NIGHT WITH THE PREMIERS OF 
ALL THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES.
THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT UP.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT DIFFERENT 
PROVINCES CARRY DIFFERENT DEBT 
LOADS AND CHALLENGES ON ACCESS 
TO CREDIT.
THE BANK OF CANADA HAS TAKEN 
STEPS TO IMPACT THE PROVINCIAL 
COFFERS AND AT THE SAME TIME, 
WE'LL ENSURE THAT PROVINCES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE ABLE TO 
GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO 
GIVE TO THEIR CITIZENS.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION.
OPERATOR: THANK YOU, MERCI.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
PRIME MINISTER.
[INAUDIBLE] LOWERED THE 
THRESHOLD FOR OWNERS TO APPLY 
FOR INTEREST-FREE LOANS.
BUT STILL A NUMBER OF PEOPLE 
I'VE SPOKEN WITH THIS WEEK ARE 
NOT IMPACTED BY ANY OF THESE 
CHANGES.
WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE IN THESE 
POSITIONS, PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT 
OUT AND WHO HAVE A HARD TIME 
MAKING ENDS MEET DO?
SHOULD THEY APPLY FOR THE 
C.R.B. OR WAIT FOR YOUR 
GOVERNMENT TO COME UP WITH 
ANOTHER FIX?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WE 
KNEW WE HAD TO HELP AS MANY 
PEOPLE AS WE POSSIBLY COULD WHO 
NEEDED THE HELP AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
THAT IS WHY WE MOVED FORWARD 
WITH TWO BIG, VERY STRONG 
PROGRAMMES WITH BOTH THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT THAT 
HAS SENT OUT OVER 7.5 MILLION 
PAYMENTS ALREADY AND THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY THAT WILL KICK IN IN A 
FEW WEEKS ALLOWING EMPLOYERS TO 
REHIRE THEIR EMPLOYEES SO THAT 
WHEN THE ECONOMY BOUNCES BACK, 
PEOPLE WILL HAVE LINKS TO THEIR 
JOBS WHILE THEY ARE SUPPORTED 
IN THIS TIME OF DEFLTTY.
BUT FROM THE BEGINNING, WE 
RECOGNIZE THAT MOVING QUICKLY 
AND BROADLY WOULD LEAVE GAPS 
AND THAT IS WHY OVER THE PAST 
WEEKS, WE HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCING, 
ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY, NEW 
MEASURES THAT TWEAK THE 
PROPOSALS WE MADE, THAT EXPAND 
OTHER PROPOSALS, THAT CREATE 
NEW INITIATIVES TO TRY AND MAKE 
SURE WE'RE GETTING HELP TO 
EVERYONE WHO NEEDS THEM.
THE ANNOUNCEMENTS WE MADE FOR 
ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR, 
SPORTING ORGANISATIONS AND 
SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE STARTUPS 
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN RURAL 
AREAS, FOR THE RANGE OF WORKERS 
IN THE ENERGY SECTOR WHO ARE 
FACING LAYERS OF CALAMITY RIGHT 
NOW ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS 
WE'RE MAKING SURE IS GETTING 
THE HELP THEY NEED.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO LISTEN TO 
CANADIANS WHO ARE EXPRESSING 
THAT THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE 
HELP THEY NEED AND WE'RE 
CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO 
HELP THEM.
>> FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?
>> Reporter: YEAH, THANK YOU.
ARE YOU BASICALLY SAYING WAIT 
UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT COMES UP 
WITH ANOTHER FIX?
AS YOU KNOW ON SATURDAY, M.P.s 
VOTED TO SUPPORT A MOTION THAT 
BASICALLY SAID IF YOU NEED 
HELP, THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING 
TO ENSURE THAT IF YOU APPLIED 
FOR THE CERB AND YOU WEREN'T 
SUPPOSED TO BE ELIGIBLE YOU 
WOULD BE UNJUSTLY PENALIZED.
IS THE GOVERNMENT SAYING THE 
WORST THING THAT HAPPENS FOR 
YOU IF YOU APPLY FOR CERB AND 
DON'T QUALIFY THAT YOU WILL 
HAVE TO PAY THE MONEY BACK IN 
FULL NEXT YEAR.
IS THAT THE WORST THING THAT 
WILL HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHO APPLY 
FOR CERB BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY 
NEED IT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
EXPECT PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THE 
PROGRAMMES FOR WHICH THEY 
QUALIFY.
AND, THEREFORE, WE ARE WORKING 
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EXPANDING 
THE QUALIFICATIONS SO THAT 
PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP WILL 
GET THEM.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANNOUNCE 
MEASURES THAT WILL INCLUDE MORE 
AND MORE PEOPLE, HELP MORE AND 
MORE PEOPLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD 
BECAUSE, FOR ALL THE MILLIONS 
OF PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES AND 
EMPLOYERS THAT WE'RE HELPING 
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, WE KNOW 
THERE IS MORE TO DO AND THAT IS 
WHAT WE'RE CONTINUALLY 
ANNOUNCING ALMOST EVERY DAY.
NEW MEASURES TO FIX PEOPLE AND 
FIX SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE IN 
PARTICULAR SITUATIONS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE RECOGNIZE 
THE PROGRAMMES THAT WE CREATED 
TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS 
POSSIBLE ARE NOT ENOUGH.
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE 
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS, WE 
HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCING CHANGES OR 
EXTENSIONS OF THE PROGRAMMES TO 
ALLOW PEOPLE TO RECEIVE MORE 
HELP BASED ON THE PROGRAMMES WE 
PUT IN PLACE.
OPERATOR: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO YOUR 
AID PLAN THAT YOU HAVE JUST 
UNVEILED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING 
YOU TO DO MORE.
SOME PEOPLE WERE SUGGESTING 
THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE AN 
EQUITY CONTRIBUTION FROM THE 
GOVERNMENT.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO THAT 
AND, IF NOT, WHY NOT?
WHY DID YOU NOT CHOOSE THAT 
AVENUE?
OUR EMPHASIS FROM THE OUTSET 
WAS TO HELP CANADIANS IN 
DIFFICULTTY, TO HELP FAMILIES 
THAT ARE SUFFERING, TO HELP 
PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP.
AND THAT IS WHY THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY AND THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT ARE 
THERE TO ASSIST MILLIONS OF 
CANADIANS IN INDUSTRIES RIGHT 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WE CLEARLY SAW THAT THE OIL 
INDUSTRY HAS SPECIAL ISSUES 
BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON 
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS WITH THE 
OIL PRICE DECLINE AND ALSO 
BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
SO ALL OF THESE ISSUES MEAN 
THAT WE HAVE TO DO A BIT MORE 
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE 
DOING NOW.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT 
OTHER POSSIBILITIES IF THERE IS 
A NEED.
BUT WE PRY MARELY WANT TO 
ENSURE THAT WE'RE HELPING 
CANADIAN FAMILIES AND CANADIAN 
WORKERS WHO NEED HELP DURING 
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
TOOK, AS AN APPROACH FROM THE 
VERY BEGINNING, THAT WE NEED TO 
HELP CANADIANS.
WOE NEED TO HELP WORKERS AND 
FAMILIES WHO ARE HIT BY THIS 
COVID-19 SLOWDOWN AND SHUTDOWN.
THAT IS WHY WE MOVED FORWARD 
WITH THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT THAT HAS 
HELPED MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS 
OF CANADIANS AND THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY WHICH HAS ALLOWED 
COMPANIES TO REHIRE WORKERS AND 
WILL ENSURE THAT FAMILIES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY GET MUCH 
MORE SUPPORT AND THAT IS ACROSS 
ALL INDUSTRIES, ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT CERTAIN 
INDUSTRIS ARE FACING MORE 
DIFFICULT TIMES.
THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR, BECAUSE 
OF THE GLOBAL PRICE WAR, 
BECAUSE OF THE LOWER DEMAND 
RELATED TO COVID AND BECAUSE OF 
THE MEASURES BROUGHT IN TO 
COUNTER COVID ITSELF, THOSE 
FAMILIES ARE PARTICULARLY HARD 
HIT AND THAT IS WHERE THIS 
INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL CREATE 
OR PRESERVE 5200 JOBS IN 
ALBERTA AND THE OTHER 
INITIATIVES THAT LEAD TO 
PERHAPS 10,000 JOBS ACROSS THE 
ENERGY SECTOR ARE THE KINDS OF 
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW 
OF COURSE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO 
WORK WITH PARTNERS AND 
CONCERNED SECTORS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO 
SEE IF THERE IS A NEED TO DO 
MORE.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: SOME PEOPLE 
WERE CONCERNED THAT YOUR 
ASSISTANCE WOULD BE INFLUENCED 
BY SOME MEMBERS OF YOUR CABINET.
THE VIEWS OF SOME MEMBERS OF 
THE CABINET.
TODAY YOU ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT 
TO CLEAN UP ORPHANED WELLS AND 
TO REDUCE EMISSIONS.
SO, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE 
PEOPLE WHO WILL BE DISAPPOINTED 
BY THE EXTENT OF THE ASSISTANCE 
THAT'S AVAILABLE AND ALSO OTHER 
PEOPLE WHO SAID THAT YOU MAY 
HAVE BEEN TAINTED BY THE VIEWS 
OF OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR 
CABINET.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: I CAN TELL YOU 
THAT PERSONAL CONVICTIONS OF 
CABINET MEMBERS HAVE ALWAYS 
BEEN THAT WE NEED TO HELP 
CANADIANS WHO NEED HELP AND TO 
FIGHT THE COVID-19 CRISIS.
IT IS TO ENSTHAUR WE GET 
THROUGH THIS AND CONTINUE TO BE 
AN EXTRAORDINARY COUNTRY IN THE 
YEARS TO COME.
THAT IS OUR PRIORITY AND THAT 
IS WHY THE HELP THAT WE'VE BEEN 
GIVING WORKERS WITH TWO MAIN 
MEASURES, THE EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT AND WAGE 
SUBSIDY ARE AVAILABLE TO 
EVERYONE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE DOING 
OTHER THINGS THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA HAS BEEN 
ASKING US TO DO FOR SOME TIME, 
WHICH IS TO CLEAN UP ORPHANED 
WELLS SO THAT THE COMPANIES 
THAT NOW ARE REDUCING OR 
REQUIRED TO REDUCE THEIR 
EMISSIONS ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO 
METHANE.
THAT IS THE CHOICE WE'VE BEEN 
MAKING TO HELP CANADIANS ANSWER 
WE HOPE THAT ALL CANADIANS WILL 
HAVE A BETTER EMPLOYMENT AS A 
RESULT.
OPERATOR: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
WITH RESPECT TO THE DEPLOYMENT 
OF CANADIAN ARMED FORCES 
MEMBERS, CAN YOU TELL US WHERE 
THOSE MILITARY MEMBERS ARE 
COMING FROM AND WHY SUCH A 
LIMITED NUMBER OF 
REINFORCEMENTS FOR QUEBEC?
BECAUSE, AS WE KNOW, THE -- 
THESE FACILITIS ARE IN A DIRE 
SITUATION.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH 
QUEBEC AND WE WERE SPEAKING TO 
QUEBEC YESTERDAY TO SEE EXACTLY 
HOW WE COULD SUPPORT THEM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 125 
MILITARY MEMBERS WHO WILL BE 
PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT 
TO THESE INSTITUTIONS IN QUEBEC 
AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN DO MORE 
WITH THE RED CROSS AND THE BANK 
OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAVE.
QUEBEC ALSO HAS A GROUP OF 
VOLUNTEERS IT CAN ACCESS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK WAYS 
TO PROVIDE THAT HELP AS BEST WE 
CAN AND WILL ALWAYS WANT TO DO 
MORE.
