 
PROGRAM STARTING TODAY.
IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB OR 
INCOME BECAUSE OF COVID-19, YOU 
CAN APPLY FOR THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT, OR 
CERB.
WE WILL TELL YOU WHO CAN APPLY 
AND WHEN AND HOW TO DO IT.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE IT.
WE ARE EXPECTING THE PRIME 
MINISTER TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF 
THE BIG BANKS WHO ARE CUTTING 
THEIR INTEREST RATES AFTER MUCH 
PRESSURE.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAD CONCERNS 
ABOUT THAT.
PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU 
WILL ADDRESS CANADIANS, AS HE 
HAS EVERY DAY, AND WE WILL BRING
YOU THAT WHEN IT BEGINS FOLLOWED
BY THE BRIEFING FROM THE FEDERAL
MINISTERS.
LET'S BRING IN VASSY KAPELOS, 
HOST OF "POWER & POLITICS", AND 
DAVID COCHRANE.
THIS IS A DAY A LOT OF PEOPLE 
ARE WAITING FOR BECAUSE IT MEANS
HELP IS ON THE WAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT MY TWITTER 
ACCOUNT, MANY HAVE APPLIED FOR 
THE CERB.
ANECDOTALLY JUST FROM THE 
TWITTER SPHERE, IT APPEARS TO BE
GOING WELL.
>> Vassy: THE APPLICATION 
PROCESS ITSELF, ROSIE, SEEMS TO 
BE HITCH-FREE.
GOING IN THAT WAS A HUGE CONCERN
FOR THE SYSTEM BEING OVERLOADED.
THE GOVERNMENT INSISTED THAT 
THIS NEW STREAM WAS SET UP IN 
ORDER TO COMBAT SOME OF THOSE 
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
BY AND LARGE ANECDOTELY, IT 
SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE SYSTEM IS 
WORKING.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT ENCOMPASSES
EVERYONE WHO WOULD BE IMPACTED 
BY THIS PROGRAM.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE -- 
I'LL HIGHLIGHT STUDENTS OR 
CERTAIN SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE OR 
FREELANCERS WHO FEEL THEY ARE 
NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THIS PROGRAM.
WE'LL HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT THAT 
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER AND ALSO
ABOUT THE WAGE SUBSIDY THAT WAS 
ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS 
TO FILLING THE GAPS, BUT THE 
PRESSURE IS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO
SORT OF, I GUESS, ADDRESS THE 
ISSUE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WAY 
S TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS ON 
THOSE WHO DON'T QUALIFY.
I'LL HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER ISSUE I'M
GUESSING THERE WILL BE A LOT OF 
QUESTIONS ON, PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS 
FOR DAYS.
THE EXPORT OF THOSE TO CANADA 
BEING BLOCKED OR LIMITED WAS 
ANNOUNCED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PREMIER DOUG FORD ANNOUNCED THAT
HE'S SEEING IN ONTARIO THE 
PROVINCE IS RUNNING OUT.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE BIG 
STUMBLING BLOCKS DUE TO THE 
POLICY OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
SO I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT 
OF QUESTIONS DIRECTED TO THE 
PRIME MINISTER AND HOW THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLANS TO 
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE HUGE 
ISSUES.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S FAIR TO SAY 
FOR SURE.
ON THE SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN YOU 
WILL SEE SOME BASIC INFORMATION 
ABOUT THE CERB.
YOU'LL SEE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS 
YOU TO APPLY ACCORDING TO YOUR 
DATE OF BIRTH.
IF YOU DO IT ANYWAY, IT WILL GO 
THROUGH.
THEY JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO DO 
IT ALL AT ONCE BECAUSE THEY WANT
THE SYSTEM TO HOLD UP.
WE WILL TALK TO SOMEONE ON THAT 
IN A MOMENT.
DAVID, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING?
>> David: ROSIE, I DON'T THINK 
THEY WANTED YOU TO TELL 
CANADIANS THAT.
THE GAPS IN THE SYSTEM THAT 
VASSY MENTIONED, THE SYSTEM WAS 
BUILT TO GET MONEY OUT FAST, BUT
THEY KNOW IT WASN'T PERFECT.
THE ROLLOUT SEEMS TO BE GOING 
WELL TODAY.
IF ANYONE HAS HAD A CATASTROPHIC
JUMP BECAUSE OF COVID-19 BUT NOT
A 100% REVENUE DROP, WHICH IS 
THE STANDARD FOR THE CERB, THAT 
WILL NEED TO BE SHOWN LATER.
AS THE PRIME MINISTER SAID IT'S 
HARD TO ROLL OUT A PROGRAM 
 
QUICKLY AND COVER EVERYONE.
THEY WILL SEE WHO THIS MISSES 
AND THEN THEY CAN PATCH OVER 
THOSE GAPS IN THE SYSTEM.
THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THIS AS 
UNIVERSAL AT POSSIBLE.
THEY'RE JUST WORKING IN A 
RIDICULOUS CIRCUMSTANCE RIGHT 
NOW IN TERMS OF DESIGNING POLICY
AND THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE STEPS 
TO CATCH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT 
BEEN CAUGHT IN THIS SAFETY NET.
WE KNEW THE PORTAL WOULD OPEN 
AND WE KNOW IT'S GOING OKAY.
OUR COLLEAGUE FROM CYNTHIA 
MULLIGAN DID AN INTERVIEW WITH 
DOUG FORD AND HE TOLD HER THERE 
WAS A SHIPMENT OF 3 MILLION 
MASKS STOPPED AT THE BORDER.
WITHOUT THOSE MASKS, THE 
PROVINCE COULD BE OUT OF 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IN
THE COMING WEEK.
I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO PEOPLE AT 
THE FEDERAL PROCUREMENT LEVEL.
CANADA IS NOW RELYING HEAVILY ON
CHINA BECAUSE OF THIS.
THEY NEED A COUPLE OF BIG 
SHIPMENTS COMING OUT OF CHINA TO
MAKE EVERYONE FEELING BETTER.
WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE BLAMING 
CHINA, INCLUDING DONALD TRUMP, 
OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, THERE 
WILL BE A RELUCTANCE AT THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
WHEN YOU ARE RELYING ON THAT 
COUNTRY FOR THE FRONTLINE 
MEDICAL GEAR YOU NEED, THAT 
DOESN'T HELP OPINION.
>> Rosemary: I HAVE RECEIVED 
TWEETS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT 
LOST ALL OF THEIR INCOME AND 
WONDERING WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO 
THEM.
THE PRIME MINISTER WAS ASKED 
ABOUT STUDENTS AGAIN YESTERDAY.
HE SAID THEY'RE ON THE CASE AND 
THEY'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY IN THE 
WEEKS OR DAYS AHEAD.
THE STUDENTS TRYING TO FIND WORK
IN THE SUMMER MONTHS ARE NOT 
GOING TO FIND IT NOW.
THAT IS ANOTHER BIG CRACK IN THE
POLICY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS 
VERY AWARE OF.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH SOMEONE WHO 
HAS ALREADY APPLIED FOR THE 
PROGRAM TODAY.
MARISSA VERDONI IS A 
CHIROPRACTOR WHO IS AT HOME WITH
HER TWO KIDS.
>> Interview: HI.
>> Rosemary: YOU APPLIED.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
>> Interview: IT WAS SUPER EASY.
I WASN'T SURE HOW QUICKLY I 
WOULD GET THROUGH.
IT WAS 8:00 THIS MORNING.
I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO DO MY 
APPLICATION ONLINE.
I LOGGED IN.
I DO HAVE A C.R.A. ACCOUNT.
I LOGGED IN ONLINE AND THERE WAS
AN ERROR MESSAGE.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT HAD 
SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY ACCOUNT 
OR IT'S A BUSY DAY.
SO I DECIDED TO CALL IN.
I DID ONE PHONE CALL WITH A BUSY
SIGNAL AND THEN I CALLED RIGHT 
BACK AND GOT THROUGH.
THERE WAS A FEW QUESTIONS.
THEY ASKED ME FOR MY S.I.N. AND 
MY BIRTH YEAR.
THERE WAS A RECORDED MESSAGE 
SAYING WHAT THE CERB IS, HOW YOU
QUALIFY, AND MAKING SURE YOU MET
ALL THE PREREQUISITES TO APPLY.
ONCE THAT WAS FINISHED, I PUSHED
A BUTTON.
AND THEN THEY SAID YOU'VE 
QUALIFIED AND YOU'LL RECEIVE 
YOUR DIRECT DEPOSIT IN THREE TO 
FIVE DAYS.
THAT WAS ALL.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS PRETTY 
EASY.
LET'S SEE IF YOU GET IT IN THE 
THREE TO FIVE DAYS.
TELL ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO 
YOUR INCOME SINCE THE BEGINNING 
OF ALL OF THIS.
>> Interview: SURE, I'M A 
CHIROPRACTOR.
A SELF-EMPLOYED SOLE PROPRIETOR.
I WORK AT A COUPLE OF CLINICS.
MY LAST WORK DAY WAS MARCH 20.
I WENT IN FOR SOME ACUTE CARE 
PATIENTS.
OUR COLLEGE HAS ALLOWED US TO 
TREAT ACUTE CARE PATIENTS.
IT'S A GREY ZONE.
SINCE THEN I HAVE NOT WORKED.
MY CHILDREN HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE 
TO GO TO SCHOOL OR THEIR 
DAYCARE.
SO I'VE BEEN AT HOME ALL DAY, 
EVERY DAY TAKING CARE OF THEM.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS A FULL-TIME
JOB.
I KNOW ALL PARENTS CAN RELATE TO
THAT.
SO THE CERB, IT SOUNDS LIKE 
YOU'VE QUALIFIED AND YOU'RE 
GOING TO GET IT IN THREE TO FIVE
DAYS.
HOW DOES THAT MAKE UP FOR YOUR 
INCOME LOSS IN TERMS OF COVERING
YOUR EXPENSES?
>> Interview: IT OFFSETS SOME 
THINGS.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I WOULD LOVE 
TO BE AT WORK, FIRST OF ALL, 
HELPING MY PATIENTS.
SECOND OF ALL, EARNING AN INCOME
THAT MEETS THE STANDARD THAT 
WE'RE USED TO.
AT LEAST IT'S BETTER THAN 
NOTHING.
I THINK I WOULD SPEAK FOR MOST 
PEOPLE SAYING THAT I'M AT HOME, 
I'M SAFE AND HEALTHY AND SO IS 
MY FAMILY.
RIGHT NOW THAT IS THE MOST 
IMPORTANT THING FOR ME.
ANY LITTLE HELP, WE'RE GOING TO 
DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH IT AND 
SAVE IT.
>> Rosemary: YOUR HUSBAND IS 
OBVIOUSLY STILL WORKING, SO THAT
HELPS YOUR SITUATION TOO?
>> Interview: HE IS WORKING.
IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE IT DOES HELP 
KNOWING HE'S STILL GETTING AN 
INCOME, BUT IT'S ALSO SCARY 
BECAUSE HE'S GOING INTO WORK 
EVERY DAY.
HE'S IN MANUFACTURING AND BEEN 
DEEMED AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING UP 
THEIR MANUFACTURING LINES AND 
PROTOCOL AND HE'S QUITE INVOLVED
WITH THAT TO MAKE FACEMASKS.
IT'S AMAZING.
BUT IT'S SCARY BECAUSE HE'S 
GOING INTO WORK EVERY DAY 
EXPOSING HIMSELF.
THE COMPANY HAS TAKEN SOME 
PRECAUTIONS, BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE
GOING INTO WORK.
THERE'S ABOUT 1,500 EMPLOYEES.
COMING HOME AND STRIPPING DOWN, 
HAVING A SHOWER, WASHING HIS 
HANDS, ALL THOSE IMPORTANT 
THINGS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING INTO
THE HOUSE EVERY DAY.
THAT'S SCARY, BUT MENTAL 
HEALTH-WISE IT'S GOOD FOR HIM TO
BE AT WORK.
THAT'S REALLY HARD.
>> Rosemary: I'M SURE IT IS.
I GET TO LEAVE THE HOUSE AND 
SOMETIMES THAT DOES HELP.
SO YOU'VE SAID THIS WILL HELP.
HOW LONG COULD YOU GO DO YOU 
THINK FINANCIALLY IF YOU JUST 
HAD THIS COMING IN?
NO ONE REALLY KNOWS OF COURSE 
WHEN THIS WILL END, BUT HOW LONG
DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GO?
>> Interview: FUNNY, I WAS 
SPEAKING TO SOMEONE WHO ASKED IF
THIS LASTS FOR 18 MONTHS TO TWO 
YEARS, AND TO BE HONEST I AM NOT
THINKING ABOUT THAT.
I'M TRYING TO TAKE IT A WEEK AT 
A TIME AND DO THE BEST I CAN.
NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO 
HAPPEN.
I DON'T SEE MYSELF BEING OFF 
WORK FOR THAT LONG.
AT THIS POINT WE ARE ABLE TO SEE
PATIENTS THIS WAY THROUGH 
TELECONFERENCE.
ALSO, WE ARE ABLE TO GO INTO 
WORK FOR EMERGENCY AND ACUTE 
PATIENTS, AS I MENTIONED.
THE CLINIC I'M WORKING FOR ASKED
IF I WANTED TO DO THAT.
THE CHALLENGING THING IS 
EXPOSING MYSELF TO ANYTHING, BUT
I DON'T THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO GO
THAT LONG WITHOUT SEEING MY 
PARENTS.
IN THIS PROFESSION YOU DON'T 
FEEL LIKE YOURSELF UNLESS YOU'RE
HELPING PEOPLE.
>> Rosemary: COULD I ASK, IS 
THERE ANYTHING ELSE THE 
GOVERNMENT COULD DO FOR YOU IF 
THEY'RE LISTENING AS WE WAIT FOR
THE PRIME MINISTER.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT 
PEOPLE LIKE YOU COULD USE IN 
TERMS OF SUPPORT?
>> Interview: FINANCIALLY OR 
JUST IN GENERAL?
>> Rosemary: ANY WAY.
ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.
>> Interview: I THINK THE 
GOVERNMENT IS DOING THE BEST -- 
I THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING 
A GOOD JOB TO BE HONEST.
I THINK THEY'RE DOING THE BEST 
THEY CAN AT THIS POINT.
THINGS ARE CHANGING DAY-TO-DAY 
AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT.
I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE CERB 
BENEFIT.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP.
IT'S GOING TO HELP A LOT OF 
PEOPLE.
IN TERMS OF ME PROFESSIONALLY, 
IT WOULD BE NICE IF IT WAS A 
LITTLE MORE CLEAR WHAT WE ARE 
AND ARE NOT ABLE TO DO AS 
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
BUT OTHERWISE, WE'RE ALL DOING 
OKAY AND IT'S JUST ONE DAY AT A 
TIME.
THERE'S NO POINT IN COMPLAINING 
AT THIS POINT.
I FEEL FAIRLY SAFE.
SO I THINK WE'RE DOING OKAY.
>> Rosemary: OKAY IS GOOD ENOUGH
FOR NOW.
I AGREE.
MARISSA, THANK YOU.
I'M GLAD IT WENT WELL THIS 
MORNING.
>> Interview: THANK YOU.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.
>> Rosemary: MARISSA VERDONI.
>>> GOOD TO PUT SOME PLACES TO 
THIS AS PEOPLE SCRAMBLE TO TRY 
TO APPLY FOR THE CERB TO MAKE UP
SOME INCOME.
I'LL BRING BACK VASSY AND DAVID.
I'M SURPRISED THE PHONE WORKED 
IN THAT CASE.
SHE COULDN'T GET THROUGH ONLINE 
FOR WHATEVER REASON AND SHE WAS 
ABLE TO CALL.
MAYBE I'LL PUT IT UP AND MAYBE I
WON'T.
WE HAVE THE THREE SCREEN 
CAPTURES OF HOW EASY IT IS.
IT IS BASICALLY, IF YOU GET 
ONLINE, THREE CLICKS OF YOUR 
MOUSE.
THAT'S SORT OF IT.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOVERNMENT'S 
GOAL IS TO GET THIS MONEY OUT 
THE DOOR AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE 
TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
>> Vassy: THAT'S THE IDEA, TO 
CAPTURE A BROAD SWATH OF THE 
POPULATION.
THEY SAID WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO
ATTEST TO.
THE BAR IS LOWER THAN E.I.
THAT'S THE CASE.
THERE ARE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS 
YOU HAVE TO SAY, YES, I HAVE NO 
INCOME OR LOW INCOME.
EVERY MONTH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO DO THE SAME TO ACCESS THAT 
MONEY.
BUT, ROSIE, IT IS SIMPLE AND 
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I THINK FROM A TECHNICAL 
APPLICATION PROCESS POINT OF 
VIEW, THIS ACCESS PROGRAM LOOKS 
LIKE IT'S WORKING.
I WOULD DO WHAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED 
EARLIER, JUST TO KEEP IN MIND, 
AND AS WE LISTEN TO THE PRIME 
MINISTER, FIGURE OUT WHERE THE 
GOVERNMENT IS GOING FOR THOSE 
PEOPLE WHO DON'T FIT INTO THE 
PROGRAM.
SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE -- PERHAPS 
THE BIGGEST MESSAGE I AM 
GETTING, THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THE
MAJORITY OF THEIR INCOME, ALMOST
ALL OF IT, BUT NOT EVERY PENNY.
THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND SOME
KIND OF HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT
AT THIS POINT.
I'M VERY, VERY KEENLY INTERESTED
TO FIND OUT -- LIKE YOU SAID, 
THE PRIME MINISTER YESTERDAY 
ACKNOWLEDGED THERE ARE GAPS IN 
THIS PROGRAM AND THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
THEY ARE WORKING ON ADDRESSING 
THOSE GAPS.
