 
AND cbcnews.ca.
THE SENATE IS REVIEWING THE 
GOVERNMENT'S $82 MILLION 
EMERGENCY BILL DESIGNED TO HELP 
MILLIONS OF CANADIANS 
FINANCIALLY SURVIVE THIS 
PANDEMIC.
LET'S GIVE YOU A LOOK INSIDE THE
SENATE AT THIS HOUR.
THE FINANCE MINISTER, BILL 
MORNEAU THERE TO ANSWER 
QUESTIONS.
OBVIOUSLY WITH A LIMITED NUMBER 
OF SENATORS IN THE CHAMBER.
IT COMES AFTER A 14-HOUR DELAY 
IN DEBATE ON THE MAIN BILL 
INSIDE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS LAST
NIGHT.
THE LEGISLATION FINALLY MOVED 
FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE AT 
AROUND 6:00 A.M.
WE'RE OF COURSE AS WE DO EVERY 
DAY EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER ON THIS AND OTHER
UPDATES FROM HIS GOVERNMENT.
HE'LL BE EXPECTED TO TALK ABOUT 
WHEN THIS EMERGENCY AID WILL 
BEGIN TO FLOW.
A CRITICAL QUESTION FOR MANY OF 
YOU.
WE'LL BRING YOU HIS DAILY 
ADDRESS TO THE NATION AS SOON AS
IT BEGINS, THAT IS OF COURSE, 
HIS FRONT DOOR.
WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH IT.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU ON HIS 14TH DAY 
OF SELF-ISOLATION, UNCLEAR WHEN 
HE WILL BE NO LONGER WORKING 
FROM HOME, BUT HE HAS COMPLETED 
THE 14 DAYS AT THE END OF TODAY.
I WANT TO BRING IN THE HOST OF 
"POWER AND POLITICS" VASSY 
KAPELOS AND CATHERINE CULLEN.
BOTH JOINING ME.
WE'LL KEEP THE SENATE SHOT UP 
AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S FRONT 
DOOR, BUT THERE WERE -- AFTER WE
GOT PAST THE VARIOUS 
NEGOTIATIONS INSIDE THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS LAST NIGHT, WHICH DID 
CHANGE THE BILL IN MANY WAYS IN 
TERMS OF ALLOWING SOME MORE 
OVERSIGHT OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT
WAS GOING TO DO, WE DID GET MORE
INFORMATION THIS MORNING FROM 
BILL MORNEAU ON WHAT IS 
ESSENTIALLY AN AMALGAMATION OF 
TWO PIECES THAT WERE GOING TO 
HELP CANADIANS.
IT IS NOW JUST CALLED THE CANADA
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT AND 
IT MEANS THAT ALL CANADIANS WHO 
HAVE CEASED WORKING DUE TO 
COVID-19 WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE
THIS NEW BENEFIT.
VASSY, I'M GOING TO START WITH 
YOU TO GO OVER WHAT THAT MEANS 
FOR CANADIANS.
>> Vassy: RIGHT, THEY COMBINED 
WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY TWO 
DIFFERENT STREAMS OF MONEY INTO 
ONE, THE THINKING BEHIND IT AT 
THIS POINT, ALTHOUGH YET TO BE 
TESTED, IS THAT THIS MAKES IT 
MORE ACCESSIBLE, EASIER 
TECHNICALLY TO GET THE MONEY OUT
TO CANADIANS AND IT COVERS A 
WIDE RANGE.
I THINK THIS IS THE MOST 
IMPORTANT THING TO GET ACROSS TO
PEOPLE WATCHING TODAY.
BEFORE, THERE WERE SO MANY 
QUESTIONS AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO 
ABOUT DO I QUALIFY FOR THIS?
I'M NOT SICK, BUT I HAVE TO STAY
HOME BECAUSE MY KIDS' SCHOOL IS 
CLOSED, AM I ABLE TO ACCESS THIS
MONEY?
HERE'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE 
PRIME MINISTER WILL OUTLINE AND 
WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR FROM 
BILL MORNEAU, THE BENEFIT WOULD 
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR UP TO 16 
WEEKS I CAN SAY AT THIS POINT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS AND THE 
INFORMATION I BELIEVE THAT IS 
ABOUT TO BE RELEASED, THAT WOULD
BE $2,000 A MONTH PER -- FOR 
FOUR MONTHS.
