 
ON HOW QUICKLY AND HOW MANY 
TESTS THEY CAN DO.
THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG TAKEAWAYS 
THAT I HAD.
JUST THE THINKING BEHIND IT.
THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GOING TO 
BE, NOT FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS, 
BUT UNTIL THE SUMMER.
EVEN AFTER THAT, WE HAVE TO DO 
THINGS THAT PREVENT THAT.
>> Rosemary: AND YOU'RE QUITE 
RIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY 
HIGHLIGHTED, THIS IS REGIONAL 
EPIDEMICS ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
BASED ON HOW DIFFERENT PROVINCE 
HAVE RESPONDED, THINGS LIKE 
SPRING BREAK, TESTING.
CATHERINE, THERE WAS A SMIDGEN 
OF GOOD NEWS BECAUSE I'LL TAKE 
ANY SMIDGEN, WHERE DR. TAM SAID 
THE CURVE NATIONALLY IS 
BEGINNING TO BEND A LITTLE BIT.
NOT THAT WE'RE NEAR ANYTHING, 
BUT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF 
ENCOURAGEMENT THERE.
>> Reporter: WELL, ROSIE, I'LL 
PICK THAT UP AND SAY, SHE DID 
MAKE THE POINT THERE WAS NOT A 
PARTICULAR -- WE COULDN'T TALK 
ABOUT A NATIONAL PEAK, RIGHT, 
BECAUSE THIS IS SOMEWHAT -- IT 
IS NOT SOMEWHAT, IT'S A 
REGIONALIZED PICTURE AND THEY 
TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE
SEEING THE FOUR LARGEST 
PROVINCES BEING HIT.
AND TALKED BRIEFLY AS WELL ABOUT
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS 
OUTBREAK IN LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES, WHICH I THINK IS 
CLEARLY GOING TO BE A BIG PART 
OF THE STORY GOING FORWARD.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT 
RESPONSIBILITY THESE NUMBERS.
IF WE STOP AND LOOK AT THE 
POSSIBLE DEATH PROJECTIONS IN 
THE SCENARIOS WE FOCUS THE MOST 
ON TODAY.
11,000 DEATHS VERSUS 22,000 
DEATHS.
SO A LOT OF NUMBERS TODAY, NOT 
ONLY THE PROJECTIONS, BUT THE 
JOBS NUMBERS.
THAT IS A REALLY -- IT'S SUCH A 
SIGNIFICANT, MEANINGFUL RANGE IF
WE STOP FOR EVEN A SECOND TO 
CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF HUMAN 
SUFFERING BETWEEN ONE OF THOSE 
NUMBERS AND THE OTHER.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE MEASURES 
THAT NEED TO STAY IN PLACE IN 
ORDER TO ENSURE A BEST-CASE 
SCENARIO.
SO STRONGER EPIDEMIC CONTROL 
MODELS INCLUDE HIGH DEGREE OF 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF 
INDIVIDUAL CANADIANS.
SOMETHING WE CAN EXPECT TO HEAR 
THE PRIME MINISTER TALK ABOUT 
TODAY.
WHAT WE CAN DO, PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING, PROPER ETIQUETTE, 
BUT ALSO THE RESPONSIBILITY ON 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.
WE NEED A HIGH PROPORTION OF 
CASES IDENTIFIED AND ISOLATED, 
SO CANADIANS REALLY NEED TO DO 
THEIR PART.
WE'RE CLEARLY GOING TO NEED TO 
DO OUR PART FOR SOME TIME.
THIS AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A 
KEY WEEKEND WHEN SO MANY OF US 
WOULD LIKE TO BE WITH OUR 
FAMILIES AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO DO THAT VIRTUALLY.
BUT TO STEP UP TESTING IN SOME 
JURISDICTIONS, AND REALLY TRACK 
THIS VIRUS AS BEST THEY CAN.
THAT IS THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO 
SAVE -- WE REALLY ARE TALKING 
ABOUT IN THIS CASE, EVEN IN THE 
BEST-CASE SCENARIO, A RANGE OF 
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF 
LIVES.
>> Rosemary: YEP.
GOOD TO REMEMBER THAT.
THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WE'RE 
TALKING ABOUT, NOT JUST 
PROJECTIONS.
IT APPEARS TO BE SNOWING IN THE 
NATION'S CAPITAL.
JUST FULL OF GOOD NEWS OVER 
HERE.
LET ME TURN TO A DOCTOR, WHO IS 
A RESEARCHER IN THE UNIVERSITY 
OF TORONTO.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU THIS 
MORNING.
>> Rosemary: I'M WAITING FOR THE
PRIME MINISTER, SO IF I CUT YOU 
OFF, IT'S ONLY FOR HIM.
TELL ME, YOU WERE LISTENING INTO
THE BRIEF THERE FROM OUR FEDERAL
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, HOW DID
YOU TAKE IN THE INFORMATION?
DID YOU VIEW IT AS HELPFUL?
>> SO I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY 
HELPFUL.
IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT CAME OUT WITH SOME 
FIGURES THAT ONE COULD RELATE TO
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THE PROVINCIAL
MODELS AND PREDICTIONS OVER THE 
LAST SEVERAL DAYS AND WEEKS.
I THOUGHT THE GIST OF THE 
MESSAGE WAS POSITIVE, THAT 
CANADIANS NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO 
DO WHAT THEY WERE DOING BECAUSE 
THERE WAS EARLY INDICATION THAT 
PEOPLE ARE PERHAPS SUCCESSFUL IN
BENDING IN THE CURVE A LITTLE 
BIT.
MY OVERALL SENSE WAS THAT IT WAS
AN EMPHASIS ON THE OPTIMISTIC 
SCENARIOS OF BEING BETWEEN ONE 
AND 5% INFECTED, BUT THE REALITY
AS TIME GOES ON AND AS ECONOMIC 
PRESSURES PILE UP, WE PROBABLY 
NEED TO INCLUDE WITHIN THAT 
RANGE THE POSSIBILITY THERE MAY 
BE SLACKENING IN SOME PLACES 
BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC NECESSITY, 
ALSO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE GET 
TIRED OF SITTING AT HOME.
SO I THINK IT IS TIMELY TO HAVE 
THIS MODEL OUT, BUT THERE IS 
ONLY ONE MODEL.
AND THE IMPORTANT THING RIGHT 
NOW, PARTICULARLY IN DYNAMIC 
MODELS, WE NEED TO FEED THIS 
WITH ONGOING INFORMATION AND 
ENGAGING OUR RESEARCHERS IN 
BUILDING THE MODEL BASED ON THE 
GROUND REALITIES AS THEY BUILD 
UP.
SO OVERALL, I WELCOME THIS MOVE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOW 
FOR US TO HAVE SOMETHING TO 
RELATE TO AND TO FEED 
INFORMATION INTO IT AS THE 
EPIDEMIC EVOLVES AND AS OUR 
RESPONSE EVOLVES.
AND SEE OVER TIME THIS IS FOOD 
FOR THOUGHT.
>> Rosemary: IT DOES SOUND AS 
THOUGH THIS IS NOT THE LAST 
BRIEFING.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET
INFORMATION.
YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT, DOCTOR, AS 
MORE IS FED INTO THE DYNAMIC 
MODELLING.
THE FACT THAT DR. ENNOOJ SAID 
THE FIRST WAVE WILL LAST UNTIL 
SUMMER AND WE KEEP THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES IN PLACE UNTIL 
THEN, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT 
ASSESSMENT AND HOW DO YOU GET 
PEOPLE TO STAY ON THIS COURSE 
UNTIL SUMMER?
>> SO THAT WAVE THAT WAS ALLUDED
TO IS DEPENDENT ON HIGH LEVEL OF
COMPLIANCE.
IF YOU HAVE THE HIGH LEVEL OF 
COMPLIANCE AND SAY IN THE 1-5% 
RANGE, WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THE 
END OF IT BY THE END OF THE 
SUMMER AND BEGIN TO SEE SOME 
DEGREE OF GRADUATED RETURN TO 
NORMAL.
BUT IF THINGS WERE TO CHANGE, IF
PEOPLE WERE TO GET POCKETS OF 
OUTBREAKS, IF IN OUR NEIGHBOURS 
STATES -- I'M WORRIED ABOUT NEW 
YORK WHICH IS RIGHT AT OUR 
BORDERS, IF THE WILDFIRE SPREADS
AND IT BEGINS TO GET POCKETS 
WHICH ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF JUST
THAT PERCENTAGE, POTENTIALLY 
HIGHER, THAN WE SHOULD BE 
PREPARED TO ADJUST.
SO I THOUGHT THAT THE END OF 
SUMMER WAS A BIT OPTIMISTIC.
MY SENSE IS THAT THE OVERALL 
MEASURES WOULD NEED TO GO INTO 
THE FALL.
AND THAT WE SHOULD BE PREPARED 
FOR THAT EVENTUALITY BASED ON 
THESE DYNAMIC MODELS JUST AS THE
REAL DATA BEGINS TO COME IN.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S A GOOD 
POINT.
THE BORDER RESTRICTIONS YOU CAN 
SEE HOW THEY MAY HAVE TO STAY IN
PLACE LONGER THAN DOMESTIC 
MEASURES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FACT 
THAT THERE ARE PROVINCES WHO ARE
DOING BETTER?
B.C. IS PERFORMING WELL, TESTED 
MORE.
IS THERE A WORLD IN WHICH 
RESTRICTIONS COULD SLACKEN IN 
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND NOT 
OTHERS?
AND HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT THE 
POTENTIAL SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IF
WE DID THAT?
>> SO I THINK TRAVELLING 
CONTROLS, ENSURING THE IMPORTED 
INFECTIONS AS SEEN IN OTHER 
PARTS OF THE WORLD, NOTABLY 
CHINA, THOSE WOULD NEED TO STAY 
IN PLACE.
PARTICULARLY AS ECONOMIC 
ACTIVITIES RETURN AND DOMESTIC 
TRAVEL WITHIN THE COUNTRY GOES 
BACK TO NORMAL, I THINK SOME 
MEASURES IN TERMS OF ENSURING 
THAT WE KEEP OUR EYE ON 
POTENTIAL OUTCOMES ON 
DIFFERENCES IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 
BETWEEN PROVINCES, THOSE WOULD 
HAVE TO FEED INTO THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH RESPONSE.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT 
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 
THE WAY B.C. DID AND OTHER 
PROVINCES DID.
AND THEY WERE NUMBER ONE AHEAD 
OF THE CURVE, THEY WERE LED BY 
SCIENCE FROM THE VERY OUTSET.
I THINK PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IN 
TERMS OF RESPONSE IN BRITISH 
COLUMBIA WAS IDEAL IN MANY WAYS,
SHARING OF INFORMATION.
AND ALSO THEY TESTED MUCH MORE.
SO REALLY SPEAKING, THEY WERE IN
TERMS OF RESPONSE, YOU KNOW, A 
MODEL FOR MANY OTHER PROVINCES 
TO FOLLOW.
AND THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO PLAY
CATCHUP IN MANY WAYS IN GETTING 
OUR TESTING AND, THEREFORE, OUR 
DENOMINATORS RIGHT IN TERMS OF 
GETTING A SENSE OF WHAT IS THE 
TOTAL POPULATION INFECTED AND BY
DEFAULT, TOTAL POPULATION 
SUSCEPTIBLE.
>> Rosemary: LAST QUESTION TO 
YOU, DOCTOR, JUST ABOUT ONTARIO 
BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD OF THE -- 
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TESTING 
FRANKLY AND THE PREMIER MADE 
THAT CLEAR YESTERDAY, THAT WAS 
NOT ACCEPTABLE, WE SHOULD BE 
TESTING CLOSE TO 13,000 PEOPLE A
DAY.
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT 
ONTARIO IN PARTICULAR DOES NOT 
HAVE AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT
IS HAPPENING WITH THIS VIRUS IN 
THIS PROVINCE?
>> SO, VERY CONCERNED.
AND MANY OF MY ACADEMIC 
COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE THEIR 
POINTS OF VIEW WELL KNOWN IN 
TERMS OF SHARING THE DATA AS 
WELL.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE 
PUBLIC SHARING OF INFORMATION, 
PARTICULARLY WITH THE ACADEMICS,
PEOPLE WHO DO MODELLING FOR 
THEIR ACADEMIC LIFE.
ALSO, IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED TO 
KNOW WHERE THE HOT SPOTS ARE.
WHERE ARE THE DATA GAPS?
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION,
PARTICULARLY IN ONTARIO.
AND WHERE IS IT THAT WE'RE NOT 
EVEN ABLE TO ASCRIBE APPROPRIATE
CAUSES OF DEATH?
IN MANY COUNTRIES THEY'RE 
CONCERNED THAT MANY OF THE 
COVID-RELATED DEATHS, 
PARTICULARLY NURSING HOMES AND 
THE ELDERLY, ARE NOT BEING 
CATEGORIZED AS COVID-RELATED 
DEATHS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT 
TESTED.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CLOSE 
LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE CLEARLY WE 
WERE NOT AHEAD OF THE CURVE, WE 
WERE FAR BEHIND IT INSOFAR AS 
THE NURSING HOMES, MORTALITY AND
THE TRAGEDY CONCERNED.
NEARLY HALF OF ALL DEATHS IN 
CANADA ARE OCCUPANTS OF THOSE 
KIND OF FACILITIES.
SO SOME ADDRESS NEEDS TO BE MADE
IMMEDIATELY IN TERMS OF ENSURING
THAT THESE HIGH POCKETS OF 
SUSCEPTIBLE CAN BE ADDRESSED IN 
TERMS OF THE REPUTATION AND THE 
TESTING.
>> Rosemary: THANK YOU SO MUCH 
FOR YOUR EXPERTISE ON THIS.
THANK YOU, SIR.
STAY WELL.
WE ARE STANDING BY TO BRING YOU 
THE PRIME MINISTER'S DAILY 
BRIEFING FROM HIS HOME, RIDEAU 
COTTAGE, WHERE IT IS APPARENTLY 
SNOWING.
I KNOW IT'S SNOWING IN MANY 
PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ALBERTA, MANITOBA AND NOW HERE 
AS WELL, WHICH MIGHT HELP PEOPLE
STAY INSIDE, BECAUSE WHO WANTS 
TO GO OUT IN THAT CASE?
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER ON THE MODELS AND THE 
PROJECTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, 
THERE WAS PRESSURE TO GET MORE 
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON 
THIS FRONT.
AND WE DID GET THAT FIRST 
PICTURE TODAY, BUT THERE WILL BE
QUESTIONS ON THE STATE OF THE 
ECONOMY KNOWING THAT A MILLION 
CANADIANS LOST THEIR JOBS IN 
MARCH.
DATA REALLY DRIVEN BY THE THIRD 
WEEK OF MARCH, BUT WE ALSO KNOW 
THAT IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF 
THE PAST THAT WE HAVE NOW MORE 
THAN 5 MILLION CANADIANS WHO 
HAVE REGISTERED FOR THE ECONOMIC
RELIEF PACKAGE BENEFIT.
AND SO THERE WILL BE FAR MORE 
CANADIANS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR 
JOBS AND WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS AS
THE ECONOMY COMES TO A 
STANDSTILL.
VASSY, I'LL BRING YOU BACK IN 
FOR THAT.
IT IS -- YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF 
PEOPLE.
I KNOW THERE ARE MANY MORE AND 
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE REACHED
OUT.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ASKED TO -- 
OH, THERE IS THE PRIME MINISTER.
I'LL BE QUIET AND LET HIM TALK 
AND COME BACK TO YOU BOTH.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT 
THE JOB REPORT WE RECEIVED FROM 
MARCH.
AS STARK AS THOSE NUMBERS ARE, 
THEY AREN'T A SURPRISE FOR 
CANADIANS.
EACH ONE REPRESENTS A DIFFERENT 
STORY.
A WORKER WHO HAS BEEN LAID OFF.
A FAMILY HAVING TO HUNKER DOWN.
A COMMUNITY THAT IS ANXIOUS 
ABOUT TODAY AND TOMORROW.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE IMPACT OF 
COVID-19.
WE ALL KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE
TOUGH TIME AND THAT COUNTRIES 
AROUND THE WORLD ARE IN A 
SIMILAR SITUATION.
THAT IS NO COMFORT IF YOU'RE OUT
OF A JOB, IF YOU'RE HAVING 
DIFFICULTY MAKING ENDS MEET.