I'M INTERESTED TO FIND OUT HOW 
THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
AS WE'VE BEEN SAYING, FOR PEOPLE
WHO HAVE LOST THE MAJORITY OR 
ALL OF THEIR INCOME, TIME IS OF 
THE ESSENCE.
WE'RE HEADING INTO APRIL AND 
ANOTHER RENT CHEQUE AND BILL 
CYCLE.
I THINK THEY NEED THAT MONEY.
>> Rosemary: HERE COMES THE 
PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I WANT TO START BY RECOGNIZING 
THAT TODAY IS A PAINFUL 
ANNIVERSARY.
IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THE 
TRAGIC HUMBOLDT BRONCOS CRASH.
FROM COAST TO COAST TO COAST, WE
REMEMBER THE LIVES THAT WERE 
ENDED AND THOSE THAT WERE 
CHANGED FOR EVER IF YOU LOST A 
FRIEND, TEAMMATE, OR A LOVED 
ONE, IF YOU'RE STILL REBUILDING 
AND RECOVERING, I WANT YOU TO 
KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU AND
WE WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU.
YOU, THE COMMUNITY OF HUMBOLDT, 
ALONG WITH ALL CANADIANS WHO 
STAND WITH YOU, HAVE SHOWN 
INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND 
RESILIENCE.
JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE PUTTING OUT
HOCKEY STICKS OR WEARING THE 
JERSEY, YOU REMIND US THAT 
TOGETHER WE CAN GET THROUGH THE 
DARKEST OF TIMES.
RIGHT NOW, AS WE FACE A 
CHALLENGE UNLIKE ANY OTHER, WE 
LEAN ON OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY 
AND WE LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY 
CAN LEAN ON US TOO.
THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD WON'T
BE EASY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET 
THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
I'M SURE THAT MANY OF YOU 
WATCHED THE QUEEN'S ADDRESS 
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
HER MESSAGE OF UNITY AND RESOLVE
IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
NO ONE SHOULD FEEL ALONE IN 
THIS.
NO ONE SHOULD WONDER HOW THEY'LL
WEATHER THIS STORM WITHOUT 
SUPPORT.
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE'VE 
BROUGHT IN A WHOLE RANGE OF NEW 
MEASURES TO HELP FAMILIES, 
WORKERS, SENIORS, AND BUSINESS 
OWNERS GET THROUGH THIS.
TAKEN TOGETHER, WE'VE INTRODUCED
THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC MEASURES IN
OUR LIFETIME WHICH WILL HELP 
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
THAT INCLUDES THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT FOR 
IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR PAYCHEQUE.
WHETHER YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF 
SOMEONE WHO'S SICK, HAVE BEEN 
LAID OFF, OR ARE LIVING WITH A 
DISABILITY, THE CERB IS THERE 
FOR YOU.
THIS BENEFIT IS NOW AVAILABLE 
STARTING TODAY.
IF YOU'RE BORN IN JANUARY, 
FEBRUARY, OR MARCH, YOU CAN GO 
TO Canada.ca AND APPLY ONLINE.
IF YOU CAN'T APPLY ONLINE, DON'T
WORRY.
YOU CAN CALL 1-800-959-2041.
SINCE IT OPENED THIS MORNING, 
240,000 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY 
SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED.
FOR EVERYONE ELSE, YOU'LL BE 
ABLE TO APPLY ANOTHER DAY THIS 
WEEK, DEPENDING ON YOUR BIRTH 
MONTH.
WE KNOW YOU NEED THIS SUPPORT AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM 
WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
IF YOU'RE USING DIRECT DEPOSIT, 
YOU'LL RECEIVE MONEY THREE TO 
FIVE DAYS LATER.
THE CERB IS MEANT TO HELP ALL 
CANADIANS WHO NEED IT AND 
MILLIONS OF CANADIANS WILL BE 
GETTING IT STARTING THIS WEEK.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T 
YET QUALIFY WHO WE DO NEED TO 
HELP.
IF YOU'RE WORKING REDUCED HOURS,
DOWN TO 10 HOURS A WEEK OR LESS,
WE WILL SOON ANNOUNCE HOW YOU 
WILL BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE 
CERB.
THIS IS TO HELP YOU IF YOU'RE A 
GIG WORKER, A CONTRACT WORKER, 
OR A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE MORE TO SAY TO 
THOSE WHO ARE WORKING BUT ARE 
MAKING LESS THAN THEY WOULD WITH
THE BENEFIT.
I'M THINKING IN PARTICULAR OF 
HOME CARE WORKERS OR LONG-TERM 
CARE WORKERS LOOKING AFTER 
VULNERABLE SENIORS.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE ALSO LOTS 
OF UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE 
STUDENTS WONDERING WHAT KIND OF 
JOB YOU'LL GET THIS SUMMER.
YOU NEED SUPPORT NOW AND WORK IS
UNDERWAY TO GET IT TO YOU AS 
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
FOR PEOPLE IN ALL OF THESE 
SITUATIONS, WE SEE YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
WE'RE WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN 
TO GET YOU THE SUPPORT YOU NEED.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO 
ANNOUNCED A NEW 75% WAGE SUBSIDY
TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR JOB AND 
HELP BUSINESSES KEEP THEIR 
EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE DRAFTING 
LEGISLATION AND TALKING TO OTHER
PARTIES AHEAD OF BRINGING 
PARLIAMENT BACK TO PUT THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY IN PLACE AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE, SUPPORTING YOU AND 
YOUR FAMILY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY.
YOUR MINISTER OF FINANCE, BILL 
MORNEAU, WILL HAVE MORE UPDATES 
SOON, BUT HERE IS THE BOTTOM 
LINE.
WHATEVER YOUR SITUATION, WE ARE 
WORKING TO GET YOU THE HELP THAT
YOU NEED.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] IF YOU WERE BORN IN
JANUARY, FEBRUARY, OR MARCH AND 
YOU HAD TO STOP WORKING BECAUSE 
OF THE VIRUS, YOU CAN NOW APPLY 
FOR THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT STARTING TODAY 
ON Canada.ca.
IF NOT, YOU CAN SUBMIT A REQUEST
LATER IN THE WEEK DEPENDING ON 
YOUR BIRTH MONTH.
MANY OF YOU NEED HELP QUICKLY 
AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE 
SYSTEM WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
IF YOU OPT FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT, 
IT SHOULD TAKE THREE TO FIVE DAY
DAYS TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT.
THE CERB IS FOR THOSE WHO NEED 
ASSISTANCE NOW, BUT I KNOW THERE
ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO 
STILL NEED SUPPORT AND ARE NOT 
ABLE TO QUALIFY.
IF YOUR HOURS HAVE BEEN REDUCED 
TO, FOR EXAMPLE, 10 HOURS OR 
LESS, WE WILL SOON BE ANNOUNCING
HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM THE 
CERB.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE NEWS ABOUT 
PEOPLE EARNING LESS MONEY NOW 
THAN THEY CAN WITH THE BENEFIT.
I'M THINKING, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT
HOME CARE WORKERS OR THOSE WHO 
WORK IN LONG-TERM CARE WORK.
IF YOU'RE IN CEGEP OR 
UNIVERSITY, YOU'RE PROBABLY 
WONDERING WHAT YOU WILL DO THIS 
SUMMER.
WE ARE WORKING HARD ON A 
SOLUTION FOR YOU.
WE ARE WORKING ON LEGISLATION 
AND THE OPPOSITION PARTIES TO 
RECALL PARLIAMENT AND PUT IN 
PLACE THE MEASURES WE HAVE 
ANNOUNCED AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, BILL 
MORNEAU, WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
DETAILS SOON.
BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD 
REMEMBER, WHATEVER YOUR 
CIRCUMSTANCES, WE ARE DOING 
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP YOU.
WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO GIVE
YOU SOME RESPITE AND HELP YOU 
MANAGE YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
THE BANKS HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE
TO PLAY AS WELL BECAUSE THEY 
WILL BE ABLE TO HELP BUSINESSES 
TO CONTINUE THEIR ACTIVITIES AND
FAMILIES TO PAY THEIR MORTGAGES.
TODAY I WANT TO THANK THE SIX 
MAJOR BANKS AND CERTAIN 
CO-OPERATIVES FOR AGREEING TO 
REDUCE BY HALF THE INTEREST 
RATES ON CREDIT CARDS FOR 
CANADIANS EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL
DIFFICULTY AS A RESULT OF THE 
PANDEMIC.
[End of Translation] MAJOR BANKS
AND OF CERTAIN CREDIT UNIONS TO 
CUT CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATES 
ALMOST IN HALF FOR PEOPLE IN 
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY BECAUSE OF 
THE PANDEMIC WILL GIVE THEM 
MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF ON DEBT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MINISTER 
MORNEAU FOR HIS OUTSTANDING 
LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
WE NEED TO SEE EVEN MORE ACTION 
LIKE THIS GOING FORWARD BECAUSE 
THIS IS A TIME TO THINK ABOUT 
EACH OTHER, NOT ABOUT THE BOTTOM
LINE.
ON THAT NOTE, I WANT TO 
RECOGNIZE THE NEW INITIATIVE THE
CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
LAUNCHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR
GOVERNMENT.
THE CANADIAN BUSINESS RESILIENCE
NETWORK WILL HELP BUSINESSES OF 
ALL SIZES GET THROUGH THIS 
TOUGH -- NOT JUST GET THROUGH 
THIS TOUGH PERIOD, BUT DRIVE OUR
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AFTERWARDS.
THIS BUILDS ON WHAT WE'VE 
ALREADY DONE TO HELP BUSINESS 
OWNERS.
WE HAVE A THREE-POINT ECONOMIC 
PLAN.
IT SUPPORTS BUSINESS OWNERS, 
INCLUDING THROUGH NEW LOANS, 
WHILE SAFEGUARDING JOBS WITH THE
WAGE SUBSIDY, AND HELPING THOSE 
WHO NO LONGER HAVE A PAYCHEQUE 
WITH THE CERB.
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH THIS AND
TO KEEP OUR LOVED ONES AND OUR 
FRONTLINE WORKERS SAFE, ALL 
CANADIANS NEED TO DO THEIR PART.
DON'T FORGET THAT YOU ARE 
SHAPING OUR FUTURE TODAY.
WHAT THE NEXT WEEKS AND MONTHS 
LOOK LIKE, IT DEPENDS ON YOU AND
WHETHER YOU STAY HOME, WHETHER 
YOU HELP PROTECT THE VULNERABLE 
AND MAKE SURE OUR HOSPITALS 
AREN'T OVERWHELMED.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] EVERY CITIZEN HAS 
TO DO HIS PART BECAUSE PEOPLE 
WHO MAY HAVE TO GO TO WORK, SUCH
AS LAB TECHNICIANS AND 
HEALTHCARE WORKERS, TRUCKERS, 
FARM WORKERS, ARE DOING MORE 
THAN THEIR SHARE.
THEY'RE MAKING SACRIFICES TO 
ALLOW THE REST OF THE POPULATION
TO STAY HOME.
THE BEST WAY TO THANK THEM IS TO
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH GUIDELINES.
THAT IS HOW WE CAN ALL PROTECT 
OUR OWN HEALTH AND THEIR HEALTH 
AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[End of Translation]. 
>> THE FIRST QUESTION ALEX 
BOTTOM -- BALMGOM.
THE LINE IS OPEN.
>> Question: PREMIER FORD IN 
ONTARIO REPORTEDLY TOLD THE NEWS
THAT ONTARIO COULD RUN OUT OF 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 
WITHIN A WEEK AND THAT THE U.S. 
HAS STOPPED A SHIPMENT OF 
EQUIPMENT LAST NIGHT.
I WONDER WHAT YOUR REACTION TO 
THAT IS OF THAT IMPENDING 
SHORTAGE IN ONTARIO.
CAN YOU TELL US IF THE U.S. HAS 
STOPPED ANY SHIPMENTS OF GOODS 
INTO CANADA?
>> Answer: WE ARE WORKING 
CLOSELY WITH ALL PROVINCES AND 
MONITORING THE LEVELS OF 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 
AND THE CHALLENGES THEY'RE 
FACING BOTH ON PROCUREMENT AND 
ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR 
HEALTHCARE WORKERS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY GET THE HELP THEY NEED.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PRODUCTIVE 
AND POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH 
THE UNITED STATES, EMPHASIZING 
FOR THEM THAT HEALTHCARE 
SUPPLIES AND WORKERS ACROSS THE 
BORDER ARE VERY MUCH A TWO-WAY 
STREET AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE 
TO BE THERE FOR OUR NEIGHBOURS 
BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR COLLECTIVE 
INTEREST.
MINISTER CHAMPAGNE HAD A 
PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION WITH 
MR. POMPEO THIS MORNING AND WE 
EXPECT THOSE SUPPLIES TO BE 
DELIVERED.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] FROM THE OUTSET, WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE 
PREMIERS OF THE PROVINCES TO 
ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PROTECT 
THEIR HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
WE'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE 
CONCERNS IN TERMS OF THERE NOT 
BEING ENOUGH EQUIPMENT IN THE 
COMING DAYS.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE WORKING VERY, 
VERY HARD TO SECURE THOSE 
SUPPLIES AROUND THE WORLD AND 
ALSO START TO PRODUCE THEM HERE 
IN CANADA.
I CAN SAY THAT WE CONTINUE TO 
HAVE VERY PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE AMERICANS.
MINISTER CHAMPAGNE SPOKE TO 
SECRETARY POMPEO THIS MORNING.
WE ARE EXPECTING THOSE PRODUCTS 
TO BE DELIVERED.
[End of Translation]. 
>> Question: HAVE YOU -- I GUESS
JUST TO REPEAT THAT QUESTION, 
HAS THERE BEEN ANY SHIPMENTS 
THAT HAVE BEEN STOPPED THAT WE 
WERE EXPECTING TO GET?
AND HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY 
ASSURANCES FROM THE AMERICANS 
THAT THEY WILL ALLOW THESE TO GO
THROUGH?
>> Answer: AS I SAID, THERE ARE 
VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS 
ONGOING AND WE EXPECT THOSE 
SHIPMENTS TO BE DELIVERED.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> NEXT QUESTION JIM BRONSCALE, 
"THE CANADIAN PRESS."
THE LINE IS OPEN.
>> Question: GOOD MORNING.
WE'RE WONDERING IF YOU CAN 
UPDATE US ON ANY OF THE EFFORTS 
TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE 
QUARANTINED WHO NEED TO BE 
QUARANTINED.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO TELL US 
TODAY ABOUT WHETHER ANYONE HAS 
BEEN QUARANTINED?
IF SO, ARE THERE ANY NUMBERS ON 
THAT SCORE?
THANK YOU.
>> Answer: ANYONE RETURNING TO 
CANADA IS SUBJECT TO A MANDATORY
QUARANTINE ORDER.
THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO GO 
STRAIGHT HOME FROM THE AIRPORT 
AND STAY HOME FOR 14 DAYS.
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE 
FOLLOWING UP WITH A NUMBER OF 
THOSE PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY SOME 
OF THE HIGHER-RISK OR 
CHALLENGING CASES.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT CANADIANS 
RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE 
OBEYING THE QUARANTINE ORDERS 
AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE DOING 
EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO TO KEEP 
THEIR LOVED ONES AND THEMSELVES 
SAFE.
>> FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
>> Question: IS THERE ANY SENSE 
BEYOND THE NORMAL QUARANTINE 
PROCEDURES WHETHER THE 
QUARANTINE ACT HAS BEEN INVOKED 
IN SPECIAL CASES AND PEOPLE HAVE
ACTUALLY BEEN FORCED INTO 
QUARANTINE IN CENTRES OR OTHER 
LOCATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE 
ACT?
>> Answer: FROM THE VERY 
BEGINNING THERE WAS A NUMBER OF 
MEASURES THAT WE TOOK ON 
RETURNING FLIGHTS FROM WUHAN, 
FOR EXAMPLE, ON FLIGHTS COMES 
BACK FROM VARIOUS CRUISES, WHERE
WE HAD MANDATORY QUARANTINES IN 
CENTRES.
WE HAVE FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE RETURNING TO 
CANADA AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS 
CANNOT QUARANTINE THEMSELVES AT 
HOME OR HOME IS TOO FAR FROM THE
AIRPORT.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE INSTITUTIONS
IN PLACE AND THOSE ARE BEING 
USED.
>> Question: [Speaking French] 
[Voice of Interpreter] GOOD 
MORNING, PRIME MINISTER.
ABOUT A WEEK AGO YOU WERE 
TALKING ABOUT THE END OF YOUR 
ISOLATION ARRIVING.
CAN YOU TELL US WHEN THAT WILL 
HAPPEN?
>> Answer: WELL, I INTEND TO 
RETURN TO THE OFFICE IN THE 
COMING DAYS, BUT MY WORK WILL 
CONTINUE FOR THE TIME BEING AT 
HOME.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE 
ASKING EVERYONE TO DO.
WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE TO STAY 
HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AS WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT WEEKS, 
IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO SO AND 
WE'RE WORKING VERY WELL FROM 
HOME IN THIS PARTICULAR 
CIRCUMSTANCE.
YES, I MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO 
PARLIAMENT OR GO TO THE OFFICE 
AT SOME POINT IN THE COMING DAYS
OR WEEKS, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO
WORK FROM HOME AS MUCH AS 
POSSIBLE.
>> Question: YOU ALSO MENTIONED 
IN YOUR STATEMENT THAT THE 
COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS WILL NOT
BE EASY.
COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?
I UNDERSTAND THE CURVE DEPENDS 
ON THE CHOICES PEOPLE ARE MAKING
AND YOU WILL BE RELEASING 
INFORMATION, BUT IN CONCRETE 
TERMS WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
>> Answer: WELL, IT MEANS PEOPLE
SHOULD EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO 
STAY HOME.
 THIS IS FOR MANY WEEKS AND 
PERHAPS MANY MONTHS.