BUT THE SITUATION WITH THE 
C.A.F. MEMBERS IS THAT WE ARE 
ALWAYS LIMITED IN OUR MEDICAL 
RESOURCES WITHIN ANY 
ORGANIZATION.
INCLUDING IN THE ARMED FORCES.
DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP?
YES.
JUST TO GET A CLARIFY CASING.
I REALISE THAT MEDICAL 
EMPLOYEES ARE LIMITED IN NUMBER.
BUT THERE IS INFORMATION 
CIRCULATING, MR. TRUDEAU, THAT 
AN AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED 
WITH THE U.S. ON THE CLOSURE OF 
THE BORDER.
COULD YOU COMMENT ON THAT?
WELL, AS I SAID BEFORE, WE ARE 
IN CONSTANT CONVERSATION WITH 
THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS OUR 
ALLY AND OUR FRIEND TO ENSURE 
THAT WE CAN BOTH PROTECT OUR 
CITIZENS AND MY PRIORITY WILL 
ALWAYSS BE TO PROTECT CANADIANS 
AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
THE AMERICANS TO ENSURE THAT 
THE BORDERS REMAIN SECURE.
AS I'VE OFTEN SAID, I DO NOT 
EXPECT THOSE BORDERS TO BE 
RE-OPENED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
TIME.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO 
SCIENCE AND TO CLOSELY MONITOR 
THE EVOLUTION OF THIS VIRUS IN 
CANADA AND AROUND THE WORLD 
BEFORE WE MAKE ANY DECISION ON 
THAT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR 
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AMERICANS 
CONTINUE AND THEY ARE VERY 
POSITIVE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: AS I 
SAID MANY TIMES, CONVERSATIONS 
ARE CONSTANT AND ONGOING WITH 
THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION ON 
ISSUES OF MUTUAL CONCERN, 
INCLUDING THE BORDER.
AS I'VE SAID, WE DO NOT FILE 
THAT RE-OPENING THE BORDER 
ANYTIME SOON IS LIKELY.
MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE 
THE PROTECTION AND SAFETY OF 
CANADIANS.
THAT IS WHAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO 
DO AND THE CONVERSATIONS WITH 
THE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN 
EXTREMELY ALIGNED AND EXTREMELY 
PRODUCTIVE.
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
FOR WEEKS NOW, YOU HAVE BEEN 
PROMISING RELIEF AND AID FOR 
THE ENERGY SECTOR.
WHAT YOU ANNOUNCED TODAY WILL 
HELP A COMPARATIVELY SMALL 
NUMBER OF WORKERS, ISN'T GOING 
TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE SECTOR 
OVERALL TO HELP DEAL WITH 
DEVASTATING IMPACT OF THIS 
VIRUS AND THE DOWNTURN IN THE 
WORLD OIL MARKETS.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS IT?
IS THIS THE PACKAGE YOU WERE 
PROMISING?
IF SO, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO 
PEOPLE IN WESTERN CANADA, 
PARTICULARLY WHO WERE EXPECTING 
MORE SUBSTANTIAL RELIEF?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THE 
FIRST THINGS WE DEAD WAS MOVE 
FORWARD WITH THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
IT IS PUTTING MONEY IN THE 
POCKETS OF MORE THAN SEVEN 
MILLION CANADIANS, INCLUDING 
MANY PEOPLE IN THE OIL AND GAS 
SECTOR WHO HAVE LOST THEIR 
PAYCHEQUES BECAUSE OF THIS 
COVID-19 CRISIS.
ON TOP OF THAT, THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY ALLOWS CANADIANS -- 
CANADIAN WORKERS TO CONTINUE TO 
RECEIVE THEIR SALARIES AND 
CONTINUE TO STAY CONNECTED TO 
THEIR WORK IN THE OIL AND GAS 
SECTOR, WHICH ARE SIGNIFICANT 
HELPS FOR A MAJOR INDUSTRY 
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE'VE BEEN 
WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF 
ALBERTA AND WITH INDUSTRY TO 
LOOK AT OTHER THINGS THAT COULD 
BE NECESSARY.
WE HEARD VERY CLEARLY THAT THE 
METHANE REGULATIONS THAT WE ARE 
BRINGING IN WOULD BE A 
CHALLENGE FOR INDUSTRY TO MEET 
AND INDUSTRY AND OTHERS CAN SK* 
THAT WE, THEREFORE, BACK OFF ON 
THE METHANE REGULATIONS.
WE DECIDED, INSTEAD, TO LEND 
THEM MONEY TO HELP THEM  KEEP 
THEM WORKING AND SO WE CAN 
CONTINUE TO FEETING CLIMATE 
CHANGE AND REDUCE  EMISSIONS 
WHILE KEEPING PEOPLE AT WORK.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD VERY CLEARLY, 
AND NOT JUST FROM INDUSTRY, BUT 
FROM MUNICIPALITIES, 
PARTICULARLY RURAL 
MUNICIPALITIES, LANDOWNERS 
ACROSS ALBERTA, THAT THE ISSUE 
OF PERSISTENT ORPHAN OR 
INACTIVE WELLS IS A REAL 
CHALLENGE.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR 
US TO MAKE SURE THAT ALBERTANS 
ARE GETTING TO WORK IN CLEANING 
UP THEIR PROVINCE AT THE SAME 
TIME AS WE'VE GOTTEN 
COMMITMENTS BY THE GOVERNMENT 
OF ALBERTA TO STRENGTHEN THE 
REGULATIONS SO WE SEE FEWER 
ORPHAN AND INACTIVE WELLS IN 
THE FUTURE.
WE'VE ALSO MADE CREDIT 
AVAILABLE FOR MEDIUM-SIZED OIL 
AND GAS COMPANIES WHO ARE 
FACING PARTICULAR CHALLENGES IN 
TERMS OF LIQUIDITY RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS 
WE CAN SUPPORT IMPORTANT 
INDUSTRIS IN THIS COUNTRY, 
INCLUDING THE OIL AND GAS 
SECTOR.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT 
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, KEEPING 
OUR FOCUS SQUARELY ON FAMILIES 
AND WORKERS WHO NEED OUR HELP.
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
JULIE VAN DUSEN, CBC NEWS.
YOU SPOKE TO THE PREMIERS LAST 
NIGHT SO I'M HOPING YOU CAN 
UPDATE US ON THIS.
BLAINE HIGGS SAID HE IS HOPING 
TO GET HIS ECONOMY GOING BY THE 
SUMMER.
JOHN HORGAN ON CBC SAID HE AND 
HIS WASHINGTON STATE 
COUNTERPART COULD DECIDE WHEN 
THE BORDER OPENS.
I'M WONDERING, WHO DECIDES ALL 
THIS?
IS IT YOU?
IS IT THEM?
IF IT IS YOU, WILL THERE BE 
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS TO 
GUIDE THEM?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
TALKED LAST NIGHT ABOUT HOW 
IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE 
COORDINATED AND AGREED ON THE 
PRINCIPLES AND THE APPROACHES 
THAT WE TAKE.
AT THE SAME TIME, RECOGNIZING 
THAT THE SITUATION IN P.E.I. IS 
VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE 
SITUATION IN ONTARIO, VERY 
DIFFERENT FROM THE SITUATION IN 
B.C. 
THERE WILL BE REGIONAL 
APPROACHES, AS THERE HAVE BEEN 
ALL ALONG TO THE NEXT STEPS.
BUT WE ALL AGREED THAT WE NEED 
TO CONTINUE TO REMAIN VERY, 
VERY VIGILANT AS WE CAREFULLY 
LOOK AT RE-OPENING THE ECONOMY, 
ABOUT RELAUNCHING CERTAIN 
SECTORS IN THE FUTURE.
WE WILL CONTINUE THAT IN THE 
PRINCIPLES AND THE STEPS THAT 
NEED TO BE TAKEN.
OF COURSE, THIS IS CANADA, 
WHICH MEANS THAT THERE ARE VERY 
DIFFERENT NEEDS AND VERY 
DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT WILL 
BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON TO 
CO-ORDINATE AND COLLABORATE ON 
IS THAT THE MESSAGES THAT GET 
OUT AND THE LENS THAT WE TAKE 
AND THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT 
AND THE WAY WE DO THIS IS 
ALIGNED AND COORDINATED SO THAT 
WE CAN MAXIMIZE OUR CHANCES OF 
GETTING THROUGH THIS WITHOUT 
HAVING TO FALL BACK INTO 
SELF-ISOLATION THE WAY WE HAVE 
BEEN THESE PAST FEW WEEKS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: ONE OF THE 
PRINCIPLES WE AGREED ON WITH 
THE PREMIERS IS THE IMPORTANCE 
OF COORDINATING AND WORKING 
TOGETHER TO ENSHHH YOU ARE THAT 
ANY STEPS THAT WE TAKE WITH 
RESPECT TO RE-OPENING THE 
ECONOMY OR RELAXING THE CURRENT 
RULES WITH RESPECT TO 
SELF-ISOLATION AND PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING ARE DONE IN PROPER 
COORDINATION.
NOW OBVIOUSLY CERTAIN PROVINCES 
AND REGIONS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN 
REALITY AND WE RESPECT THAT, OF 
COURSE.
BUT IF WE CAN ENSURE THAT THERE 
IS PROPER COORDINATION SO THAT 
CANADIANS UNDERSTAND THAT THE 
SAME PRINCIPLES ARE APPLIED 
ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT DATA HAS 
BEEN COLLECTED IN THE SAME WAY 
AND THAT WE'RE ANALYZING THE 
REALITY VIGILANTLY AND 
CONSISTENTLY AND IN A SIMILAR 
MANNER, THEN THAT WILL MAXIMIZE 
OUR CHANCE OF GETTING THROUGH 
THIS CRISIS WITHOUT FINDING 
OURSELVES IN MORE 
SELF-ISOLATION AND ECONOMIC 
SLOWDOWNS.
>> Reporter:MENT , CANADA'S 
LARGEST AND OIL GAS LOBBY GROUP 
SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
SHOULD CONSIDER SUSPENDING 
DOZENS OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
REGULATIONS, LAWS AND POLICIES 
DUE TO THE ECONOMIC AND HEALTH 
CRISIS TRIGGERED BECOVID-19.
CRITICS CALL IT A CRASS ATTEMPT 
TO EXPLOIT THE PANDEMIC.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE 
LETTER AND ARE SOME OF THE 30 
REQUESTS -- REQUESTS STILL 
BEING CONSIDERED BY THE 
GOVERNMENT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: JUST 
BECAUSE WE ARE IN ONE CRISIS 
RIGHT NOW DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN 
FORGET ABOUT THE OTHER CREE 
SISTER, THE CLIMATE CRISIS, 
THAT WE'RE ALSO FACING AS A 
WORLD, AS A COUNTRY.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT, FOR 
EXAMPLE, MOVING AHEAD WITH THE 
METHANE REGULATIONS SOMETHING 
VERY DIFFICULT FOR COMPANIES 
RIGHT NOW IN THE OIL AND GAS 
SECTOR WHO ARE STRAINED BECAUSE 
OF THE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES 
THEY'RE FACING BOTH ON THE 
GLOBAL STAGE AND ON THE LOWER 
DEMAND.
THAT IS WHAOE WE ARE MAKING 
ENVESTMENTS IN SUPPORTING THOSE 
COMPANIES DIRECTLY SO THEY CAN 
MEET THOSE METHANE REDUCTION 
TARGETS, YOU KNOW, WITH FUNDS 
THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM SO THAT 
WE CAN STAY ON TRACK TO PROTECT 
FUTURE GENERATIONS AND TO 
REDUCE EMISSIONS FROM OUR 
INDUSTRY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT 
CANADIANS UNDERSTAND, THAT WE 
NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE 
FORWARD.