YOU NEED REAL SUPPORT.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO HELP 
YOU BRIDGE TO BETTER TIMES.
ON MONDAY, WE LAUNCHED THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION 
CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED, 
WHICH MEANS PEOPLE ARE ALREADY 
RECEIVING THEIR $2,000 FOR THIS 
MONTH.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON 
LEGISLATION TO BRING IN A WAGE 
SUBSIDY TO HELP EMPLOYERS KEEP 
PEOPLE ON THE PAYROLL WHILE 
WORKING ON NEW LOANS FOR 
BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE WILL KEEP EXPANDING OUR 
THREE-POINT ECONOMIC PLAN TO 
PROTECT JOBS, SUPPORT BUSINESS 
OWNERS AND GET EVERYONE THE HELP
THEY NEED.
THINGS WILL GET BETTER.
AND ONCE THEY DO, YOU CAN BE 
SURE THAT OUR COUNTRY WILL COME 
ROARING BACK.
AS A COUNTRY, WE'VE GOTTEN 
THROUGH TOUGH TIMES BEFORE.
WE'VE STOOD TOGETHER, UNITED AND
STRONG.
ON VIMY RIDGE, MORE THAN 100 
YEARS AGO TODAY, THOUSANDS OF 
CANADIANS GAVE THEIR LIVES SO 
THAT OUR COUNTRY WOULD KNOW 
PEACE.
[Speaking French][Voice of 
Interpreter] TODAY WE REMEMBER 
THOSE WHO FELL AT VIMY.
WE REMEMBER THE SACRIFICES THAT 
THEY MADE FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THEY FOUGHT TO DEFEND VALUES 
THAT ARE DEAR TO US SUCH AS 
EQUALITY AND PEACE.
FOR VALUES THAT STILL DEFINE OUR
COUNTRY.
[End of Translation] HISTORIANS 
HAVE NOTED IT WAS WHEN ORDINARY 
PEOPLE DID EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
FATHERS AND SONS, BROTHERS AND 
FRIENDS, THEIR SACRIFICE AND 
COURAGE DEFINED WHAT IT IS AND 
WHAT IT MEANT TO BE A CANADIAN.
AND THEIR LEGACY LIVES ON.
 IN THE WOMEN AND MEN WHO 
CONTINUE TO STEP UP AND SERVE US
IN UNIFORM AND OUR NURSES AND 
DOCTORS WHO PUT THEMSELVES IN 
HARM'S WAY FOR US ALL TO STAY 
HEALTHY.
AND IN EVERYONE WHO STEPS UP AND
ASKS WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR THEIR 
FELLOW CANADIANS.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES CANADA STRONG
AND THAT WILL BE OUR PATH 
FORWARD NO MATTER WHAT TOMORROW 
MAY BRING.
RIGHT NOW, THE FUTURE CAN SEEM 
EVEN MORE UNCERTAIN THAN NORMAL.
IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB, IF 
YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT AN ELDERLY 
PARENT, YOU PROBABLY WANT TO 
KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
EARLIER TODAY WE RELEASED OUR 
MODELLING ON HOW WE THINK THIS 
PANDEMIC MIGHT UNFOLD.
THE MODELLING SHOWS THAT 
COVID-19 ARRIVED IN CANADA LATER
THAN IN OTHER COUNTRIES, SO 
WE'RE IN AN EARLIER STAGE OF THE
OUTBREAK.
THAT MEANS WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO
DETERMINE WHAT OUR COUNTRY LOOKS
LIKE IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS TO 
COME.
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY ARE COPING FOR THE 
TIME BEING BUT WE'RE AT A FORK 
IN THE ROAD BETWEEN THE BEST AND
THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME IS NO 
EASY PATH FOR ANY OF US.
THE INITIAL PEAK, THE TOP OF THE
CURVE, MAY BE IN LATE SPRING, 
BUT THE END OF THE FIRST WAVE IN
THE SUMMER.
AS DR. TAM EXPLAINED, THERE WILL
LIKELY BE SMALLER OUTBREAKS FOR 
A NUMBER OF MONTHS AFTER THAT.
THIS WILL BE THE NEW NORMAL 
UNTIL A VACCINE IS DEVELOPED.
BUT AS WE SAW THAT IS SO MUCH 
BETTER THAN WE COULD FACE ALL OF
US IF WE DO NOT RISE TO THE 
CHALLENGE OF THIS GENERATION.
THE PATH WE TAKE IS UP TO US.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT EACH OF US 
DOES RIGHT NOW.
IT WILL TAKE MONTHS OF CONTINUED
DETERMINED EFFORT.
WE'LL NEED TO KEEP PRACTISING 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, STAYING 
HOME, AND WASHING OUR HANDS.
IT WILL HELP.
IT WILL HELP GET THE NUMBERS 
THAT DR. TAM WAS TALKING ABOUT 
BETWEEN 4,000 AND 44,000 DEATHS 
AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
[Speaking French][Voice of 
Interpreter] I KNOW THAT DR. TAM
AND THE ENTIRE TEAM AT THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY HAVE WORKED
VERY HARD TO PREPARE THOSE 
PROJECTIONS AND TO ENSURE US 
THAT ALL THE INFORMATION IS UP 
TO DATE.
WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION
WITH THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES TO GET THEIR LATEST 
DATA.
EARLIER TODAY WE RELEASED OUR 
PROJECTIONS.
THE MODELS SHOW THAT COVID-19 
ARRIVED IN CANADA LATER THAN IN 
OTHER COUNTRIES, THEREFORE, WE 
ARE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF
THIS EPIDEMIC.
THAT MEANS THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE 
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF 
DETERMINING WHAT OUR COUNTRY 
WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE WEEKS AND 
MONTHS TO COME.
FOR THE TIME BEING, OUR HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM IS HOLDING STRONG, 
BUT WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS.
THE PATH THAT WILL TAKE US TO A 
BETTER RESULT WILL NOT BE EASY.
WE COULD REACH THE PEAK AT THE 
END OF THE SPRING, AND THE FIRST
WAVE COULD END IN THE SUMMER.
BUT AS DR. TAM EXPLAINED, WE 
WILL PROBABLY SEE OTHER 
OUTBREAKS, SMALLER OUTBREAKS, 
FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MONTHS.
IT IS AND WILL BE OUR NEW 
REALITY UNTIL WE FIND A VACCINE.
BUT AS WE SAW THIS MORNIN -- 
BUT AS WE SAW THIS MORNING, IT'S
A BETTER SCENARIO THAN WHAT 
COULD HAPPEN IF WE REFUSE TO 
ACT.
THE PATH WE TAKE WILL DEPEND 
ENTIRELY ON ALL OF US.
WE WILL HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED 
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STAY 
HOME AND CONTINUE TO WASH OUR 
HANDS.
THAT IS HOW WE CAN AVOID THE 
THOUSANDS OF DEATHS AND REDUCE 
THE NUMBER OF CASES.
[End of Translation] I KNOW IT'S
TOUGH TO STAY HOME, ESPECIALLY 
AS THE WEATHER GETS NICER.
IF YOU HAVE KIDS, IT'S EVEN 
TOUGHER.
BUT TO GET THEM BACK OUTSIDE AND
RUNNING AROUND THE PARK AS SOON 
AS POSSIBLE YOU NEED TO KEEP 
THEM INSIDE FOR A LITTLE LONGER.
THIS WILL WORK.
WE'LL BE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF 
THE WAY.
JUST THIS WEEK WE RECEIVED 
MILLIONS MORE MASKS TO KEEP OUR 
FRONT-LINE WORKERS SAFE AND WE 
HAVE CONTRACTS TO GET MORE 
VENTILATORS.
WE'RE HELPING INDUSTRY MOBILIZE 
LIKE THE ENTREPRENEUR FROM 
ONTARIO WHO IS CREATING REUSABLE
VISORS FOR HOSPITALS ACROSS THE 
PROVINCE.
AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT 
CANADIAN RESEARCHERS WORKING ON 
A VACCINE.
WE'LL PULLING OUT ALL THE STOPS 
TO BEAT THIS VIRUS AND HELP YOU 
GET THROUGH THIS TIME.
[Speaking French][Voice of 
Interpreter] WE MUST ALL DO OUR 
PART, GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES, 
AND CITIZENS, SO CONTINUE TO 
STAY HOME.
CONTINUE TO DO YOUR GROCERIES 
ONCE A WEEK ONLY.
OR EVEN LESS OFTEN THAN THAT.
AND IF YOU MUST GO OUT, DO KEEP 
A TWO-METRE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU
AND OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT IS HOW WE CAN PROTECT 
VULNERABLE PEOPLE.
THAT IS HOW WE CAN PROTECT OUR 
SENIORS.
THAT IS HOW WE WILL SAVE LIVES.
AND THAT IS HOW WE CAN HELP OUR 
NURSES AND PHYSICIANS WHO ARE 
DOING AN EXTRAORDINARY -- WHO 
ARE DOING EXTRAORDINARY WORK 
EVERY DAY.
I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY, BUT IT 
WON'T LAST FOREVER.
AT SOME POINT, WE WILL BE ABLE 
TO GO BACK AND WATCH A FILM, OR 
GO TO PARKS, BUT FOR NOW, 
EVERYONE MUST DO THEIR PART.
NOW AND FOR THE COMING WEEKS.
[End of Translation] OVER 100 
YEARS AGO TODAY, CANADIANS 
SHOWED WHAT METTLE WE ARE MADE 
OF.
I KNOW EACH OF US WILL RISE TO 
BE WORTHY OF THE LEGACY OF 
HEROES THAT BUILT THIS COUNTRY.
WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER.
>> Announcer: [Speaking French]
>> Reporter: [Speaking 
French][Voice of Interpreter] 
I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOU COMMENT ON 
THE WAVES THAT DR. TAM REFERRED 
TO EARLIER.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT SEEING
IF THIS COULD CONTINUE INTO 
DECEMBER, YOU'RE PREPARED TO 
RENEW ALL OF YOUR AID PROGRAMMES
UNTIL THEN.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: [Speaking French][Voice
of Interpreter] WE'LL BE THERE 
TO HELP CANADIANS AS LONG AS 
THEY NEED HELP, BUT WE ALL KNOW 
THAT THE TIME THIS WILL TAKE 
DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON WHAT WE'RE 
DOING.
CANADIANS HAVE TO CONTINUE TO 
STAY HOME ON WHETHER THEY DO 
THAT OR WHETHER WE CONTINUE 
AGGRESSIVE TESTING, OR ON 
WHETHER WE CONTINUE TO DO 
AGGRESSIVE CONTACT TRACING.
IF WE DO THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO 
MEET THOSE MINIMAL PROJECTIONS 
AND COME THROUGH THIS FIRST 
WAVE.
YES, THERE WILL BE OTHER WAVES 
UNTIL THERE IS A VACCINE, BUT 
THOSE WAVES WILL BE MUCH EASIER 
TO MANAGE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND
THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE NOW AND 
THROUGH CANADIANS' NEW HABITS 
AND THEIR ABILITY TO KEEP 
THEMSELVES SAFE.
[End of Translation] 
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT 
WE'RE DOING TODAY IS MAKING A 
DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE HOPEFUL WE'RE GOING TO BE 
ABLE TO GET THROUGH THIS IN THE 
SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME.
BUT NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES,
WE WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT 
CANADIANS IN ORDER TO GET 
THROUGH THIS.
WE KNOW, THOUGH, THAT IN ORDER 
FOR IT TO LAST AS SHORT AS IT 
CAN AND TO HARM AS FEW CANADIANS
AS POSSIBLE, WE NEED TO KEEP 
DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING.
THAT IS WHAT LEADS US TO THE 
BEST SCENARIO.
AND ONCE WE'RE THROUGH THIS 
FIRST WAVE, AS WE LOOK TO THE 
RESURGENCES THAT WILL HAPPEN 
OVER THE COMING MONTHS UNTIL WE 
DISCOVER A VACCINE, WE WILL BE 
MUCH BETTER EQUIPPED BOTH WITH 
AGGRESSIVE TESTING STRATEGIES 
THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW 
WITH AGGRESSIVE CONTACT-TRACING 
AND WITH CANADIANS WHO KNOW WHAT
TO DO WHEN THEY HAVE TO SOCIALLY
DISTANCE TO STAY HOME WHERE AND 
WHEN NECESSARY IN THE COMING 
MONTHS.
>> FOLLOW-UP.
>> Reporter: [Speaking 
French][Voice of Interpreter] WE
UNDERSTAND THAT HELPING 
CANADIANS HAVE NO PRICE, BUT I'D
LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS AN 
ASSESSMENT OF THE COST THAT HAS 
BEEN DONE OVER THE NEXT FEW 
MONTHS AND CAN WE AFFORD TO 
SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS MORE, POSSIBLY UNTIL 
DECEMBER?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: THAT IS ONE OF THE 
REASONS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT 
TO COME THROUGH THIS FIRST WAVE 
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT IS WHY THAT IN THE COMING 
WEEKS PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO STAY 
HOME AND LIMIT THEIR MOVEMENTS 
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WHEN WE COME THROUGH THIS FIRST 
WAVE AS WE SAW IN THE MODELLING,
WE WILL BE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE 
ECONOMY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT AND 
SET ASIDE SOME OF THOSE 
RESTRICTIONS AS WE MANAGE THE 
NEW REALITY SO THAT ECONOMIC 
ACTIVITY CAN START UP AGAIN.
OF COURSE, EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON
WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
HOWEVER LONG THIS MAY LAST, WE 
WILL BE THERE TO HELP EACH OTHER
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO AS 
CANADIANS AND WE KNOW THAT IF WE
WANT TO GET BACK TO A NORMAL 
LIFE AT SOME POINT, PEOPLE NEED 
THE NECESSARY SUPPORT TO COME 
THROUGH THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION, THE CANADIAN 
PRESS.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING.
I'M JUST WONDERING, GIVEN THE 
NEW PROJECTIONS TODAY, DO YOU 
THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 
TO HAVE STRONGER MEASURES 
NECESSARY TO KEEP PEOPLE AT 
HOME?
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE 
LISTENING?
AND WHAT ARE THOSE MEASURES THAT
YOU THINK WE MIGHT NEED TO ADD?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE 
MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN 
HAVE BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY 
CANADIANS RIGHT ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
PEOPLE ARE STAYING HOME.
PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO GO OUT 
ONLY FOR NECESSITIES.
THEY'RE WORKING FROM HOME AS 
MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND THESE ARE 
THE MEASURES WE KNOW ARE GOING 
TO KEEP US ON THE RIGHT PATH.
ARE THERE THINGS WE CAN DO TO 
STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE?
SURE, AND WE'LL KEEP LOOKING AT 
THOSE, BUT THE BIG THINGS WE'RE 
GOING TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE IN 
THE COMING WEEKS IS STRONGER AND
MORE SOPHISTICATED AND 
AGGRESSIVE TESTING PROTOCOLS, 
BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE GET BETTER 
AT THAT.
AND CONTINUING TO DEVELOP TOOLS 
FOR BETTER CONTACT-TRACING.
WE KNOW THAT THOSE THINGS ON TOP
OF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THAT 
WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW HAVE THE 
BEST IMPACT ON KEEPING THIS 
CURVE AS SHORT AND LOW AS 
POSSIBLE.
>> FOLLOW-UP.
>> Reporter: I'M ALSO WONDERING,
IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE 
MULTIPLE WAVES OF THIS, AND 
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO 
GET OUT OF THIS UNTIL WE FIND A 
VACCINE WHICH IS 12 TO 18 MONTHS
AWAY AT BEST, DO YOU ENVISION 
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MULTIPLE 
WAVES OF SHUTDOWNS, CLOSURES OF 
THE ECONOMY?
AND HOW CAN WE HANDLE THOSE 
CONSTANT SHUTDOWNS?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: I THINK EVEN AFTER 
WE'RE THROUGH THIS FIRST WAVE, 
WE'LL NEED TO REMAIN VIGILANT 
AND BRING IN DIFFERENT MEASURES.
NORMALITY WILL NOT COME BACK 
FULL ON UNTIL WE GET A VACCINE 
FOR THIS AND AS YOU SAY, THIS 
COULD BE A LONG WAY OFF.
ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE FIRST 
WAVE, WE WILL HAVE DEVELOPED 
BOTH TOOLS AND HABITS THAT WILL 
ALLOW US TO BE MUCH MORE 
RESILIENT AND RESISTANT TO 
FURTHER OUTBREAKS AND SPREADS.