WE WILL HAVE MORE SPECIFIC 
ANSWERS FOR PEOPLE ONCE WE HAVE 
COMPLETED OUR MODELLING, AND 
THAT WILL GIVE PEOPLE A BETTER 
IDEA OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
BUT EVERY MODEL AND EVERY 
PROJECTION SHOWS A LOT OF 
VARIABILITY DEPENDING ON THE 
ACTIONS WE TAKE AS INDIVIDUALS 
AND AS A SOCIETY.
STAYING HOME AND CONTINUING TO 
BE ISOLATED AND PRACTICE 
DISTANCING IS THE BEST WAY TO 
COME OUT OF THIS AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
BUT THIS WILL BE AN ISSUE THAT 
LASTS FOR WEEKS AND POSSIBLY 
MONTHS.
>> Question: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOU COMMENT ON 
PARLIAMENT.
WORK HAS BEEN SUSPENDED IN 
PARLIAMENT FOR THREE WEEKS, AND 
THAT MEANS THE DEMOCRATIC 
PROCESS IS NOT REALLY UNDERWAY 
AND YET YOU'RE A MINORITY 
GOVERNMENT.
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO
SAY YOU'RE GETTING AROUND THE 
OPPOSITION PARTIES AND GOVERNING
ALL BY YOURSELF?
>> Answer: ON THE CONTRARY.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE'RE 
RECALLING PARLIAMENT TO DEVELOP 
VERY IMPORTANT LEGISLATION THAT 
WILL HELP WORKERS AND BUSINESSES
WITH THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING IN 
PARLIAMENT AND SEEING IT 
RECALLED IN REDUCED NUMBERS SO 
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO OUR 
IMPORTANT WORK AS 
PARLIAMENTARIANS.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S IMPORTANT
TO SAY THAT THERE ARE MANY 
PARLIAMENTARIANS RIGHT ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY WHO WERE ELECTED TO 
REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT
SIMPLY CANNOT COME TO PARLIAMENT
AT THIS TIME.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE LOOKING AT --
LOOKING VERY SERIOUSLY AT WAYS 
TO BRING PARLIAMENT TOGETHER 
VIRTUALLY.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO 
ALLOW OUR DEMOCRACY TO CONTINUE 
TO FULLY OPERATE.
WE WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY 
TO ALL M.P.s, NOT JUST THOSE WHO
LIVE CLOSE TO PARLIAMENT, TO 
REPRESENT THEIR CITIZENS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT
IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS.
>> Question: ABOUT THE IDEA OF A
VIRTUAL PARLIAMENT, WHAT KIND OF
MODEL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
WOULD YOU BE PREPARED EVERY 
SINGLE DAY FOR QUESTION PERIOD 
OR WOULD IT BE SOMETHING MORE 
FLEXIBLE SINCE WE'RE IN A 
CRISIS?
>> Answer: WELL, I THINK THERE 
ARE A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS WE ARE 
HEARING IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN 
MAKE OUR PROCESSES AND OUR 
INSTITUTIONS MORE ROBUST IN THIS
CRISIS.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S EVEN MORE 
IMPORTANT NOW THAT WE HAVE A 
STRONG DEMOCRACY AND STRONG 
INSTITUTIONS WHEN DEALING WITH A
CRISIS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING WITH 
THE OTHER PARTIES AND OUR 
INSTITUTION'S PARTY EXPERTS IN 
ORDER TO CONTINUE TO GIVE 
CONFIDENCE TO THE PEOPLE OF 
CANADA, THAT OUR DEMOCRACY IS 
WORKING, THAT PARLIAMENT IS 
WORKING, AND THAT WE REMAIN 
STRONG EVEN IN THESE DIFFICULT 
TIMES.
[End of Translation] IT IS 
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE 
CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR 
DEMOCRACY EVEN DURING A 
CRISIS -- ESPECIALLY DURING A 
CRISIS.
THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING FORWARD 
TO SEEING PARLIAMENT RECONVENE 
IN A REDUCED STATE IN THE COMING
DAYS TO BE ABLE TO PASS 
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION THAT'S 
GOING TO GET WAGE SUBSIDIES OUT 
TO EMPLOYERS SO PEOPLE CAN 
CONTINUE TO HOLD THEIR JOBS, 
EVEN IN THIS TIME WHERE VERY FEW
PEOPLE ARE WORKING.
MORE THAN THAT, WE HAVE TO LOOK 
AT WAYS OF VIRTUALLY CONVENING 
PARLIAMENT SO THAT 
PARLIAMENTARIANS FROM ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WHO WERE ELECTED TO DO 
THEIR JOBS REPRESENTING THEIR 
CITIZENS IN NORMAL TIMES AND IN 
TIMES OF CRISIS, CAN MAKE 
THEMSELVES HEARD.
IT CAN'T JUST BE FOLKS WHO HAVE 
PROXIMITY TO PARLIAMENT OR THE 
ABILITY TO GET HERE.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WAYS OUR 
INSTITUTIONS CAN STAY STRONG AND
EMBODY AND FULFIL THE FUNCTIONS 
THAT CANADIANS NEED THEM TO.
THAT'S WHY I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING
FORWARD TO DISCUSSIONS WITH 
OTHER PARTIES AND EXPERTS ON HOW
WE CAN CONTINUE WITH OUR 
INSTITUTIONS EVEN IN THIS 
DIFFICULT TIME.
>> Question: [Speaking French] 
[Voice of Interpreter] NOW, THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT, THERE ARE A LOT OF 
PEOPLE WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH 
THE CRACKS AT THIS TIME AND THEY
ARE WONDERING WHAT THEY CAN DO 
AND HOW LONG THEY WILL LAST.
WHAT KIND OF CHANGES WILL YOU 
MAKE TO FILL IN THOSE GAPS AND 
WILL IT BE RETROACTIVE?
>> Answer: WELL, WE ARE 
CURRENTLY LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT TYPE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND 
ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THAT 
BENEFIT.
WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE WITH 
MASSIVELY REDUCED HOURS BUT WHO 
ARE CONTINUING TO WORK AND WHO 
SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE 
CERB.
SOME PEOPLE MAY BE WORKING ONLY 
10 HOURS A WEEK AND ARE EARNING 
ONLY $500 A MONTH.
WE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE 
ACCESS TO THE CERB.
SO IN THE COMING DAYS WE WILL BE
ANNOUNCING HOW THOSE PEOPLE CAN 
APPLY TO RECEIVE THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
WE ALSO REALIZE THAT IN SOME 
AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN LONG-TERM
CARE FACILITIES, THERE ARE 
WORKERS WHO ARE EARNING LESS PER
MONTH.
THEY'RE CARRYING OUT VERY 
IMPORTANT WORK FOR SOCIETY, BUT 
THEY'RE EARNING LESS THAN THEY 
WOULD RECEIVE UNDER THE CERB, 
THE NEW BENEFIT.
SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE 
PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THIS 
IMPORTANT WORK CAN CONTINUE TO 
DO IT AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW 
WE CAN GIVE THEM MORE MONEY SO 
THEY CAN KEEP THOSE JOBS AND 
CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.
WE WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY IN THE 
COMING DAYS.
[End of Translation] THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT IS 
THERE TO HELP MILLIONS OF 
CANADIANS.
WE'VE MOVED QUICKLY ON IT TO TRY
TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE 
POSSIBLY CAN AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
THAT'S ROLLING OUT TODAY.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE RECOGNIZE 
THERE ARE GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT 
AREN'T BENEFITTING FROM THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT WHO PROBABLY SHOULD.
I THINK SPECIFICALLY OF PEOPLE 
WHO HAVE SEEN THEIR HOURS 
REDUCED MASSIVELY DOWN TO 10 
HOURS A WEEK OR LESS, MAYBE 
MAKING A TOTAL OF $500 A MONTH 
WHO ARE IN A PRECARIOUS 
SITUATION, WHO REALLY SHOULD AND
COULD BENEFIT FROM THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ANNOUNCING 
IN THE COMING DAYS HOW PEOPLE IN
THAT SITUATION WILL BE ABLE TO 
APPLY AND RECEIVE THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THINK OF OTHER PEOPLE, PERHAPS 
PEOPLE WORKING IN LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES OR SENIORS' 
RESIDENCES WHO DO EXTREMELY 
IMPORTANT WORK, PARTICULARLY 
THESE DAYS, BUT THEY DON'T MAKE 
AS MUCH PER MONTH AS THEY WOULD 
IF THEY LOST THEIR JOB AND WERE 
RECEIVING THE RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING 
CAREFULLY AT HOW WE CAN INCREASE
THEIR PAY A LITTLE BIT SO THEY 
DO BETTER OFF REMAINING AT WORK 
RATHER THAN RECEIVING -- GOING 
OFF WORK AND RECEIVING THE 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THESE ARE FINE-TUNINGS THAT WE 
KNEW WE WOULD HAVE TO DO BECAUSE
IN ANY PROGRAM YOU'RE TRYING TO 
HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE,
THERE WILL BE EXCEPTIONS THEY 
HAVE TO FILL.
WE WILL KEEP WORKING TO MAKE 
SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT AND GET 
EVERYONE THE HELP THEY NEED.
>> Question: [Speaking French] 
[Voice of Interpreter] NOW, WITH
RESPECT TO THE S.M.E.s AND 
ECONOMIC GROWTH, THE ECONOMIC 
GROWTH EXPECTED IN THE SECOND 
QUARTER WILL, IN FACT, BE A 
DECLINE IN GROWTH.
NOW, THE FACT IS THAT THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY DOES NOT SUIT ALL 
BUSINESSES.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THAT AND 
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STOP THE 
STEADY DECLINE IN THE ECONOMY?
>> Answer: WELL, WE'RE IN A 
SITUATION RIGHT NOW WHERE WHAT 
WE HAVE TO DO TO DEAL WITH THE 
HEALTH CRISIS IS HARMING THE 
ECONOMY AND CREATING AN ECONOMIC
CRISIS AS WELL.
BUT WE HAVE CHOICES TO MAKE.
WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SHUT 
DOWN THE ECONOMY IN ORDER TO 
COME THROUGH THIS CRISIS AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN GET 
THOSE ECONOMIC ENGINES UP AND 
RUNNING AGAIN AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE IN A FEW MONTHS.
AND IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH 
THESE DIFFICULT MONTHS, WE ARE 
PROVIDING ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO
WORKERS AND BUSINESSES SO THAT 
THEY CAN LAST OUT THIS CRISIS 
WITH THE WAGE SUBSIDY, WITH 
LOANS AND ACCESS TO CREDIT, WITH
FUNDING FOR LARGE CORPORATIONS 
AS WELL.
SO WE ARE THERE TO ENSURE THAT 
WHEN THE ECONOMY REBOUNDS AT THE
END OF THIS CRISIS, WE WILL BE 
IN A GOOD ECONOMIC POSITION AND 
WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.
[End of Translation]. 
>> Question: I JUST WANT TO 
RETURN BACK TO THAT CITY NEWS 
REPORT ABOUT THE SHIPMENT OF 
MASKS.
DID THE UNITED STATES BLOCK THAT
SHIPMENT OF MASKS TO CANADA?
ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY OTHER 
SHIPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYED
OR BLOCKED?
YOU SAID YOU EXPECT THE SHIPMENT
TO ARRIVE.
IF IT DOESN'T, WHAT WILL YOU DO?
>> Answer: WE CONTINUE TO HAVE 
PRODUCTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE 
CONVERSATIONS WITH OFFICIALS IN 
THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION WHO 
UNDERSTAND THAT ESSENTIAL 
SERVICES AND SUPPLIES ARE VERY 
MUCH A TWO-WAY STREET BETWEEN 
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
WE ARE INTERCONNECTED AND 
INTERLINKED IN SO MANY WAYS FROM
THE PRIMARY RESOURCES FLOWING TO
AMERICAN COMPANIES TO MAKE THE 
EQUIPMENT THAT IS SO DESPERATELY
NEEDED IN NORTH AMERICA AND 
AROUND THE WORLD WITH SHIPMENTS 
THAT GO FROM CANADA TO THE 
UNITED STATES AND FROM THE 
UNITED STATES TO CANADA.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK 
TOGETHER.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT 
GOODS AND SERVICES THAT ARE 
ESSENTIAL CONTINUE TO FLOW AND I
EXPECT THOSE SHIPMENTS TO COME 
IN SOON.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] WE KNOW THAT 
ESSENTIAL GOODS AND SERVICES 
CROSS THE BORDER IN BOTH 
DIRECTIONS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
THE AMERICANS TO ENSURE THAT 
THOSE ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS TO 
PROTECT CANADIANS COME TO CANADA
AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THEY WILL.
[End of Translation]. 
>> Question: THE CENTRES FOR 
DISEASE CONTROLS IS RECOMMENDED 
PEOPLE WEAR MASKS WHEN THEY GO 
OUT.
CANADA HASN'T GONE THAT FAR.
WHY HAS CANADA NOT MADE THAT 
RECOMMENDATION WHEN SOME 
HEALTHCARE EXPERTS SAY IT'S A 
GOOD IDEA?
>> Answer: I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE
HEALTHCARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO 
PEOPLE.
I DON'T THINK POLITICIANS SHOULD
BE OPINING ON HEALTHCARE FIXES 
OR SOLUTIONS.
I KNOW DR. TAM IS GOING TO BE 
SHARING NEW REFLECTIONS ON BE 
MASKS IN LESS THAN AN HOUR NOW 
AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO 
CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO HER AND TO
HEALTH EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONALS
ON HOW BEST WE CAN KEEP 
OURSELVES SAFE, OUR LOVED ONES 
SAFE, HOW BEST WE CAN KEEP OUR 
HEALTHCARE WORKERS SAFE AT THIS 
TIME.
>> Question: PRIME MINISTER, 
SOME OF THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE 
HAD THE MOST SUCCESS FLATTENING 
THE CURVE, SUCH AS GERMANY, 
ATTRIBUTE THAT TO TESTING.
WHY IS IT WE'RE NOT DOING MORE 
TESTING, IS IT LACK OF PEOPLE TO
ADMINISTER THE TESTING, OR LACK 
OF TESTING KITS?
>> Answer: EVERY SINGLE DAY 
WE'RE DOING MORE THAN BEFORE.
WE REALIZE THAT LARGE-SCALE 
TESTING IS A KEY ELEMENT OF 
FLATTENING THE CURVE AND DEALING
WITH THE LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS OF 
THIS PANDEMIC.
WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO TEST
MORE AND MORE, TO GET THOSE 
ANSWERS BACK QUICKLY, AND TO BE 
ABLE TO MONITOR THE SPREAD OF 
CORONAVIRUS THROUGH OUR 
POPULATION.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE CONTINUING TO 
DO MORE TESTS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE CREATING MORE 
TEST KITS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE CONTINUING TO 
DEVELOP NEW SOLUTIONS ON 
TESTING.
TESTING WILL BE AN ESSENTIAL 
PART OF HOW WE GET THROUGH THIS.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] WE RECOGNIZE THAT 
TESTING IS ESSENTIAL WHEN IT 
COMES TO OUR ABILITY TO GET 
THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
THAT IS WHY EVERY SINGLE DAY WE 
ARE DOING MORE TESTING AND WHY 
WE ARE SECURING NEW TEST KITS, A
LARGER NUMBER OF KITS, SO 
TESTING CAN BE DONE MORE QUICKLY
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GETTING 
THROUGH THIS MEANS MASSIVE 
TESTING.
[End of Translation]. 
>> Question: WHEN WILL THE 
TESTING KITS BE DELIVERED TO THE
PROVINCES SO TESTING CAN BE 
RAMPED UP?
IS. 
>> Answer: WE HAVE HAD A 
DELIVERY OF TESTING KITS AND WE 
WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER THOSE.
WE KNOW THERE IS A NEED FOR MORE
TESTING KITS AND THAT IS WHAT 
WE'RE WORKING ON.
>> Question: WE'RE HEARING THAT 
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, 
NURSES, DOCTORS ARE BEING TOLD 
BY HOSPITALS ON BORDER TOWNS, 
SPECIFICALLY WINDSOR AND SAULT 
ST. MARIE, THAT THEY HAVE TO 
CHOOSE WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO 
WORK.
WILL THAT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF 
CROSS-BORDER CONTAMINATION 
WORKING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE 
BORDER?
>> Answer: BORDER MAYORS ARE 
MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND 
ARE CHOOSING TO DO THINGS TO 
PROTECT OUR CITIZENS AND 
NEIGHBOURS.
WE ARE GOING TO GET THE BALANCE 
RIGHT AND IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE
SOME DIFFICULT CHOICES.
AN ESSENTIAL PATH FORWARD IS NOT
JUST KEEPING CANADIANS SAFE 
WHICH NEEDS TO BE A TOP 
PRIORITY, BUT ALSO HELPING THE 
WORLD DEAL WITH THIS GLOBAL 
CRISIS AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE 
IS TRYING TO DO.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] WE REALIZE THAT OUR
PREMIERS AND MAYORS RIGHT ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, AND PARTICULARLY IN
CITIES ON THE BORDER, ARE FACING
VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND 
THEIR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS 
TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY 
OF CANADIANS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE RESIDES 
THAT WE ARE FACING A GLOBAL 
SITUATION AND WE HAVE TO BE 
THERE TO HELP OUR NEIGHBOURS IF 
WE CAN.
[End of Translation]. 
>> Question: I DIDN'T GET AN 
ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION 
SPECIFICALLY.
BUT I NEED TO MOVE ON BECAUSE 
THERE IS ANOTHER ANSWER WE'RE 
LOOKING FOR.
FROM THIS REPORT THAT PREMIER 
FORD IS TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS 
SHIPMENT THAT WAS BLOCKED 
YESTERDAY, ARE YOU AWARE OF 
SHIPMENTS OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT FOR PROTECTING MEDICAL
PERSONNEL OR ANY OTHER SHIPMENT 
THAT HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY THE 
UNITED STATES?