BUT WE NEED TO HELP PEOPLE IN 
DIFFERENT WAYS AS WE MOVE 
FORWARD.
THAT WILL BE THE LENS THAT WE 
TAKE.
>> Reporter: AND ON A SEPARATE 
MATTER, CHINA HAS REVISED ITS 
NUMBERS ON THE WUHAN DEATHS, 
INCREASING THEM BY 50%.
IS THIS A STATISTICAL 
VERIFICATION OR PROOF THAT THEY 
COVERED IT SUSPENDED SENATOR >> 
Prime Minister Trudeau: WE ALL 
NEED TO BE VERY ATTENTIVE TO 
HOW DATA FLOWS AROUND THE WORLD 
AND BE VERY -- VERY THOUGHTFUL 
ABOUT HOW WE PROCESS DIFFERENT 
INFORMATION AND HOW WE APPLY 
THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM 
ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD TO 
WHAT WE DO.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
PARTNERS AND ALLIES AND 
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND 
ORGANISATIONS.
AS WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET 
THROUGH TODAY AND TOMORROW.
BUT THERE WILL BE MANY 
QUESTIONS TO ASK ONCE WE'RE 
THROUGH THIS ON HOW VARIOUS 
COUNTRIES BEHAVED AND WHAT SORT 
OF PRINCIPLES WE NEED TO LEARN 
FROM AND CONCLUSIONS WE NEED 
DRAW.
[PLEASE STAND BY] 
-- HOLDS RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT
CONTAINING IT WITHIN ITS B
.
>> (Voice of Translator): WE
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO
ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING THAT IS NECESSARY TO
GET THROUGH THIS.
AND AFTER THAT, THERE'S NO DOUBT
THAT THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS
RAISED AND FURTHER REFLECTION.
THERE MAY EVEN BE CONSEQUENCES
FOR SOME COUNTRIES, DEPENDING ON
HOW THEY BEHAVED DURING THIS
GLOBAL CRISIS.
BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, I HAVE
TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON WHAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR CANADIANS.
>> SO ARE YOU SUGGESTING, I
GUESS, THAT CHINA MAY WITHHOLD
P.P.E., IS THAT WHY YOU'RE NOT
MENTIONING CHINA AS YOU CONTINUE
TO DO!
AND ON JULIE'S QUESTION ABOUT
THE WAY OUT OF THIS, WHAT LEVEL
OF TESTING DO WE NEED TO SEE
ACROSS CANADA IN ORDER TO START
REOPENING THE ECONOMY?
>> Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau: WE'VE LOOKED AT THE
NEED FOR MANY MORE TESTS.
WE SEE THAT TESTING HAS BEEN A
KEY PART OF CONTROLLING THE
SPREAD, NOT JUST KNOWING WHO
HAS -- WHO HAS DEVELOPED COVID
AND CAN PASS IT ON, BUT ACTUALLY
BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE SPREAD
THROUGH CONTACT TRACING AND
THROUGH ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE
MEASURES, TESTING IS A KEY PART
OF IT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO RAMP UP
OUR TESTING CAPACITIES AND WE
NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
COORDINATING ON TESTING
METHODOLOGY AND APPROACHES
ACROSS THE PROVINCES, SO THAT WE
CAN HAVE A BETTER VISION OF WHAT
IS EXACTLY HAPPENING.
BUT TESTING CERTAINLY NEEDS TO
INCREASE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
FORTUNATELY, IT IS INCREASING AS
WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> [Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator):
RADIO-CANADA.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): ABOUT THE 125
MEDICAL PERSONNEL FROM THE
C.I.F., HOW MANY PHYSICIANS AND
HOW MANY NURSES ARE IN THAT
NUMBER?
ARE WE TAKING PEOPLE AWAY FROM
CIVILIAN HOSPITALS TO DO THAT?
AND WHEN WILL THEY EXACTLY BE
AVAILABLE TO GO INTO THE
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES?
>> Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau: (Voice of
Translator): WE'LL SHARE THAT
INFORMATION IN THE COMING HOURS
BUT AS EARLY AS THIS AFTERNOON
THERE'S MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES THAT WILL BE ON THE
GROUND TO ASSESS THE KIND OF
APPROACH THAT IS NEEDED AND WHAT
THEIR POSTURE WILL BE.
AND IN THE COMING DAYS, MANY OF
THOSE 125 PERSONNEL WILL BE
ARRIVING ON THE GROUND IN
QUÉBEC.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): AND WITH RESPECT
TO THE $500 MILLION FOR ARTISTS,
WHO WILL BE GETTING IT, WHY
ISN'T IT THE ASSOCIATION
RECEIVING IT?
>> Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau: (Voice of
Translator): WELL, I WANT TO
SAY THAT THE MINISTERS WILL BE
AT A PRESS CONFERENCE VERY SOON
TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AS TO
HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE HELPING
OUR ARTISTS.
WE KNOW THIS IS A SITUATION
WHERE MANY ARTISTS ARE IN A REAL
DIFFICULTY AND WE NEED OUR
ARTISTS.
WE NEED THEM TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
US DREAM, PARTICULARLY IN DARK
TIMES.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO BE
THERE TO HELP THEM.
>> (Voice of Translator):
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS THE PRIME
MINISTER OF CANADA SPEAKING TO
CANADIANS ON A DAILY UPDATE IN
THE GOVERNMENT'S FIGHT AGAINST
COVID-19.
ANOTHER HUGE
AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HELP
DIFFERENT CANADIANS IN DIFFERENT
SECTORS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I'LL BRING IN VASSY KAPELOS
AND SALIMAH SHIVJI TO MUDDLE
THROUGH WHAT WE HEARD THERE,
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF IT, AND
WE'RE WAITING FOR A FEDERAL
BRIEFING AS WELL.
LET ME JUST SAY THIS PART THAT
QUÉBEC DID ASK FOR ADDITIONAL
HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND THAT HAS NOW BEEN NEGOTIATED
AND CONFIRMS THAT 125 CANADIAN
FORCES MEMBERS ARE ON THEIR WAY
TO HELP AT LONG-TERM CARE
CENTRES, PRESUMABLY, TO DO SOME
OF THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT
DOCTORS AND THE NURSES AND AIDE
WORKERS CAN'T DO.
AND THEY COULD BE THERE AS EARLY
AS THIS AFTERNOON.
SO THAT IS SIGNIFICANT.
BUT THERE'S JUST AN ASTOUNDING
AMOUNT OF MONEY FLOWING FROM
FEDERAL COFFERS RIGHT NOW AND
I'LL SAY THIS, THAT WE GOT
UPDATED NUMBERS ON THE CERB,
$7 BILLION SO FAR $25 BILLION
FEDERAL LOAN PROGRAMME, THE
$71 BILLION WAGE SUBSIDY.
AND NOW TODAY ON TOP OF THIS,
VASSY, WHAT PARTS STOOD OUT TO
YOU THERE AS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT.
OIL AND GAS IS PROBABLY WHAT YOU
WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
>> Reporter: I WILL, IF YOU
DON'T MIND, ROSIE, ZERO IN ON
OIL AND GAS.
BECAUSE AS WE HAD DISCUSSED
PRIOR TO THIS, THERE'S A
HEIGHTENED NEED FOR HELP IN THIS
SECTOR, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKERS
WHO HAVE BEEN LAID OFF WITH THE
DOUBLE WHAMMY OF COVID-19 AND
ITS CONSEQUENCES AND THEN ALSO A
PRICE WAR THAT EMERGED BETWEEN
SAUDI ARABIA AND RUSSIA.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PRIME
MINISTER TODAY SOMEWHAT
ANTICIPATED AND GEARED TOWARDS
CLEANING UP WHAT ARE KNOWN AS
ORPHAN WELLS IN BOTH ALBERTA AND
SASKATCHEWAN.
I THINK THAT B.C. AS WELL.
$1.7 BILLION DIRECTED TOWARDS
THAT, THAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS
THAT WILL HELP TO MAINTAIN 5,
200 JOBS.
AND THEY HAVE AN EMISSION
REDUCTION FUND AND COMBINING
THAT AND THAT WILL GO
SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, BUT
COMBINING THAT WITH THE WELLS
ANNOUNCEMENT, THAT SAVES OR
MAINTAINS IS THE WORD THAT THEY
USED ABOUT 10,000 JOBS.
ON THE ORPHAN WELLS JUST TO
EXPLAIN -- BASICALLY THIS IS A
BIG PROBLEM IN ALBERTA.
AND IT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN FOR
DECADES.
USUALLY AN OIL COMPANY WILL
COME, DRILL ON SOMEONE'S LAND.
IN ALBERTA YOU HAVE RIGHTS TO
YOUR LAND BUT NOT TO THE
MINERALS AND THE RESOURCES
UNDERNEATH THEM.
IF THAT COMPANY GOES BROKE, WHAT
ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THAT MANY
OF THE WELLS THEN SIT THERE
UNCLAIMED.
THEY'RE NOT REMEDIATED AND
CLEANED UP AND THOUSANDS OF SUCH
WELLS EXIST IN ALBERTA RIGHT
NOW.
THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HAS
PUT SOME MONEY TOWARDS IT.
THE INDUSTRY HAS PUT A LITTLE
BIT OF MONEY TOWARDS IT.
BUT THIS BY FAR IS THE BIGGEST
CHUNK OF CHANGE THAT HAS BEEN
DIRECTED TOWARDS THAT.
I WOULD HIGHLIGHT ONE FINAL
THING AND THAT IS ON THE SECOND
PART OF WHAT WAS BEING ASKED FOR
BY THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA
SPECIFICALLY -- MORE LIQUIDITY
FOR OIL PRODUCERS.
THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH
THE BBC, THE DEVELOPMENT BANKS
AND THE E.D.C., TO OFFER MORE
CREDIT TO SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
OIL COMPANIES.
BUT HE DID NOT OFFER ANY
SPECIFICS ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY
THEY WOULD BE USING AND IF IT
WOULD BE, IN FACT, TO BACKSTOP
THOSE LOANS.
I THINK THAT THE HINT THEY COULD
TAKE FROM THAT IS NOT FOR BIG
OIL COMPANIES.
SO THAT ADDRESSES SOME OF THE
CRITICISM THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS
BOUND TO RECEIVE THAT THEY ARE
IN A WAY SUBSIDIZING INDUSTRY.
OBVIOUSLY, WITH ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS THAT IS SORT OF A
VULNERABILITY FOR THEM.
I THINK THAT IS AIMED AT
ADDRESSING THAT POSSIBLE
CRITICISM.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT
BACKSTOP MEANS, WHAT THAT
LIQUIDITY LOOKS LIKE AND THERE
WERE NO DETAILS OFFERED TODAY.
>> Rosemary: I WOULD SAY THAT
BOTH OF THOSE MEASURES SOUND
INTERESTING AND WE'LL HAVE TO GO
TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE -- BOTH
OF THE MEASURES, WHILE THEY WERE
HELPING THE GAS AND OIL
INDUSTRY, THEY ALSO HAVE
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS TO TRY
TO MOVE THE GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA
FORWARD ON THOSE COMPONENTS.
SALIMAH, I'LL HAVE YOU TALK TO
THAT IF THIS PRESS CONFERENCE
WRAPS UP BECAUSE IT MIGHT NEVER.
THANK YOU BOTH.
AND LET'S GO NOW TO THE PRESS
CONFERENCE WITH THE MINISTERS.
THIS IS THE DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia
FREELAND: (Voice of
Translator): NAVDEEP BAINS WHO
IS JOINING US REMOTELY AS WELL.