THAT WILL BE ABLE TO BE KEPT 
LOCALIZED.
IT WILL REQUIRE CONTINUED 
ACTIONS IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND 
QUICK RESPONSES, BUT PART OF 
GETTING THROUGH THIS WAVE IN A 
RAPID WAY WILL BE BECAUSE WE ARE
DEVELOPING THE TOOLS THAT WILL 
ALSO HELP US WHEN THOSE WAVES 
COMING FORWARD IN THE COMING 
MONTHS.
[Speaking French][Voice of 
Interpreter] WHAT WE ARE SEEING 
IS THAT EVEN IF WE COME THROUGH 
THE CURRENT WAVE WE WILL NOT BE 
ABLE TO RETURN TO NORMALITY THE 
WAY IT WAS BEFORE UNTIL THERE IS
A VACCINE.
AND THAT COULD TAKE A YEAR OR 
YEAR AND A HALF, WE DON'T KNOW, 
BUT WE HOPE IT WILL COME SOONER.
BUT OUR ABILITY AS A SOCIETY AND
THE ABILITY OF OUR SYSTEM TO 
RESPOND TO THESE SMALL WAVES AND
THESE SMALL CHALLENGES THAT 
WE'LL FACE WITH THESE MORE 
LOCALIZED OUTBREAKS WITH BETTER 
TOOLS WILL ALLOW US TO START UP 
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AGAIN, BUT WE 
WILL HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT IN 
THE YEAR TO COME.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION, LAURA FOREST,
POLITICO.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU, PRIME 
MINISTER.
TODAY OBVIOUSLY THERE HAS BEEN A
LOT OF GRIM ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT 
PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO TAKE IN IN 
TERMS OF JOBS NUMBERS AND 
PROJECTIONS.
THEY'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION 
AS THEY'RE HEADING INTO A 
HOLIDAY WEEKEND WHEN THEY'RE 
ASKED NOT TO CELEBRATE WITH 
THEIR FAMILIES.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW YOU THINK
CANADIANS SHOULD REACT TO THIS 
TODAY?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: I THINK OBVIOUSLY THIS 
IS DIFFICULT NEWS.
THIS IS NEWS THAT REFLECTS 
PARTICULARLY IN THE JOB NUMBERS 
A REALITY THAT MILLIONS OF 
CANADIANS HAVE BEEN FEELING OVER
THE PAST WEEKS.
THAT THE REAL IMPACT ON NOT JUST
OUR ECONOMY BUT ON THE LIVES OF 
CANADIANS, FAMILIES, WORKERS, 
COMMUNITIES, IS SIGNIFICANT AND 
REAL.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ALSO SEEING IN 
NUMBERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF 
THE COUNTRY IS THAT THERE IS A 
LIGHT AT THE END OF THIS TUNNEL.
THAT IF WE KEEP DOING THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE DOING THE WAY WE'RE 
DOING, AS WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER 
COUNTRIES, WE'RE ABLE TO 
MINIMIZE THE LEVEL OF THE IMPACT
OF THIS WAVE OF COVID-19.
WE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, GOING TO 
CONTINUE TO LOSE PEOPLE ACROSS 
THIS COUNTRY IN THE COMING 
WEEKS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT 
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN 
CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE 
GET THROUGH THIS FIRST WAVE AS 
QUICKLY AND AS LOW-IMPACTLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
THAT IS WHY AS WE GATHER WITH 
THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS 
THAT WE'RE SHARING A HOME WITH 
RIGHT NOW, AS WE FACETIME TO OUR
LOVED ONES AND REFLECT THROUGH 
THIS EASTER WEEKEND, WE NEED TO 
KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE, WE 
CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IS 
NECESSARY FOR THE COMING WEEKS 
AND MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THIS 
FIRST WAVE IN THE RIGHT WAY, SO 
WE CAN GET BACK TO BEING THERE 
FOR EACH OTHER IN THE COMING 
YEAR.
>> Announcer: FOLLOW-UP.
>> Reporter: YES, THANK YOU.
DR. NJOO SAID HE WAS GOING TO BE
CELEBRATING THIS WEEKEND 
VIRTUALLY WITH HIS FAMILY, HOW 
ARE YOU CELEBRATING?
>> I'M HOPING TO SEE MY FAMILY 
THIS WEEKEND.
OF COURSE, THE PRIORITY IS 
ENSURING THAT WE'RE GETTING THE 
LEGISLATION PASSED.
CONVERSATIONS ARE STILL ONGOING 
WITH MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION 
PARTIES.
WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO PASS 
THIS LEGISLATION TO GET THE HELP
TO PEOPLE THAT IS NEEDED.
THAT IS WHY WHILE WE CONTINUE 
DISCUSSIONS AROUND DEMOCRATIC 
PROCESSES AND DEFENDING OUR 
INSTITUTIONS, WHICH WILL BE 
ONGOING, WHICH IS REALLY 
IMPORTANT TO ME AND ALL OF US, 
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON 
GETTING THIS LEGISLATION MOVING 
THROUGH THE HOUSE SO WE CAN GET 
THE HELP OUT TO CANADIANS.
THAT IS MY FOCUS THIS WEEKEND.
[Speaking French][Voice of 
Interpreter] I HOPE TO BE ABLE 
TO SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY 
THIS WEEKEND, BUT THE REALITY IS
THAT OUR PRIORITY IS TO GET THIS
LEGISLATION PASSED SO THAT WE 
CAN HELP EVEN MORE CANADIANS AND
GET THAT AID OUT TO WORKERS AND 
BUSINESSES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE IN 
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE OPPOSITION 
PARTIES.
OF COURSE, WE NEED TO ENSURE 
THAT OUR DEMOCRACY CONTINUES TO 
WORK AND THAT OUR STRONG 
INSTITUTIONS ARE THERE FOR US IN
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, BUT WE 
MUST ABSOLUTELY BRING BACK THE 
HOUSE OF COMMONS TO PASS THIS 
BILL SO THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE.
I DO HOPE THAT THE OPPOSITION 
PARTIES WILL AGREE WITH ME IN 
SAYING THAT CANADIANS CANNOT 
WAIT.
>> THANK YOU.
[Speaking French]
>> Reporter: [Speaking 
French][Voice of Interpreter] 
GOOD MORNING, MR. TRUDEAU.
WITH RESPECT TO THAT BILL, WE 
UNDERSTAND THAT THE 
CONSERVATIVES ARE SAYING THAT 
PARLIAMENT WILL HAVE TO MEET IN 
PERSON, IN REDUCED NUMBERS.
THAT IS THE CONDITION FOR THEIR 
AGREEING.
NOW WHY IS THIS THEIR CONDITION?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE 
VERY OPEN AND WE'RE PREPARED TO 
RECALL PARLIAMENT TO PASS 
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION AND DO THE
JOB THAT PEOPLE EXPECT US TO DO 
AS A GOVERNMENT AND AS A 
PARLIAMENT.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE MUST 
FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF 
HEALTH CARE EXPERTS AND NOT 
ASSEMBLE PEOPLE IF IT'S NOT 
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
THERE ARE VIRTUAL MEANS 
AVAILABLE AND EVEN IF WE MEET IN
REDUCED NUMBERS, THERE ARE 
SECURITY OFFICIALS AND OTHER 
PEOPLE WHO WILL BE THERE AND 
MUST BE THERE TO HELP US.
BUT WE WANT TO MINIMIZE ANY 
IMPACT.
AND, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO 
CONTINUE TO SEEK WAYS TO WORK 
TOGETHER AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN 
KEEP OUR STRONG DEMOCRACY AND 
OUR STRONG INSTITUTIONS WORKING.
WE'RE VERY OPEN TO THAT, BUT I 
THINK WE'RE IN A TIME NOW WHERE 
WE SHOULD NOT BE PREVENTING THE 
PASSAGE OF IMPORTANT LEGISLATION
JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO KEEP 
TALKING.
SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS WILL HAVE 
TO CONTINUE.
>> Reporter: WITH RESPECT -- -- 
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: I'LL ANSWER IN ENGLISH.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE STRONG 
DEMOCRAT WE CAN INSTITUTIONS 
THAT CONTINUE TO FUNCTION AND 
SERVE CANADIANS TO GET THE HELP 
NEEDED TO CANADIANS AND PROVIDE 
THAT INPUT FROM VOICES ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY ON THE IMPACT THAT 
THINGS ARE HAVING IN THEIR 
COMMUNITY.
THAT IS ESSENTIAL.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO 
TALK WITH OPPOSITION PARTIES 
ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT 
OUR INSTITUTIONS AND PARLIAMENT 
CONTINUES TO FUNCTION.
IT IS SOMETHING TO REMEMBER WHEN
WE DO GATHER IN SMALLER NUMBERS,
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S STILL 
REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
SUPPORT STAFF TO COME INTO WORK,
TO BE THERE WHILE PARLIAMENT IS 
FUNCTIONING AND THAT PUTS THEM 
AT RISK AS WELL.
BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT 
DOESN'T ALLOW FOR MEMBERS OF 
PARLIAMENT WHO LIVE IN FURTHER 
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO BE 
WEIGHING IN AND MAKE SURE THAT 
THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE BEING 
HEARD.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE SO INTERESTED 
IN LOOKING FOR VIRTUAL WAYS OF 
GATHERING THE HOUSE AND WE'RE 
GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON 
THAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY 
IMPORTANT THAT PARLIAMENTARIANS 
GET TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT 
THE WORK OF GETTING THE HELP TO 
CANADIANS HAPPENS, AND HAPPENS 
QUICKLY, WHILE THESE CONTINUED 
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FURTHERING 
OUR DEMOCRACY IN THIS MOMENT OF 
CRISIS CONTINUE.
IT'S NOT THE TIME TO FURTHER 
DELAY GETTING HELP TO CANADIANS.
>> [Speaking French]
MR. SCHEER IS SAYING THAT -- 
PROBLEM IN ANY CASE -- THE 
INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET THAT 
SUBSIDY OUT THERE IS NOT READY 
AND IT COULDN'T BE GIVEN TO THEM
RIGHT AWAY ANYWAY.
SO DO YOU CONSIDER THAT THE 
CONSERVATIVES ARE RESPONSIBLE OR
ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE 
YOU'RE UNWILLING TO MAKE A 
COMPROMISE?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: [Speaking French][Voice
of Interpreter] I'M A LITTLE 
DISCONCERTED BY THAT COMMENT IF 
MR. SCHEER ACTUALLY SAID THAT.
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT DEBATE 
AND DISCUSSIONS IN THE HOUSE OF 
COMMONS ARE OFTEN A PLACE WHERE 
WE SEE THE IMPACT AND WE CAN 
ADJUST OUR LEGISLATION TO GET 
EVEN BETTER OUTCOMES.
I DON'T THINK ANY PARTY, EVEN A 
PARTY THAT IS IN GOVERNMENT, 
KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING 
ON IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS 
AN IMPORTANT ROLE AND THE 
OPPOSITION ALSO HAS AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN IMPROVING LEGISLATION, 
EVEN IN THE MIDST OF AN 
EMERGENCY.
SO FOR ME, RECALLING PARLIAMENT 
IS NOT JUST GETTING THEM TO, YOU
KNOW, GIVE THEIR STAMP OF 
APPROVAL, NO, IT'S BECAUSE WE 
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEBATE 
AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR 
CANADIANS.
AND IF THAT IS WHAT MR. SCHEER 
SAID, I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED 
IN HIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF 
THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMED 
DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT WHEN 
LOOKING AT LEGISLATION.
[End of Translation] 
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: IF INDEED, MR. SCHEER 
SUGGESTED THAT THE DEBATE HAD BY
PARLIAMENTARIANS AROUND A GIVEN 
PIECE OF LEGISLATION DON'T 
REALLY HAVE IMPACT, I CHOOSE TO 
DISAGREE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT 
THAT WE HEAR VOICES FROM EVERY 
CORNER OF THE COUNTRY ON THE 
POTENTIAL IMPACTS OR POTENTIAL 
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BILL WE'RE 
PUTTING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT'S HOW PARLIAMENT IS
SUPPOSED TO WORK AND THAT'S HOW 
CANADIANS CONSIDER THE 
PARLIAMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK, 
SO I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO 
THE DEBATE ON OUR WAGE SUBSIDY 
TO SEE HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT,
AND HEAR FROM EVERY CORNER OF 
THE COUNTRY AS MUCH AS WE CAN ON
HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S 
DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR 
CANADIANS.
PARLIAMENT MATTERS.
THE DEBATE THAT HAPPENS IN 
PARLIAMENT MATTERS.
YOU CAN'T JUST SHRUG IT OFF LIKE
A RUBBER STAMP THAT DOESN'T 
MATTER BECAUSE I KNOW HOW DEEPLY
IT MATTERS THAT WE HAVE PROPER 
AND ROBUST DEBATE ON THIS.
>> DAVID THURTON, CBC NEWS.
>> Reporter: DOCUMENTS SHOW THAT
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN 
PREPARING FOR A PANDEMIC 
SINCE -- OVER A DECADE, SINCE 
THE OUTBREAK OF SARS.
BUT WE'RE SEEING NOW THAT, YOU 
KNOW, IT SEEMS THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CAUGHT OFF 
GUARD AND CANADIANS ARE PAYING 
THE PRICE FOR THAT.
WHAT WENT WRONG IN THE PLANNING?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE'VE SEEN COUNTRIES 
AROUND THE WORLD CAUGHT OFF 
GUARD BY THE NATURE OF THIS 
EPIDEMIC.
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IN TERMS 
OF GETTING CANADIANS PROTECTED 
ARE ECHOED AROUND THE WORLD.
SOME COUNTRIES ARE HANDLING IT 
BETTER THAN OTHERS.
CANADA HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF 
KEEPING ON A PATH THAT IS GOING 
TO MINIMIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE 
THE REALITY WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO 
CONTINUE TO DO THE THINGS WE'RE 
DOING, STAYING HOME, 
CONTACT-TRACING, AGGRESSIVE 
TESTING.
AND WHY WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO 
LISTEN TO EXPERTS ON OTHER 
THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE 
WE'RE HAVING THE MINIMAL 
POSSIBLE IMPACT ON CANADIANS.
OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE LOTS OF
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS, AS 
THERE WERE LESSONS LEARNED FROM 
SARS AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN 
THEM AND BRING THEM INTO PLAY.
>> Reporter: WHAT WENT WRONG IN 
THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANNING?
>> I THINK WE ALL KNOW THIS WAS 
A SITUATION WE'RE ADJUSTING AS 
BEST WE CAN TO.
WE TOOK THE ADVICE OF EXPERTS.
WE MOVED FORWARD IN SIGNIFICANT 
WAYS.
AS WE LOOK BACK AT THE END OF 
THIS, I'M SURE PEOPLE WILL SAY 
YOU COULD HAVE DONE THIS A FEW 
DAYS BEFORE, OR MAYBE YOU DID 
THIS TOO QUICKLY, YOU COULD HAVE
TAKEN A FEW MORE DAYS TO REFLECT
ON IT.
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WE MAKE 
THE BEST DECISIONS WE CAN GIVEN 
THE INFORMATION WE HAVE.
IF IT'S NOT EXACTLY RIGHT, WE 
FIX IT AND TRY TO GET IT BETTER 
AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT CANADIANS 
EXPECT.
>> HI, PRIME MINISTER.
NATIONAL NEWS.
YOU'RE GOVERNMENT SAYS THEY'RE 
NEGOTIATING WITH THE OPPOSITION 
RIGHT NOW.
CAN YOU HELP CANADIANS 
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE HOLDUP TO
RECALLING PARLIAMENT?
THIS WAGE SUBSIDY IS SITTING ON 
THE TABLE.
THERE ARE BUSINESSES WE'RE 
TALKING TO ON THE BRINK OF 
BANKRUPTCY HERE.
WHAT IS THE HOLDUP RIGHT NOW?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: MY UNDERSTANDING IS 
THAT THE LEGISLATION ITSELF IS 
LARGELY SEEN AS THE RIGHT 
SOLUTION BY OTHER PARTIES.
THEY MAY HAVE LITTLE TWEAKS AND 
IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM ON 
SUGGESTIONS OR AMENDMENTS THAT 
THEY HAVE, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE
A SENSE FROM THE OFFICIAL 
OPPOSITION THAT THIS IS A MOMENT
TO DEFINE OR DETERMINE HOW 
PARLIAMENT WILL FUNCTION IN THE 
COMING WEEKS AND THEY ARE 
NEGOTIATING AROUND THE 
STRUCTURES.