>> Answer: WE HAVE RECOGNIZED 
OVER THE PAST WEEKS A NUMBER OF 
SITUATIONS IN WHICH SHIPMENTS 
COMING FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES 
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BEEN 
DELAYED, HAVEN'T ARRIVED WITH AS
MANY PRODUCTS AS WE WERE HOPING 
TO SEE.
THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN ONGOING 
PROBLEM.
SPECIFICALLY WITH THE 
UNITED STATES, WE ARE WORKING 
WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THE 
ORDERS THAT CANADA HAS PLACED 
GET DELIVERED.
WE EXPECT THOSE SHIPMENTS TO 
COME.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] WE RECOGNIZE THAT 
THAT IS A REALITY AROUND THE 
GLOBE, THAT SOME SHIPMENTS ARE 
COMING WITH LESS EQUIPMENT THAN 
WE WANTED OR WERE DELAYED 
BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY 
VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO 
ENSURE THAT CANADA RECEIVES 
EVERYTHING THAT IT NEEDS.
[End of Translation]. 
>> Rosemary: AND THAT IS THE 
PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA WITH 
HIS DAILY BRIEFING ON THE 
COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE SAME 
DAY THAT THE CERB, THE EMERGENCY
RELIEF BENEFIT, IS AVAILABLE TO 
CANADIANS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR 
WORK DUE TO COVID-19.
LOTS OF NEWS THERE FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER.
I'M GOING TO START WHERE WE LEFT
OFF, IF I CAN.
I'LL BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES, 
VASSY KAPELOS AND DAVID 
COCHRANE.
THIS IS FOLLOWING A REPORT BY 
"Citytv" THAT WE HAVE NOT 
CONFIRMED, BUT IT WAS IN AN 
INTERVIEW, THAT PREMIER FORD OF 
THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO 
SUGGESTED HE WAS GOING TO RUN 
OUT OF P.P.E., PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, SOON IN 
THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE A SHIPMENT
HAD BEEN HELD UP AT THE BORDER.
VASSY, THE PRIME MINISTER 
WOULDN'T SAY THOSE WORDS, BUT I 
UNDERSTOOD HIM TO BE SAYING, 
YES, THAT IS HAPPENING.
THE FURTHEST HE WOULD GO IS TO 
SAY, YES, WE EXPECT THOSE 
SHIPMENTS TO COME.
>> Vassy: JUST TO BE SPECIFIC 
ABOUT WHAT THE PREMIER SAID, HE 
IDENTIFIED ONE SHIPMENT FROM THE
U.S. THAT HAD BEEN STOPPED OVER 
THE WEEKEND WITH 3 MILLION 
MASKS.
WHAT HE SAID TO "Citytv" IS THAT
WITHIN A WEEK PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WOULD RUN 
OUT FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS IN 
ONTARIO.
GIVEN THE NUMBER OF CASES THERE 
AND THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS, 
THAT'S A HUGELY SIGNIFICANT 
THING TO SAY.
THE PRIME MINISTER WAS ASKED 
MULTIPLE TIMES, DO YOU KNOW THAT
TO BE THE CASE, ESPECIALLY THE 
LAST QUESTION THERE FROM ONE OF 
OUR COLLEAGUES AT CTV.
HE WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT 
THAT SHIPMENT HAD BEEN STOPPED.
HE WAS NOT SPECIFIC ABOUT THE 
UNITED STATES.
HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT TO BE
THE CASE WITH SHIPMENTS FROM 
AROUND THE WORLD.
THERE ARE DELAYS.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN STOPPED.
HE WOULD NOT SPECIFICALLY SAY, 
FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE 3 MILLION 
MASKS WERE HELD UP AT THE 
BORDER.
HOWEVER, HE DID SAY THAT 
DISCUSSIONS WERE ONGOING WITH 
PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, IN 
THE ADMINISTRATION.
HE IDENTIFIED ONE SPECIFIC 
CONVERSATION THIS MORNING 
BETWEEN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER
FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE AS 
WELL AS SECRETARY MIKE POMPEO.
AND THEN HE KEPT SAYING EXACTLY 
WHAT YOU IDENTIFIED THERE, 
ROSIE, WE EXPECT THOSE SHIPMENTS
TO ARRIVE.
THAT'S THE MOST WE CAN GET OUT 
OF THAT.
THERE ARE STILL A HUGE NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS AROUND HAVE OTHER 
SHIPMENTS BEEN BLOCKED?
IS THIS THE ONLY ONE?
I'M STILL NOT CLEAR OBVIOUSLY 
THE NUMBER OF N95 MASKS WE GET 
FROM THE UNITED STATES IS 
SIGNIFICANT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HALF OF THE
MASKS CANADA GETS OR 
THREE-QUARTERS.
HOW DETRIMENTAL IS IT GOING TO 
BE TO THE SUPPLY IN VARIOUS 
PROVINCES IF THERE ARE NO 
SHIPMENTS COMING FROM THE 
UNITED STATES ANYMORE AND WHAT 
HAS HAPPENED IN THOSE 
CONVERSATIONS.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED 
FOR A READ-OUT OF THE CALL 
BETWEEN MINISTER CHAMPAGNE AND 
SECRETARY POMPEO, TO SEE IF 
THERE IS ANY PROPENSITY TO MOVE 
ON THE ISSUE.
THE PRIME MINISTER DIDN'T 
NECESSARILY ADDRESS WHETHER OR 
NOT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE ANY 
TIME SOON, BUT HE DID ATTEMPT AT
LEAST TO SOUND OPTIMISTIC THAT 
IT COULD BE.
>> Rosemary: YEAH, HE DID.
HE ALSO WAS SO CAREFUL, AS 
YOU'VE SPELLED OUT VERY WELL 
THERE, VASSY, IN HIS LANGUAGE 
AROUND THIS.
OBVIOUSLY GETTING INTO A BLAME 
GAME OR A REPRIMANDING PUBLICLY 
OF THE UNITED STATES FOR 
STOPPING A SHIPMENT, I'M NOT 
SURE HOW THAT WOULD GO OVER.
IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS THE 
CASE AND THE MESSAGE IS THAT 
THIS HAS TO STOP.
I'M CURIOUS WHO STOPPED THE 
SHIPMENT.
WAS IT BORDER CONTROL THAT 
STOPPED THE SHIPMENT?
WERE THEY DIRECTED NOT TO GO 
FURTHER.
THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS 
AROUND THAT.
DAVID, I'LL LET YOU WEIGH IN.
>> David: IT SEEMS WHAT YOU'RE 
SEEING IS A DUSTING OFF OF THE 
NAFTA NEGOTIATION STRATEGY IN 
TERMS OF HIS COMMENTS.
NO MATTER HOW SPECIFIC THE 
QUESTIONS ARE, HE IS REPEATING A
STOCK MESSAGE, WE ARE WORKING 
WITH THE U.S. ON THIS.
RAW MATERIALS ARE IMPORTANT AND 
ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND WORKERS 
FLOW BOTH WAYS ACROSS THE 
BORDER.
IT IS THE BEST WAY TO RESOLVE 
THIS.
HE IS NOT TAKING THE BAIT IN 
SAYING ANYTHING THAT COULD 
ENRAGE DONALD TRUMP.
WE SAW THAT THROUGH NAFTA AND 
THE MOTTO IN THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S OFFICE AT THE TIME 
WAS WE DON'T RESPOND TO WORDS, 
WE ONLY RESPOND TO ACTIONS.
NOW WE HAVE ACTIONS THAT 
HAPPENED AT A MATERIAL TIME.
BECAUSE THE STAKES ON THIS ARE 
LITERALLY LIFE AND DEATH FOR 
SOME PEOPLE, A LOT OF RETICENCE.
TO SAY SOMETHING EXPLICIT IN 
PUBLIC THAT MIGHT SOUND TOUGH 
AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD, BUT 
IN THE LONG RUN DO A LOT OF 
DAMAGE.
IT'S BUSY WORK BEHIND THE SCENES
TO OPEN UP THE AMERICAN BORDER 
TO THESE MEDICAL SUPPLIES, WHILE
ALSO WORKING FURIOUSLY IN CHINA 
OR BRAZIL WHERE THEY MAY MAKE 
MASKS TO GET ALTERNATE SUPPLIES.
RELYING ON THE U.S. FOR 
EVERYTHING EXPOSES YOU TO A LOT 
OF VULNERABILITY, ESPECIALLY 
WITH THE CURRENT MINDSET OF THE 
CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
THEY HAVE TO SEEK AS MANY 
AVENUES AS THEY CAN.
THE OTHER BIT OF NEWS, THE CERB 
APPLICATION PROCESS ROLLED OUT 
AT 6:00 A.M. TODAY.
NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILLION 
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENROLL.
IT'S A GOOD SIGN THAT THE SYSTEM
IS HOLDING AS THE REST OF THE 
COUNTRY WAKES UP.
MORE STRAIN COULD BE PUT ON THE 
SYSTEM.
WHILE THE $2,000 A MONTH THAT WE
KNOW IS COMING STARTS TO ROLL 
OUT, A PROMISE THERE FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER TO BROADEN THE 
CRITERIA OF THIS TO HELP PEOPLE 
WHO HAVE HAD THEIR HOURS 
DRASTICALLY REDUCED BUT ARE 
STILL WORKING.
AND ALSO FINDING A WAY TO KEEP 
PEOPLE FINANCIALLY WHOLE IF THEY
WORK IN A LONG-TERM CARE HOME 
BUT THEY MAKE LESS THAN IF THEY 
WOULD GO OFF WORK AND GET THE 
CERB.
ALSO A RECOGNITION THAT THE WAGE
SUBSIDY AS CURRENTLY DESIGNED 
ALSO ISN'T BROAD ENOUGH AND 
THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT.
THE QUOTE WAS, WHATEVER YOUR 
SITUATION, WE ARE WORKING TO GET
YOU THE HELP YOU NEED.
THESE PROGRAMS WON'T BE FULLY 
UNIVERSAL.
PEOPLE LIKE US ARE STILL WORKING
AND GETTING SALARY, BUT THEY ARE
GOING TO EXPAND THE CRITERIA TO 
SOLVE THE GAPS.
>> Rosemary: VASSY, I'LL GET YOU
TO WEIGH IN ON THE GAPS.
>> Vassy: YEAH, THOSE ARE THE 
GAPS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED 
TO US BY SO MANY CANADIANS 
WRITING IN, ESPECIALLY I WOULD 
HIGHLIGHT THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE 
SEEN THEIR INCOME DRASTICALLY 
REDUCED BUT NOT FULLY 
ELIMINATED.
THE PRIME MINISTER INDICATED, AS
DAVID SAID, THAT THERE WAS 
ADDITIONAL HELP OR THEY WOULD 
SPECIFICALLY BE ADDRESSED "IN 
THE COMING DAYS."
WE DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IS GOING 
TO ROLL OUT OR IF THEY CAN AVAIL
THEMSELVES OF THE ENTIRE CERB.
HE WAS SPECIFIC IN HIS LANGUAGE 
SAYING IF YOU'RE WORKING 10 
HOURS OR LESS MAKING $500, HE 
HAD SPECIFIC TERMINOLOGY AND 
ALSO THOSE WORKING IN CARE HOMES
WHO WOULD BE MAKING MORE IF THEY
WENT ON THE CERB AS OPPOSED TO 
WORKING.
HE SEEMED TO HAVE A SUBSET OF 
PEOPLE THE GOVERNMENT IS 
ATTEMPTING TO COVER I GUESS WITH
THE SECOND WAVE OF CERB.
BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THE 
DETAILS TO WHAT DEGREE THEY WILL
BE COVERED AND JUST HOW IT'S 
WORKING IN THE COMING DAYS. 
>> Rosemary: I'LL BE BACK TO YOU
BOTH SHORTLY.
THANKS FOR THAT.
ANOTHER BIT OF NEWS TO EXPECT AT
NOON.
THE PRIME MINISTER HINTING THAT 
DR. TAM, CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICER HAS "NEW 
REFLECTIONS ABOUT WEARING MASKS 
IN THIS COUNTRY."
WE'LL OF COURSE HAVE THAT FOR 
YOU AT THE TOP OF THE CLOCK.
AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS
BENEFIT, THE CERB DOESN'T COVER 
EVERYONE, INCLUDING MY NEXT 
GUEST, ABIGAIL GELSAND, JOINING 
ME FROM TORONTO.
>> Interview: HI.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Rosemary: TELL ME WHY YOU 
DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE CAUGHT UP 
WITH THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT.
>> Interview: MY HUSBAND AND I 
RUN A SMALL COMMUNITY ARTS 
PROGRAM, HOUSE OF COMBAT.
WE ARE ON GREATLY REDUCED 
SCHEDULES.
OUR FACILITY HAS BEEN CLOSED 
SINCE MARCH 14.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE SOME 
OF THE CLASSES ONLINE, BUT 
CERTAINLY NOT ALL.
WE HAVE AMAZING SUPPORT FROM THE
COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVE MEMBERS 
WHO HAVE REQUESTED REFUNDS OR A 
CREDIT.
IT'S HITTING EVERYONE ACROSS THE
BOARD, INCLUDING OUR MEMBERS, SO
WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
NOT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO DO THE 
ONLINE TRAINING OR BENEFIT IN 
THE SAME WAY.
IN THAT POSITION, WE'RE LOOKING 
AT A MUCH REDUCED INCOME.
AND WE HAVE THE MASSIVE OVERHEAD
COSTS OF SUSTAINING THE FACILITY
WHILE CLOSED. 
>> Rosemary: A COUPLE OF 
QUESTIONS.
THE PRIME MINISTER JUST 
SUGGESTED THERE THAT PEOPLE WHO 
ARE WORKING LESS THAN 10 HOURS A
WEEK OR GETTING $500 A MONTH, 
THEY WOULD GET SUPPORT.
WOULD YOU FALL INTO THAT 
CATEGORY?
>> Interview: FOR LESS THAN 10 
HOURS A WEEK, JUST ABOUT.
FOR LESS THAN $500, JUST ABOUT.
BECAUSE WE'RE A SMALL BUSINESS 
AND THINGS VARY WEEK TO WEEK AND
MONTH TO MONTH, IT'S HARD TO 
SAY.
>> Rosemary: DO YOU HAVE OTHER 
EMPLOYEES?
WOULD THE WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAM 
THAT IS YET TO BE IN PLACE, 
WOULD THAT BE OF HELP?
>> Interview: NOT TRULY.
OUR EMPLOYEES ARE HANDLED AS 
CONTRACTORS.
THERE ARE STUDENTS WE PAY TO 
ASSIST WITH THE CLASSES ONLY 
WHEN CLASSES ARE RUNNING IN THE 
FACILITY.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE RELEVANT. 
>> Rosemary: THERE IS ALSO SMALL
BUSINESS LOANS THEY'VE MADE 
AVAILABLE.
YOU'VE GOT A PLACE WHERE THIS 
HAPPENS AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT 
UP IN RUNNING.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF USING THAT 
AND IS THAT A POSSIBILITY?
>> Interview: KEEPING THAT OPEN 
IS IMPORTANT TO US.
WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 10 YEARS 
IN THIS CAPACITY.
WE HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND A
RENT TO PAY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
DEBT IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT 
MAKES SENSE FOR US RIGHT NOW, 
BUT WE WOULD BE OPEN TO IT 
BECAUSE WE WANT TO SUSTAIN WHAT 
WE'VE BUILT.
>> Rosemary: WHAT ARE YOU GOING 
TO DO?
HOW LONG CAN YOU GO ON WITHOUT 
MUCH COMING IN AND WITHOUT SOME 
SORT OF SOLUTION?
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT 
ALMOST BE A SOLUTION FOR YOU, 
BUT NOT QUITE.
>> Interview: CORRECT.
SO, WE HAVE LIKE A PLAN B AND 
THAT REALLY INVOLVES SHUTTING 
DOWN OUR ACTUAL FACILITY AND 
KIND OF WORKING AT OTHER 
PEOPLE'S LOCATIONS, KIND OF A 
PRIVATE TRAINING MODALITY.
IT WOULD BE HEART-BREAKING AND 
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SERVE AS 
MANY PEOPLE AS WE DO.
IT WOULD HOPEFULLY WHEN THIS IS 
OVER PROVIDE SOME SORT OF 
SUPPORT FOR OUR FAMILY WHICH HAS
TO BE THE PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
>> Rosemary: I ONLY HAVE 30 
SECONDS.
HOW STRESSED AND ANXIOUS ARE YOU
DEALING WITH THIS ON A 
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
>> Interview: ANXIOUS.
TRYING NOT TO BE.
I HAVE TWO YOUNG KIDS UNDER 3.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO HANG IN 
THERE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S
NOT HERE YET.
>> Rosemary: OKAY.
YOU OWN THE HOUSE OF COMBAT 
MARTIAL ARTS FACILITY IN 
TORONTO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M HOPING FOR THE BEST FOR YOU.
>> Interview: THANK YOU FOR 
SHOWCASING US.
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
AS WE WAIT FOR OUR BRIEFING FROM
FEDERAL OFFICIALS AT THE TOP OF 
THE HOUR, JUST A REMINDER THAT 
WE ARE EXPECTING SOME NEWS FROM 
DR. THERESA TAM ON THE WEARING 
OF MASKS IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'LL LEAVE YOU HEAR ON CBC 
TELEVISION.
YOU CAN CONTINUE WATCHING ON CBC
NEWS NETWORK AND cbcnews.ca.