ALSO WITH US IS THE DEPUTY CHIEF
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER,
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator):
DR. HOWARD NJOO IS WITH US AND
READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
[end of translation]
DR. TAM, PLEASE.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
I'LL BEGIN WITH OUR USUAL UPDATE
ON THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES
IN CANADA.
THERE ARE NOW 31,407 CASES,
INCLUDING 1,250 DEATHS.
FOR THE LAB TESTING WE'VE
COMPLETED TESTS FOR OVER 503,000
PEOPLE WITH 6% CONFIRMED
POSITIVE.
WITH THE RECENT SLOWDOWN IN THE
EPIDEMIC GROWTH, CASE COUNTS ARE
NOT CLIMBING AS RAPIDLY
, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE DISEASE,
DEATHS HAVE CLIMBED AS COVID-19
TAKES A DEVASTATING TOLL.
IT CREATES A BIT OF A PARADOX.
WHERE EARLY IN AN EPIDEMIC WE
SEE A RAPID GROWTH OF INFECTIONS
AND NOT SO WITH DEATH.
AS THE INFECTIONS SLOW, THE
DEATHS GO TO A FASTER PACE.
THAT'S WHY THE DEATHS CAN BE
UNDERESTIMATED.
BUT THERE'S OTHER REASONS SUCH
AS WHEN COVID-19 EPIDEMIC IS
INTRODUCED INTO SETTINGS WHERE
THERE'S MANY OLDER AND
VULNERABLE PEOPLE.
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO PROTECT THESE
VULNERABLE SETTINGS AND PEOPLE.
THIS IS A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM,
BUT IT IS NOW INCUMBENT UPON US
TO SOLVE IT BY ADDRESSING ALL
WEAK POINTS IN OUR SYSTEM.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): TO
MEASURE OUR PROGRESS WE MUST
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EVOLUTION
OF COVID-19 IN CANADA.
THE NATURE AND THE INTENSITY OF
SPREAD DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE
IN THE COUNTRY.
ALTHOUGH OUR FOUR LARGEST
PROVINCES CONTINUE TO REPORT THE
BULK OF CASES IN CANADA, THE
HIGHEST CASE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN
COMING OUT OF QUÉBEC AND ONTARIO
RECENTLY.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT JUNCTURE IN
THE INTENSE PUBLIC HEALTH
EFFORTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO STAMP
OUT THE EXISTING OUTBREAKS,
PREVENT NEW OUTBREAKS, AND TRACE
AND MANAGE CHAINS OF
TRANSMISSION IN THE COMMUNITY.
TO GET THIS DONE WITHOUT
SLIPPING BACKWARDS, ALL
CANADIANS NEED TO CONTINUE TO
STAY HOME AND TO PRACTISE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
[end of translation]
THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN CANADA
TO BE AWARE OF AS WE MEASURE OUR
PROGRESS IS A DIFFERENT
CHARACTER AND INTENSITY OF
SPREAD, DEPENDING WHERE YOU ARE
IN THE COUNTRY.
ALTHOUGH OUR FOUR LARGEST
PROVINCES CONTINUE TO REPORT THE
BULK OF CASES IN CANADA, THE
HIGHEST CASE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN
COMING OUT OF QUÉBEC AND ONTARIO
RECENTLY.
AT THIS IMPORTANT JUNCTURE THE
INTENSE PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS
ARE NEEDED TO STAMP OUT THE
EXISTING OUTBREAKS, PREVENT NEW
OUTBREAKS, AND TRACE AND MANAGE
THE CHAINS OF TRANSMISSION IN
THE COMMUNITY.
TO GET THIS DONE WITHOUT
SLIPPING BACKWARDS, ALL
CANADIANS NEED TO CONTINUE TO
STAY AT HOME AND TO PRACTISE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
AND FOR NEWS OF WHEN AND HOW WE
MIGHT GET INTO AN EASING OF
THESE STRICT PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES, SOME AREAS WILL
EXPERIENCE THE EPIDEMIC SLOWDOWN
EARLIER THAN OTHERS, BUT NO
MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE
COUNTRY WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER
THAT CANADIANS ARE HIGHLY
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VIRUS UNLESS
WE ALL REMAIN DILIGENT IN MAIN
MAINTAINING OUR NEW HABITS OF
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND HYGIENE,
NEW OUTBREAKS CAN BE SPARKED
ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME.
SO REMEMBER THIS IS NOT A
SPRINT, IT IS A MARATHON AND IT
WILL ONLY BE UNPLEASANT
SURPRISES IF WE QUIT EARLY.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
DR. TAM.
AND NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR
MINISTER OF FINANCE BILL
MORNEAU.
BILL, PLEASE.
>> The Hon. Bill Morneau:
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CHRYSTIA.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE, EVEN
REMOTELY TODAY.
I THINK THAT AS YOU KNOW AND AS
CANADIANS KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN
VERY FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING
PEOPLE THROUGH THE COURSE OF ALL
OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE
TAKEN ON AN ECONOMIC FRONT.
AND TODAY IS PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT IN THAT REGARD.
YOU'VE SEEN US PUT FORWARD WAYS
TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AT THE CANADA
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT AND
THE CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE
SUBSIDY.
WE KNOW THAT SOME ORGINISATIONS
HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FULLY GET
ACCESS TO THOSE PROGRAMMES,
INCLUDING THE BUSINESS ACCOUNT
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO TODAY WE'RE ANNOUNCING A
SIGNIFICANT FUNDING TO HELP
THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE
RURAL COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR
THAT MIGHT NOT GET ACCESS TO THE
CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS
ACCOUNT OR MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE
FOR THE CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE
SUBSIDY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT AMONG THE
PLACES HARDEST HIT IN OUR
COUNTRY ARE THE CULTURAL SECTOR,
THE ARTS AND THE CULTURE AND THE
SPORTS SECTOR.
[Speaking French]
>> Rosemary: THAT IS OUR DAILY
BRIEFING HERE ON CBC.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WATCHING
GO TO CBC.CA OR CONTINUE
WATCHING US ON CBC NEWS NETWORK.
WE WILL BE BACK HERE MOST LIKELY
TOMORROW.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
(♪♪♪)
>> Rosemary: I'M ROSEMARY
BARTON AND YOU'RE WATCHING CBC
NEWS NETWORK OR CBC.CA STREAMING
AROUND THE WORLD.
LET'S GO BACK TO FINANCE
MINISTER BILL MORNEAU.
>> The Hon. Bill Morneau: THAT
WOULD GO THROUGH HERITAGE CANADA
THAT MY COLLEAGUE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY
START-UP COMPANIES, COMPANIES
THAT ARE JUST GETTING GOING,
THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THE CANADA EMERGENCY
WAGE SUBSIDY OR THE EMERGENCY
BUSINESS ACCOUNT SO WE'RE
PUTTING MONEY IN THAT REGARD AS
WELL TOWARDS THOSE FIRMS.
I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUE NAVDEEP
BAINS WILL BE TALKING ABOUT
THAT.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A
REAL IMPORTANCE TO SUPPORTING
JOBS IN PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY
THAT HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY HARD
HIT.
IN ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN AND
IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO TALK
ABOUT SOME INITIATIVES TODAY
THAT WILL SUPPORT PEOPLE IN
THOSE REGIONS, IN PARTICULAR IN
THE ENERGY SECTOR.
WE HAVE IMPORTANTLY A PROGRAMME
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE
SUPPORT FOR ALBERTA AND IN
SASKATCHEWAN AND IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA FOR THE REMEDIATION OF
ORPHANED WELLS, ORPHAN OIL
WELLS.
AND ABANDONED OIL WELLS.
SO WE'LL BE PUTTING THIS FUNDING
FORTH TO THE OIL WELLS
ASSOCIATION IN ALBERTA AND
TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN
ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN AND
BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUPPORTING
ABANDONED WELLS, SO THAT WE CAN
CREATE EMPLOYMENT AND ALSO DEAL
WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM.
WE'RE ALSO MOVING FORWARD ON
PROVIDING $750 MILLION IN LOANS
TO COMPANIES -- ALBERTA AND
SASKATCHEWAN AND NEWFOUNDLAND
AND LABRADOR -- TO REDUCE THEIR
METHANE EMISSIONS.
SO IT'S GOING TO CREATE JOBS.
AT THE SAME TIME IT ALLOWS US TO
REDUCE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
SITUATION.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE PUTTING MONEY
SOMEWHERE THAT IT WILL HAVE THE
BIGGEST IMPACT BOTH TODAY AND
OVER THE LONG TERM.
FINALLY, WHAT WE KNOW IS SO
IMPORTANT TO -- ESPECIALLY TO
FIRMS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR -- IS
THEY NEED ACCESS TO CREDIT.
SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT CREDIT ON A
COMMERCIAL BASIS FOR MID-SIZED
FIRMS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR TO
HELP THEM TO BRIDGE THROUGH A
REALLY DIFFICULT TIME AND TO BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS,
BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT THEIR
EMPLOYEES.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WHAT
WE'RE ANNOUNCING TODAY IS VERY
MUCH IMPORTANT FOR JOBS,
SUPPORTING PEOPLE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, THAT MIGHT NOT GET
ACCESS TO THE PROGRAMMES THAT WE
HAVE ANNOUNCED.
AND HELPING PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR
IN THE ENERGY SECTOR TO HAVE
SUPPORT SO THEY CAN HAVE JOBS OR
CREATE JOBS THAT WILL BE VERY
HELPFUL TO PLACES THAT ARE
PARTICULARLY HARD HIT.
AND SO WITH THAT, CHRYSTIA, I'LL
SAY THANK YOU, AND I LOOK
FORWARD IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS
LATER.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BILL.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR MINISTER
OF NATURAL RESOURCES, SEAMUS
O'REGAN, SEAMUS, PLEASE.
WE CAN'T HEAR SEAMUS.
SEAMUS, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
HAVE YOU TURNED ON --
>> IT'S ON.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
PERFECT, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
>> EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME.
THANK YOU.
SO EVERY DAY OVER THE PAST FEW
WEEKS I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO
WORKERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND
THE INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THE
ENERGY SECTOR AND LIVING HERE IN
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR I KNOW
FIRSTHAND HOW HARD CANADA'S
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HIT.
CANADA IS THE FOURTH LARGEST
PRODUCER OF OIL IN THE WORLD.
IT IS AN INDUSTRY THAT EMPLOYS
OVER 576,000 CANADIANS FROM
RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
INCLUDING 11,000 INDIGENOUS
WORKERS.
IT IS AN INDUSTRY MADE UP OF
MORE THAN 4,500 BUSINESSES, THE
VAST MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE SMALL
AND MEDIUM-SIZED.
IT'S AN INDUSTRY FACING NOT ONE
BUT TWO CRISES -- THE IMPANTS OF
COVID-19 AND THE SUBSEQUENT DROP
OF GLOBAL DEMAND OF 30% TO 35%
AND THE IMPACTS OF A PRICE WAR
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND SAUDI ARABIA
THAT FLOODED THE MARKET WITH
UNDERPRICED PRODUCT.
MANY OF THE MEASURES THAT WE
HAVE ALREADY ANNOUNCED ARE
HELPING ENERGY COMPANIES AND
THEIR WORKERS, INCLUDING THE
CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS
ACCOUNT, AND THE CANADA
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY.
INTERNATIONALLY WE'RE WORKING
WITH THE G20, THE INTERNATIONAL
ENERGY AGENCY, AND OUR U.S.
PARTNERS, TO BRING PRICE
STABILITY TO THE OIL MARKET.
TODAY AS BILL POINTED OUT WE'RE
DOING MORE.
OUR GOAL HERE IS TWOFOLD.
FIRST, IT ADDRESSES THE
SHORT-TERM LIQUIDITY NEEDS OF
THESE COMPANIES.