WE'VE SAID WE'RE, OF COURSE, 
HAPPY TO HAVE THESE 
CONVERSATIONS.
WE'VE PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS 
AROUND THINGS WE THINK COULD 
WORK TO BOTH MINIMIZE THE RISK 
TO CANADIANS WHILE MOVING 
TOWARDS A VIRTUAL PARLIAMENT.
AND ENSURING THAT THE DEBATE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS SO 
IMPORTANT IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND WE HOPE THAT THE OFFICIAL 
OPPOSITION WILL CHOOSE TO 
REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO PASS 
THIS LEGISLATION QUICKLY TO GET 
THE HELP OUT TO CANADIANS AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
[Speaking French][Voice of 
Interpreter] MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT THE BILL, PER SE, HAS THE 
GENERAL SUPPORT OF THE 
OPPOSITION PARTIES.
THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S 
IMPORTANT AND THEY MAY WANT TO 
PROPOSE CERTAIN AMENDMENTS AND 
WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT, 
BUT THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION IS 
INSISTING THAT THIS IS A TIME TO
DETERMINE WHAT PARLIAMENT SHOULD
LOOK LIKE IN THE COMING WEEKS 
AND BRINGING IN VERY STRONG 
MEASURES.
AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE OPEN TO 
TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT WE 
BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN 
PARALLEL WITH THE NORMAL 
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS BECAUSE THE 
BILL NEEDS TO PASS AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO HELP 
CANADIANS.
>> Reporter: YOU TALKED ABOUT 
CANADA HAVING FISCAL FIRE POWER.
THE GOVERNMENT WAS PLANNING FOR 
MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY, EMERGENCY
FUNDING, HOW LONG OF A FINANCIAL
ROPE DO WE HAVE HERE?
AND SHOULD WE BE RATIONING THAT 
EMERGENCY FUNDING KNOWING THAT 
WE'RE IN FOR A YEAR HERE OF 
SELF-ISOLATION ON AND OFF?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE MADE THE DECISION 
EARLY ON THAT WE NEEDED TO BE 
AGGRESSIVE AND BROAD IN GETTING 
HELP OUT TO CANADIANS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT AND THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
AND WE MOVED VERY, VERY QUICKLY 
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO FILL 
GAPS AND LOOK AT AREAS WHERE WE 
CAN DO MORE TO HELP CANADIANS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
BUT WE KNEW THAT OUR BEST CHANCE
OF REBOUNDING FROM THIS STRONGLY
AND GETTING BACK TO THE 
EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESSFUL ECONOMY
AND COUNTRY WE'VE HAD, THAT 
WE'VE BUILT OVER SO MANY 
GENERATIONS, IS TO ENSURE THAT 
THE CANADIANS ARE SUPPORTED 
THROUGH THIS HOWEVER LONG IT 
TAKES.
NOW WE ARE EXTREMELY HOPEFUL 
THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO
RESTORE A CERTAIN MEASURE OF 
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE COMING 
MONTHS AFTER THIS FIRST WAVE HAS
PASSED, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE 
THAT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WE'RE
GIVING CANADIANS THE SUPPORT 
THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP 
THEMSELVES SAFE, TO DO WHAT IS 
NECESSARY TO KEEP US ALL SAFE 
AND TO ENSURE THAT AS WE GET 
GOING AGAIN, CANADA CONTINUES TO
BE SUCCESSFUL FOR ALL CANADIANS.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: [Speaking French][Voice
of Interpreter] WE RECOGNIZE 
THAT WE HAD TO BRING IN BROAD 
MEASURES QUICKLY TO HELP AS MANY
PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND THAT'S 
WHAT WE DID WITH THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT AND 
THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO 
WHATEVER IS NECESSARY AS LONG AS
IT IS NECESSARY.
WE HOPE IT WILL ONLY TAKE A FEW 
MONTHS FOR THIS FIRST WAVE AND 
THAT WILL ALLOW US TO START 
GETTING THINGS BACK ON TRACK 
ECONOMICALLY, GETTING PEOPLE 
BACK TO WORK WITH ADDITIONAL 
MEASURES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE
TO SUCCEED AS A COUNTRY, BUT 
WHATEVER TIME IT TAKES, WE WILL 
ALWAYS BE THERE TO SUPPORT THE 
CANADIANS WHO NEED HELP.
>> RADIO-CANADA.
>> Reporter: YOU SAY IT MAY TAKE
A YEAR OR YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE
WE RETURN TO NORMAL.
DOES THAT MEAN A YEAR OR YEAR 
AND A HALF BEFORE KIDS GO BACK 
TO SCHOOL OR PEOPLE GO BACK TO 
WORK, OR WE CAN GO TO A PARK 
WITH OUR FAMILY OR ATTEND 
CONCERTS?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US?
IS THAT THE NORMAL YOU'RE 
REFERRING TO.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WHAT I'M SAYING IS 
UNTIL THERE IS A VACCINE 
AVAILABLE, THE REALITY OF 
COVID-19 WILL STILL BE WITH US.
SO FOR THE MONTHS THAT WILL TAKE
AND THERE ARE SOME ESTIMATES 
THAT SAY SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS, 
SOME SAY A YEAR, YEAR AND A 
HALF, WE WILL HAVE TO BE 
VIGILANT.
WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE MEASURES 
FOLLOWED AS PART OF OUR NORMAL 
LIFE AND AT THE SAME TIME WE'LL 
HAVE TO HAVE MEASURES READY TO 
INTRODUCE IF THERE IS A 
RESURGENCE OF THE VIRUS IN 
CERTAIN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY OR 
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
BUT ONCE WE COME THROUGH THAT 
FIRST WAVE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE 
TO ALLOW SOME ECONOMIC ACTIVITY 
TO START UP AGAIN AND THAT IS 
WHY THERE WILL BE A GRADUATED 
RETURN TO NORMAL ECONOMIC 
ACTIVITY COMPARED TO NOW.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT 
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WE'LL HAVE TO 
BE VIGILANT FOR A YEAR OR A YEAR
AND A HALF.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL 
NOT BE ABLE TO DO, BUT THERE 
WILL BE MORE THINGS WE WILL BE 
ABLE TO DO AND THAT IS IF AND 
ONLY IF WE COME THROUGH THE NEXT
FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS PROPERLY.
AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE GOING TO 
HAVE TO REMAIN IN THIS CURRENT 
PHASE FOR SOME TIME.
>> Reporter: DO YOU THINK THAT 
THE LEVEL OF TOLERANCE OF 
CANADIANS IS WHERE EXACTLY?
HOW LONG CAN THEY STAY IN THIS 
CONFINEMENT?
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE 
ISOLATED WHO DON'T HAVE ANY 
DOCTORS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE FOR 
THEM.
THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT THERE TO 
HELP THEM.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE 
COMMUNITIES THAT NEED HELP NOW?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WELL, WE HAVE SEEN 
DIFFICULT THINGS HAPPEN IN THE 
PAST.
WHEN WE THINK OF GENERATIONS OF 
CANADIANS WHO HAVE MADE 
SACRIFICES IN THE MAJOR WARS 
INCLUDING VIMY 100 YEARS AGO, 
BUT THERE ARE CANADIANS ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE MADE 
SACRIFICES FOR MANY YEARS IN 
ORDER TO BUILD THE COUNTRY THAT 
WE HAVE TODAY.
I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT, WHAT 
WE'RE DOING NOW AND WHAT WE'RE 
EXPERIENCING, AND THAT'S WHY THE
GOVERNMENT IS THERE TO HELP 
VULNERABLE CANADIANS, TO HELP 
PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING THEIR 
JOBS, TO HELP PEOPLE THAT NEED 
TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
AND PARTICULARLY, TO HELP AND 
PROTECT OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS 
WHETHER IT'S IN THE HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM OR OUR GROCERY STORES.
THESE PEOPLE ENSURE THAT WE'LL 
BE ABLE TO COME THROUGH THIS AND
MEET THIS CHALLENGE THE RIGHT 
WAY.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE 
FOR EACH OTHER.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEAN ON EACH
OTHER AND WE WILL COME THROUGH 
THIS BECAUSE WE'RE STRONG 
CANADIANS AND AS A COUNTRY.
NOW WITH RESPECT TO THE 
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, WE'RE VERY 
CONCERNED AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY 
CONCERNED FROM THE OUTSET ABOUT 
THE VULNERABILITY OF THOSE 
COMMUNITIES AND THAT'S WHY WE 
HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS, WE MADE 
INVESTMENTS RIGHT AWAY TO 
IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE OF THOSE 
COMMUNITIES, BUT WE KNOW THERE 
ARE IS STILL A LOT TO BE DONE 
AND THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW CASES 
IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES WHICH IS 
VERY MUCH A CONCERN AND WE'RE 
WORKING VERY SERIOUSLY ON THIS.
>> Reporter: IS CANADA LOOKING 
AT THE SAME TO SUPPORT OUR OIL 
AND GAS INDUSTRY AND IF NOT, 
WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO 
DO TO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE
MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES, 
SEAMUS O'REGAN, IS CLOSELY 
COORDINATING WITH HIS 
COUNTERPART SECRETARY OF ENERGY 
IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE NORTH 
AMERICAN MARKET AND OIL 
PRODUCTION SECTOR NEEDS TO STAND
TOGETHER ON THIS.
WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH 
OUR COUNTERPARTS AND OUR NAFTA 
PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE 
A STRONG AND UNITED FRONT IN 
DEALING WITH THIS GLOBAL 
SITUATION.
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
"GLOBE AND MAIL", MY COLLEAGUES 
WROTE ABOUT THE FACT THAT OTTAWA
HAD A PLAYBOOK FOR A PANDEMIC 14
YEARS AGO, CO-AUTHORIZED BY DR. 
TAM AND SUBSEQUENT AUDITS 
FLAGGED PROBLEMS WITH THE 
STOCKPILE OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
YOU SAID A FEW MOMENTS AGO YOU 
WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD, BUT GIVEN
ALL THE PREPAREDNESS DONE HERE, 
GOING BACK TO 2006 AND HAVING 
ENOUGH MEDICAL SUPPLIES IN THE 
STOCKPILE COMING UP SHORT, WHAT 
WILL YOUR GOVERNMENT DO TO FIX 
THAT?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE'VE SEEN AND SPOKE A 
NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE EARLY 
DAYS OF THIS PANDEMIC HOW THERE 
WERE SIGNIFICANT LESSONS WE 
LEARNED FROM THAT SARS EPIDEMIC.
THERE WERE THINGS DONE OR NOT 
DONE IN 2003 THAT LED TO 
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN OUR 
APPROACH ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND CANADA WAS BETTER POSITIONED
THEN, A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES 
AROUND THE WORLD, TO RESPOND TO 
THIS PANDEMIC BECAUSE WE HAD HAD
AND LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE 
OF SARS.
SIMILARLY, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS
TIME, WE WILL LEARN MORE THINGS 
ABOUT HOW TO BE EVEN BETTER 
PREPARED NEXT TIME IF THIS EVER 
HAPPENS AGAIN, AS IT IS LIKELY 
THAT IT WILL IN THE COMING 
DECADES.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE 
HAVE THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO KEEP
CANADIANS SAFE AND THAT IS 
SOMETHING THAT KEEPS EVOLVING 
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE WILL LISTEN TO SCIENCE.
WE WILL SHARE THE BEST 
RECOMMENDATIONS WITH CANADIANS.
WE WILL LEAN ON EACH OTHER AND 
WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS 
TOGETHER.
IT'S WHAT WE DO AS A COUNTRY.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS THE PRIME 
MINISTER OF CANADA GIVING HIS 
DAILY COVID-19 BRIEFING AND 
RETURNING TO HIS HOME.
PROBABLY THE CLEAREST AND 
STARKEST MESSAGE WE'VE HEARD 
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO DATE 
ABOUT HOW LONG WE'RE GOING TO BE
IN THIS AND HOW LONG WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THESE 
STRICT PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES.
THE PRIME MINISTER SAYING THAT 
THIS IS "THE NEW NORMAL" UNTIL 
THERE IS A VACCINE, SUGGESTING 
AS WELL THAT THERE WILL BE SOME 
OF THESE MEASURES THAT WILL NEED
TO BE IN PLACE FOR MANY, MANY 
MONTHS.
LET'S BRING IN VASSY KAPELOS AND
CATHERINE CULLEN.
SO, A TOUGH MESSAGE PROBABLY FOR
EVERYBODY TO HEAR THAT THIS IS 
NOT -- EVEN WE GET PAST THE 
FIRST WAVE THIS SUMMER, THIS IS 
NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO 
END QUICKLY, SOON OR EASILY.
AND LISTEN, I DIDN'T LOVE 
HEARING THAT EITHER, BUT IT IS 
IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE 
THE TIME LENGTH HERE.
IT IS THE QUESTION THAT THE MOST
CANADIANS HAD, HOW LONG IS THIS 
GO TO GO, AND THE PRIME MINISTER
WAS BLUNT TODAY FOR THE FIRST 
TIME.
>> Vassy: IT ALMOST FELT LIKE 
RIPPING THE BAND-AID OFF, RIGHT?
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT TO SAY IT 
DOESN'T FEEL GOOD TO HEAR WHAT 
WE HEARD TODAY BUT IT BUILDS 
VERY MUCH ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM 
DR. THERESA TAM AND DR. HOWARD 
NJOO.
THERE IS DATA TO UNDERSCORE THE 
POINT THAT BY THE SUMMER WE MAY 
BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THE FIRST 
WAVE, THE MOST SEVERE WAVE OF 
THIS EPIDEMIC IS OVER, BUT 
REALLY, UNTIL THERE IS A 
VACCINE, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN 
CONTEND -- AND YOU POINTED THIS 
OUT, ROSIE -- THE ONLY WAY TO 
FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE SPREAD OF
THE VIRUS IS TO PRACTISE THESE 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES, TO
SEE BUSINESSES SHUT DOWN, THE 
ECONOMY SLOWED SO MUCH.
THAT IS REALLY THE ONLY TOOL WE 
HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL.
AND THAT WAS UNDERSCORED BY BOTH
THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AND 
THE PRIME MINISTER.
I WOULD POINT OUT JUST ONE THING
I NOTICED HE SAID NEAR THE END 
OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND IT 
WAS IN FRENCH, BUT HE DID TALK 
ABOUT THE DESIRE ON HIS BEHALF 
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S 
BEHALF TO LIFT SOME OF THE 
ECONOMIC RESTRICTIONS, RIGHT?
AND AFTER THAT FIRST WAVE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE 
ALSO HEARD FROM PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS JUST SORT OF THIS IDEA
OF, OKAY, ONCE THE FIRST WAVE IS
OVER, IF IT DOES IN FACT END BY 
THE SUMMER OR SOMETIME IN THE 
SUMMER, WHAT DOES THAT THEN MEAN
FOR THE ECONOMY OR FOR THE 
RESTRICTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN 
PLACED ON US?
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A 
DESIRE ON THE PART OF THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO EASE SOME 
OF THE RESTRICTIONS, BUT AGAIN, 
THAT IS GOING TO DEPEND -- AND 
THIS IS WHAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS KEPT SAYING -- ON THE 
PROVINCE YOU LIVE IN AND HOW THE
EPIDEMIC IS FARING THERE AS WELL
AS THE MEASURES THAT THEY HAVE 
IN PLACE TO SORT OF CONTAIN THE 
SECOND WAVE, OR THE THIRD WAVE.
AND I'M TALKING NOW ABOUT 
TESTING OR SURVEILLANCE.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF 
QUESTIONS FOR PROVINCIAL AND 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOW THEY 
INTEND TO TACKLE THE FIRST POST 
WAVE PERIOD.
AS YOUR LAST GUEST POINTED OUT, 
THERE IS INTERSECTION BETWEEN 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACT AND THE 
ECONOMIC.
WE'RE SEEING A STAGGERING NUMBER
OF JOB LOSSES IN MARCH.
HOW LONG CAN PEOPLE SUSTAIN THE 
ECONOMIC DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN 
INFLIBLTHED ON THEM -- INFLICTED
ON THEM, AND ON US AND AT WHAT 
POINT IS IT TOO DIFFICULT TO 
MAINTAIN THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING
MEASURES THAT ARE SO NECESSARY 
IN ORDER TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF 
THE VIRUS?