SO A BIWEEKLY CHECK, BUT IT'S 
ABOUT $2,000 A MONTH.
HERE'S WHO COVERED.
PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR JOBS, 
PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK QUARANTINED,
TAKING CARE OF SOMEONE WHO IS 
SICK.
PARENTS WHO HAVE TO STAY HOME 
WITHOUT PAY TO TAKE CARE OF KIDS
WHO ARE HOME EITHER BECAUSE THE 
KIDS ARE SICK OR THE SCHOOLS ARE
CLOSED WHICH IS THE CASE ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY.
DAYCARES ARE CLOSED AS WELL.
ALSO, THIS IS A BIG ONE, I KNOW 
WE HAD HOWARD ON ASKING ABOUT 
THIS, IT WILL COVER 
SELF-EMPLOYED CANADIANS AND 
CONTRACT WORKERS.
ALSO THE BAR THAT YOU HAVE TO 
REACH TO ACCESS THAT MONEY IS 
PRETTY LOW.
YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE BEEN OUT 
OF WORK FOR TWO WEEKS.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AT THIS 
POINT.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF 
GENUINE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 
ABILITY TO GET THE MONEY OUT, 
HOW FAST IT WILL COME, BECAUSE 
THERE WILL BE A WAIT FOR THIS.
BUT THE GOVERNMENT AND THROUGH 
THIS LEGISLATION LAST NIGHT, ALL
PARTIES AGREED IT WOULD BE 
WIDELY ACCESSIBLE TO A WIDE 
SWATH OF CANADIANS.
>> Rosemary: IT DOES SEEM A 
LITTLE BIT LIKE AN 
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ON THE 
GOVERNMENT'S PART, THAT THE 
FIRST CRACK WASN'T NECESSARILY 
THE BEST SOLUTION, THEY NEEDED 
SOMETHING BROADER AND SOMETHING 
THEY HOPE WILL WORK FASTER, 
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF 
GOVERNMENT TO GET THIS TO PEOPLE
QUICKLY.
>> ABSOLUTELY, WE'VE SEEN THE 
NUMBERS, STAGGERING.
ALMOST A MILLION CLAIMS TO EI 
LAST WEEK, COMPARED TO 27,000 
FOR THE WEEK THE YEAR PREVIOUS.
TALKING TO OFFICIALS, THEY SAY 
THEY'RE RAMPING UP THE PROCESS.
THEY GOT SINCE LAST WEEK 143,000
CLAIMS OUT THE DOOR.
THAT IS A BIG RAMP-UP.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE 
SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM, OBVIOUSLY,
THEY'RE REALLY NOT ANYWHERE 
CLOSE TO THAT YET.
SO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE 
SCENES IN ATTEMPT TO GET MORE 
PERSONNEL IN PLACE AND THE 
SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH.
THE GOVERNMENT SAID IT REALLY 
IS, ALONG WITH THE HEALTH AND 
SAFETY OF CANADIANS, THIS IS 
THEIR TOP PRIORITY MAKING SURE 
PEOPLE GET MONEY INTO THEIR 
POCKETS.
THERE IS A WHOLE AREA OF 
SCRUTINY WHETHER THEY'RE GOING 
TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE HEARD BILL MORNEAU TALKING 
ABOUT THAT.
FRANCOIS LEGAULT SAID PUBLICLY 
THAT THE PRIME MINISTER ENSURED 
HIM HAS THE CHEQUES WOULD GO OUT
APRIL 6TH.
BILL MORNEAU SAID THAT IS THE 
TARGET WEEK, ESSENTIALLY, TO GET
THE MONEY OUT THE DOORS.
SO THERE IS A QUESTION OF CAN IT
HAPPEN IN A TIMELY FASHION?
OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE HAVE RENT, 
MORTGAGE PAYMENTS BEFORE THEN.
THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION OF 
WHETHER OR NOT THIS GOES FAR 
ENOUGH.
FOR INSTANCE, PEOPLE WHO SAY 
THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR RENT, THEIR
MORTGAGES, THEY'RE NOT GETTING 
THE HELP FROM THE BANK THEY 
HOPED.