THIS IS BOTH INDUSTRY AND
LABOUR, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME IS
THEIR MOST IMMEDIATE PRIORITY.
FIRMS WILL BE ABLE TO STAY
AFLOAT FOR WORKERS TO HAVE JOBS
TO COME BACK TO.
SECONDLY, TO SUPPORT THE ENERGY
SECTOR'S TRANSITION TO NET-ZERO
WE'RE PROVIDING FUNDING IN TWO
AREAS -- CLEANING UP ORPHANED
AND INACTIVE WELLS AND REDUCING
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
ORPHAN AND INACTIVE WELL CLEANUP
OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT OUR
HIGHLY-SKILLED PEOPLE TO WORK
RIGHT AWAY.
IN ADDITION, NATURAL RESOURCES
CANADA WILL PROVIDE $750 MILLION
TO HELP COMPANIES INVEST IN
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL HELP THEM
TO REDUCE THEIR METHANE
EMISSIONS.
AND $75 MILLION OF THIS FUNDING
IS PARTICULARLY EARMARKED FOR
CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND RESEARCH
GEARED TOWARDS EMISSION
REDUCTIONS IN THE OFFSHORE
ENERGY SECTOR TO MAKE THE
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
INDUSTRY EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE
INTERNATIONALLY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
OVER THE WEEKS AHEAD IN OTHER
WAYS THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR
WORKFORCE AND MAKE THEM MORE
COMPETITIVE INTERNATIONALLY.
THANK YOU, MERCI.
BACK TO YOU, CHRYSTIA.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
THANK YOU, SEAMUS.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): WE'LL
NOW GO TO STEPHEN GUILBEAULT.
>> (Voice of Translator): I'D
LIKE TO ASK YOU WHAT ARE YOU
DOING DURING PHYSICAL
DISTANCING?
WATCHING THE NEWS, WATCHING A
MOVIE, TV?
READING A GOOD BOOK?
LOOKING AT A VIRTUAL EXHIBIT?
[end of translation]
OUR FAVOURITE ATHLETES WHO
INSPIRE US TO GET INVOLVED IN
SPORTS.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): THE
GOVERNMENT IS VERY PROUD TO
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE
SECTORS.
WE STAND BEHIND THOSE WHO ARE
USING THEIR PASSION AND THEIR
WORK TO LIVEN OUR LIVES.
[end of translation]
$100 MILLION TO ESTABLISH A
COVID-19 EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUND
FOR CULTURAL, HERITAGE AND
SPORTS ORGINISATIONS.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): THE
GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE
$500 MILLION FOR ORGINISATIONS
IN CULTURE, HERITAGE AND
SUPPORT.
[end of translation]
THE TARGETED MEASURE WILL
PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT
IS CONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING
COVID-19 SUPPORT MEMBERS FOR
WAGE AND FIXED COSTS FOR
ORGINISATIONS.
IT WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY
CANADIAN HERITAGE WITH THE
SUPPORT OF MANY PARTNERS SUCH AS
THE CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator):
MINISTER GUILBEAULT.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE SECTOR
TO FINE-TUNE THIS AID.
WE ARE DOING OUR UTMOST TO
RESPOND TO YOUR CONCERNS, YOUR
MOST PRESSING CONCERNS, TO
ENSURE YOUR SURVIVAL, STABILITY,
AND TO LET CANADIANS CONTINUE TO
HAVE ACCESS TO CULTURAL CONTENT
AND SPORTS, WHICH ARE THE BEST
IN THE WORLD.
[end of translation]
CANADA DAY THIS YEAR WILL BE
HOSTED VIRTUALLY.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator):
MINISTER GUILBEAULT.
TOGETHER IN A VIRTUAL
ENVIRONMENT, WE WILL CELEBRATE
OUR STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE AS
WELL AS OUR VALUES AT CANADA
DAY.
OUR CREATORS AND ATHLETES ARE
PROVIDING US WITH A NUMBER OF
EXAMPLES OF INSPIRATION AND
SOLIDARITY.
[end of translation]
WE ARE REMINDED EACH DAY HOW
FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE SUCH
TALENT HERE IN CANADA.
MERCI.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
MERCI, STEVEN.
WE'LL NOW GO TO MINISTER JOLY.
MINISTER JOLY?
>> (Voice of Translator): IN
RECENT WEEKS I HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS
WITH A NUMBER OF HEADS OF
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, TO MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC,
MONCTON AND EDMONTON.
WHAT THEY'VE ALL SAID IS THAT
THIS CRISIS IS HITTING THEM
HARD.
THEY'VE SHARED THEIR CONCERNS
WITH ME, THEIR REALITIES, THEIR
ANXIETY, AND WE HAVE HEARD THE
MESSAGE.
OUR OBJECTIVE TODAY IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE MINISTER OF
FINANCE, IS TO PROTECT OUR
STREETS, OUR SMALL COMMUNITIES.
WE ARE DOUBLING THE BUDGET OF
OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO
ESSENTIALLY $1 BILLION IN
ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL GO TO
THESE DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BE IT IN THE EAST, THE MIDDLE OF
CANADA, THE WEST OR THE NORTH.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT ACCESS
TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IS
OFTENTIMES MORE DIFFICULT, SO
OUR OBJECTIVE IS THIS -- WE WANT
TO PREVENT ENTREPRENEURS FROM
FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS WHEN
THEY HAVE CRITICAL ROLES TO PLAY
IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT AND
COMMUNITY FUTURES ORGINISATIONS,
WHICH DO EXCELLENT WORK ON THE
GROUND, WE WILL BE IN A POSITION
TO HELP COMPANIES TO HAVE ACCESS
TO VARIOUS GOVERNMENT MEASURES
TO HELP THEM TO MAKE IT THROUGH
THE CRISIS.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES IN
CANADA WORK LOCALLY AND BRING
THE GOVERNMENT INTO THE
COMMUNITIES AND DEFEND THE
ECONOMIC REALITY THERE.
IT'S ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR
HELPING DURING CRISES.
AS IT HAS IN THE PAST IN FORT
McMURRAY, FOR EXAMPLE, DURING
THE FIRES.
[end of translation]
WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH
BUSINESS OWNERS VIA DIFFERENT
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE FROM SURREY
TO CHARLOTTETOWN AND, OF COURSE,
SASKATOON AND ST. JOHN'S.
AND WE KNOW THE CRISIS IS
HITTING HARD.
WE HEARD MANY OF THE BUSINESS
OWNERS' ANXIETIES AND
PREOCCUPATIONS AND WE ARE --
WE'VE HEARD -- OUR MAIN
OBJECTIVE TODAY IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE PROTECT OUR MAIN STREETS
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS WHY WE'RE ANSWERING THE
CALL BY NEARLY DOUBLING THE
BUDGET OF OUR DIFFERENT REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY, FROM ATLANTIC CANADA TO
QUÉBEC, ONTARIO, THE WEST AND
NORTHERN TERRITORIES.
THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE TO
BUSINESSES, TO SUPPORT THE
BUSINESSES THAT MAY BE FALLING
THROUGH THE CRACKS AND ARE
PLAYING VITAL ROLES WITHIN THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE DOING ALSO ANOTHER THING
BY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE
INCREASING THE BUDGET OF OUR
ORGINISATIONS THAT ARE KEY TO
OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE AIM
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT
THEM WHILE THEY'RE DOING GREAT
WORK ON THE GROUND.
SO THE MISSION OF THE AGENCIES
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EYES
AND THE EARS OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ARE ON THE GROUND,
AND THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE IN
TIMES OF CRISIS, TO DEAL WITH
MAYBE THE FORT McMURRAY FIRES
OR THE LAC-MEGANTIC TRAGEDY.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO BUSINESS
OWNERS TODAY ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
IS THAT WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MELANIE.
AND NOW OUR MINISTER OF
INNOVATION AND SCIENCE AND
INDUSTRY NAVDEEP BAINS, NOW,
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CHRYSTIA.
IN EVERY INDUSTRY AND SECTOR,
COMPANIES ARE STEPPING UP TO
LEND A HAND WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator):
MINISTER BAINS.
COMPANIES ARE COMING AND HELPING
PEOPLE AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
[end of translation]
CANADIAN BUSINESSES AND HIGHLY
SKILLED INNOVATORS THAT WE WILL
HELP IN THIS PERIOD OF
UNCERTAINTY.
YOU KNOW, DURING THE NORMAL
COURSE OF THINGS, ONE OF THE
IMPORTANT ROLES OF GOVERNMENT IS
PROVIDING ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO
HIGH POTENTIAL INNOVATIVE FIRMS
IN THE EARLY STAGES OF
DEVELOPMENT.
ESPECIALLY IN A COUNTRY LIKE
CANADA WHERE SCIENCE AND
INNOVATION ARE OUR STRENGTHS.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN WE'VE
INNOVATED SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
COMPANIES TO BECOME KEY ECONOMIC
DRIVERS FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH IN
GOOD QUALITY JOBS FOR ALL
CANADIANS.
WE SOMETIMES CALL THEM THE
FUTURE GAZELLES OF CANADA'S
ECONOMY.
SINCE THEY END UP PUTTING CANADA
LEAPS AND BOUNDS AHEAD OF THE
COMPETITION.
NOW GOVERNMENT IS IN A UNIQUE
POSITION OF BEING ABLE TO
PROTECT THESE IMPORTANT
COMPANIES AND THE HIGHLY SKILLED
PEOPLE THEY EMPLOY THROUGH THE
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCILS
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMME.
CALLED IRAP.
THESE INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
CONTRIBUTE DISPROPORTIONATELY
MORE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE
CANADIAN ECONOMY.
BUT RIGHT NOW MANY ARE FACING
REAL CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF THE
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN RESULTING FROM
COVID-19.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT SUPPLY CHAIN
DISRUPTIONS, CASH FLOW ISSUES, A
COLLAPSE IN DEMAND, AND,
THEREFORE, AN INABILITY TO
MAINTAIN STAFF TO PERFORM
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'VE HEARD FROM THE
START-UP COMMUNITY THAT SOME OF
THESE EARLY STAGE FIRM DOES NOT
QUALIFY FOR THE WAGE SUBSIDY OR
BUSINESS LIQUIDITY MEASURES THAT
WE ANNOUNCED.
WE'VE HEARD THE CALL FOR HELP
FROM THE CANADIAN BUSINESS
COMMUNITY.
AND TODAY WE'RE ANSWERING IT BY
INJECTING $250 MILLION INTO THE
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMME.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT TO PROTECT
CANADA'S HIGHLY SKILLED
INNOVATORS.
THIS SUPPORT WILL BE TARGETED TO
COMPANIES IDENTIFIED AS
STRATEGIC TO THE CANADIAN
ECONOMY, IMPACTED BY COVID-19.
WHETHER THEY ARE PRE-REVENUE OR
NOT.
[Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator):
MINISTER BAINS.
THIS ASSISTANCE WILL HELP
STRATEGIC COMPANIES.
[end of translation]
I ENCOURAGE ANY TECHNOLOGY OR
INNOVATION-BASED BUSINESS THAT
IS UNABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT
SUPPORT MEASURES TO GO ON TO THE
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE TODAY.
AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SIGN UP
TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE
APPLICATION OPENS UP EARLY NEXT
WEEK.
WITH TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WE
EXPECT TO SUPPORT OVER 1,000
CANADIAN INNOVATIVE FIRMS AND
MAINTAIN 10,000 CANADIAN JOBS
OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
FUNDING WILL BEGIN TO BE
DELIVERED WITHIN A MATTER OF
DAYS.
WHEN WE SUPPORT EARLY STAGE
FIRMS, WE'RE NOT ONLY PROTECTING
THE NEXT GENERATION OF CANADIAN
ENTREPRENEURS, BUT ALSO THE
PEOPLE THEY EMPLOY.