I THINK THERE ARE VERY VALID 
QUESTIONS NOW THAT WE HAVE ALL 
THIS INFORMATION.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR THE 
GOVERNMENT GOING AHEAD.
>> Rosemary: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CATHERINE, I'LL TALK TO NEW A 
MOMENT.
BEFORE I WANT TO SAY GOODBYE TO 
VIEWERS ON THE CBC MAIN NETWORK.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE 
WATCHING, CBC NEWS NETWORK, I'M 
ROSEMARY BARTON.
SEE CAN BACK HERE TOMORROW.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
>> Rosemary:  THE PRESSURE PUT
ON THE ECONOMY TO LOOSEN HEALTH
MEASURES, BUTLESS THAT THE PRIME
BUT ALSO THAT THEPRIME MINISTERT
THE NEW TIMELINE, LIVING LIKE
THIS, AND CANADIANS RESILIENCE
TO STICKING TO THESE MEASURES,
AS WELL.
I KNOW THERE'S JOKES ABOUT
PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT THAT HARD
TO STAY ON YOUR COUCH BUT IT IS
ASKING A LOT TO RESTRICT YOUR
INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS.
>> YOU NEW NORMAL, WHICH I THINK
WILL BE THE BIG TAKE AWAY FROM
TODAY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TIME
SPAN.
I WANT TO GRAB ON TO THE IDEA OF
HOW LONG CAN THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT SUSTAIN THIS
FINANCIAL SUPPORT?
WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO?
I THINK ONE COLLEAGUE PHRASED
IT, HOW MUCH ROPE DO YOU HAVE
AND LISTEN, WE'LL BE THERE AS
LONG NEED TO BE THERE?
>> Rosemary:  IT'S IMPORTANT TO
THERE'STHE DIRECT SUPPORT OF CAS
WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS BUT
THERE ARE OTHER EFFECTS IN TERMS
OF BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES,
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
BUSINESSES.
SOME BUSINESSES MAY BE ABLE TO
SUSTAIN THEMSELVES BUT THE
LONGER THIS GOES ON, THE LONGER
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THAT
FRONT AND THE QUESTIONS ABOUT
WHAT SORTS OF JOBS WILL
AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME
BACK TO.
THE PRIME MINISTER WAS TRYING TO
ENCOURAGING AND HE SAID AT ONE
POINT, WHEN THE ECONOMY COMING
ROARS BACK, BUT IT WAS A VERY
SOBERING MESSAGE TODAY, I THINK.
HE TALKED ABOUT WAVELETS,
SMALLER WAVES AFTERWARDS AND WE
WANT TO JUXTAPOSE THAT SAYING IT
COULD IGNITE ANOTHER PROBLEM, SO
THE WHOLE BALANCING ACT ON AND
ECONOMIC FRONT ON TOP OF THE
MORE PERSONAL MORALE QUESTIONS.
SOME OF THIS IS BEING ASKED THAT
PEOPLE KNOW THEY'LL GET TIRED,
IF THEY AREN'T ALREADY, OF
STAYING IN THEIR HOMES BUT THE
STAKES ARE SO INCREDIBLY HIGH.
>> Rosemary:  THE REASON THIS IS
BEING SAID TODAY, THE REASON THE
MODELING PUT FORWARD, THE THINGS
THE PRIME MINISTER SAID IS ABOUT
SAVING LIVES AND HOW MANY
PEOPLE'S LIVES CAN BE SAVED
DEPENDING ON THE RATE OF
INFECTION AND WE GOT THAT TODAY,
IF IT'S 2.5%, WHICH IT IS NOT
NOT, THERE ARE 11,000 CANADIANS
WHO WILL DIE AND IT WILL PUT, AS
DR. TAM SAID, AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT
OF PRESSURE ON THE HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM.
I THINK, AS YOU SAY, THE PRIME
MINISTER WAS TRYING TO BE
ENCOURAGING FOR ALL OF US TO
STICK WITH THIS.
I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
ON TWITTER, ABOUT THE UPCOMING
WEEKEND, A CELEBRATION OF
PASSOVER, EITHER AND I KNOW
RAMADAN IS TO COME.
WHEN PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
STAYED WITHIN YOUR IMMEDIATE
FAMILY, THEY MEAN THE PEOPLE YOU
LIVE WITH.
THEY DON'T MEAN YOUR AUNTS AND
UNCLES WHO LIVE IN OTHER PLACES
OR PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS.
THEY MEAN THE HOME YOU LIVE IN
AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU CAN
CELEBRATE WITH AND NOBODY ELSE
UNLESS YOU FACE-TIME OR ZOOM OR
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMIND PEOPLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD
THAT IS THE BEST ADVICE.
>> Reporter:  TALKING ABOUT
DR. NJOO AND HIS OWN CHILDREN,
THINKING OF YOUR IMMEDIATE
FAMILY.
HE SAID HE HAS FAMILY IN
MONTREAL AND WILL BE SPEAKING TO
THEM ONLY VIRTUALLY.
>> Rosemary:  I'LL GO TO PETER
ARMSTRONG AND COME BACK.
OBVIOUSLY, THE STATE OF THE
CANADIAN ECONOMY IS UNDER AN
EXTREME STRAIN BECAUSE IT HAS
ESSENTIALLY BEEN PUT ON PAUSE
UNTIL THESE PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES CAN CONTAIN THE
PANDEMIC AND OUR SENIOR BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENT JOINS US FOR MORE
ANALYSIS ON THAT.
SO OBVIOUSLY, PETER, WE KNEW THE
JOB NUMBERS WERE NOT GOING TO BE
GOOD, BUT IT'S ONE THING TO KNOW
IT AND ANOTHER THING TO SEE IT.
>> Reporter:  IT IS, AND IT'S
ANOTHER THING TO REALLY
RECOGNISE THAT THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING, THAT THIS WAS IN THE
FIELD MARCH 15th TO THE 
21st, AT THE VERY FRONT-END OF
THE LAYOFFS.
AND THE HEADLINE IS BAD.
A MILLION JOB'S LOSS IS EIGHT
TIMES WORSE THAN THE JOB'S LOSS
WE SAW BACK IN 2009.
BUT YOU GET INTO THE DETAIL OF
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOST A
SIGNIFICANT OR A MAJORITY, THE
HOURS THAT THEY WERE WORKING AND
YOU ADD IN 2.1 MILLION CANADIANS
AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT 3 MILLION
CANADIANS THAT LOST THEIR JOB OR
MAJORITY OF HOURS THEY WERE
WORKING AND WHO IS BEING IMPACT.
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS
BEFORE, 66% OF US MAKE LESS THAN
OF $66,000 A YEAR.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT TRUCK DRIVERS
AND RETAIL SALES, THOSE
LOWER-INCOME CANADIANS ARE
GETTING THE HARDEST HIT AND SOME
ARE OUT AT THE FRONT-END DOING
THE HARDEST WORK, GROCERIES AND
PHARMACY AND PUTTING THEMSELVES
ON THE LINE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES THAT WE ALL HAVE.
BUT THE NUMBERS ARE UGLY AND
THIS DOES SET US UP FOR AN
UGLIER REPORT IF APRIL AND HOW
LONG WILL THIS LAST.
EVEN ONCE THEY LIFT THE
LOCKDOWN, WHEN WILL YOU GO TO A
MOVIE THEATRE AGAIN OR GET ON TO
A PLANE AND FLY WITH ALL THESE
PEOPLE?
HOW QUICKLY WILL CONSUMERS GET
THEMSELVES BACK INTO THE ECONOMY
SOME.
>> Rosemary:  LOTS OF QUESTIONS
AND PETER, I WILL LEAVE YOU
BECAUSE FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE
STARTING THEIR BRIEFING AND
WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM PETER
THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS STAGGERING
JOB NUMBERS SINK IN.
LET'S GO TO THE FEDERAL
MINISTERS AND THIS IS THE DEPUTY
PRIME MINISTER CHRYSTIA
FREELAND.
WE KNOW THAT MANY CANADIANS ARE
EXPERIENCING GREAT DIFFICULTIES
BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
SOME ARE NOT COVERED BY THE WAGE
SUBSIDY OR THE CERB.
WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO FIND
WAYS TO HELP THEM.
TODAY STATISTICS CANADA RELEASED
THE LATEST EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS.
THESE FIGURES REPRESENT MORE
THAN ONE MILLION CANADIANS AND
MORE THAN ONE MILLION CANADIAN
FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING
GREAT HARDSHIP AND WHO ARE
REALLY AFRAID.
TO ALL OF YOU, LET ME SAY, WE'RE
HEAR FOR YOU.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY APPLIED
FOR THE CERB, PLEASE DO SO.
IT IS THERE FOR YOU.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO URGE ALL
CANADIAN EMPLOYERS IF THEY CAN
TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THOSE
COMPANIES THAT HAVE REVIEWED THE
WAGE SUBSIDY COMMITMENT AND HAVE
DECIDED TO HIRE BACK MANY PEOPLE
THEY HAD LAID OFF.
THE WAGE SUBSIDY WILL BE
RETROACTIVE.
WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO GET
IT THROUGH PARLIAMENT.
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE USE THE WAGE
SUBSIDY TO BE SURE THAT AS MANY
CANADIANS AS POSSIBLE CAN KEEP
THEIR JOBS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY
CANADIANS IN REAL TROUBLE RIGHT
NOW BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
SOME ARE NOT COVERED BY THE WAGE
SUBSIDY OR BY CERB.
WE ARE WORKING HARD TO FIND WAYS
TO SUPPORT YOU, TOO.
OK, SO TODAY, WE WILL HEAR FROM
CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER, DR. THERESA TAM AND DR.
AND ALSO, THE MINISTER OF HEALTH
IS HEAR TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS, TOO.
DR. TAM, PLEASE.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE, I THOUGHT AN
UPDATE ON THE NUMBERS OF
COVID-19 IN CANADA.
THERE ARE 19,774 CASES,
INCLUDING 461 DEATHS.
AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS ARE
CHANGING ARE SPEAKING AS WE
SPEAK AS PROVINCES PROVIDE
UPDATES.
IN TERMS OF LAB TESTING, OVER
373,000 PEOPLE WITH NOW OVER 5%
CONFIRMED POSITIVE.
AS CANADA CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
TESTING TO TRACK WHERE THE
DISEASE IS SPREADING.
OF COURSE, WHEN I WROTE THE
SPEECH LAST NIGHT, I STARTED THE
NEXT PARAGRAPH WITH THE WEATHER
WARMING AND SO ANYONE WHO HAS
LOOKED OUTSIDE THE WINDOW IN
OTTAWA OR LOOKED AT THE WEATHER
FORECAST, THAT IS NOT THE CASE
RIGHT NOW BUT THE HOLIDAYS ARE
ALMOST UPON US AND I WANT TO
REITERATE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR RESOLVE
TO PLANK THE CURVE.
SO FAR, THE EFFORTS OF ALL
CANADIANS ARE MAKING A
DIFFERENCE FROM HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS SAVING LIVES ON THE
FRONT LINES TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND
LAB PROFESSIONALS TESTING AND
TRACING COVID-19 SPREAD, TO
ESSENTIAL SERVICE WORKERS
KEEPING OUR HOSPITALS AND OUR
HOMES STOCKED AND EVERY CANADIAN
WHO IS STAYING AT HOME.
I RECOGNISED THAT THESE CHANGES
AND OUR DAILY LIVES THAT WE ARE
ASKING PEOPLE TO MAKE AN
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
DESPITE HARDSHIPS, WE ARE ALL IN
THIS TOGETHER.
THE CANADIAN EFFORT ALLOWING TO
SLOW THE SPREAD ARE PROTECTING
HEALTH SERVICES FOR EVERYONE.
SO DURING IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS
OBSERVANCES, INCLUDES PASSOVER,
EASTER AND RAMADAN, WE NEED TO
NOT LET DOWN OUR GUARD.
THAT MEANS DINNERS AND
CELEBRATIONS NEED TO BE STRICTLY
LIMITED TO YOUR EXISTING
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS ONLY AND THE
SAFEST PLAN FOR YOUR HOLIDAYS IS
A STAYCATION FOR THE NATION.
MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO CONNECT
OVER PHONE AND VIDEO CHAT.
WE NEED TO KEEP PHYSICALLY APART
BUT VIRTUALLY TOGETHER.
CONNECTING HAS NEVER BEEN SO
IMPORTANT, SO PLEASE SUPPORT
EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU.
>> AND NOW, DR. NJOO, YOU HAVE
THE FLOOR.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, FIRST OF ALL,
THE NUMBER OF CASES OF COVID-19
IN CANADA IS 19,417 CASES IN THE
COUNTRY, INCLUDING 461 DEATHS.
FOR THE LAB TESTING, WE'VE
COMPLETED TESTS FOR OVER 373,000
PEOPLE AND NOW 5% ARE CONFIRMED
POSITIVE.
AS CANADA CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
TESTING TO TRACK WHERE THE
DISEASE IS SPREADING.
WITH THE WEATHER WARMING, EVEN
THOUGH IT'S SNOWING IN OTTAWA
AND HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US, WE
WISH TO STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IS
TO MAINTAIN OUR RESERVE.
SO FAR CANADIANS ARE MAKING A
DIFFERENCE FROM HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS SAVING LIVES ON THE
FRONT LINES TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND
LAB PROFESSIONALS, TESTING TESTD
TRACING THE VIRUS, EVERY
CANADIAN WHO IS STAYING AT HOME,
DESPITE THE HARDSHIPS MUST BE
CONTINUED.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
CANADIANS COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO
SLOW THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS
HAS ALLOWED OUR HEALTH SYSTEM TO
COPE.
AND THAT MEANS WE'RE PROTECTING
HEALTH SERVICES FOR EVERYONE.
THAT'S WHY DURING IMPORTANT
RELIGIOUS SERVICES, WE MUST NOT
LET DOWN OUR GUARD.
THAT MEANS DINNERS AND
CELEBRATIONS NEED TO BE STRICTLY
LIMITED TO YOUR EXISTING
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS OWN ONLY.
DURING THESE FEW HOLIDAYS, WE
MUST PROTECT OURSELVES BY
STAYING HOME AND ONLY CONTACTING
PEOPLE BY PHONE, EMAIL AND VIDEO
CHAT.
WE NEED TO PROTECT EACH OTHER
AND THAT IS BEST DONE BY KEEPING
PHYSICALLY APART.
 BUT VIRTUALLY
TOGETHER.
CONNECTING HAS NEVER BEEN SO
IMPORTANT.
WE MUST SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND
WE MUST DO THAT.
AND NOW, I GIVE THE FLOOR TO THE
PRESIDENT OF OUR TREASURY BOARD.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THIS MORNING, PRESIDENT
TRUDEAU GAVE US A MESSAGE OF
HOPE AND COURAGE AND ONE
MENTIONED THE 
102nd ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIMY
RIDGE BATTLE IN 1918.
THIS IS A MESSAGE THAT
PARTICULARLY RESONATES IN QUEBEC
BECAUSE THE 22nd REGIMENT,
WHICH IS AN INSTITUTION IN
QUEBEC THAT CORRECTED
SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE EFFORTINGS
AND WE REMEMBERED THEIR
COMMITMENT, THEIR COURAGE, THE
SACRIFICE THEY MADE FOR OUR
COUNTRY AND I THINK THAT HELPS
US AND INSPIRES AND GUIDES NEWS
WHAT WE MUST DO TODAY.
SECONDLY, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A
QUICK UPDATE AS TO THE
APPLICATIONS WE'VE RECEIVED.
A TOTAL OF 750,000 OPTIONS WERE
MADE FOR THE CERB BENEFIT WHICH
BRINGS US UP TO 5 MILLION IN ALL
SINCE MARCH 15th.
OF THAT 5 MILLION, 4.6 MILLION
WERE ALREADY PROCESSED WHICH IS
EXCELLENT NEWS FOR THE MILLIONS
OF CANADIANS THAT FIND
THEMSELVES EXPERIENCING HARDSHIP
TODAY.
 AND ARE FEELING ANXIOUS
AND SECURE.
IN CLOSING, FOR THOSE CANADIANS
BORN IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER, TODAY IS THE DAY THAT
YOU SHOULD FILE YOUR APPLICATION
FOR THE CANADIAN EMERGENCY
RELIEF BENEFIT.