[ Please Stand By ]
 WHICH
NOW SHOWS A HIGHER DEGREE OF
ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
THAT SEEPS TO UNDERPIN THE
CHANGE IN RECOMMENDATION SOUTH
OF THE BORDER AND DR. CHAN
HINTED THAT HER POSITION HAS
CHANGED OVER THE PAST FEW DAY TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
IT IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE FROM
WHERE WE STARTED A MONTH AGO IN
THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS AND THE
ADVICE THAT WAS BEING HANDED
OUT.
I WOULD POINT TO THE SCIENCE
BEHIND ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CHANGED A LOT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND LOTS OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED
QUICKLY OVER HOW PUBLIC HEALTH
ADVICE AND HOW DIFFERENT
OFFICIALS ISSUE THAT ADVICE AND
WHY THEY ARE DOING THAT.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING AS WELL.
THE ADVICE FROM THIS CDC IN THE
UNITED STATES IS IF YOU WANT TO
DO THIS, DO THIS.
SO AND THE OTHER BIT OF
INFORMATION THAT THE DOCTOR
TALKED ABOUT IS WHAT CANNOT
HAPPEN IS CANADIANS WALK AROUND
WITH MEDICAL MASKS BECAUSE THAT
IS OBVIOUSLY WHY WE ARE HEARING
THESE STORIES ABOUT SUCH A
DESPERATE NEED FOR PPE,
CANADIANS CANNOT BE WEARING
SURGICAL MASKS ON THE SECRETE
BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
WHEN HEALTHCARE WORKERS NEED TO
ARE HAVING PRESSURE TO EXPAND
THEIR MASK ORDERS.
THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS
IN FLATTENING THEIR CURVE AND
KEEPING THEIR DEATH RATE LOWER
THAN OTHER COUNTRY.
WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON ISN'T
MASKS.
IT'S WIDESPREAD TESTING AND
TRACING OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT ALLOWED THEM TO GET
AHEAD OF THE SPREAD IN A LOT OF
WAYS BY KNOWING WHO HAS IT, WHO
THEY TALKED TO, WHERE THEY ARE
AND TAKING THE MEASURES TO KEEP
KEEP INSIDE AND ISOLATE THEM
FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM
THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, MEDICAL,
MENTAL AND FINANCIAL SO THEY ARE
NOT SPREADING IT THROUGHOUT
THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO WHILE THERE APPEARS TO BE A
GROWING CONSENSUS THAT USING
NON-SURGICAL MASKS IN PUBLIC
WILL HELP, THERE IS A CERTAINTY
THAT TESTING, TRACING, PHYSICAL
DISTANCING AND ISOLATION
ABSOLUTELY WORK.
SO I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A
RELUCTANT ONGOING ALL IN ON
PEOPLE WEARING MASKS IN PUBLIC,
BECAUSE THIS FALSE SENSE OF
SECURITY.
THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK
SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A MASK
IT PROTECTS YOU BEYOND SOMETHING
WHAT WASHES YOUR HANDS WOULD DO
IN TERMS OF KEEPING THE GERM
AWAY FROM YOU.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING
ONE.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY
TRUTHERS ON THIS AND ARGUING
THAT CANADA HAS LAGGED ON THIS.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S A LOT OF COUNTRIES THAT ARE
SLOW TO COME TO THIS, EVEN ONES
THAT HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY
SUCCESSFUL, SUCH AS GERMANY,
WHICH IS THEY ARE FAR BETTER
THAN COUNTRIES THAT IT SHARES
BORDERS WITH OR CLOSE BORDERS
WITH LIKE FRANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
EVEN A LOT OF ECONOMIC AND
TRAVEL TIES TO ITALY EVEN
WITHOUT THE BORDER.
>> ANOTHER CONCERN IS THAT
SOMEHOW THE IDEA OF WEARING A
MASK WOULD MAKE YOU LESS LIKELY
TO DO THE OTHER THINGS THAT
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY ARE
IN FACT MORE IMPORTANT, PHYSICAL
DISTANCING AND WASHING YOUR
HANDS.
THE CDC SAYS USE A CLOTH MASK IF
YOU WANT TO.
THIS IS JUST, IT IS NOT A
DIRECTIVE.
SO SOME SORT OF HOMEMADE MASK
THAT YOU WOULD MAKE.
AND STILL PRACTICE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING, BUT IF YOU ARE GOING
TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE THAT IS
NOT POSSIBLE OR IT BECOMES MORE
CHALLENGING LIKE A GROCERY
STORE, LIKE I DON'T KNOW A
DEPARTMENT ELEVATOR, THEN THOSE
ARE THE PLACES TO WEAR THEM.
BUT OTHERWISE YOU STILL HAVE TO
DO THESE OTHER THINGS.
>> A POINT QUICKLY, THE MASK IS
NOT TO STOP YOU FROM GETTING
SICK.
IT COULD BE HELPFUL WITH THAT.
IT'S TO STOP YOU FROM SPREADING
YOUR DROPLETS EVERYWHERE IF YOU
ARE INFECTING OTHER PEOPLE.
MY MASK PROTECTS YOU, YOUR MASK
PROTECTS ME.
AND THAT HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT
PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGE IN CANADA
FROM DAY ONE.
IF YOU ARE SYMPTOMATIC, WEAR A
MASK SO YOU DON'T MAKE PEOPLE
SICK.
>> WE HAVE A STATEMENT FROM
PREMIER DOUG FORD ABOUT THIS
STOPPING OF PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT.
HE SAYS THAT INDEED, DELAYS IN
GLOBAL SHIPMENMENTS LEFT THE
PROVINCE WITH A ONE WEEK SUPPLY
OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AFTER
THIS BRIEFING.
>> SO IMPORTANT, UNLESS OF
COURSE YOU ARE DOING ESSENTIAL
WORK LIKE STOCKING GROCERY
SHELVES OR YOU'RE ON THE FRONT
LINES OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
AND IF YOU ARE DOING THAT
ESSENTIAL WORK, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
I KNOW THAT MANY CANADIANS TODAY
ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS
MEET.
THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE
TO SAY THAT APPLICATIONS FOR THE
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE
BENEFIT ARE NOW OPEN.
TO MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM WORKS,
WE ARE STAGGERING THE DAYS
CANADIANS CAN APPLY BASED ON
THEIR BIRTH MONTH.
WE CANADIANS ARE RESILIENT.
WE ARE SURVIVORS.
I KNOW WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS
TOGETHER.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  CANADIANS
MUST CONTINUE TO PRACTICE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
STAY STRONG AND STAY AT HOME,
UNLESS YOU ARE DOING ESSENTIAL
WORK SUCH AS FILLING GROCERY
STORE SHELVES OR PROVIDING
HEALTHCARE.
I KNOW THAT CANADIANS ARE
SUFFERING RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS WHY I'M HAPPY TO
ANNOUNCE THAT CANADIANS CAN NOW
APPLY FOR THE CANADA EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BENEFIT TO ENSURE THAT
THE TESTIMONY WORKS PROPERLY, WE
ARE STAGGERING THE DAYS FOR
APPLICATION BASED ON YOUR BIRTH
MONTH.
CANADIANS ARE RESILIENT.
WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS
CRISIS TOGETHER.
>> TODAY WE ARE GOING TO HEAR
FROM CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICER AND THE DEPUTY
CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.
[SPEAKING FRENCH] INTERPRET AS
WELL AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
PRESSUREY BOARD.
>> MINISTER OF HEALTH IS HERE
AND ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
DOCTOR, PLEASE.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
AS USUAL, I HAVE AN UPDATE ON
THE NUMBERS OF COVID-19 CASES.
THERE ARE NOW 15,822 CASES WITH
293 DEATHS.
MOST CONCERNING ARE NEW
OUTBREAKS IN HOSPITALS AND
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES WHICH
ARE IN SEVERAL PROVINCES.
AS WELL WE ARE HEARING OF YOUNG
PEOPLE BEING HOSPITAL EYED DUE
TO COVID-19 AND PEOPLE AS YOUNG
AS 20S DYING OF THIS DISEASE.
THIS IS A SERIOUS HEALTH DRET
THREAT TO EVERYONE.
ALTHOUGH ALL THEIR AGES ARE MOST
AT RISK, NO ONE CAN PREDICT WHEN
CRITICAL ILLNESS WILL STRIKE
SOMEONE AT ANY AGE.
ON THE LAB FRONT, OVER 339,000
PEOPLE IN CANADA HAVE BEEN
TESTED TO DATE WITH ABOUT FIVE
PERCENT CONFIRMED.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO TEST AT
A HIGH RATE TO TRAFFIC WHERE
SPREAD IS OCCURRING.
IN GOOD NEWS, B.C. RECORDED A
LOWER NUMBER OF CASES THIS WEEK
COMPARED TO LAST.
WHILE IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO
TELL, THIS CONTINUES TO
ENCOURAGE US ABOUT COLLECTIVE
ACTION CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF
THIS PANDEMIC.
THOUGH THERE IS CAUSE OF
CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, WE MUST NOT
RELAX ANY OF OUR EFFORTS FROM
PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING,
FREQUENT HAND WASHING AND
COVERING COUGHS TO PROTECT OUR
MOST VULNERABLE.
AS I NOTED YESTERDAY, OUR
COLLECTIVE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
OF COVID-19 CONTINUES TO GROW.
NOW THAT MORE COUNTRIES HAVE HAD
LARGER NUMBER OF CASES AND HAVE
ANALYZED TRANSMISSION PATTERNS,
IT IS CLEAR THAT TRANSMISSION OF
THE VIRUS IS HAPPENING MORE
OFTEN THAN PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED
FROM INFECTED PEOPLE RIGHT
BEFORE THEY DEVELOP SYMPTOMS.
THIS IS CAUSED PRE-SYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION.
THERE IS ALSO EVIDENCE THAT SOME
INFECTED PEOPLE WHO NEVER
DEVELOP SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO ABLE
TO TRANSMIT THE VIRUS.
THIS IS CALLED ASYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW BIG A
ROLE PRE-SYMPTOMATIC AND
ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PLAY
IN DRIVING THIS PANDEMIC, BUT WE
KNOW THAT IT IS OCCURRING.
WITH THIS EMERGING INFORMATION,
THESE SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON COVID-19 HAS COME TO A
CONSENSUS THAT'S WEARING A
NONMEDICAL MASK EVEN IF YOU HAVE
NO SYMPTOMS IS AN ADDITIONAL
MEASURE THAT YOU CAN TAKE TO
PROTECT OTHERS AROUND YOU.
IN SITUATIONS WHERE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING IS DIFFICULT TO
MAINTAIN, SUCH AS IN PUBLIC
TRANSIT, OR MAYBE AT THE GROCERY
STORE, A NON-MEDICAL MASK CAN
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF YOUR
RESPIRATORY DROPLETS COMING INTO
CONTACT WITH OTHERS OR LAND ON
SURFACES.
SO WEARING A NON-MEDICAL MASK IN
THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN
PROVEN TO PROTECT THE PERSON
WEARING IT.
IT IS AN ADDITIONAL WAY THAT YOU
CAN PROTECT OTHERS.
WEARING A NON-MEDICAL MASK IN
THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T MEAN YOU
CAN BACK OFF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES THAT WE KNOW WORK TO
PROTECT YOU.
SO YOU MUST CONTINUE TO PRACTICE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND GOOD
HYGIENE LIKE FREQUENT HAND
WASHING AND REGULARLY --
HIGH-TOUCH SURFACES.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE KEEP THE
SUPPLY OF MEDICAL MASKS WHERE IT
IS NEEDED.
HEALTHCARE WORKERS NEED MEDICAL
MASKS.
WE ARE STILL IN A VERY CRITICAL
STAGE OF CANADA'S COVID-19
EPIDEMIC, AND THIS IS NO TIME TO
RELAX OUR PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
AS CANADIANS WE MAY NOT
OUTWARDLY DEMONSTRATE OUR "PRIDE
& PREJUDICE" BUT OUR HEARTS ARE
FULL OF IT AND WE ARE DETERMINED
PEOPLE.
WHEN SOMEONE SAYS FLATTEN THE --
WE NAY NOT OUTWARDLY DEMONSTRATE
OUR PRIDE, BUT OUR HEARTS ARE
FULL OF IT AND WE ARE DETERMINED
PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
AS USUAL, I WILL START BY GIVING
AN UPDATE ON THE NUMBER OF
COVID-19 CASES IN CANADA.
THERE ARE NOW 15,822 CASES OF
COVID-19, INCLUDING 293 DEATHS.
MOST CONCERNING, OUR NEW
OUTBREAKS IN HOSPITALS AND
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
WHICH ARE OCCURRING IN SEVERAL
PROVINCES.
AS WELL, WE ARE HEARING OF YOUNG
PEOPLE BEING HOSPITALIZED DUE TO
COVID-19.
AND PEOPLE AS YOUNG AS IN THEIR
20S ARE DYING OF THE DISEASE.
THIS IS A SERIOUS HEALTH THREAT
TO EVERYONE.
AND ALTHOUGH OLDER AGES ARE MOST
AT RISK, NO ONE CAN PREDICT WHEN
CRITICAL ILLNESS WILL STRIKE
SOMEONE AT ANY AGE.
ON THE LAB FRONT, OVER 339,000
PEOPLE IN CANADA HAVE BEEN
TESTED, WITH ABOUT FIVE PERCENT
CONFIRMED AS POSITIVE.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO TEST AT
A HIGH RATE TO TRACK WHERE THE
SPREAD IS OCCURRING.
THERE'S ALSO GOOD NEWS, BRITISH
COLUMBIA THIS WEEK RECORDED A
LOWER NUMBER OF CASES, COMPARED
TO LAST WEEK.
WHILE IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO
TELL, THIS CONTINUES TO
ENCOURAGE US THAT OUR COLLECTIVE
ACTION CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF
THIS PANDEMIC.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE IS CAUSE FOR
CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, WE CANNOT
RELAX ANY OF OUR EFFORTS FROM
PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING,
FREQUENTLY WASHING OUR HANDS AND
COVERING COUGHS TO PROTECT OUR
MOST VULNERABLE.
AS I NOTED YESTERDAY, OUR
COLLECTIVE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
OF COVID-19 CONTINUES TO GROW.
NOW THAT MORE COUNTRIES HAVE HAD
LARGE NUMBERS OF CASES, AND HAVE
ANALYZED TRANSMISSION PATTERNS,
IT IS CLEAR THAT TRANSMISSION OF
THE VIRUS IS HAPPENING MORE
OFTEN THAN PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED
FROM INFECTED PEOPLE, RIGHT
BEFORE THEY DEVELOP SYMPTOMS.
THIS IS CALLED PRE-SYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION.
THERE IS ALSO EVIDENCE THAT SOME
INFECTED PEOPLE WHO NEVER
DEVELOP SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO ABLE
TO TRANSMIT THE VIRUS.
THIS IS CALLED ASYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION.
WE STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW BIG A
ROLE PRE-SYMPTOMATIC AND
ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PLAY
IN DRIVING THIS PANDEMIC.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IT IS.
WITH THIS EMERGING INFORMATION,
THE SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON COVID-19 HAS COME TO A
CONSENSUS THAT WEARING A
NON-MEDICAL MASK, EVEN IF YOU
HAVE NO SYMPTOMS, IS AN
ADDITIONAL MEASURE THAT YOU CAN
TAKE TO PROTECT OTHERS AROUND
YOU.
IN SITUATIONS WHERE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING IS DIFFICULT TO
MAINTAIN, SUCH AS IN PUBLIC
TRANSIT OR AT A GROCERY STORE, A
NON-MEDICAL MASK CAN REDUCE THE
CHANCE OF YOUR RESPIRATORY
DROPLETS COMING INTO CONTACT
WITH OTHERS OR LANDING ON
SURFACES.
WEARING A NON-MEDICAL MASK IN A
COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN TO
PROTECT THE PERSON WEARING IT.
IT IS AN ADDITIONAL WAY YOU CAN
PROTECT OTHERS.
WEARING A NON-MEDICAL MASK IN A
COMMUNITY DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN
BACK OFF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES THAT WE KNOW WORK TO
PROTECT YOU.
YOU MUST CONTINUE TO PRACTICE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND GOOD
HYGIENE, LIKE FREQUENTLY WASHING
YOUR HANDS AND REGULARLY
DISINFECTING HIGH-TOUCH
SURFACES.
MORE OVER, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
THAT WE KEEP THE SUPPLY OF
MEDICAL MASKS WHERE IT IS
NEEDED, HEALTHCARE WORKERS NEED
MEDICAL MASKS.
WE ARE STILL IN A VERY CRITICAL
STAGE OF CANADA'S COVID-19
EPIDEMIC.
AND THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO
RELAX OUR PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
AS CANADIANS, WE MAY NOT
OUTWARDLY DEMONSTRATE OUR PRIDE,
BUT OUR HEARTS ARE FULL OF IT,
AND WE ARE DETERMINED PEOPLE.
WHEN SOMEONE SAYS FLATTEN THE
CURVE, WE SAY WE'LL PLANK IT.
WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER, AND WE
WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
THINGS WILL GO WELL.
THANK YOU.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  NOW I GIVE
THE FLOOR TO THE PRESIDENT OF
THE TREASURY BOARD [SPEAKING
FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  GOOD
AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU MADE
THREE IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
THIS MORNING.
THERE'S GOOD NEWS ECONOMICALLY
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING
TO BE SUPPORTING ALL THESE
FAMILIES WHO NEED THIS SUPPORT
GIVEN THE DIFFICULT SITUATION WE
ARE EXPERIENCING. THE FIRST
IMPORTANT NEWS IS THE LAUNCH OF
THE SITE WHERE YOU CAN APPLY FOR
THE CERB, THE CANADA EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BENEFITS.
300,000 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY
APPLIED SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH THE
SITE THIS MORNING.
THE SITE IS WORKING WELL.
IT IS SOLID.
AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
WORK VERY HARD IN THIS RESPECT
AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
THE SITE IS WORKING WELL IS
BECAUSE CANADIANS ARE
DISCIPLINED, AND THEY ARE
APPLYING, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY
WERE BORN.
TODAY PEOPLE WHO CAN APPLY ARE
THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN JANUARY,
FEBRUARY OR MARCH.
THE SECOND PIECE OF GOOD NEWS
WITH RESPECT TO GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT FOR CANADIANS, IS THAT
THE 2.5 MILLION REQUESTS FOR EI
THAT WERE DONE IN RECENT WEEKS
WERE PROCESSED QUICKLY.
2.5 MILLION REQUESTS IN JUST A
FEW WEEKS IS MORE THAN WHAT
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT GENERALLY
RECEIVES OVER A YEAR.
OUT OF THESE 2.5 MILLION
REQUESTS, 2.1 OF THEM WERE
PROCESSED OVER THE PAST TWO
WEEKS.
SO IN TWO WEEKS, THEY RECEIVED
ALMOST THE SAME NUMBER OF
REQUESTS FOR EI AS WHAT WAS DONE
IN A YEAR.
SO AS A REMINDER THOSE WHO
ALREADY APPLIED FOR EMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE DO NOT NEED TO APPLY
FOR THE CERB BECAUSE THEIR
REQUESTS FOR EI ARE
AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO
CERB REQUEST.
THE LAST PIECE OF GOOD NEWS IS
WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN
HEALTH MEASURES AND ECONOMICALLY
AS WELL.
THE BANK SYSTEM AND CREDIT
UNIONS ALSO HAVE A VERY
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.
WE ARE HAPPY TO LEARN THAT
THEY'VE SIZABLY REDUCED INTEREST
RATES ON CREDIT CARDS, AND WE
EXPECT THE BANKING SECTOR TO
CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT ALL
CANADIANS CAN DO THEIR SHARE.
WE ARE ALL GOING TO GET THROUGH
THIS CRISIS TOGETHER.
AND WE ARE HAPPY, THEREFORE, TO
HAVE THE COOPERATION OF ALL
ECONOMIC PLAYERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  NOW WE ARE
READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
AS USUAL, THREE QUESTIONS FROM
THE PHONE AND THEN QUESTIONS
FROM THE MEDICAL QUESTIONS.
>> PLEASE PRESS STAR ONE IF YOU
HAVE A QUESTION.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE CERB
DOESN'T MEET THE NEEDS OF
THOUSANDS OF CANADIANS BECAUSE
THEY HAVE LOST REVENUE.
BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR WORKERS
WHO WILL BE AFFECTED -- WILL THE
PAYMENTS BE RETROACTIVE?
WITH RESPECT TO ADJUSTMENTS TO
THE WAGE SUBSIDY FOR COMPANIES,
THEY ARE FACING TOO MANY
OBSTACLES.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION.
AS WE KNOW, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY
SITUATION THAT REQUIRES
EMERGENCY MEASURES.
AND THAT IS WHY FOR SEVERAL
WEEKS NOW, WE HAVE DONE WHAT IS
ORDINARILY DONE IN MONTHS OR
YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET
ESSENTIAL NEEDS AND URGENT NEEDS
WITH RESPECT TO SUPPORT FOR OUR
WORKERS AND COMPANIES.
THE CERB AS THE PRIME MINISTER
SAID THIS MORNING, WE KNOW IT
COVERS MANY PEOPLE, MANY WORKERS
WHO NEED IT.
AND IT INCLUDES WORKERS WHO
NORMALLY WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE
FOR BENEFITS WHEN THEY ARE
UNEMPLOYED OR THEY LOSE REVENUE.
THIS MEANS ALL WORKERS WHO ARE
NORMALLY NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EI,
FREELANCERS OR PEOPLE WHO
WEREN'T ABLE TO ACCUMULATE
ENOUGH HOURS IF THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY REVENUES FOR REASONS THAT
ARE NOT RELATED TO THEIR JOB
SITUATION.
BUT NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE
STILL HOLES IN THE COVERAGE OF
THE CERB, AND THAT IS WHY THE
PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU SAID THIS
MORNING THERE WERE THREE
CATEGORYIES OF PEOPLE FOR WHICH
WE ARE LOOKING AT IN GREATER
DETAIL.
THE MINISTER AND THE MINISTER OF
FINANCE MINISTER ARE LOOKING AT
THIS.
THERE ARE THREE PARTICULAR
CATEGORIES THAT ARE BEING
EXAMINED RIGHT NOW.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST, FOR
EXAMPLE, A LOT OF HOURS OF WORK
BUT NOT ALL THEIR HOURS OF WORK.
AND THEY HAVEN'T LOST ALL THEIR
INCOME.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
MAY NOT BE EARNING AS MUCH AS
THE $2,000 THAT THE CERB OFFERS
AND ALSO STUDENTS.
IN SOME CASES, THEY WILL BE
HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING A JOB
IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
WITH RESPECT TO STUDENTS IN
PARTICULAR, I WOULD LIKE TO
REMIND YOU WHAT'S ALREADY IN
PLACE NOW TO HELP THEM.
FIRSTLY, THERE IS A SIX-MONTH
MORATORIUM ON THE REPAYMENT OF
STUDENT LOANS THAT THEY COULD
HAVE HAD IN RECENT MONTHS AND
YEARS.
SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO BE MAKING
PAYMENTS OVER THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS.
AND INTEREST THAT WOULD HAVE
ACCUMULATED OVER THIS PERIOD HAS
BEEN CANCELED.
SECONDLY, THE CANADA EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BENEFIT IS ALREADY
HELPING MANY STUDENTS AS THEY'VE
LEARNED $5,000 IN INCOME OVER
THE YEAR, THEY MAY HAVE LOST
THEIR JOB IN THE SERVICE SECTOR
OR THEY MIGHT HAVE LOST THEIR
JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY.
SO THESE STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE
RIGHT NOW TO RECEIVE THE CERB.
AND THE BEING THAT WE HAVE
ALREADY DONE, WHICH IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS, IS A
WAGE SUBSIDY OF 75%.
THIS WILL LEAD EMPLOYERS TO HIRE
AND REHIRE WORKERS, INCLUDING
STUDENTS, WHO OTHERWISE WOULD
HAVE BEEN JOBLESS AND WITHOUT
INCOME.
WITH RESPECT TO THE WAGE SUBSIDY
ITSELF AS WE KNOW, IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
AND MINISTER IS WORKING VERY
HARD TO FLESH OUT ALL THE
DETAILS.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  IF I COULD
JUST ADD SOMETHING IN FRENCH AND
PERHAPS YOU COULD REPEAT THAT IN
ENGLISH.
WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE
WORKING TEN HOURS A WEEK OR
LESS, THIS OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE
IN A VERY IMPORTANT CATEGORY FOR
MANY CANADIAN TOWNS, AND WE HAVE
DISCUSSED THIS SITUATION IN
GREAT DETAIL.
MEMBERS DID BRING THIS QUESTION
FORWARD, AND WE ARE GOING TO
SOLVE THIS VERY KEY ISSUE.
>> SO THANK YOU ALL.
BRIEFLY IN ENGLISH.
SO WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING
IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
IS REACTING IN EMERGENCY
SITUATION, AND IN EMERGENCY
MANNER, WHICH WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN
THE HISTORY OF THE SOCIAL OF
CANADA.
THAT MEANS WE ARE PUTTING INTO
PLACE THINGS LIKE THE CANADA
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THINGS THAT WOULD NORMALLY TAKE
MONTHS IF NOT YEARS TO
IMPLEMENT.
WE ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT WHAT ALREADY EXISTS IS
HELPING MILLIONS OF CANADIANS,
AND WE ARE SEEING THE IMPACT OF
THAT, MORE THAN 300,000
APPLICANTS ALREADY HAVING
SUCCESSFULLY DEPOSITED THEIR
REQUEST FOR A CERB.
NOW, WE KNOW AS PRIME MINISTER
TRUDEAU SAID A MOMENT AGO THAT
THERE IS MORE TO DO.
AND THERE ARE THREE CATEGORIES
OF PEOPLE THAT PRIME MINISTER
JUSTIN TRUDEAU FOCUSED ON A
MOMENT AGO.
FIRST, THOSE THAT HAVE REDUCED
HOURS OF WORK BUT HAVE NOT LOST
ALL THEIR INCOME OR ALL THEIR
HOURS OF WORK.
SO WE ARE MINDFUL OF THAT.
ALSO THOSE THAT WOULD BE
RECEIVING LESS IN INCOME THAN
THE $2,000 PER MONTH OF THE
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE
BENEFIT.
AND THOSE LIKE STUDENTS THAT
WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING A
JOB AT THE MOMENT IN THE YEAR AT
WHICH THEY WOULD NORMALLY BE
TRYING TO FIND A JOB TO PAY FOR
THEIR EXPENSES.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE
STUDENTS THAT ALTHOUGH THERE
WILL BE MORE TO COME, THEY HAVE
ALREADY DONE MANY IMPORTANT
THINGS FOR THEM.
FIRST IS THE DELAY FOR AT LEAST
SIX MONTHS OF THEIR PAYMENT FOR
THEIR STUDENT LOANS.
SO THE CAPITAL PAYMENTS CAN BE
BROUGHT FORWARD BY AT LEAST SIX
MONTHS.
AND ALL THE INTEREST THAT WOULD
NORMALLY ACCRUE ON THEIR LOANS
WILL NOT BE PAYABLE AT ALL.
SO THERE WILL BE NO INTEREST
PAID, NOT ONLY IN THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS BUT THAT INTEREST THAT
WOULD NORMALLY BE PAID IN THE
NEXT SIX MONTHS WILL NOT BE
ASKED FOR AFTERWARDS.
THE SECOND THING IS THE CANADA
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT IS
ALREADY HELPING THOUSANDS OF
STUDENTS RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND
PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE EARNED
MORE THAN $5,000 IN THE LAST
YEAR.
BUT THAT HAVE LOST THEIR JOB,
SOMETIMES THEIR PART-TIME JOB IN
THE RESTAURANTS OR IN A SHOP OR
AT UNIVERSITY AS A ASSISTANT TO
THEIR TEACHER.
SO THERE WILL BE STUDENTS THAT
HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS THAT HAVE
EARNED ENOUGH INCOME LAST YEAR
AND THAT ARE INELIGIBLE TO
ASKING FOR THE CANADA EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BENEFIT RIGHT NOW THIS
WEEK STARTING TODAY AND THE REST
OF THE WORK.
 WEEK.
AND FINALLY THE WAGE SUBSIDIES.
THEY ARE VERY FINANCIAL.
THEY WILL ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT
BUSINESSES TOWARDS EITHER
REHIRING OR HIRING STUDENTS THAT
WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE LOST THEIR
JOBS.
SO THIS WE EXPECT WOULD BE VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THE STUDENTS IN
THE NEXT WEEKS.
IN ADDITION TO THINGS THE PRIME
MINISTER SAID WE WOULD ANNOUNCE
SHORTLY.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  THANK YOU.
WITH RESPECT TO THE ARRIVAL OF
MASKS FROM THE U.S., THAT WERE
MEANT TO ARRIVE IN ONTARIO, BUT
PREMIER FORD SAID THAT THIS
SHIPMENT WAS BANNED.
WHAT ABOUT THAT?
AND WHAT ABOUT THE NATIONAL
STOCKPILE RIGHT NOW?
>> I DISCUSSED THIS WITH PREMIER
FORD 15 MINUTES AGO BEFORE THIS
PRESS CONFERENCE.
WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO WORKING
WITH ALL THE PROVINCES.
WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH THE
U.S. ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE
THAT ALL THE MASKS THAT WE'VE
PURCHASED WILL BE EXPORTED TO
CANADA.
AND WE DID HAVE POSITIVE
CONVERSATIONS, AND WE CONTINUE
TO WORK TO SOLVE THIS SITUATION,
WHICH IS SO VITAL TO OUR
COUNTRY, WITH RESPECT TO THE
SITUATION WITH HEALTH SERVICES
IN GENERAL.
ALL PROVINCES ARE WORKING VERY
HARD, AS IS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, OF COURSE THE
SITUATION IN ONTARIO IS ONE THAT
WE KNOW VERY WELL.
THERE'S VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION
WITH THE PROVINCES, WITH
ONTARIO, WITH THE PREMIER.
AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
WORK VERY HARD TO ENSURE THAT
PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING ESSENTIAL
WORK TO PROTECT US AT OUR
HOSPITALS DO HAVE THE NECESSARY
EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED.
>> SURE.
SO WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THE
SITUATION THAT ONTARIO
EXPERIENCED WITH SOME MASKS IT
HAD PURCHASED IN THE UNITED
STATES AND HAVING SOME TROUBLE
GETTING THEM ACROSS THE BORDER.
I SPOKE ABOUT THAT WITH PREMIER
FORD JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE
THIS PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED
AMBASSADOR HILLMAN WHO IS NOW
VERY SEIZED OF THE ISSUE ALSO.
MORE BROADLY, WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND
VERY, VERY HARD WITH OUR
AMERICAN NEIGHBORS TO ENSURE
THAT MEDICAL SUPPLIES CAN
CONTINUE TO FLOW ACROSS THE
CANADA/U.S. BORDER.
AND LET ME EMPHASIZE, AS WE
EMPHASIZED IN OUR CONVERSATIONS
WITH OUR AMERICAN NEIGHBORS,
THAT THAT FLOW IS A TWO-WAY
STREET.
THE RELATIONSHIP WHEN IT COMES
TO MEDICAL SUPPLIES, WHEN IT
COMES TO HEALTHCARE BETWEEN
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES IS,
LIKE ALL ASPECTS OF OUR ECONOMIC
RELATIONSHIP, VERY BALANCED,
VERY RECIPROCAL.
AND THAT IS WHY A WIN/WIN
OUTCOME, WHERE BOTH PARTIES
CONTINUE TO HELP EACH OTHER, IS
THE VERY BEST OUTCOME.
THAT IS THE POINT WE HAVE BEEN
MAKING.
AND WE HAD SOME POSITIVE
CONVERSATIONS OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM ALEX
FROM THE TORONTO STAR.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HI.
JUST TO EXPAND ON THAT, PREMIER
FORD PUT OUT A STATEMENT THIS
MORNING SAYING THAT CANADA IS
WORKING TO TRY TO GET AN
EXEMPTION FROM THE U.S. ORDER ON
PREVENTING THE EXPORT OF PPE.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN CONFIRM
THAT AND EXPAND ON EXTRAEXACTLY
THESE PRODUCTIVE TALK -- ON WHAT
EXACTLY THESE PRODUCTIVE TALKS
YOU ARE HAVING WITH THE
AMERICANS.
>> EXACTLY THAT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE FLOW OF
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE
SUPPLY CHAIN BETWEEN CANADA AND
THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO
CONTINUE UNIMPEDED.
AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS A
TWO-WAY STREET.
BOTH COUNTRIES BENEFIT FROM
THIS, AND BOTH COUNTRIES WOULD
LOSE OUT IF HURDLES WERE TO BE
PUT IN THE WAY OF THAT FLOW OF
HEALTHCARE SUPPORT BETWEEN OUR
TWO COUNTRIES.
WE MADE THAT POINT IN REPEATED
CONVERSATIONS OVER THE WEEKEND
AND TODAY.
AS THE PRIME MINISTER SAID, WE
FEEL WE ARE BEING HEARD, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO A DEFINITIVE
RESOLUTION OF THIS SITUATION.
IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF BOTH
COUNTRIES TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING
EACH OTHER WHEN IT COMES TO
HEALTHCARE.
>> LET ME JUST ADD.
I ALSO SPOKE TO THE GLOBAL CEO
OF 3M, MIKE ROWMAN, WHO HAS BEEN
DOING A GREAT JOB.
THE COMPANY IS TAKING A VERY,
VERY RESPONSIBLE POSITION.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE VERY SPECIAL
PLACE THEY ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
COMMEND THE COMPANY FOR ITS
APPROACH AND FOR ITS VERY
CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH
CANADA.
>> THE PRIME MINISTER MENTIONED
SHIPMENTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
HAVE BEEN DELAY, AND THERE'S
BEEN STUFF MISSING FROM
SHIPMENTS THAT HAVE ARRIVED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE DETAILS ON
WHICH COUNTRIES HAD SHIPPED
THINGS THAT WERE DELAYED AND
EXACTLY HOW MUCH STUFF HAS BEEN
MISSING FROM THE SHIPMENTS THAT
HAVE ARRIVED IN THE RECENT DAYS.
>> AS PATTY POINTED OUT AT ONE
OF THESE PRESS CONFERENCES LAST
WEEK, IT IS REALLY A WILD WEST
WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING MEDICAL
SUPPLIES RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
AND EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
IS DOING ITS BEST IN A TRULY
FIERCE COMPETITION TO GET
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
CANADA, WORKING VERY CLOSELY
WITH ALL OF OUR PROVINCES, IS
WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD IN
THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE TO
GET ALL THE SUPPLIES WE NEED.
IT'S HARD.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO WORK
EVEN HARDER.
AND IT IS ALSO WHY I AM SO
GRATEFUL TO ALL OF THE CANADIAN
MANUFACTURERS RIGHT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WHO ARE STEPPING UP TO
FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE
THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THE
TESTING EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED
HERE IN CANADA.
SO IT'S A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH.
WE ARE WORKING HARD.
BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY VERY, VERY
TOUGH RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE INTERPRETER:  NEXT
QUESTION FROM MARIE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE IN
FRENCH.
CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOUR
GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING AN
EXEMPTION FROM THE U.S. ORDER
THAT CEASES THE EXPORT OF PPE?
AND YOU ALSO SAID CAN YOU TELL
US WHEN YOU EXPECT AN ANSWER IN
THIS RESPECT FROM THE U.S. OR
HOW MUCH TIME YOU'RE WILLING TO
WAIT?