AND WE MAKE SURE THAT CANADA'S
BEST TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
STAYS IN CANADA.
THANK YOU.
MERCI.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NAV.
AND WE'RE NOW READY TO TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER.
SO WE'LL START WITH THREE
QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE AND TURN
TO THE ONE, AND ONE QUESTION AND
ONE FOLLOW-UP.
[Speaking French]
>> Question: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
OUR FIRST QUESTION... FROM
RADIO-CANADA.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): JOURNALIST.
MR. GUILBEAULT, CAN YOU GIVE US
MORE DETAILS ON THE ASSISTANCE
THAT YOU'LL PROVIDE TO THE
CULTURAL AND THE SPORTS
INDUSTRIES, WHO WILL THE MONEY
GO TO?
HOW WILL IT ASSIST?
GO TO THE SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS?
TO THE ATHLETES MORE
SPECIFICALLY?
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
THANK YOU, MADAM.
THE FUNDING GOES TO THE
ORGINISATIONS.
OUR SECTOR IS DIFFERENT IN THAT
IT IS BASED -- OR MADE UP OF,
RATHER, OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
INDEPENDENT WORKERS.
SO THEY'RE NOT EMPLOYEES.
FOR WHOM THE WAGE SUBSIDY WOULD
HAVE APPLIED.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGINISATIONS,
SPORTS ORGINISATIONS AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL, SPORTS CENTRES,
MEDIA ORGINISATIONS, EDITORS,
COMPANIES, TV COMPANIES, MUSIC
GROUPS.
AND THE PROGRAMMES THAT WE HAVE
ALREADY ANNOUNCED WEREN'T
TAILORED FOR THEM AND DIDN'T
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIFIC
NATURE OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE
AND SPORTING SECTOR.
>> [Speaking French]
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION.
MINISTER JOLY, CAN YOU TELL US A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE.
YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT
MUNICIPALITIES IN VARIOUS TOWNS
AND VILLAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE COMPANIES THERE, ARE
THOSE COMPANIES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
THE PROGRAMMES THAT YOU'VE
ANNOUNCED?
AND PWHAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE
WILL YOU BE OFFERING.
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
WHAT WE HAVE OFFERED THROUGH
GOVERNMENT MEASURES RECENTLY ARE
A SAFETY NET.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS
ENSURING THAT NO ONE IS FALLING
THROUGH THE CRACKS.
SO WE'RE TIGHTENING IT UP.
WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE
$40,000 LOAN AND THE WAGE
SUBSIDY HAVE IMPACTS FOR MANY
COMPANIES.
THERE ARE SOME THAT STILL DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO THAT FUNDING.
SO THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AGENCIES WILL BE PROVIDING
ASSISTANCE.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY IN
QUÉBEC, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S CALLED
DECK, AND THESE AGENCIES PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE IN SMALLER
COMMUNITIES IN QUÉBEC, FOR
EXAMPLE, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO THEY'RE ON THE GROUND AND
THEY WILL BE HELPING TO PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE TO SMALL LOCAL
BUSINESSES IN THOSE AREAS.
>> (Voice of Translator):
THANK YOU, MINISTER.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION [Speaking
French]
TERESA WRIGHT WITH CANADIAN
PRESS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[Speaking French]
>> Question: GOOD MORNING.
DR. TAM, I'M WONDERING IF YOU
COULD TELL US IF THERE'S ANY
GUIDANCE FOR HEALTH WORKERS AND
DOCTORS ON HOW VENTILATORS
SHOULD BE RATIONED, IF IT COMES
TO THAT.
AND IF ANYONE IS WORKING ON ANY
SUCH GUIDELINES?
>> YES, SO THIS ALLOCATION OF
THE SUPPLIES HAS A DIFFERENT
FRAMEWORK AND THAT'S IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE PROVINCES
AND THE TERRITORIES IN TERMS OF
THE SUPPLIES OF VENTILATORS THAT
WE HAVE.
NOW ON THE GROUND, PHYSICIANS
AND OTHER HEALTH WORKERS HAVE TO
MAKE SOME VERY DIFFICULT
DECISIONS SOMETIMES IF THERE WAS
NOT ENOUGH VENTILATORS OR I.C.U.
BEDS.
SO THOSE GUIDANCES HAVE BEEN PUT
IN PLACE AT THE PROVINCIAL AND
THE TERRITORIAL LEVEL.
AND, CERTAINLY, THAT FLOWS DOWN
TO THE HOSPITAL LEVEL.
SO THAT YOU HAVE THESE AND
THEY'RE DRAFTED BY A BROAD RANGE
OF EXPERTS, INCLUDING ETHICISTS
AND CLINICAL AND I.C.U. AND
OTHER EXPERTS AND HEALTH SYSTEM
EXPERTS, SO THAT THOSE DIFFICULT
DECISIONS CAN BE FACILITATED AT
THE TIME THAT THEY'RE NEEDED.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Question: YES, AND MY
FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS FOR
MINISTER MORNEAU.
MANY PEOPLE ON SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMMES ARE SURVIVING ON LESS
THAN PEOPLE GETTING THE CERB.
AND MANY MARGINALIZED CANADIANS
JUST CAN'T ACCESS IT.
SO RATHER THAN CONTINUE TO TWEAK
IT AS YOU HAVE BEEN DOING, WHY
NOT JUST MAKE THE CERB
UNIVERSAL?
>> The Hon. Bill Morneau:
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE
CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING REAL CHALLENGES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO
THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS
CRISIS PERIOD IS TO ADDRESS THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR
INCOME, WHO HAVE LOST THEIR
ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO LEAD THE
LIFE THEY WERE LEADING BEFORE
THE CRISIS AS A RESULT OF
COVID-19.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE DIRECTED OUR
ATTENTION.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT'S
IMPACTING THE MEASURES THAT WE
HAVE PUT FORWARD ARE REALLY
HAVING A BIG IMPACT.
AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE SEEN
LITERALLY MILLIONS, MORE THAN
FIVE MILLION PEOPLE, COME ON THE
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE
BENEFIT.
WE AS OF YESTERDAY HAD MORE THAN
220,000 SMALL FIRMS THAT APPLIED
FOR THE CANADA EMERGENCY
BUSINESS ACCOUNT.
SO THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE
TAKING ARE HAVING VERY, VERY
WIDE APPLICATION.
AS YOU SEE TODAY WE'RE TRYING TO
MAKE SURE THAT FOR PLACES
WHERE -- IN PARTICULAR FOR
BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY PEOPLE
WHERE THEY NEED ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT, WE'RE COMING FORWARD TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
MERCI.
OUR NEXT QUESTION, [Speaking
French]
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): JOURNALIST.
I'M NOT SURE WHO TO PUT MY
QUESTION TO, BUT ANYONE CAN
ANSWER IT.
IT DEALS WITH SOLDIERS BEING
SENT IN TO HELP OUT IN QUÉBEC.
IN THE "MacLEAN'S" ARTICLE, A
DOCTOR WHO SERVED IN THE FORCES
TALKED ABOUT SOME 2,500 SOLDIERS
WHO ARE TRAINED THAT COULD BE
AVAILABLE BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM
WITH RESPECT TO THEIR
QUALIFICATIONS IN QUÉBEC AND IN
ONTARIO.
IS THERE SOME WAY TO MAKE AN
EXCEPTION SO THAT MORE THAN --
THESE PARTICULAR SOLDIERS CAN BE
USED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE?
>> The Hon. Chyrstia
FREELAND: (Voice of
Translator): MINISTER FREELAND,
ANSWER.
THE DECISION TO RESPOND TO
QUÉBEC'S REQUEST THAT WENT TO
THE PRIME MINISTER IS AN
IMPORTANT ONE.
IT'S A DECISION THAT WAS MADE IN
CLOSE COOPERATION WITH QUÉBEC,
THE CANADIAN FORCES, THE
MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE
MINISTER OF HEALTH, THE MINISTER
OF DEFENCE.
WE WORKED HARD TO IDENTIFY THE
NECESSARY PEOPLE WITH THE
LANGUAGE SKILLS, THE TRAINING
REQUIRED, TO HELP IN QUÉBEC.
WE IDENTIFIED 125 PEOPLE AND A
DECISION WAS MADE IN CONJUNCTION
WITH QUÉBEC.
AND THESE PEOPLE WILL MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
WITH RESPECT TO PROVIDING
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, WE
CONTINUE TO HOLD ONGOING
DISCUSSIONS WITH QUÉBEC.
WE ARE WORKING WITH QUÉBEC TO
SUPPORT THE PROVINCE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE
PRIME MINISTER HAS STATED THAT
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE RED
CROSS AND WE'LL ALSO HELP IN
QUÉBEC.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE 
VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE REGISTERED,
SO WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING WITH
THAT LIST OF PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY
THOSE WHO CAN HELP.
THANK YOU.
>> (Voice of Translator):
FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
WHAT ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS?
CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW
MANY MORE PEOPLE COULD BE SENT
TO QUÉBEC FROM THE RED CROSS
THEN?
AND FROM THAT LIST OF 
VOLUNTEERS.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia
FREELAND: (Voice of
Translator): ANSWER, MINISTER
FREELAND.
AT THIS POINT, NO.
WHAT I DO WANT TO UNDERSCORE IS
THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO WORK IN
CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE
PROVINCE.
WE ARE DOING THIS WORK TOGETHER
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASSURE
QUÉBECERS THAT WE FULLY
UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY OF THE
SITUATION.
AND WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO
FIND THE RESOURCES TO HELP
QUÉBECERS.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
STARTING WITH DAVID THURTON,
CBC.
>> Question: THE WOES IN THE OIL
AND GAS SECTOR ISN'T GOING AWAY
ANYTIME SOON, SO SOME PEOPLE ARE
PROBABLY WONDERING IF THERE'S
GOING TO BE ANYMORE HELP ON THE
WAY?
AND CAN YOU MAYBE WALK US
THROUGH THE RANGE OF THINGS THAT
YOU'RE THINKING OF, MINISTER
MORNEAU, MINISTER REGAN?
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
I'M GOING TO -- JUST BECAUSE
WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON THE
SCREENS IT REQUIRES A BIT OF
TRAFFIC ACTIVITY.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN TO SEAMUS
FIRST, IS THAT OKAY, DAVID?
>> Question: THAT'S FINE.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
OKAY, SEAMUS, PLEASE.
YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR MIKE BACK
ON.
>> A LOT OF WHAT BILL HAS
ALREADY PUT IN PLACE HAS A VERY
POSITIVE EFFECT WITH THE CERB
AND WITH THE WAGE SUBSIDY
PARTICULARLY.
I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING
TODAY ARE VERY PARTICULAR
INITIATIVES.
FIRSTLY, WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM
ALL SIDES, WHETHER IT BE --
WHETHER IT BE LABOUR OR WHETHER
IT BE INDUSTRY, EVERYBODY IS
TALKED ABOUT LIQUIDITY.
I REMEMBER MY FIRST MEETING
AFTER THE LOCKDOWN WITH THE
PETROLEUM PRODUCERS AND SAYING
THAT THEIR TOP FIVE PRIORITIES
WERE LIQUIDITY, LIQUIDITY,
LIQUIDITY, LIQUIDITY.
WE HEARD THE SAME FROM WORKERS.
SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR SMALL TO
MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A
PERCEPTION THAT THE INDUSTRY IS
DOMINATED BY MASSIVE CAPITAL
PROJECTS, BIG OIL RIGS, MILES OF
PIPELINE.
IN FACT, IT'S DOMINATED BY SMALL
TO MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES AND
THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 85% OF THE
WORKFORCE IS.