ON CANADA.CA/CORONAVIRUS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AND NOW WE ARE ALL
HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THREE
QUESTIONS ON THE TELEPHONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL NOW TAKE QUESTIONS
FROM THE TELEPHONE LINES.
>> Question:  MY QUESTION FOR
YOU, MISS FREELAND, WE NOW
UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL BE
MONTHS BEFORE LIFE RETURNS TO
NORMAL.
THE WAVE SUBSIDY IS FOR THREE
MONTHS AND WE LEARNED AIR CANADA
WILL BE BENEFITING FROM THAT AND
DEFINITELY NOT AN INDUSTRY
RETURNING TO NORMAL IN THREE
MONTHS.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE
THINKING OF BECAUSES TO
DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY IN A
DIFFERENT WAY THAN JUST GIVING
IT TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS FOR IT,
GIVEN THAT ALL INDUSTRIES DO NOT
FIND THEMSELVES IN THE SAME
CIRCUMSTANCES.
AS DR. TAM SAID, WE DO
UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION WILL BE
DIFFICULT FOR MORE THAN A MONTH,
MORE THAN TWO MONTHS.
AND WE MUST BE PREPARED.
ALSO, AS DR. TAM SAID, WE DON'T
KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE SITUATION
IS GOING TO COME TO AN END AND
WHEN IT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR
CANADIANS TO RETURN TO WORK.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY
DONE AND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT
WILL CONTINUE TO DO IS TO BE
THERE FOR CANADIANS, FOR WORKERS
AND FOR BUSINESSES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ECONOMIC
SHOCK WAS NOT CAUSED BY ECONOMIC
PROCESS USE THEMSELVES.
IT'S AN EXTERNAL SHOCK WHICH IS
WHY IT'S A DUTY FOR THE
GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT CANADIANS
AND WORKERS AND BUSINESSES.
 FOR
AS LONG NECESSARY.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT OUR
GOVERNMENT AND OUR ECONOMY AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS CRISIS
WERE IN GOOD SHAPE.
CANADA AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAVE THE FISCAL
RESOURCES NECESSARY TO DO ALL
THAT IS REQUIRED TO PROTECT
CANADIANS DURING THIS CRISIS.
AS FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME THIS
WILL LAST, NO ONE CAN SAY TODAY
HOW LONG THESE MEASURES WILL BE
NECESSARY TO SHORE UP OUR
ECONOMY.
THE ONLY THING WE CAN TELL YOU
IS THAT WE ARE READY TO DO
EVERYTHING THAT'S REQUIRED.
WE HAVE SET UP NECESSARY
MEASURES TODAY AND WE DID SO
VERY QUICKLY.
AS WAS JUST SAID, THE CERB IS
THERE TODAY AND HELPING MANY
CANADIANS.
WE COULD NOT MOVE AS QUICKLY
WITH THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE, THE
ONLY THING I CAN TELL YOU IS
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WILL
BE PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE
CANADIAN ECONOMY.
THANK YOU A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION,
IF I MAY ASK YOU.
THE LOGIC OF SUPPORT OFFERED TO
THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY THAT
CLEARLY WILL NOT RECOVER OVER
THE NEXT THREE MONTHS FROM THIS,
WOULDN'T THAT MONEY BE OF BETTER
USE ELSEWHERE?
ANSWER, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND THAT
NO ONE CAN COME UP WITH CERTAIN
PREDICTIONS OF THE FUTURE.
DR. TAM WAS QUITE CLEAR THIS
MORNING WHEN SHE EXPLAINED THE
PROGNOSIS WITH THE PROGRESS OF
THE CORONAVIRUS.
BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT
UNCERTAINTY, WHAT WE MUST DO IS
PRECISELY WHAT WE DID DO AND ARE
DOING, WHICH IS PROVIDING THE
NECESSARY SUPPORT TO OUR ECONOMY
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE
CANADIANS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY FOR AS
LONG IT'S NECESSARY TO DO SO.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US NOT
TO LET THE CORONAVIRUS DAMAGE
OUR ECONOMY.
WE ARE TAKING THE NECESSARY
STEPS NOW TO PROTECT CANADIAN'S
HEALTH AND LIVES, BUT WE KNOW
QUITE WELL THAT THOSE NECESSARY
STEPS WILL HAVE A SERIOUS
ECONOMIC IMPACT, AS WELL.
THE GOVERNMENT'S WORK AND DUTY
IS TO PROTECT THE ECONOMY DURING
THAT PERIOD.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW
AND WE SHALL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WE WILL PROTECT CANADA'S
ECONOMIC CAPACITY AND WE MUST
PROTECT CANADIAN'S LIVES.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO DO.
I WILL CLOSE BY SAYING THAT
CANADA AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS THE ECONOMIC
RESOURCES NECESSARY TO DO SO.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT QUESTION ON
THE PHONE.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM THE
CANADIAN PRESS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question:  HI, THIS IS A
QUESTION PROBABLY FOR DR. TAM.
GIVEN THE MODELING THAT YOU
RELEASED THIS MORNING FOR FOR
THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
YOU SEE COVID-19 UNFOLDING IN
CANADA, ARE YOU RECOMMENDING
THAT GOVERNMENT ENACT STRICTER
MEASURES FOR BUSINESSES AND IF
SO, WHAT ADDITIONAL MEASURES
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?
>> YES, SO WE DO HAVE BEEN
MONITORING CLOSELY ON A DAILY
BASIS AND I THINK WE RECOGNISE
THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO ASCERTAIN
HOW TO MEASURE THE EFFECTNESS OF
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURE.
SO THE STUDIES MIGHT BE QUITE
INNOVATIVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, JUST TRACKING
MOBILITY OF THE POPULATION AND
THE DATA THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN
BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK AND
THAT TELLS US A LITTLE BIT MORE
HOW WELL CANADIANS ARE DOING
WITH SOME OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHERE WE CAN
STRENGTHEN THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK WE KNOW THAT SOME AREAS
OF SOCIAL DISTANCING HAS REALLY
BEEN REDUCED IN TERMS OF NO ONE
IS GATHERING, REALLY.
THERE'S NO MASS GATHERING OF ANY
SIZE.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO STRENGTHEN
THE MESSAGE TO CANADIANS THAT
REALLY YOU SHOULD AVOID ALL
NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL AND STAY AT
HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DURING
THIS CRITICAL PERIOD.
I THINK THAT BEHAVIORAL
SCIENTISTS ARE STUDYING THESE
PHENOMENON, AS WELL, ANDING
URGINGPEOPLE TO DO BETTER.
WE KNOW CONTACT TRACING IS KEY
TO STAYING ON THE TRAJECTORY TO
IMPROVE.
I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ON
THE ONE HAND, YOU CAN TRY TO
SUPPORT PEOPLE IN SELF-ISOLATION
AND IN QUARANTINE, MAKING SURE
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT
TO DO SO SAFELY.
AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE
CONDITIONS AT HOME TO DO THAT,
TO SUPPORT THEM, MAYBE HOUSING
IN A DIFFERENT SPACE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'VE SEEN
JURISDICTIONS COME WITH MORE
MEASURES ON THE COMPLIANCE AND
ENFORCEMENT SIDE TO TRY TO
ENSURE THAT ALL CANADIANS KNOW
HOW SERIOUS THIS SITUATION IS
AND THAT WE WANT THEM TO TAKE
THINGS SERIOUSLY.
SO TIGHTENING UP ON MAKING SURE
PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK STAY AT HOME
AND ANY CLOSE CONTACTS ALSO
SELF-ISOLATE IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SO I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH.
AS I'VE SAID, WE DO CONTINUE TO
HAVE A IMPROVE THE LABORATORY
TESTING TO PROTECT THE CASES
WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT TO
MAINTAIN THIS TRAJECTORY AND PUT
THIS EPIDEMIC FIRST WAVE TO A
CLOSE.
AND IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT TO
WHAT WE'VE BEEN RECOMMENDING ALL
ALONG, BUT WE WOULD AT SOME
POINT, I THINK, AS WE ARE COMING
DOWN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
EPIDEMIC CURVE, WE WOULD LIKE TO
LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO
MEASURE THE IMPACT AND SUCCESS,
BOTH POSITIVE AND ALSO NEGATIVE
IMPACTS OF OUR MEASURES, AS
WELL.
SO THAT WE CAN RECALIBRATE AS WE
SORT OF MOVE AHEAD, BUT FOR
SURE, CASES IN CONTACT TRACING
AND SOCIAL DISTANCING STILL
REMAIN KEY.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
FOLLOW-UP?
>> YEAH, I'M JUST WONDERING, A
LOT OF CANADIANS ARE WATCHING
THE UNITED STATES AND WHAT IS
GOING ON THERE.
HOW DEPENDENT IS OUR BEST-CASE
SCENARIO AND HOW THE UNITED
STATES DOES?
>> EVEN WITHIN CANADA WE HAVE
SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
AND SO WE ARE DIFFERENT FROM
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE UNITED
STATES IN TERMS OF THEIR
EPIDEMIOLOGY.
AND WE WANT TO BETTER STAY IN
THE EPIDEMIC CONTROL CURVE THAT
I PRESENTED TODAY.
SO WE'LL BE DOING EVERYTHING WE
CAN.
I THINK THE MEASURES THAT WE'VE
PUT IN PLACE AND THE MINISTERS
MAY WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT,
TOO, IS REALLY RESTRICTING
TRAVEL, ESSENTIAL TRAVEL, AND
ENSURING THAT THOSE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES CONTINUE, BUT REALLY
CUTTING DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF
TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES
TO THOSE ESSENTIAL TRAVEL WILL
REMAIN VERY KEY AND AGAIN, WE
CAN'T ADJUST ANY OF THAT UNTIL
WE'VE SEEN NOT JUST WHAT HAPPENS
WITHIN THE CANADIAN CONTEXT, BUT
DEFINITELY WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER.
>> TODAY WAS OUR WEEKLY CALL
WITH MY COUNTERPARTS AT THE G7.
THE HEALTH MINISTERS MEET TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN WORKING
AND THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE
HAVING COLLECTIVELY AS COUNTRY.
ONE THING ACKNOWLEDGED BY ALL
PARTNERS WAS THAT THERE NEEDS TO
BE A GLOBAL EFFORT TO ELIMINATE
COVID-19.
THAT THIS CAN'T BE -- CANADA'S
PROBLEM WILL NOT BE RESOLVED
UNTIL ALL COUNTRIES HAVE STRONG
MEASURES BOTH ON THE SUPPRESSION
OF COVID-19 BUT ALSO ON THE
LONG-TERM TREATMENT AND
PREVENTION OF COVID-19 IN ALL OF
OUR POPULATIONS.
AND THAT WAS RECOGNISED BY ALL
HEALTH MINISTERS ON THAT CALL.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question:  GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE
SCENARIOS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO
US THIS MORNING.
IT'S NOT CLEAR IN MY MIND
EXACTLY WHAT IN YOUR MIND IS THE
MOST PROBABLE SCENARIO.
YOUR CHARTS SEEM TO SHOW 2.5% TO
5%FOR A NUMBER OF DEATHS, BUT
THERE'S A 10% RATE THAT PRODUCE
44,000 DEATHS MENTIONED BY
Mr. TRUDEAU THIS MORNING.
I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE A
CRYSTAL BALL.
BUT IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE
MOST PROBABLE PROJECTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
THIS IS DR. NJOO.
AS WE SAID THIS MORNING, WE ARE
CONTINUING ALL CANADIANS, ALL
LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, OUR
HEALTHCARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
CONTINUING ALL EFFORTS TO
FLATTEN THE CURVE.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE EXPECT TO
CONTINUE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE A
1% OF THE ENTIRE CANADIAN
POPULATION.
IT'S NOT OVER ONE MONTH, BUT
SEVERAL MONTHS, PERHAPS A YEAR
OR MORE EVEN.
SO IF ONE CALCULATES THAT OVER
37 MILLION PEOPLE, WE EXPECT TO
SEE ABOUT 376,000 CASES.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CONCERN.
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE'RE JUST
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EPIDEMIC
HERE.
WE NEED TO WATCH HOW THE
EPIDEMIC IS MOVING IN ALL AREAS
OF THE COUNTRY, IN ALL OF THE
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES AND SO
IT'S DIFFICULT TO FORECAST
EXACTLY WHEN WE'LL ARRIVE AT THE
PEAK OF THE WAVE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST AT THE
BEGINNING OF IT.
AND WE WON'T KNOW WE'VE ARRIVED
AT THE PEAK UNTIL WE'RE ALREADY
STARTING TO GO DOWN.
SO EVERYONE'S PRIORITY NOW IS
REALLY DEPLOYING ALL EFFORTS AT
PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND WE WILL
SEE FROM ONE WEEK TO THE NEXT
WHAT HAPPENS.
>> IN TERMS OF WHERE WE'RE AT,
CERTAINLY FROM ALL OF THE BEST
EFFORTS, ALL CANADIANS INCLUDING
ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT AND ALSO,
OBVIOUSLY, THAT THE PUBLIC
HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM,
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CALL A
BEST-CASE SCENARIO, 1% ATTACK
RATE IN THE WHOLE CANADIAN
POPULATION AND THE SIMPLE
ARITHMETIC, LOOKING AT THE
CANADIAN POPULATION OF 37 PLUS
MILLION, OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD
TRANSLATE TO 376,000 CASES BUT
THE 376,000 CASES, WE CERTAINLY
DON'T EXPECT TO IT HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT.
WE EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN OVER MANY
MONTHS, EVEN A YEAR OR SO.
LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WE'RE AT ABOUT 20,000 CASES NOW.
SO WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO
AND HAVING SAID THAT, IT'S ALSO
DIFFICULT TO PREDICT EXACTLY
WHEN WILL GET TO OUR PEAK
BECAUSE YOU WON'T KNOW WHEN
YOU'RE AT THE PEAK UNTIL YOU'RE
ON THE DOWNWARD CURVE AND IT
REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS
OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND
MONTHS.
BUT FOR THE MOMENT, IN TERMS OF
WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK WE
CAN'T LET GO OF OUR PUBLIC
HEALTH MEASURES.
EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR BEST IN
TERMS OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND
I THINK WE HAVE TO WATCH WEEK BY
WEEK HOW WE'RE DOING AS A
COUNTRY.
>> AND AS A FOLLOW-UP, I CAN ASK
DR. TAM, SHOULD I UNDERSTAND
FROM WHAT'S BEING SAID THAT THE
1% SCENARIO IS THE ONE WE ARE
WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IF
EVERYTHING REMAINS THE SAME?
I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T PREDICT
THE FUTURE, BUT RIGHT NOW,
YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE MOST
PROBABLE SCENARIO IS THE 1% ONE?
>> I WOULDN'T SAY THE MOST
PROBABLE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT
YET.
I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE
ASPIRATIONAL AND OUR GOAL WE
PROVIDED IN TERMS OF THE
BRIEFING TODAY AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN DO NOW WILL REDUCE
THAT INFECTIOUS RATE AND AS
SHORT OF A TIME AS POSSIBLE.
WE CALL THIS OUR AMBITION,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE
HOW MUCH OF THE POPULATION IS
INFECTED.
SOME OF THAT KIND OF WORK AS WE
WORK THROUGH THIS FIRST WAVE
,WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT TESTS
WOULD HELP US TO DETERMINE HOW
MUCH OF THE POPULATION IN THE
END OF THAT FIRST WAVE HAS
ACTUALLY BEEN INFECTED.
SO THIS IS SOME OF THE DATA THAT
STILL NEEDS TO BE GATHERED.
>> THANK YOU, WE'LL TURN TO THE
ROOM NOW AND MARY KAY WALSH FROM
THE "GLOBE AND MAIL."
>> Question:  STILL ON THE
MODELING, WE SPOKE WITH ONE
EPIDEMIC WHO SAID YOUR MODELS
APPEAR OVERLY OPTIMISTIC AND
YOUR BEST CASE SCENARIO CURVE
DOES NOT SHOW THE SUBSEQUENT
CURVES AND IT MAY BE FAULTY.
IF WE HAVE EVERYBODY ON
LOCKDOWN, UNLESS THEY LEAVE
LOCKDOWN WITH A VACCINE, THERE
WILL BE MORE SPIKES.
>> SO THIS IS A NOVEL VIRUS FOR
WHICH THE POPULATION IS NOT
IMMUNE.