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  YES, I CAN
CONFIRM THAT CANADA'S POSITION
IS THAT WE MUST CONTINUE WITH
THE U.S. TO HAVE A FLOW OF
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, WHICH WE'VE
HAD UNTIL NOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOR
CANADIANS WHAT THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT HIGHLIGHTED IN THEIR
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE U.S.
COUNTERPARTS.
AND THAT IS THIS IS A TWO-WAY
STREET.
CANADA EXPORTS A LOT OF MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT, AND WE ALSO HAVE
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS THAT DO
WORK IN THE U.S.
IT'S GOOD FOR AMERICANS, AT THE
SAME TIME, THE U.S. EXPORTS
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT IS
NECESSARY FOR US.
WE NEED TO HAVE -- CONTINUE TO
HAVE THIS SITUATION, WHICH IS IN
THE INTEREST OF OUR TWO
COUNTRIES, IT'S A WIN/WIN
SITUATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO
KEEP.
WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS
OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND WE'VE HAD THEM TODAY AS WELL
ON THIS ISSUE.
AND THESE WERE POSITIVE
CONVERSATIONS.
AND WE DO HOPE THAT IT WILL BE
QUICKLY POSSIBLE TO DEFINITIVELY
SOLVE THIS SITUATION.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  ALL RIGHT.
IN TERMS OF 3M, SINCE YOU HAD A
MEETING WITH THEM THIS WEEKEND,
DID YOU -- ASSURANCES?
BECAUSE IT SEEMED RETICENT TO
EXPORT MASKS TO CANADA.
DID YOU OBTAIN ANY ASSURANCES
THAT 3M, THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE
ORDERS THAT WE MADE?
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  I DON'T
AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN
THE QUESTION.
IT'S NOT UP TO A COMPANY TO
IGNORE THEIR COUNTRY'S LAWS.
IT'S UP TO A COUNTRY TO SOLVE
ITS ISSUES IN THIS RESPECT.
AS FOR 3M, WE HAD A CONSTRUCTIVE
CONVERSATION.
3M'S APPROACH, WHILE I
APPRECIATE IT GREATLY, THEY HAVE
BEEN VERY RESPONSIBLE, AND WE
DISCUSSED WHAT 3M NEEDED FROM
THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION TO
CONTINUE TO EXPORT ITS MASKS TO
CANADA.
WE ALSO HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH 3M
ABOUT A CENTRAL POINT, AND THAT
IS THERE ARE MUTUAL DEPENDENCY.
WE HAVE OUR TWO COUNTRIES DEPEND
ON EACH OTHER.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  THANK YOU,
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER.
>> MS. FREELAND, YOU WERE SAYING
YOU SPOKE TO DOUG FORD 15
MINUTES BEFORE YOU CAME HERE.
HE TALKED ABOUT SOME MASKS AND
TROUBLE AT THE BORDER.
SO HOW MANY MASKS, WHERE WERE
THEY COMING FROM, WHAT WAS THE
TROUBLE AND EXACTLY HOW ARE YOU
GOING TO RESOLVE IT?
>> I'M GOING TO LET PREMIER FORD
TALK ABOUT THIS SPECIFICS OF
THIS PARTICULAR PROVINCE OF
ONTARIO PURCHASE, AS HE CHOOSES.
WE DID SPEAK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
SOME MASKS THAT THE PROVINCE HAD
PURCHASED IN THE UNITED STATES
WERE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES IN
BEING SHIPPED ACROSS THE BORDER.
AND I PLEDGED TO THE PREMIER
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
WOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
GET THOSE MASKS INTO CANADA.
AND WE WILL.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU
BUT UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE TO MOVE
TO MASKS.
ABOUT THE CLOTH MASKS THAT YOU
SAY IS PROBABLY BENEFICIAL FOR
CANADIANS TO WEAR RIGHT NOW, WHY
WOULD IT HAVE TAKEN SO LONG,
CONSIDERING WE KNOW HOW
INFECTIOUS THIS VIRUS IS, AND WE
KNOW THAT PEOPLE CAN CARRY IT
AND NOT KNOW IT.
SO A MASK, HOW COULD THAT HAVE
HURT?
WHY DIDN'T YOU SEE WEEKS AGO
WEAR A CLOTH MASK?
>> SO THE EVIDENCE IS ACTUALLY
STILL QUITE WEAK.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE THAT CAME TO
LIGHT IN I WOULD SAY THE LAST
TEN DAYS ACTUALLY CAME FROM A
FEW STUDIES ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC
AND PRESYMPTOMATIC ILLNESSES.
SO I THINK AS I WAS TRYING TO
EXPLAIN YESTERDAY, THERE'S
SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF
STUDIES.
AND THEY WERE PUBLISHED A NUMBER
OF THEM, IN THE LAST LITTLE
WHILE.
SO THEY ARE VERY SPECIFIC
STUDIES IN LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITY, THE DIAMOND PRINCESS
CRUISE SHIP AND A HOSPITAL
SETTING, FOR EXAMPLE, AND A
STUDY FROM SINGAPORE.
AND THAT LAST ONE WAS RELEASED
ON APRIL 1.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THE EVOLUTION
OF THE EVIDENCE AS RAPIDLY AS
POSSIBLE.
AND SO THE VIRAL LOAD STUDY
SHOWED THAT, YES, PEOPLE WHO ARE
JUST BEFORE THEY DEVELOP
SYMPTOMS HAVE HIGH VIRAL LOADS.
AND SO THAT TELLS US THAT THE
POSSIBILITY IS THERE THAT THEY
CAN TRANSMIT.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW
IMPORTANT TRANSMISSION FROM THE
PRESYMPTOMATIC OR ASYMPTOMATIC
PEOPLE ARE IN DRIVING THIS
EPIDEMIC.
THERE ARE OTHER EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
STUDIES AS WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
THE SEATTLE LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITY.
SO THESE ARE VERY RECENT STUDIES
THAT HAVE JUST COME OUT ON THIS
PARTICULAR VIRUS.
SO WE VERY RAPIDLY TRIED TO
INTEGRATE THAT SLATE OF SCIENCE.
ON THE ISSUE OR THE AREA OF
WEARING MASKS TO PROTECT OTHERS,
WHICH IS THE -- WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT, IS NON-MEDICAL
MASKS, WHICH MAY BE MADE OF
CLOTH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR PEOPLE
MAKING IT AT HOME, AS AN ADDED
LAYER OF PROTECTION IS A BIT
LIKE COVERING YOUR COUGH.
I THINK THE SPECIAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE LOOKED AT THE
LITERATURE AROUND THE USE OF
MASKS FOR THIS SORT OF SOURCE
CONTROL.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY MAINLY FROM
INFLUENZA STUDIES, AND THEY ARE
NOT VERY CLEAR.
SO WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE AWARE
THAT THE SCIENCE IS NOT CERTAIN.
BUT WE BELIEVE -- WE NEED TO DO
EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN.
IT SEEMS A SENSIBLE THING TO DO.
SO I THINK WE RECOMMEND THAT
CANADIANS CAN TAKE THIS
ADDITIONAL MEASURE AT INSTANCES
WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS
DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN.
SO OUR STRONGEST MESSAGE,
REALLY, IS THAT YOU MUST
CONTINUE TO DO SOCIAL
DISTANCING, THAT TWO-METER
BUBBLE AND HAND WASHING, STAY
HOME IF YOU ARE SICK.
ALL THESE ARE EFFECTIVE
MEASURES.
THIS MAY ADD A LAYER OF
PROTECTION TO PREVENT YOU FROM
TRANSMITTING SOMETHING TO OTHERS
BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE THE ILLNESS.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE VERY
CLEAR.
AND THE OTHER KEY MESSAGE, OF
COURSE, IS THAT MEDICAL MASKS
RIGHT NOW, AS YOU'VE JUST HEARD,
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WITH
SUPPLIES, THAT THEY MUST BE
PRESERVED FOR OUR HEALTH WORKERS
AND OTHERS WHO ARE LOOKING AFTER
PATIENTS.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> HI, DOCTOR.
I'M WITH CTV NATIONAL NEWS.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS,
YOU HAVE SAID THAT PEOPLE
SHOULDN'T WEAR MEDICAL MASKS.
YOU ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO
ESSENTIALLY WEAR NONMEDICAL
MASKS NOW AS A WAY TO PREVENT
THEMSELVES AND OTHERS FROM
SPREAD.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD BE
CLEARER FOR CANADIANS ON THE
GUIDELINES WHEN YOU SAY
NONMEDICAL MASKS.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
BECAUSE NOW YOU KNOW HARDWARE
STORES ARE CLOSED.
LOTS OF CANADIANS AT HOME MIGHT
BE LOOKING TO MAKE A HOMEMADE
MASK.
SO WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING THEY
WEAR?
WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES?
>> WE HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON
OUR WEB SITE, BUT WE'LL BE
PUTTING OUT MORE ADDITIONAL
TOOLS.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS
READILY AVAILABLE IN ANYONE'S
HOME, THINGS LIKE COTTON SHIRTS,
SHEETS, BANDANAS AND OTHER
MATERIALS.
BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TELL
PEOPLE THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T USE
AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE OUR ENGINEERS
LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE ON
THOSE.
BUT I THINK A SIMPLE THINGS THAT
NOT COMPLICATED AND PREFERABLY
NO SEWING REQUIRED, BECAUSE I,
FOR ONE, CAN'T SEW ANYTHING.
SO IF YOU CAN GET A COTTON
MATERIAL LIKE A T-SHIRT, CUT IT
UP, FOLD IT AND PUT ELASTIC
BANDS AROUND IT, THIS NONMEDICAL
FACIAL COVERINGS THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE WILL SEE WHAT KIND OF
TOOLS WE CAN PROVIDE IN SHORT
ORDER.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU A
FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ON TEST KITS.
OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF DAYS, WE
HAVE BEEN ASKING A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT SHORTAGES OF
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
LIKE MASKS, VENTILATORS.
HOW MANY TEST KITS DO WE HAVE IN
CANADA AT THIS MOMENT?
AND CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF
HOW MANY TEST KITS WE MIGHT NEED
SHOULD WE SEE A DRAMATIC NUMBER
OF CASES INCREASE AND THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE GETTING SICK?
LIKE HOW MANY TEST KITS DO WE
HAVE AND HOW MANY DO WE NEED
MOVING FORWARD?
>> I THINK, AS I'VE SAID, CANADA
IS TESTING AT QUITE A HIGH RATE
COMPARED TO MANY OTHER
COUNTRIES.
AND WE ARE PULLING OUT ALL STOPS
AGAIN TO IMPROVE THE CAPACITY IN
CANADA.
IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST A
KIT.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE, THROUGHOUT
THAT PIPELINE OF TESTING, THERE
ARE SWABS, THERE ARE OTHER
PIECES.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO REAGENTS THAT
PEOPLE NEED TO USE TO EXTRACT
MATERIALS FROM THE SWAB AND TEST
IT.
SO THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS.
RIGHT NOW, CANADA IS DOING WELL,
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE
WE GET THE RIGHT REAGENTS, LIKE
ALL SUPPLIES, THE GLOBAL SUPPLY
CHAINS ARE VERY DIFFICULT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE
LOOK AT CANADA SOLUTIONS AND
ALSO WE ARE AT THE MOMENT
LOOKING AT VALIDATING THINGS
LIKE MORE RAPID TEST KITS, SORT
OF LITTLE EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE
THEN SENT TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
NORTH OR MORE REMOTE AREAS THAT
CAN'T SEND THEIR SAMPLES TO A
PUBLIC HEALTH LAB.
AND SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT
ACTUALLY CHANGING THE TESTING
CAPACITY AT THE BIGGER LABS INTO
MORE HIGH MACHINES AND
PROCEDURES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF
COUNTING KITS.
SO AGAIN, EFFORTS ARE ALL OUT ON
THAT AS WELL AS -- SO THAT'S
MAINLY FOR THE DETECTION OF THE
VIRUS THROUGH PCR.
AND WE ARE ALSO, OF COURSE,
WORKING ON LOOKING AT THE
ANTIBODY TEST.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
>> I GUESS I WOULD FOLLOW-UP
WITH THAT.
SO WHY AREN'T WE DOING MORE
TESTING?
IS IT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
RESOURCES?
OR LAB SUPPLIES OR PERSONNEL?
IS THAT WHY WE ARE NOT TESTING A
LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE
ASYMPTOMATIC OR PRESYMPTOMATIC?
>> YEAH, SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
THROUGH OUR FEDERAL PROVISION
TERRITORIAL DISCUSSION, GUIDANCE
PROVIDED.
SO FOR SURE, WE WANT THE
SUPPLIES TO BE UTILIZED IN THE
MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE.
SO THAT DOES MEAN TESTING IN
SITUATIONS WHERE YOU ARE MOST
LIKELY TO BE FINDING INFECTION
AND IN THE MOST HIGH-RISK
SITUATIONS.
SO LIKE IN OUTBREAK, IN CLUSTER
DETECTION, IN HEALTHCARE
WORKERS, IN HIGHLY VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE
ABSOLUTE MUSTS, AND WE HAVE TO
DO WELL.
AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES,
FOR EXAMPLE.
FOR OTHERS, WE HAVE ALREADY
PROVIDED INSTRUCTION THAT IF YOU
ARE SICK, YOU MUST STAY HOME.
AND OTHERS ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL
DISTANCING TO THE EFFECT THAT
EVEN IF YOU ARE PRESYMPTOMATIC,
YOU SHOULDN'T BE WITHIN THE
DISTANCE TO SPREAD IT TO OTHER
PEOPLE AND WITH MAYBE ADDED
PROTECTION LIKE THESE HOMEMADE
MASKS.
SO THE TEST DOESN'T ACTUALLY
DRIVE POTENTIALLY, THE PUBLIC
HEALTH ACTIONS.
SO YOU WANT THE TESTS THAT YOU
HAVE AND WE HAVE, TO BE ON
POPULATIONS WHERE YOU ARE GOING
TO MAKE A DECISION AFTER YOU
ACTUALLY GOT THE TEST RESULTS.
SO IF YOU ARE JUST STAYING HOME
ANYWAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE
PRIORITIZING OTHERS.
WE ARE LOOKING, OF COURSE,
PEOPLE VERY INTERESTED IN
TESTING, WHICH WILL HELP US LOOK
AT THE LEVEL OF IMMUNITY IN
CERTAIN POPULATIONS AND A LITTLE
BIT FURTHER ON IN OUR STUDIES.
AND SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT
APPROACH.
BUT IT IS ONE THAT WE ARE
PURSUING AS WELL.
BUT THE RATE AT WHICH WE TEST IS
QUITE HIGH.
BUT IT IS A BIT DIFFERENT
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN
CANADA.
SO WE WANT THE RESOURCES TO GO
TO AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE,
EXPERIENCING A HIGHER ACTIVITY
AS WELL.
>> OKAY.
SO WE ARE JUST LEARNING ABOUT
THE ASYMPTOMATIC, PRESYMPTOMATIC
THINGS.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK TO
NORMAL WITHOUT HIGHER LEVELS OF
TESTING?
LIKE IF PEOPLE ARE WALKING
AROUND WITH THIS VIRUS THAT
DON'T EVEN KNOW IT?
>> YES, SO OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU
ARE WALKING AROUND, PRACTICE
SOCIAL DISTANCING, OF COURSE.
AND SO THERE'S AN EXTREMELY GOOD
QUESTION.
AND YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR MANY
SORT OF OPINIONS, IF YOU LIKE,
AS TO HOW MANY PROPORTION OF
YOUR POPULATION IS ASYMPTOMATIC
AND GOT THE INFECTION, WHICH IS
PRECISELY WHY WE NEED TO DO
STUDIES, AS TIME GOES ON,
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, OUR FOCUS IS
TO TACKLE THIS ACTUAL OUTBREAK.
AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR
FUTURE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HOW
DO WE APPLY THE TESTING TO LOOK
AT THE LEVEL OF IMMUNITY IN THE
POPULATION.
AND THOSE KIND OF STUDIES WILL
LET US KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT THE
VIRUS HAS BEEN AFFECTING PEOPLE
IN A VERY MILD WAY OR VERY
LITTLE SYMPTOMS, IF AT ALL.
SO THOSE DO HAVE TO BE DONE.
AND IT HAS TO BE ALSO DONE IN
THE GLOBAL SETTING AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'LL NOW TURN BACK TO THE
PHONE.
OPERATOR?
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  NEXT
QUESTION FROM TBA.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  QUESTION
FOR THE DOCTOR ABOUT WEARING
NON-MEDICAL MASKS.
I DIDN'T HEAR YOU SAY ABOUT
RECOMMENDATIONS.
IS IT SOMETHING YOU ARE
RECOMMENDING TO CANADIANS OR
NOT?
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION.
TO START, I WOULD LIKE TO
HIGHLIGHT A FEW KEY POINTS.
FIRSTLY, ABOUT NONMEDICAL MASKS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY, IT'S
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO KEEP
MEDICAL MASKS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ON THE FRONT LINES, HEALTHCARE
WORKERS, NAMELY.
THAT'S ONE CLEAR POINT.
SECOND, ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT,
IS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT NON-MEDICAL MASKS,
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP
PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES.
WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A
FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, OH,
THERE'S I'M WEARING A MASK, AND
I DON'T HAVE TO PRACTICE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING OR WASH MY
HANDS.
NO, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
IT'S STILL CRITICAL TO CONTINUE
WITH PROPER HYGIENE AND PUBLIC
HEALTH MEASURES.
THIRD, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
NON-MEDICAL MASKS, IT FITS WITH
WHAT WHAT WAS ALREADY SAID, YOU
MAY BE SICK AND COUGHING, YOU
STILL ALWAYS HAVE TO COUGH INTO
YOUR ELBOW.