AND SO CONCENTRATING ON THEM
RIGHT NOW IS A VERY GOOD THING.
I'LL SEND THE REST OVER TO BILL.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
OKAY, BILL.
>> The Hon. Bill Morneau:
REALLY I THINK THAT SEAMUS GAVE
A GOOD INDICATION.
AND WRIT LARGE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS
THAT THERE ARE BUSINESSES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY THAT NEED ACCESS TO
CREDIT DURING A CHALLENGING
TIME.
WHAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING TODAY IS
THAT THE ENERGY SECTOR IS
PARTICULARLY CHALLENGED, AND
THAT'S WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE
HAVE PUT IN PLACE TODAY -- THE
ABILITY TO REMEDIATE ORPHANED
WELLS AND ABANDONED WELLS, TO
REDUCE OUR METHANE EMISSIONS,
THESE ARE GOING TO GET PEOPLE
WORKING.
IT'S ABOUT JOBS IN PLACES WHERE
WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO JOBS.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE
IN THOSE PLACES WHERE THEY'RE
SEEING EXTREME CHALLENGES.
WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE
WILL HAVE OTHER MEASURES TO
PROVIDE CREDIT ACROSS
MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES AND
LARGER BUSINESSES.
AND THERE'S MORE FOR US TO TALK
ABOUT IN THAT REGARD IN COMING
DAYS.
>> Question: OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND THIS QUESTION IS FROM ONE OF
MY COLLEAGUES.
SHE'S ASKING, WE KNOW THAT
CONTACT TRACING IS IMPORTANT IN
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19.
MINISTER BAINS, WHAT DISCUSSIONS
ARE YOU HAVING AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL ABOUT USING TECHNOLOGY TO
FACILITATE THAT?
AND ARE THERE ANY CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT USING CELLPHONE DATA?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
AS WE'VE INDICATED, ALL OPTIONS
ARE ON THE TABLE.
WE'RE GOING TO DEPLOY ALL OF THE
TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE PROTECT CANADIANS'
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON
ECONOMIC MEASURES.
WE ARE EVALUATING DIFFERENT
SOLUTIONS WITH RESPECT TO
PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION TO
CANADIANS ON BETTER PRACTICES TO
FOLLOW, SOCIAL DISTANCING,
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, MAKING SURE
THAT THEY TAKE THOSE APPROPRIATE
STEPS TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE.
WITH RESPECT TO CONTACT TRACING
WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER
JURISDICTIONS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE
ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THAT AREA
THAT WE ALSO DEAL WITH ISSUES
WITH RESPECT TO PRIVACY IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY.
STILL EARLY STAGES AND WE HAVE
ENGAGED WITH A ROBUST GROUP OF
PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT
ARE WORKING ON SOME EARLY STAGE
TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS.
BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY FINAL
DETERMINATION IN TERMS OF WHAT
WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH.
BUT WE HAVE SOME CREDIBLE
INNOVATIVE COMPANIES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY THAT ARE STEPPING UP
THAT I ARE THINKING THROUGH
THESE CHALLENGES AND WE ARE
ENGAGED WITH THEM.
>> Question: THANK YOU, MINISTER
BAINS.
MIKE?
>> Question: GOOD MORNING,
DR. TAM.
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERICIZE THE
COUNTRY AND WHAT ARE THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN QUÉBEC AND
THE PRAIRIES AND THE MARITIMES?
>> I THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF
THE CASES AS I SAID ARE IN THE
FOUR BIGGEST JURISDICTIONS,
PERHAPS NOT SURPRISINGLY.
AND THAT DIFFERENT VARIATIONS IN
TERMS OF THE ACTUAL
EPIDEMIOLOGY.
HOWEVER, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY
THAT THE LONG-TERM CARE HOMES OR
SENIORS' RESIDENCES OUTBREAKS
ARE IN QUITE A NUMBER OF THEM
AND THAT'S WHAT IS DRIVING SOME
OF THE UNFORTUNATE INCREASE IN
DEATHS.
SO THE BIGGER JURISDICTIONS,
PARTICULARLY RIGHT NOW IN
ONTARIO AND QUÉBEC.
BUT, YEAH, I THINK THAT THE
MARCH BREAK AS I SAID MIGHT HAVE
HAD SOME DIFFERENT -- A
DIFFERENCE IN TIMING OF SOME OF
THE EPIDEMIC TRAJECTORIES.
SOME JURISDICTIONS HAVE
IMPLEMENTED MEASURES AND HAVEN'T
ACTUALLY GOTTEN THE COMMUNITY
TRANSMISSION.
SO SOME OF THE SMALLER
JURISDICTIONS AND THE
TERRITORIES, THEY'VE MANAGED TO
PICK UP ALL OF THE IMPORTED
CASES AND PREVENTED ONWARD
TRANSMISSION AND DID CONTACT
TRACING.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY QUITE
DIFFERENT.
>> Question: AND THIS IS FOR --
WELL, I'LL ASK AND SEE WHO WANTS
TO ANSWER.
DOES THIS SUGGEST THAT THERE'S A
DIFFERENT APPROACH THAT WE COULD
TAKE TO RE-STARTING THE COUNTRY,
DEPENDING WHAT PROVINCE WE'RE
DEALING WITH?
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, MIKE.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE
QUESTION OF -- THE ECONOMIC
IMPACT OF THE LOCKDOWN WAS
ABSOLUTELY DISCUSSED AT THE
FIRST MINISTERS -- ON THE FIRST
MINISTERS' CALL WITH THE PRIME
MINISTER LAST NIGHT.
AND ALL OF THE PREMIERS SHARED
THE VERY DIVERSE EXPERIENCE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SPOKE
BOTH ABOUT THE DIVERSE
APPROACHES THAT PEOPLE ARE
TAKING TO FIGHTING THE
CORONAVIRUS.
AND THE CALL IS VERY USEFUL THAT
WAY BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN SHARE
BEST PRACTISE.
AND THEY SPOKE ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT PLACES THAT THEY ARE
IN FLATTENING THE CURVE AND
ABOUT HOW THAT WAS SHAPING THEIR
OWN VIEWS ABOUT STEPS -- NEXT
STEPS TO TAKE.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT WE AS A
COUNTRY, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE A HUGE,
HUGE COUNTRY.
AND, THEREFORE, UNDERSTANDABLY
VERY, VERY DIVERSE.
AS DR. TAM HAS JUST SAID.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON
THOUGH IS THAT EVERY SINGLE
CANADIAN HAS MADE A HUGE
SACRIFICE ALREADY IN FIGHTING
THE CORONAVIRUS.
THAT SACRIFICE IS STARTING TO
PAY OFF.
AS WE HEARD FROM DR. TAM EARLIER
THIS WEEK, OVERALL IN THE WHOLE
COUNTRY THAT IT IS NOW POSSIBLE
TO BE I THINK AS DR. TAM PUT IT,
EVER SO SLIGHTLY CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING
SOME KIND OF FLATTENING.
WHAT IS SO ESSENTIAL FOR US ALL
IS NOT TO SQUANDER THAT
ACHIEVEMENT.
WE HAVE ALL PAID TOO HIGH A
PRICE ALREADY TO THROW IT AWAY.
AND SO WHAT I CAN SAY ON BEHALF
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
THAT WE BELIEVE REALLY STRONGLY
THAT WE NEED TO BE REALLY,
REALLY CAREFUL, REALLY
DELIBERATE, AND REALLY
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
ABOVE ALL, LET'S REMEMBER THAT
WE'VE PAID A REALLY HIGH PRICE
ALREADY AND LET'S BE SURE THAT
THE SACRIFICES THAT WE HAVE MADE
ARE NOT WASTED.
>> Question: GOOD AFTERNOON,
THIS QUESTION IS DIRECTED TO
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FREELAND
AND DR. TAM.
WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY FROM CHINA IN THE
START OF THIS OUTBREAK, THE
DEATH TOLL IN WUHAN HAS
INCREASED BY 50% IN A RECENT
REVISION FROM THE CHINESE
AUTHORITIES.
HOW HAS THE INACCURACY OF THE
DATA AND THE SUPPRESSION OF THE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE OUTBREAK
IN CHINA AFFECTED CANADA'S
RESPONSE TO THIS CRISIS?
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
I'LL LET DR. TAM START AND I'M
HAPPY TO OFFER A RESPONSE AS
WELL.
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT I'VE JUST
BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE NUMBERS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M
REALLY KEEN TO LEARN FURTHER
ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT'S SUCH A RAPIDLY EVOLVING
SITUATION, BUT I THINK THAT IT
IS IMPORTANT GLOBALLY TO
UNDERSTAND THE FULL SPECTRUM OF
THE ILLNESS.
SO I THINK THAT GETTING FURTHER
CLARIFICATION IS IMPORTANT.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY
HAVE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING
FROM EVERY COUNTRY AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE SO THAT IT ACTUALLY
HELPS US WITH SOME OF OUR
ACTIONS GOING FORWARD.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
AND I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT,
THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST THE VERY
DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE
HAD TO TAKE AS A COUNTRY IN
RESPONSE TO THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC
ARE BASED FIRST AND FOREMOST ON
CANADIAN DATA.
AND ON THE CANADIAN REALITY.
AND THOSE ARE DECISIONS TAKEN BY
CANADIAN POLITICAL LEADERS
INFORMED BY THE BEST EXPERT
ADVICE THAT WE CAN GET.
OUR PRIMARY JOB IS FIGHTING IT
HERE AT HOME.
AND WE MAKE OUR BATTLE PLANS
BASED ON WHAT IS HAPPENING ON
THE GROUND HERE IN CANADA.
OF COURSE THE ACTIONS THAT WE
TAKE IN CANADA ARE INFORMED BY
WHAT WE ARE SEEING AROUND THE
WORLD, AND WE CONSULT, INCLUDING
AT A POLITICAL LEVEL, WIDELY
WITH COLLEAGUES AND PARTNERS
AROUND THE WORLD.
OUR MINISTER OF HEALTH
PARTICIPATES IN A G7 HEALTH
MINISTERS' CALL WHICH IS WEEKLY.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DEPUTY
PRIME MINISTER OF SINGAPORE, WHO
HAPPENS TO BE A FRIEND.
AND I THINK THAT THE SINGAPOREAN
EXPERIENCE IS VERY VALUABLE FOR
US.
AND THEN JUST A FINAL THING THAT
I WOULD ADD IS THAT BECAUSE THIS
PANDEMIC POSES SUCH A THREAT TO
OUR COUNTRY, IT IS ABSOLUTELY
APPROPRIATE FOR OUR RESPONSE TO
BE INFORMED BY THE BEST
INTELLIGENCE THAT WE CAN GET,
AND OUR RESPONSE IS INFORMED BY
CANADA'S EXCELLENT INTELLIGENCE
EXPERTS WHO ARE A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF THE WORK THAT THE
GOVERNMENT IS DOING AND HAVE
BEEN BRIEFING THE GOVERNMENT AND
THE MINISTERS.
THEY, OF COURSE, WORK FIRST AND
FOREMOST WITH OUR CLOSEST
SECURITY PARTNERS.
THE FIVE EYES AND NATO AND NORAD
AND THE ADVICE IS INFORMED BY
THE INFORMATION SHARED AND
COLLECTED TOGETHER BY THAT
COMMUNITY.
>> Question: AS A FOLLOW-UP.
JUST HOW IS IT BEST TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS
BEING, WHAT YOU SAID OFF THE
COURSE, THE DATA THAT YOU'RE
LOOKING AT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES,
INCLUDING CHINA, THAT
RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU HAD WITH
OTHER COUNTRIES WHEN YOU'RE
TRYING TO COMBAT A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC.
ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS THAT THE
CHINESE COOPERATION AND THE LACK
OF ACCESS OF THE INFORMATION
COMING OUT OF CHINA, YOU KNOW,
COULD HAVE IN ANY WAYS AFFECT
CANADIAN RESEARCHERS THAT ARE
COOPERATING WITH THE LAB IN
WUHAN, FOR EXAMPLE?
IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT THAT
IN TERMS OF COMBATING THE SPREAD
OF THIS PANDEMIC?
AND DEVISING WAYS TO STOP IT.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT GLOBAL
COLLABORATION ON SCIENTIFIC
DISCOVERY AND RESEARCH IS REALLY
IMPORTANT AND IT CAN BE IN ANY
AREA LIKE DIAGNOSTICS AND
TREATMENT.
SO I THINK THAT AS MUCH GLOBAL
COLLABORATION AS POSSIBLE IS
IMPORTANT.
IN TERMS OF OUR RESEARCH, I KNOW
THAT OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE
CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH
RESEARCH HAD LOOKED AT THE WAY
THAT OUR GOVERNMENT PROJECT IS
FUNDED IS BASED ON PEER REVIEW,
AND THAT PROCESS IS INDEPENDENT.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO RELY ON
THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES ITSELF
AS TO WHETHER THE PROJECTS ARE
WORTHY OF FUNDING.
AND I THINK -- AND MANY
PROJECTS, ACTUALLY, INVOLVE MANY
COUNTRIES.
SO THERE'S QUITE A NUMBER OF
PROJECTS FUNDED IN CANADA THAT
INVOLVES NOT JUST CHINA, BUT
MULTI-COUNTRY APPROACHES.
SO I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO
GET THE SOLUTIONS FAST.
YOU STILL HAVE A CONSTRUCT.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THEY
ARE PEER REVIEWED
SCIENTIFICALLY, VALIDATED BEFORE
FUNDING IS PROVIDED.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
WE'LL NOW TURN BACK TO THE
PHONE.
OPERATOR.
>> THANK YOU.
MERCI.
OUR NEXT QUESTION [Speaking
French]
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
YOUR LINE IS NOW OPEN.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): MARIE KASTELLE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MINISTER
REGAN AND MORNEAU.
[end of translation]
MR. REGAN, I'M WORRIED WHAT
FURTHER HELP COULD COME FOR THE
OIL INDUSTRY?
AND MANY WERE ASKING AND MAYBE
EVEN EXPECTING THAT THE
GOVERNMENT DO MORE -- FOR
EXAMPLE, BY TAKING EQUITY SHARES
INTO OIL COMPANIES AS THE
GOVERNMENT DID IN 2008 WITH
AUTOMOBILE COMPANIES.
I'M WONDERING IF THE GOVERNMENT
IS CONSIDERING THAT?
AND, IF NOT, WHY NOT?
AND MINISTER MORNEAU, I DON'T
KNOW IF THIS WAS RELATED TO
THAT, BUT YOU SORT OF ALLUDED TO
THE CREDIT FOR MEDIUM-SIZED
BUSINESSES.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD ELABORATE
ON WHAT YOU WERE SUGGESTING?
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
SEAMUS, IF YOU WANT TO START AND
REMEMBER TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> IT'S OPEN AND I HAVE LEARNED
MY LESSON TWICE OVER.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER.
THE FOCUS TODAY WAS ON WORKERS.
I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR
INITIATIVES IN ANY SECTOR OR ANY
BENEFIT, THAT WE HAVE -- WE HAVE
CHANGED OVER TIME.
I MEAN, BILL HAS BEEN MAKING,
YOU KNOW, TWEAKS AND CHANGES TO
ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE
INTRODUCED.
SO NOTHING QUITE LOOKS THE SAME,
BECAUSE WE'RE LISTENING TO
CANADIANS AND WE'RE LISTENING TO
STAKEHOLDERS AND MAKING CHANGES
WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
TODAY WAS FOCUSED ON WORKERS IN
TWO FASHIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, LIQUIDITY, TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE COMPANIES THAT
HIRE THOSE WORKERS REMAIN INTACT
SO THEY CAN KEEP THOSE WORKERS.
AND, SECONDLY, WITH ORPHANED AND
INACTIVE WELLS, THIS IS, YOU
KNOW, TECHNICAL WORK,
HIGHLY-SKILLED WORK.
WE THINK THAT --
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
I DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE
MUTED YOURSELF, BUT THE
TECHNOLOGY IS MUTING YOU, 
SEAMUS.
LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT.
OKAY, I'M SORRY, SEAMUS, WE
CAN'T HEAR YOU HERE.
MAYBE TRY AGAIN.
YOU SAID HIGHLY-SKILLED WORKERS,
THAT WAS THE LAST PHRASE THAT WE
HEARD.
>> IN SPEAKING ABOUT ORPHAN AND
INACTIVE WELLS, YES.
THESE ARE HIGHLY-SKILLED
WORKERS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE THINK
THAT CAN EMPLOY UPWARDS OF 5,000
PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM WORKING
RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THEY'RE
ALREADY DEEMED TO BE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS.
IT HAS THE ADDED BENEFIT,
OBVIOUSLY, AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFIT IN CLEANING UP THESE
WELLS.
SO IT'S IN KEEPING WITH OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES AND OUR
COMMITMENT TO NET ZERO.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND MAYBE NOW, BILL, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO ANSWER THE PART OF THE
QUESTION DIRECTED AT YOU AND
COULD YOU -- THERE WE GO.
WE SEE YOU NOW.
>> The Hon. Bill Morneau: THE
KEY -- THE KEY THING THAT WE'VE
HEARD FROM BUSINESSES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY REALLY IS THAT THEY NEED
ACCESS TO CREDIT.
WE'VE GOT A PARTICULAR CHALLENGE
WHERE BUSINESSES ARE EITHER NOT
OPERATING OR OPERATING WITH
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS REVENUE FOR A
PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THEY NEED CREDIT TO GET
THROUGH THAT TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE COME FORWARD
WITH TODAY AND IT IS SO
APPROPRIATE FOR BUSINESSES.
BUSINESSES DON'T WANT GOVERNMENT
TAKING EQUITY IN THEIR BUSINESS.
THEY WANT TO FIND A WAY THEY CAN
CONTINUE IN THEIR BUSINESS
OPERATIONS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES, BOTH
FOR THEIR PEOPLE AND FOR THEIR
ORGINISATION THAT THEY'RE
SEEKING.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER AS
SEAMUS SAID WITH ORGINISATIONS
IN THE SECTOR.
ALSO SPEAKING TO PEOPLE WITHIN
THE VARIOUS PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENTS.
WE THINK THIS IS TARGETED
APPROPRIATELY.
IT'S CREDIT, IT'S ON A
COMMERCIAL BASIS AND IT WOULD
ALLOW BUSINESSES -- AND
BUSINESSES IMPORTANTLY IN THE
ENERGY SECTOR -- THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO JOBS IN
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, TO
BRIDGE THIS TIME TO GET TO WHAT
WE KNOW IS A BETTER TIME ONCE WE
GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS.
>> [Speaking French]
>> Question: IT SORT OF SOUNDS
LIKE YOU WEREN'T QUITE IN
AGREEMENT IN YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO I GUESS THAT I'LL ASK IT
AGAIN.
IN TERMS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
THE GOVERNMENT BUYING EQUITY
SHARES IN OIL COMPANIES, IT SORT
OF SOUNDS, MINISTER O'REGAN,
LIKE YOU WERE SAYING MAYBE?
AM I CORRECT IN UNDERSTANDING
WHAT YOU WERE SAYING?
>> NO, WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT
WE CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO
STAKEHOLDERS AND TO LISTEN TO
THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND LISTEN
DIRECTLY TO THEM.
MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES SPEND
MOST OF OUR DAY DOING THAT.
WE HAVE LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY.
AND SOME THINGS WE'RE ABLE TO DO
TODAY.
IN THE CASE, FOR INSTANCE, WITH
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR,
THERE'S FURTHER INITIATIVES THAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT TO KEEP THE
INDUSTRY COMPETITIVE.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM ON
THAT.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK TO HOW CONSTRUCTIVE OUR
RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN WITH THE
PROVINCES.
I ENJOY VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS
WITH ENERGY MINISTERS AND
NATURAL RESOURCE MINISTERS RIGHT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND
CANADIANS SHOULD KNOW HOW
CONSTRUCTIVE THEY'VE BEEN,
PARTICULARLY THE THREE ENERGY
MINISTERS FROM THE THREE OIL AND
GAS-PRODUCING PROVINCES IN
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR AND
SASKATCHEWAN AND, OF COURSE,
ALBERTA.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
CONSTRUCTIVE.
AND A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO DO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO
TOGETHER.
[please stand by]
AT THIS POINT?
>> HEATHER STARTED WITH BILL, 
SO WHY DON'T WE START WITH 
BILL, TOO.
BILL, PLEASE.
>> WELL, THANKS, HEATHER.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, THE BROAD 
PICTURE, WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE 
BUSINESSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
THAT NEED ACCESS TO CREDIT.
SO THAT IS CREDITICALLY 
IMPORTANT.
THE EMERGENCY BUSINESS ACCOUNT 
IS FOR THE SMALLEST OF 
BUSINESSES.
THE CREDIT WE ALREADY PUT OUT 
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 
THREE WEEKS THROUGH THE 
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK AND 
EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA IS UP 
TO $12.5 MILLION OF CREDIT FOR 
SMALL TO MID-SIZED BUSINESSES.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY 
IS FOR CREDIT FOR THOSE 
MID-SIZED BUSINESSES AND WE 
START WITH THE ENERGY SECTOR 
WHERE WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES 
ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S COVID-19, IT IS THE 
CHALLENGE IN THE CHANGING OIL 
PRICES AND DECREASE IN DEMAND.
THESE THINGS TOGETHER MEANS 
THAT CREDIT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED 
FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.
THAT IS WHY WE STARTED THERE.
THERE WILL BE MORE THAT WE NEED 
TO DO FOR CREDIT ACROSS 
MID-SIZED BUSINESSES ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY AND THAT WILL BE COMING 
SHORTLY.
>> SEAMUS?
>> JUST TO REINFORCE THE POINT 
THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF 
WORKERS IN THE OIL AND GAS 
SECTOR AND SMALL AND 
MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES WHETHER 
IT'S CONTRACTORS OR DRILLERS OR 
PRODUCER AND SMALL OPERATORS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO, FOCUS ON THEM IS A FOCUS ON 
WORKERS AND ENSURING THAT THESE 
COMPANIES REMAIN IN TACT SO 
THAT THESE WORKERS HAVE JOBS TO 
COME BACK TO ONCE WE GET 
THROUGH THIS.
>> Reporter: OK.
AS A FOLLOW-UP, DID YOU PUT A 
NUMBER ON THE --
>> Rosemary: OK.
WE'LL PULL AWAY FROM THE 
FEDERAL BRIEFING TODAY AND 
LEAVE YOU WITH THE NOTION THAT 
THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED 
EARLIER, $1.7 BILLION TO HELP 
CLEAN UP ORPHAN WELLS IN 
ALBERTA.
MORE POSSIBLE CREDIT TO COME 
FOR OIL AND GAS COMPANIES THAT 
HAVE BEEN HIT BY A DOUBLE 
WANTMY OF COVID-19 AND 
SIGNIFICANT DROP IN OIL PRICES.
I'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR YOU 
TODAY.
LET US BRING YOU NOW TO TORONTO 
WHERE THE PREMIER OF ONTARIO, 
DOUG FORD, IS SPEAKING.
>> I WAS WORTH THE SACRIFICE.
WE PAID A TERRIBLE TOLL 
FIGHTING THIS VIRUS.
MY HEART BREAKS FOR THOSE 