SO IT'S TRUE THAT IF AFTER THE
FIRST WAVE AND WE DID REALLY,
REALLY WELL, ONLY A SMALL
PROPORTION IS, IN FACT HAVE
ENCOUNTERED THIS VIRUS, WE ARE
IN FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF
TIME WHERE WE WOULD EXPECT THAT
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO SOME
EXTENT WILL STILL BE APPLIED.
TO ME, IT WILL BE A NEW NORMAL.
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW TO
RELEASE THE PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURE.
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC IS NOT IMMUNE
AND WE'VE SEEN A BLIP AFTER THE
FIRST WAVE, I THINK THESE ARE
SCENARIO PLANNING.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO MAKE
SURE THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT WAVE
STAYS BELOW THE CAPACITY OF THE
HEALTH SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO COPE
AND SO THAT'S THE CONCEPT OF
THOSE SCENARIOS.
BUT THOSE LITTLE WAVES COULD
CONTINUE TO OCCUR FOR A NUMBER
OF MONTHS UNTIL EITHER, SAY, A
VACCINE IS DISCOVERED OR THE
MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IS
IMMUNE IN SOME WAY.
BUT WE CAN'T GO TOO FAR INTO THE
DISTANT FUTURE IN ESTIMATIONS
BECAUSE THE VIRUS COULD CHANGE.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU'RE
IMMUNE TODAY, HOW LONG THAT
IMMUNITY WILL LAST FOR AND SO BY
ALL MEANS, WE'RE NOT SAYING THE
SCENARIOS, EXACTLY WHAT WILL
HAPPEN.
THIS IS AN ESTIMATE AND THESE
CAN BE ADJUSTED.
BUT WHOEVER THAT PERSON IS IS
ENTIRELY CORRECT.
WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO IN THE
WHOLE TRAJECTORY OF THIS
PANDEMIC.
>> THANK YOU.
AND MINISTER HADJU, ON MY
COLLEAGUES REPORTING ON THE 2006
PANDEMIC REPORT AND WHAT IT
FORETOLD AND WHAT WE'RE NOW
EXPERIENCING, I'M WONDERING IF
YOU REGRET THAT CANADA WAS NOT
BETTER PREPARED AND THAT CANADA
DID NOT HAVE WHAT APPEARED TO BE
SUFFICIENT STOCKPILES AND THINGS
LIKE WIDE-SPREAD TESTING WERE
NOT PUT INTO PLACE EARLY ENOUGH.
>> I'LL ANSWER GENERALLY AND
TURN TO DR. TAM.
BUT I WANT TO THANK THE
EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS GUIDING
US THROUGH THIS SINCE THE
EMERGENCE OF THE BRAND NEW VIRUS
SINCE EARLY JANUARY.
DR. TAM USED THE EPIDEMIC PLAN
AS A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT TO STAND
UP THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT LEAD
TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS FROM ALL ACROSS
THE PROVINCE AND TERRITORIES
MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS VERY
EARLY ON.
IN TERMS OF THE NATIONAL
STOCKPILE, OF COURSE, ALWAYS
MORE COULD BE DONE TO PREPARE IN
TERMS OF EPIDEMICS.
I WILL REMIND YOU THAT PROVINCES
AND TERRITORIES HAVE STOCKPILES
AND, OF COURSE, THE WORK WE'RE
DOING COLLABORATIVELY RIGHT NOW
ON ENSURING THE FRONT-LINE
HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE WHAT WE
NEED IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I WILL ALSO SAY THAT IN TERMS OF
ANTICIPATING THE BEHAVIOUR OF
THE VIRUS, I THINK DR. TAM HAS
REPEATED THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES
AND I THINK IT BEARS REPEATING.
THIS IS A BRAND NEW VIRUS.
IF WE HAD TESTING CAPACITY, SO
TO SPEAK, WHAT KIND OF TESTS AND
THOSE HAD TO BE DEVELOPED ONCE
WE RECEIVED THE GENETIC SEQUENCE
FROM CHINA IN THE EARLY DAYS.
I WANT TO AGAIN REITERATE OUR
THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS GUIDING
US THROUGH THAT.
CERTAINLY WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR
THEIR EXPERTISE AND INVOLVEMENT
IN DETERMINING OUR RESPONSE.
>> DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK A BIT
ABOUT THE EARLY TESTING AND THE
CHALLENGES AROUND THAT?
>> SO I THINK CANADA IS A
COUNTRY THAT HAS DONE PANDEMIC
PLANNING FOR LONGER THAN ANY
OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND
WE HAVE A STRONG HISTORY OF
DOING THAT.
THAT PARTICULAR PLAN IN 2006
CAME OUT JUST AFTER SARS.
WE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED ANOTHER
PANDEMIC IN THAT IN 2009.
THAT LEAD TO AN EVERGREEN PLAN,
WHICH YOU CAN FINE ON OUR
WEBSITE.
THE LESSON LEARNED FROM 2009 IS
TO BE ABLE TO FLEXIBLY AND
SCALABLY AMOUNT A RESPONSE.
YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT THE NEXT
PANDEMIC MIGHT BE LIKE.
SO IT'S TAKING A RISK MANAGEMENT
APPROACH.
INSTEAD OF THOSE SPECIFIC PHASES
THAT WE HAD IN 2006, WE MOVED ON
TO A MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE
RESPONSE.
AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, AS
I'VE ALWAYS SAID, WHEN YOU'VE
SEEN ONE PANDEMIC, YOU'VE SEEN
ONE PANDEMIC.
IN FACT, THE BEST THING TO DO IS
THROW OUT ALL OF THE PREVIOUS
ASSUMPTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE
LIKELY TO BE WRONG.
WE DO HAVE MUCH BETTER TALKS
THAN BEFORE.
THOSE GENETIC SEQUENCING DONE IN
GREAT TIME HAS ALLOWED CANADA TO
DEVELOP THE PCR TEST REALLY,
REALLY FAST.
I'M ACTUALLY QUITE HAPPY WITH
THE FACT THAT THERE'S A NETWORK
OF PUBLIC HEALTH LABS.
WE DECENTRALIZED -- UNLIKE SOME
COUNTRIES, WE DECENTRALIZED FAST
AND IT ENSURED THE PROVISIONAL
LABS PICKING UP THE ABILITY TO
DO SO AND NOW DISTRIBUTING THE
LABORATORY TESTING DOWN THE
LINE, AS WELL, AND WE ARE
PURSUING OTHER TESTS.
SO I WOULD ESSENTIALLY PUT IT TO
ALL CANADIANS THAT WE WERE ONE
OF THE FASTEST COUNTRIES IN THE
WORLD TO ESTABLISH GOOD
LABORATORY CAPACITY.
COULD WE DO MORE?
SURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN THE
NATIONAL STOCKPILE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM IS IN THE JURISDICTION OF
THE PROVINCE AND TERRITORIES AND
THEY DO HAVE SUPPLY MANAGEMENT
AND THEY USE A LOT OF RESOURCES
ON A DAILY BASIS.
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ARE
MUCH MORE STRATEGIC IN WHAT WE
HAVE IN THAT STOCKPILE AND
THAT'S DELIBERATE.
WE MOVED FROM THE COLD-WAR MODEL
OF WHAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY
STOCKPILE LOOKED LIKE AT THE
TIME TO ONE THAT IS HIGHLY
SPECIALIZED.
IN IT IS THE COUNTRY'S ONLY
STOCKPILE OF CERTAIN SPECIFIC
COUNTER MEASURES LIKE THE
SMALLPOX VACCINE THAT NO ONE
ELSE HAS.
THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL
STOCKPILE.
WE HAVE SMALLER SURGE
CAPACITIES, BUT IT WAS NEVER
DESIGNED TO BACK UP THE WHOLE
HEALTH SYSTEM IN CANADA.
WHAT WE DO IS TO GET WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS TO PUT TOGETHER THE
MECHANISMS NEEDED TO PULL
TOGETHER THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAD A MASSIVE ROLE IN
PANDEMIC VACCINE INFRASTRUCTURE
BUILDING AND PUTTING ONE OF THE
WORLD'S FIRST VACCINE CONTRACTS
IN THE WORLD.
AND WE'RE STRIVING TO BE AS
EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN A GLOBAL
LEADER IN VACCINE DEVELOPMENTS
AND ALSO ENSURING THAT WE LOOK
AHEAD TO THAT DAY WHEN WE DO
HAVE VACCINE CANDIDATES THAT, TT
WE'RE THIS THE BEST POSITION FOR
THAT.
THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE'RE DOING
AND YOU'VE SEEN MULTIPLE
GOVERNMENT RESPONSES LOOKING TO
GET ANY SUPPLY THAT WE CAN.
WE'RE IN A GLOBAL SUPPLY
SHORTAGE SITUATION FOR ALMOST
EVERYTHING WE NEED.
SO I CAN CERTAINLY ATTEST TO THE
FACT THAT EVERYBODY IS PULLING
OUT ALL STOPS AND THAT IS PART
OF OUR ROLE, IS NOT JUST TO
STOCKPILE STUFF IN A LOT OF
PLACES BUT TO PULL TOGETHER THE
MECHANISMS SO THERE'S ACCESS.
>> THANK YOU, DR. McKENZIE.
ON MARCH 21st, WE CLOSED THE
BORDER FOR THE ENTIRELY WORLD
AND STOPPED U.S. CITIZENS FROM
COMING IN THAT DAY.
FROM THE MODELS WE SAW TODAY,
HOW MUCH DID CLOSING THE BORDER
IMPACT THE ABILITY TO BLANK THE
CURVE AND ON THIS SAME ISSUE,
MISS FREELAND, THE PRIME
MINISTER SAID THAT WE WON'T SEE
NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES UNTIL
THERE IS A VACCINE.
SO CAN WE CONCLUDE THAT THE
BORDER WILL NOT BE REOPENED
UNTIL WE HAVE A VACCINE?
>> SO I WELL RECALL THAT
PARTICULAR WEEK IN MARCH WHERE
ALMOST EVERYTHING HAPPENED, NOT
JUST THE BORDER MEASURES THAT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLAYED A
KEY ROLE IN AND THE TRAVEL
ADVISORIES, BUT ALSO EVERYTHING
ELSE LIKE REDUCING MASS
GATHERINGS AND MUCH HAS BEEN
DONE BY THE PROVINCE AND
TERRITORIES WITHIN ABOUT THAT
SAME TIME FRAME, WHICH IS WHY
WE'RE SAYING THAT THESE COMING
WEEKS ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE WE
SYSTEMATICALLY ESCALATED ALL OF
THOSE MEASURES AROUND THAT TIME
PERIOD SO TEASING OUT THE EXACT
CONTRIBUTION OF EVERYTHING ONE
OF THOSE COMPONENTS MAY NOT BE
THE EASIEST.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE WHOLE
WORLD, GLOBAL TRAFFIC ALSO WENT
DOWN AT THE SAME TIME AND WE DO
KNOW THAT IF WE LOOKED AT OUR
CASES, THE CONTRIBUTION OF
TRAVELERS AS BEING CASES
DEMINIMUMMING OVER TIME.
DIMINISH OVER TIME.
>> SO THE PRIME MINISTER DID,
INDEED, EXPLAIN HAS DR. TAM HAS
DONE THAT WE NEED A VACCINE TO
REALLY BE THROUGH THIS.
IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT REALITY
MEANS ABOUT THE BORDER, WE JUST
CAN'T SAY TODAY AND IT WOULD BE
FULL HARDY IN THE EXTREME TO
MAKE PREDICTS ABOUT WHAT BORDER
MEASURES WILL BE.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE HAVE TAKEN
REALLY MEANINGFUL MEASURES AT
THE BORDER INCLUDING THE LAND
BORDER WITH THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE INTRODUCED MANDATORY
QUARANTINE FOR EVERYONE COMING
INTO CANADA WHEREVER THEY BEGIN
THEIR JOURNEY AND WE HAVE BEEN
INTRODUCING INCREASINGLY
EFFECTIVE WAYS OF ENFORCING THAT
QUARANTINE.
ALL OF THOSE MEASURES ARE REALLY
NECESSARY AND THEY ARE HELPING
US TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF CANADIANS.
>> IF I JUST MIGHT ADD.
I THINK IS A QUESTION ALL
COUNTRIES ARE FACING, AS THEY
TRY TO RETAIN THEIR OWN
TRANSMISSION AND THE QUESTION IS
HOW TO MANAGE THE IMPORTATION OF
QUESTIONS.
I WOULD ECHO MINISTER FREELAND
AND DR. TAM, THAT THAT IS
UNKNOWN.
BUT WE ARE STUDYING COUNTRIES
AHEAD OF US ON THE COUSIN, ON
THE DOWNWARD SLOPE, IF YOU WILL,
LOOKING AT HOW TO CONTAIN THE
BUMPS OF TRANSMISSION VERY
CAREFULLY SO THAT WE CAN LEARN
FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES AND
CERTAINLY, IF THERE'S ANY SILVER
LINING IS THAT WE ARE EARLY ON
OUR JOURNEY IN TERMS OF THE RISE
OF THE CURVE TO LOOK AT THE
EXPERIENCES OF OTHER COUNTRIES S
THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT PEAK
MORE RECENTLY.
>> DR. TAM, EVERYONE IS IN
AGREEMENT THAT TESTS IS A CORE
COMPONENT TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE AND THEY SAID YOU SHOULD
GET TESTED FOR COVID AND THEY GO
TO TESTING FACILITY AND THEY
SAY, WE WON'T TESTING YOU.
ARE MAKING CHANGES IN PLACE TO
THE TESTING IN CANADA?
THE MODELS HAS SHOWN THAT THERE
WILL BE MULTIPLE WAVES AND HOW
WILL WE GET THE MULTIPLE WAVES
UNDER CONTROL IF WE DON'T TEST
EVERYONE WHO SHOWS SYMPTOMS?
>> SO WE ARE IMPROVING OUR
LABORATORY CAPACITY AND I THINK
THAT IS ONGOING AT MULTIPLE
FRONTS.
AND I THINK AFTER EXPLAINING IN
THE LAST DAYS WHERE WE'RE TRYING
TO IMPROVE ON THE VOLUME AND OF
THE CAPACITY FOR THE PCR
TESTING, THERE'S A NEED TO GET
THE REAGENTS AND THE OTHER
COMPONENTS OF THAT AND WE'RE
TRYING, AGAIN, LIKE ANY SUPPLY,
EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, INCLUDING
DOMESTIC, YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC
CONCOCTIONS OF THE SAID REAGENTS
TO IMPROVE CAPACITY AND WE ARE
TESTING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
PEOPLE AND HAVE MAINTAINED AND
GOOD RATE OF TESTING COMPARED TO
MANY COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO AND LOOK
AT POINT OF CARE TESTING, AS
WELL, AS THE SEROLOGIC TESTING
IN THE FUTURE.
WHEN WE PROVIDE GUIDANCE IN
TERMS OF WHERE THE PRIORITY
FOCUS MIGHT BE AND THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE TO BE TESTED, INCLUDING
THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS, THE
VULNERABLE POPULATION, ET
CETERA.
AT THE MOMENT, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES ARE SUCH THAT MILDLY
SICK PEOPLE WE'RE ADVISING TO
STAY AT HOME AND SOME ARE NOT
BEING TESTED AND SO WE ARE
FOCUSING ON PRIORITY GROUPS.
AS THE LABORATORY CAPACITY
CHANGES AND DIFFERENT TESTS COME
ON BOARD, AND WE'RE IN A
DIFFERENT TRAJECTORY IN THE
EPIDEMIC, THEN WE HAVE TO
INCREASE TESTING AS WE COME DOWN
THE PANDEMIC AND TRY TO DETECT
THIS, WE WOULD HAVE TO TEST MORE
WIDELY AGAIN.
AND SO IT IS A VERY DYNAMIC
PROCESS BUT WE STILL EXPECT OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THIS IS A
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE FOR CANADIANS.
IF YOU'RE SICK, SAY HOME.
I DO THINK THERE'S A ROLE FOR,
OF COURSE, SEROLOGY, TO
DETERMINE THE BASIC LEVEL IN THE
POPULATION.
THERE'S A ROLE, POTENTIALLY, TO
LOOK AT HOW IMMUNITY WORKS
PARTICULARLY IN GROUPS THAT ARE
VULNERABLE OR DELIVERING IN
ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PARTIES
GOING FORWARD.