THAT'S ANOTHER MEASURE, COUGHING
INTO A NON-MEDICAL MASK.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT
IF YOU DO WEAR A NONMEDICAL
MASK, IT'S MORE FOR PROTECTING
OTHERS.
IT'S NOT FOR PROTECTING YOURSELF
FROM OTHERS.
IF YOU DO COUGH, THESE
RESPIRATORY DROPLETS WILL BE
TRAPPED AND NOT CONTAMINATE
OTHERS WHO ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON COVID-19 DID REACH AN
AGREEMENT.
AND ALL THE PREMIERS AGREED THAT
THIS IS ANOTHER MEASURE WE CAN
TAKE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP US,
BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A
RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S ADVICE.
THANK YOU.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  VERY GOOD.
IT'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION AS
SUCH.
OKAY, FOLLOW-UP QUESTION FOR
YOU.
WE ARE RECEIVING A LOT OF
E-MAILS ABOUT VOLUNTARY
FIREFIGHTERS WHO TALKED TO US
THIS FRIDAY.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
IS IT OFFICIAL NOW THAT
VOLUNTEER FIREWORKERS WILL
RECEIVE THE CERB OR NOT?
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  THE ANSWER
IS YES.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH]
>> THE INTERPRETER:  OKAY, THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY.
NEXT QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM CHRISTINE.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANKS AGAIN FOR DOING THIS.
MY QUESTION PERTAINS TO THE NOW
CONFIRMED CASES, PARTICULARLY IN
FIRST NATIONS, THAT HAVE
CONFIRMED CASES IN RECENT DAYS.
AND I KNOW AS A CHIEF PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICER HAS ALREADY SAID
THAT EVEN ONE CASE IN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
BE DEVASTATING.
I'M JUST WONDERING, I KNOW THE
GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY EARMARKED
SOME FUNDING, $305 MILLION FOR
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
BUT WHAT IS BEING DONE IN THE
IMMEDIATE TERM TO SUPPORT
COMMUNITIES LIKE ONE IN NORTHERN
ONTARIO THAT DOESN'T HAVE WATER
AND NOW HAS THIS CONFIRMED CASE
OF COVID-19?
>> THANK YOU, CHRISTI.
I SPOKE WITH CHIEF THIS MORNING
ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR CASE UP IN
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO AND ALSO
WILL BE SPEAKING WITH CHIEF
FIDDLER LATER TODAY, SORT OF IN
MY NECK OF THE WOODS AS A
NORTHERN ONTARIO MEMBER OF
PARLIAMENT.
I WILL SAY THAT ACCORDING TO
HIM, THE PERSON IS
SELF ISOLATING.
YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS WAY MORE
DIFFICULT TO SELF ISOLATE AND TO
PRACTICE REGULAR HAND WASHING
AND REGULAR CLEANSING WHEN YOU
HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THERE
MAYBE AREN'T THOSE KINDS OF
FACILITIES OR PEOPLE ARE IN
OVERCROWDED SITUATIONS.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE MILLER HAS
BEEN WORKING CAREFULLY WITH ALL
THE FIRST NATION LEADERS AROUND
THEIR OWN PANDEMIC PLANS OF
WHICH FIRST NATION COMMUNITIES
HAVE, AND IS WORKING TO MAKE
SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES
THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THE
APPROPRIATE MEDICAL CARE AND THE
APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-UP AS WELL AS
ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS OF PEOPLE
CANNOT PROPERLY SELF ISOLATE.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO THIS SPECIFIC
CASE IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY ARE
AT, BUT I KNOW CHIEF BELGAR
FEELS CONFIDENT THAT OUR
GOVERNMENT IS TAKING THIS
SERIOUSLY AND WE ARE THERE TO
SUPPORT FIRST NATIONS IN
ENSURING THEY HAVE THE MEASURES
THEY NEED WHEN CASES ARE
IDENTIFIED.
I'LL TURN TO DR. TAM TO SPEAK
MORE ABOUT INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES.
>> YES, WE, OF COURSE, WORK WITH
THE MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH
SIDE ON THE RESPONSE.
SO WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS
SERVICES CANADA.
AND OUR ROLE HAS BEEN TO OF
COURSE PROVIDE GUIDANCE IN HOW
TO MANAGE OUTBREAKS IN THOSE
KINDS OF SETTINGS.
SO WE'VE ALSO ISSUED GUIDANCE TS
IN MORE REMOTE AND RURAL
SETTINGS AS WELL.
AND THOSE DO HAVE TO BE ADAPTED
TO THE REALITIES OF WHAT'S ON
THE GROUND.
AND I THINK WE ARE OFFERING
SUPPORT ALSO FOR COMMUNITIES
WHERE IT IS DIFFICULT TO ISOLATE
IN, FOR EXAMPLE, CROWDED
CONDITIONS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
MEASURES THAT WE ARE PURSUING.
>> I'M JUST WONDERING, AS A
FOLLOW-UP, YOU MENTIONED THAT IN
SOME COMMUNITIES, THAT EMBRACING
THE PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE LIKE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND CAN BE
VERY DIFFICULT OR MORE DIFFICULT
THAN IN OTHER LOCATIONS.
I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IN A
COMMUNITY WHERE THERE MIGHT BE
AN OVERCROWDING PROBLEM, AND A
PERSON MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTY
SELF-ISOLATING, WHAT OPTIONS
WOULD BE AVAILABLE OR IS THERE A
SPECIFIC PLANK LOOKED AT TO
POTENTIALLY -- PLAN BEING LOOKED
AT TO POTENTIALLY REMOVE PEOPLE
THAT DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO
SELF-ISOLATE.
>> THANKS AGAIN.
I KNOW THAT DR. WONG WHO IS THE
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER WITH
INDIGENOUS SERVICES CANADA HAS
BEEN WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES TO WORK ON PLANS FOR
SOME TIME.
CERTAINLY THERE'S ALWAYS AN
OPTION OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT FOR ALTERNATIVE LIVING
SPACES FOR A WHOLE VARIETY OF
CIRCUMSTANCES.
THOSE HAVE TO BE BALANCED
CAREFULLY WITH THE ADDITIONAL
RISK THAT IT MAY POSE TO
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, OF
COURSE, TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF
THEIR COMMUNITY, A WHOLE HOST OF
OTHER CHALLENGES THAT SOMETIMES
ARE EQUALLY RISKY FOR THE
PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL.
SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO THIS
PARTICULAR CASE.
I DID UNDERSTAND FROM MY
CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF BELGAR
THIS PERSON IS ISOLATING AT
HOME.
BUT EACH CIRCUMSTANCE WILL BE
DIFFERENT.
[PLEASE STAND BY]
. 
>> PROTECTING YOU, IT'S 
PROTECTING OTHER PEOPLE.
IF IT'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION, 
WHAT EXACTLY IS IT YOU'RE SAYING
AND WHY DID IT TAKE YOU THREE 
WEEKS TO COME UP WITH THIS?
>> Answer: SO, AS I SAID, SOME 
OF THE EMERGING EVIDENCE HAVE 
ONLY RECENTLY BEEN PUBLISHED.
WE ARE INCORPORATING THOSE AS 
WE'RE GOING ALONG.
ALSO IN THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY, YOU'VE SEEN THAT 
DIFFERENT PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS 
AND DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AROUND 
THE WORLD ARE LOOKING INTENSELY 
AT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, AS WE 
HAVE DONE.
SO REALLY AS OF YESTERDAY WITH 
ALL THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS 
OF HEALTH OF THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES, WE ARE ISSUING 
ESSENTIALLY A STATEMENT WITH 
SORT OF STATES THAT CANADIANS 
CAN WEAR THESE COVERINGS OR 
NON-MEDICAL MASKS IF THEY CAN'T 
MAINTAIN PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
SO IT IS A PERMISSIVE STATEMENT 
AND ESSENTIALLY DEPENDS ON THE 
CIRCUMSTANCES, BECAUSE WE WANT 
TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE 
PRACTISING THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN 
RECOMMENDED AND NOT SUBSTITUTE 
THIS.
THIS IS AN ADDED LAYER THAT 
SOMEONE CAN TAKE TO FURTHER 
PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
>> IF I CAN JUST ADD TO THAT -- 
>> Rosemary: WE'RE GOING TO 
LEAVE THIS FEDERAL BRIEFING.
LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THE 
HIGHLIGHTS.
PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE FROM THE 
HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT IF YOU
GO TO SOMEWHERE YOU CANNOT DO 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, YOU WEAR A 
CLOTH MASK AND NOT A MEDICAL 
MASK.
IT IS ONLY ADVICE AND NOT A 
REQUIREMENT.
LET'S BRING YOU TO QUÉBEC, THE 
QUÉBEC PREMIER, FRANÇOIS 
LEGAULT, GIVING YOU AN UPDATE 
FROM HIS PROVINCE.
I WILL LEAVE IT THERE FOR TODAY.
>> Premier François Legault: 
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] WHEN WE LOOK AT 
I.C.U., THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE 
LESS.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE HOSPITALIZATION RATES.
THIS IS ENCOURAGING.
OF COURSE IT'S ONE DAY, BUT WHAT
THAT MEANS IS IF WE HAVE A FEW 
DAYS LIKE THESE ONES WE COULD 
SAY THAT WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO
THE PEAK AND GETTING BACK TO 
NORMAL -- CLOSER TO GETTING BACK
TO NORMAL LIFE.
BUT WE'RE NOT SURE.
WE CAN'T TAKE ANY CHANCES.
WE CAN'T LOOSEN ANY OF THE 
MEASURES.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT 
WE ARE DOING CORRECTLY, AND THAT
MEANS STAYING AT HOME AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE.
FOR THE EQUIPMENT, WE NOW HAVE 
14 DAYS OF GLOVES, 13 DAYS OF 
N95 MASKS, 10 DAYS OF SURGICAL 
MASKS, AND SIX DAYS' WORTH ONLY 
OF GOWNS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR EFFORTS 
ARE FOCUSED ON THE GOWNS RIGHT 
NOW.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE 
POSSIBILITY OF USING WASHABLE 
GOWNS MORE THAT ALREADY EXIST IN
HOSPITALS.
OF COURSE IT WOULD ALLOW US TO 
RE-USE THOSE GOWNS.
WE'RE WORKING HARD AND I TALK 
ABOUT IT EVERY MORNING, WITH 
QUÉBEC COMPANIES THAT ARE TRYING
TO GET MATERIAL OUT TO US.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW WEEKS 
TO GET TO THAT.
A WORD ON PREGNANT WOMEN.
WE KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S 
ONLY ONE HOSPITAL THAT DOES NOT 
ALLOW HAVING SOMEONE WITH WOMEN 
WHO ARE COMING TO GIVE BIRTH, AT
THE JEWISH HOSPITAL.
SO WE'RE HAVING A LOOK AT THINGS
FOR WOMEN WHO WANT TO CHANGE 
HOSPITALS SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE 
TO CHANGE HOSPITALS.
BUT AT THE GENERAL JEWISH 
HOSPITAL THERE ARE A LOT OF 
CASES OF COVID-19.
SO THERE ARE GOOD REASONS WHY 
THIS RULE EXISTS.
BUT I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.
THERE IS NO INTENTION ON THE 
PART OF THE GOVERNMENT OF 
EXTENDING THESE BANS TO ANY 
OTHER HOSPITAL.
SO I WANT TO REASSURE ALL WOMEN 
WHO ARE PREGNANT RIGHT NOW, 
APART FROM THE JEWISH HOSPITAL, 
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BRING YOUR 
PARTNER WITH YOU WHEN YOU GIVE 
BIRTH.
YESTERDAY I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT 
QUÉBEC COMPANIES.
THIS AFTERNOON JEAN BOULET, THE 
MINISTER OF EMPLOYMENT AND 
LABOUR, IS GOING TO MAKE AN 
ANNOUNCEMENT OF $100 MILLION TO 
THOSE COMPANIES THAT NEED TO DO 
TRAINING TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN WORK IN 
A LOT OF BUSINESSES IS ON HOLD.
I THINK DOING TRAINING AMONGST 
OTHERS, ALL THE TRAINING ON 
WORKING FROM HOME, EVERYTHING 
THAT IS DIGITAL.
OF COURSE THINGS WILL BE 
CHANGING A LOT IN THE NEXT FEW 
MONTHS.
SO WE ARE GOING TO PAY UP TO 
100% OF BOTH WAGES AND EXPENSES 
WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO PREPARE 
OURSELVES FOR THE REORGANIZATION
OF LABOUR, BUT ALSO TO KEEP MORE
EMPLOYEES WHO WILL CONTINUE 
BEING PAID WITH THEIR WAGES.
SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY NICE
PROGRAM AND OF COURSE TRAINING 
IN A KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY IS 
VERY IMPORTANT AND WILL BECOME 
EVEN MORE SO.
MY DAILY THANKS ARE GOING TO BE 
FOR QUÉBECERS AS A WHOLE.
WE SAW YESTERDAY THAT QUÉBECERS 
ARE THOSE WHO HAVE RESPONDED THE
BEST IN NORTH AMERICA TO THE 
GUIDELINES.
I THINK THAT IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO 
SEE ON THE ONE HAND PEOPLE WHO 
ARE NOT IN ESSENTIAL SERVICES 
WHO STAY AT HOME AND ON THE 
OTHER HAND AS WELL IT'S 
BEAUTIFUL TO SEE -- AND I GET 
ALL SORTS OF TESTIMONIES AS WELL
IN OUR HOSPITALS AND GROCERY 
STORES, POLICE OFFICERS, EVEN IN
BANKS, YOU KNOW CASHIERS -- 
EVERYBODY IS DOING THEIR JOB AND
IS GETTING THROUGH THIS CRISIS.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M SO 
PROUD OF THE QUÉBEC PEOPLE.
I WOULD LIKE TO END BY REPEATING
OUR THREE PRIORITIES AND BY 
SPECIFYING THAT IF WE RESPECT 
THESE THREE GUIDELINES, WE ARE 
SAVING LIVES.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS 
IMPORTANT.
IT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT IS 
BANAL.
IF YOU DON'T LEAVE YOUR HOME, IF
WHEN YOU DO GO OUT, YOU STAY 2 
METRES OR 6' AWAY FROM OTHER 
PEOPLE, AND WHEN YOU COME BACK 
HOME, VERY IMPORTANT TO WASH 
YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP.
I COUNT ON YOU ALL AND I FEEL 
LIKE SAYING IN APRIL LET'S NOT 
LOOSEN ANY THREAD.
LET'S KEEP IT ALL TIGHT.
WE HOPE IT'S GOING TO BE THE 
LAST DIFFICULT MONTH, BUT THE 
MONTH OF APRIL WILL BE CRITICAL.
THE FOLLOWING DAYS AND WEEKS ARE
GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
WE'RE GOING TO REMEMBER THIS 
MONTH OF APRIL FOR A LONG TIME.
LET'S NOT LOOSEN OR SLACKEN 
THINGS DURING THE MONTH OF 
APRIL.
[end of translation] WE MAY SEE 
THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE 
TUNNEL, BUT WE MUST CONTINUE TO 
DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WIN THE 
BATTLE AGAINST THE VIRUS.
WE MUST ALSO PREPARE THE RESTART
OF OUR ECONOMY.
OUR MINISTER OF LABOUR, JEAN 
BOULET, LATER THIS AFTERNOON 
WILL ANNOUNCE A NEW PROGRAM THAT
WILL HELP COMPANIES TRAIN THEIR 
EMPLOYEES TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO
NEW ORGANIZATIONS.
I REPEAT OUR THREE PRIORITIES TO
PROTECT OURSELVES.
DON'T GO OUT UNLESS IT'S 
NECESSARY.
IF YOU DO GO OUT, KEEP YOUR 
DISTANCE.
WHEN YOU COME BACK HOME, WASH 
YOUR HANDS.
THAT'S HOW WE'LL SAVE LIVES.
THANK YOU.
>> [Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] THANK YOU, 
MR. PREMIER.
WE WILL START THE QUESTION 
PERIOD.
>> Question: MY FIRST QUESTION 
FOR YOU, MR. ARRUDA, YOU'VE 
PROBABLY SEEN A FEW MINUTES AGO 
DR. TAM FOR HEALTH CANADA NOW 
RECOMMENDS THE WEARING OF 
NON-MEDICAL MASKS FOR THE 
POPULATION, NOT TO PROTECT 
ONESELF, BUT TO MAKE IT THAT 
PEOPLE WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATIC OR 
PRE-SYMPTOMATIC BE ABLE TO LIMIT
THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
THIS FROM CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICER, DR. TAM.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?
>> Answer: I HAVE THE SAME 
POSITION.
I AM THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH OF QUÉBEC AND WITH
MY DIFFERENT COUNTERPARTS.
THE DIFFERENCE IS TODAY WE SAID 
IT CAN BE -- IT'S STILL A DRAFT 
FOR INTER-PROVINCIAL PURPOSES.
WHAT I SAID IN THE DOCUMENT AND 
I FIND IT REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHAT IS PROVEN IS TO STAY HOME 
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
HAVING PHYSICAL DISTANCE AS WE 
REMIND PEOPLE.
WASH YOUR HANDS.
PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE FROM
INFECTION BY NOT VISITING THEM 
AND TO COVER ONE'S MOUTH WITH 
FABRIC OR A SLEEVE.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT 
PROCEDURAL MASKS MUST REMAIN FOR
HEALTH WORKERS.
WHAT IS INDICATED HERE IS THAT 
IN NO WAY DOES WEARING A MASK 
THAT IS HOMEMADE REPLACE ANY 
OTHER MEASURE.
IF PEOPLE DO THAT, THEY'RE NOT 
GOING TO BE PROTECTING 
THEMSELVES.
THE MASK THAT YOU WEAR HAS TO BE
WELL-ADJUSTED AND WASH