WE WILL EVALUATE THAT AS WE GO
ALONG, BUT ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK OUR LAB TESTING
CAPABILITY IS WHAT ALL PROVINCES
AND TERRITORIES ARE TRYING TO DO
RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Question:  THANK YOU.
THIS, I THINK, FOR ANYONE WHO
WANTS TO ANSWER IT.
SO CANADIANS GOT BLEAK
INFORMATION TODAY IN TERMS OF
JOB NUMBERS AND IN TERMS OF THE
PROJECTIONS AND FATALITIES.
ASIDE FROM THE INFORMATION,
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF
UNCERTAINTY AND QUESTIONS NOT
ANSWERED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THIS.
THEY'RE NOW HEADING INTO A
HOLIDAY WEEKEND BEING ASKED TO
STAY AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES.
I'M WONDERING HOW CANADIANS
SHOULD ABSORB THIS INFORMATION
IS DEAL WITH IT?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD
JUST SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR AND
THERE'S A LOT OF DISTRESS AND
THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY AND I
WOULD SAY THAT A LOT OF US ARE
FEELING THAT.
WITH CANADIANS, I THINK THIS IS
A TIME WHERE THE UNCERTAINTY
ITSELF IS DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.
JUST THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE
RECEIVING FROM ALL OF YOU,
ESSENTIALLY, WHEN WILL THIS BE
OVER, I THINK, IS THE PRESSING
QUESTION THAT MOST CANADIANS
HAVE, WHEN WILL THIS BE OVER?
AS I'VE SAID,.
, THIS IS A TIME FORUS TO PULL S
AND I KNOW THAT FEAR IS REAL BUT
IT WILL TAKE THE COURAGE FROM
ALL OF US TO MAINTAIN THE
PRACTISES THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AS PRESCRIBED TO END THIS
SITUATION EARLIER, TO PROTECT
THE HEALTH AND THE LIVES OF OUR
LOVED ONES AND OUR FRIEND.
THERE ARE WAYS, PERSONALLY,
THINK, TO FEEL BETTER.
PERSONALLY, THAT'S WHEN I DO
THINGS FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO
ME, BY THE WAY, AND I THANK ALL
CANADIANS SENDING MESSAGES OF
ENCOURAGEMENT AND POSITIVITY BUT
WE CAN ALL DO THAT TO THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE LONELY AND ISOLATED.
WE CAN ALL SEND NOTES AND CALL
THE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW ARE
STRUGGLING OR MAYBE WE KNOW ARE
NOT STRUGGLING TO SAY WE'RE
THINKING OF THEM.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO
CONNECT THAT AREN'T PHYSICAL AND
PEOPLE ARE CRAVING CONNECTION
RIGHT NOW.
THEY ARE CRAVING CONNECTION WITH
FRIENDS IS WITH FAMILY AND I
WOULD SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE ALL REACH OUT TO THE
PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES.
WE CAN ALSO HELP THOSE PEOPLE
THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND.
THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF
PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO
ONE AND HAVE NO ONE TO GET
GROCERIES FOR THEM AND HAVE NO
ONE TO ACTUALLY CHECK IN ON
THEM.
AND I THINK IT'S THE MOST
CANADIAN THING TO DO IS TO
REMEMBER ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN
OUR LIVES AND EVEN THOSE PEOPLE
NOT DIRECTLY IN OUR LIVES, THAT
HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND IN ALL OF
THIS, THAT ARE MORE FRAGILE AND
IT MIGHT BE THE LITTLE OLD LADY
NEXT DOOR TO YOU THAT HAS A HARD
TIME GETTING AROUND THAT DOESN'T
HAVE ANYONE IN THEIR LIFE.
IT MIGHT BE THE CHILD ON THE
ROAD THAT LOOKS AT YOU
BESEECHING YOU WALKING YOUR DOG.
WE CAN DONATE TO CHARITIES IF WE
HAVE A LITTLE LEFT OVER.
I THINK THROUGH THE ACT OF
GIVING AND REACHING OUT,
ACTUALLY IT MAKES US ALL FEEL
BETTER.
WHEN I STEP OUT OF MY OWN
ANXIETY AND MY OWN WORRIES AND
MY OWN DIRECT WORLD AND I REACH
OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE, IT MAKES ME
FEEL BETTER, TOO.
AND SO I THINK TOGETHER, THIS IS
WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY
TOGETHER CANADIANS WILL GET
THROUGH THIS.
>> I WANT TO ADD ONE THING.
YOU SUGGESTED THAT THE DATA
RELEASED TODAY WOULD MAKE PEOPLE
FEEL FRIGHTENED AND I THINK
THAT'S RIGHT.
BUT WHAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
SAY IS INFORMATION IS POWER.
FACTS ARE POWERFUL.
WHAT WE HAVE HAD OVER THE PAST
TEN DAYS OR SO IS A TREMENDOUS
SHARING OF INFORMATION BY
GOVERNMENTS ACROSS CANADA
STARTING WITH THE PROVINCES THAT
HAVE BEEN DOING A TERRIFIC JOB
OF SHARING REALLY DETAILED DATA
WIT PEOPLE IN THEIR PROVINCES
DIDN'T THEN WITH DR. TAM AND DRL
ROLL-UP.
AND I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE
CANADIANS TO FEEL INFORMED AND
EMPOWERED BY THAT DATA BECAUSE
WHAT THAT DATA SAYS TO ME IS WE
NEED TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING AND
THAT WHILE THE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING ACTIONS THAT WE ARE
ALL TAKING IN OUR DAILY LIVES
ARE HARD, FOR SURE THEY'RE HARD
AND IT IS HARD TO PRACTISE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO LOSE
YOUR JOB BECAUSE OF IT,
TERRIBLE.
HAVING SAID THAT, TO ME WHAT THE
NUMBERS SHOW, WHAT THE DATA
SHOWS IS WE'RE ON THE RIGHT
TRACK AND IT IS IN OUR POWER AS
DR. TAM JUST SAID TO ACHIEVE
THAT AMBITIOUS TARGET.
WE CAN ALL DO IT AND WE ARE ALL
A PART OF IT AND SO TURN THAT
VERY UNDERSTANDABLE LEGITIMATE
FEAR INTO POWER AND A CONVICTION
THAT WE ALL NEED TO DO THIS HARD
THING TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE
OUTCOME FOR CANADIANS.
>> THANK YOU.
AND A FOLLOW-UP FOR MINISTER
HAJDU.
I WONDER, DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S
SAFE FOR PARLIAMENT TO SIT IN
PERSON WITH THIS NUMBER OF
M.P.S?
>> I KNOW THE HOUSE LEADER AND
THE VARIOUS FOLKS THAT HAVE
THEIR MIND TURNED TO THIS WOULD
ONLY SUGGEST CONVENING IN PERSON
WITH THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES IN
PLACE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF ALL OF PARLIAMENT.
I'M IN OTTAWA EVERYDAY AND I
WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE
CLEANERS WHO PREPARE THIS ROOM
FOR US EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IN
BETWEEN, THERE ARE MEASURES THAT
WE CAN TAKE IN TEMPLES OF
SITTING DISTANCELY FROM ONE
ANOTHER THAT WOULD BE APPLIED
AND CERTAINLY, IF THAT DECISION
IS TAKEN THAT WE NEED TO MEET IN
PERSON, I WILL COUNT ON ALL OF
THE PROFESSIONALS IN OUR LIVES
TO KEEP US SAFE AS WE HAVE TO
ATTEND OUR WORK SITES.
>> TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
OUR NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE GO
AHEAD, YOUR LINE IS NOW OPEN.
(SPEAKING QUESTION).
>> Question:  GOOD AFTERNOON.
THIS QUESTION IS FOR DR. NJOO.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT
THE PERCENTAGES WE SAW THIS
MORNING ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE
RATE IN THE POPULATION.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESS
CONFERENCES, YOU HAVE BEEN
TELLING US ABOUT 5% RATE OF
INFECTION AMONG THOSE BEING
TESTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
DOES THAT NOT SUGGEST THAT THE
1% INFECTION RATE SCENARIO OR
2.5% OF THE POPULATION BEING
INFECTED ARE THE MOST REALISTIC
SCENARIOS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WE SAID SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE
RESULTS OF LABORATORY TESTS ARE
ALWAYS UNDERESTIMATING REALITY
BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS GETTING
SICK AND NOT EVERYONE WHO IS
EXPOSED BECOMING INFECTED.
AND SO, THAT'S WHY WE TALK ABOUT
5% INFECTION RATE, BUT WE DO
KNOW THAT MANY, MANY MORE PEOPLE
ARE INFECTED OR WERE INFECTED
AND WE'RE UNAWARE OF THAT RIGHT
NOW.
IN THE FUTURE, WE EXPECT TO
DEVELOP FURTHER LABORATORY TESTS
CALL SEROLOGICAL TESTS TO BETTER
DETERMINE THE POPULATION THAT
BECAME INFECTED.
AND THAT WILL SHOW UP BECAUSE
THEY WILL HAVE AN IMMUNE
RESPONSE IN THE FORMER OF
ANTIBODIES AND THE SEROLOGY
TESTS SHOW THAT.
IF WE CONTINUE, OUR BEST EFFORTS
IN FLATTENING THE CURVE, I THINK
WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF
ACHIEVING A BETTER SCENARIO, THE
BEST SCENARIO OF 1% RATE OF
INFECTION WITHIN THE POPULATION.
HOWEVER, IT'S TOO SOON TO KNOW
WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE AND I KNOW
THAT ALL PROVINCES AND
TERRITORIES ARE PURSUING BEST
EFFORTS TO INCREASE THEIR
LABORATORY TESTING CAPACITY AND
ARE TRYING TO TEST EVERYONE WHO
NEEDS IT.
 AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE TESTS USE
GENETIC SEQUENCING AND I KNOW
THAT ALL PROVINCES AND
TERRITORIES ARE INCREASING THEIR
CAPACITY FOR THAT TYPE OF
TECHNOLOGY.
.WE ARE ENHANCING OUR TOOLKITS
WITH FURTHER TESTING INCLUDING
SEROLOGY TESTING.
AND EVENTUALLY, WE WILL BE ABLE
TO TEST THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
EVOLVING FROM DAY-TO-DAY AND
FROM WEEK TO WEEK.
I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, DR.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT PRIVATE
RESIDENCES, NURSING HOMES,
LONG-TERM CARE HOPE.
 HOMES.
WE REALIZE THAT IN LONG-TERM
CARE RESIDENCES, IN NURSING
HOMES AND SUCH PLACES, THINGS
ARE WELL LESS MANAGED.
ARE THERE MEASURES THAT YOU
YOURSELF CAN IMPLEMENT TO HELP
PROVINCES IMMEDIATELY HELP ALL
OF THOSE PLACES FUNCTION BETTER
ANSWER, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
YES, WE DO KNOW THAT IN SOME
ENVIRONMENTS WITH SOME OF THE
MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS,
LIKE THE EDERLY, AS YOU SAID IN
INSTITUTIONS OF LONG-TERM
HEALTHCARE AND THAT TYPE OF
ESTABLISHMENT, WE REALIZE IT IS
MORE DIFFICULT IN SUCH
ESTABLISHMENTS TO USE THE
NECESSARY MEASURES.
IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT THERE
AREN'T MANY PRIVATE ROOMS, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN SOME OF THESE
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS.
NOW IT'S AT THE LOCAL
PROVISIONAL TERRITORIAL LEVELS
AND THEY'RE MANAGING HOW THINGS
WORK IN THESE INSTITUTIONS.
(PLEASE STAND BY).
ONE LAST QUESTION.
>> OUR QUESTION IS FROM 
RADIO-CANADA.
GO AHEAD.
THIS MORNING YOU TOLD US ABOUT 
YOUR DATA, YOUR MODELLING, 
INFECTION RATES, MORTALITY 
RATES, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN INTENSIVE 
CARE.
BUT THERE WAS ALSO DATA ABOUT 
THE NUMBER OF SICK PEOPLE WHO 
REQUIRE VENTILATORS.
YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY 
VENTILATORS ARE IN THE COUNTRY 
RIGHT NOW.
SO WHAT PERCENTAGE OF INFECTED 
POPULATION WILL OUR -- AT WHAT 
PERCENTAGE RATE WILL OUR HEALTH 
CARE BECOME OVERWHELMED?
>> DR. NJOO IS ANSWERING THE 
QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE, BUT
IF WE LOOK AT THE WORST-CASE 
SCENARIO WHERE EVERYONE WHO 
NEEDS INTENSIVE CARE MAY BE A 
CANDIDATE TO REQUIRE A 
VENTILATOR, WE HAVE CALCULATED 
THAT AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE 
MORE OR LESS A SENSE OF THE 
NUMBER OF VENTILATORS THAT WE 
CURRENTLY HAVE ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
BUT AS WE SAID SEVERAL TIMES, 
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE NUMBER 
OF PEOPLE WHO MAY REQUIRE 
VENTILATION, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE 
TIME FRAME IN A POPULATION.
THERE MAY BE 1,000 PEOPLE, BUT 
IF ALL OF THOSE VULNERABLE 
PEOPLE FALL ILL, THEY MAY 
REQUIRE INTENSIVE CARE AND 
PERHAPS ALSO A VENTILATOR, BUT 
IF WE MANAGE TO FLATTEN THE 
CURVE AND OF THE THOUSAND PEOPLE
IN THE POPULATION THAT REQUIRE 
INTENSIVE CARE AND/OR A 
VENTILATOR, IT MAKES QUITE A 
DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM WON'T BE 
OVERWHELMED.
IF A THOUSAND PEOPLE ALL FALL 
ILL IN THE SAME WEEK, OR IF IT 
HAPPENS OVER SEVERAL MONTHS, 
THEN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CAN 
ACCOMMODATE THEM AND LOOK AFTER 
ALL THE PATIENTS.
>> DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
TO BETTER CONTROL THE SPREAD OF 
THE DISEASE B.C. AND ALBERTA 
ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK NEW 
STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THAT THOSE 
COMING INTO THE PROVINCE COMPLY 
WITH SELF-ISOLATION ORDERS AND 
REDUCE THE RISK OF THE SPREAD.
SO TO BETTER CONTAIN THIS VIRUS 
AND PERHAPS FOLLOWING WAYS, WILL
THE LOCATION OR PROPOSAL -- 
[INAUDIBLE]
[Speaking French]
>> BRITISH COLUMBIA WITH RESPECT
TO NEW MEASURES THAT WERE 
ANNOUNCED, THE NEW MEASURES THEY
ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL 
OTHER PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES 
AS WELL.
IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT SUCH 
MEASURES.
EACH PROVINCE HAS ITS OWN 
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS, BUT WE 
STRONGLY SUPPORT WHAT B.C. HAS 
DONE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH
US AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY READY 
AND NOT ONLY READY BUT TODAY AND
YESTERDAY AND THE DAY BEFORE 
YESTERDAY WE'RE FIRMLY COMMITTED
TO WORKING WITH ALL PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES ON THAT ISSUE.
>> THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE 
TODAY.
[Speaking French]
THIS BRINGS THE PRESS CONFERENCE
TO AN END.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS THE END OF 
THE FEDERAL BRIEFING FROM 
CABINET MINISTERS AND PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICIALS.
THE NATIONAL MODELLING TODAY 
GIVING US A PICTURE HOW LONG 
THIS MIGHT LAST AND HOW MANY 
PEOPLE COULD POTENTIALLY DIE IF 
WE DON'T KEEP THE STRICT 
MEASURES IN PLACE.
THE FIRST WAVE COULD GO UNTIL 
THE SUMMER.
THE PRIME MINISTER GIVING THAT 
STARK WARNING THAT WE HAVE TO BE
VIGILANT AND CONTINUE THESE 
MEASURES UNTIL THERE IS A 
VACCINE.
ON A NOTE, LIVE TO QUÉBEC CITY.
ONE OF THE FOUR PROVINCES WITH 
THE MOST CASES AND DEATHS.
THEY'RE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON 
THE CORONAVIRUS.
891 CASES.
I'LL HAND THINGS OFF, I'M 
ROSEMARY BARTON.
SEE YOU TOMORROW.
>> THAT MEANS THAT 99% OF THOSE 
DEATHS ARE 60 AND OVER.
IT DOES MEAN IT'S REASSURING FOR
THE YOUNGER PEOPLE, BUT 
OBVIOUSLY, IT ALSO SHOWS US 