ONE WOMAN REACHED OUT TO ME ON 
TWITTER AND SAID I'M A 
FREELANCER, I'M NOT MAKING NO 
INCOME, BUT IT'S BEEN REDUCED.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS I DON'T 
QUALIFY BECAUSE I'M STILL TAKING
IN A LITTLE BIT OF INCOME.
WE KNOW THE GOVERNMENT HAS SAID 
THIS IS A FIRST STEP, BUT A LOT 
OF PEOPLE ARE IMPATIENT TO SEE 
THE RESULTS.
>> Rosemary: LET ME GIVE A 
COUPLE MORE DETAILS OF WHAT WE 
KNOW BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY 
ASKING ON TWITTER AND IN 
E-MAILS.
IF YOU ARE ALREADY RECEIVING EI 
AND SICKNESS BENEFITS AS OF 
TODAY, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO 
RECEIVE THOSE AND YOU DO NOT 
NEED TO APPLY FOR THE EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT.
IF YOU A I APPLIED FOR -- 
APPLIED FOR EI AND ARE WAITING 
FOR YOUR APPLICATION TO PROCESS,
YOU DON'T NEED TO REAPPLY.
DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO GO IN 
AND DO IT AGAIN.
THIS WILL APPLY FOR YOU.
THE PORTAL FOR ACCESSING THIS 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT IS 
NOT UP YET, SO DON'T PANIC WHEN 
YOU DON'T SEE IT.
THE GOVERNMENT IS INTENDING TO 
GET THAT UP BY EARLY APRIL, 
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE SAYING APRIL 
6TH SEEMS A LITTLE OPTIMISTIC, 
BUT YOU SHOULD BEGIN TO RECEIVE 
YOUR EMERGENCY BENEFIT PAYMENTS 
WITHIN 10 DAYS OF MAKING 
APPLICATION.
THIS WILL BE A MONUMENTAL FEAT 
IF THE GOVERNMENTS CAN ACTUALLY 
PULL THIS OFF.
I MEAN ALL THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE
POLITICIANS WHO HAVE MADE THIS 
DECISION.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THIS BECAUSE IT
IS CRITICAL INFORMATION AS MORE 
AND MORE PEOPLE IN COUNTRY ARE 
LAID OFF OR PUT OUT OF WORK.
BUT FIRST, AS WE WAIT FOR THE 
PRIME MINISTER COMING UP IN 
ABOUT 8 MINUTES, LET ME BRING IN
PREMIER BLAINE HIGGS.
HE'S THE PREMIER OF NOVA SCOTIA.
HE JOINS ME NOW FROM 
FREDERICTON.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, PREMIER.
>> GOOD DAY.
>> Rosemary: TO TALK TO YOU 
RATHER.
[LAUGHTER] ONE OF THE REASONS WE
WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY, 
BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THE 
PREMIERS, MAYBE THE ONLY ONE, 
WHO HAS BEEN VERY PUBLICLY 
CALLING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO 
PUT IN PLACE THE EMERGENCIES 
ACT.
WHY IS THAT NEEDED FOR YOUR 
PROVINCE?
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S NEEDED FOR
THE COUNTRY?
>> WELL, WHAT I BELIEVE WE NEED 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS A NATIONAL
STRATEGY SO WE HAVE CONSISTENCY 
OF HEALTH CARE, CONSISTENCY OF 
STANDARDS FROM ONE PROVINCE TO 
ANOTHER, CONSISTENCY OF 
SUPPLIES.
WE KIND OF COMPETING WITH EACH 
OTHER IN TERMS OF WHAT 
INITIATIVE DO WE PUT IN PLACE, 
WHAT MEASURE AND SELF-ISOLATING,
WHAT CLOSES, WHAT STAYS OPEN?
I THINK THIS IS A SITUATION 
WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED 
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND THEIR 
EXPERIENCES.
WE CAN BE LEARNING FROM OTHER 
PROVINCES, BUT THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT CAN PLAY AN OVERSIGHT
ROLE IN A CONSISTENT MANNER TO 
ENSURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN IN OUR
COUNTRY HAS EQUAL ACCESS TO 
HEALTH CARE AND PROTECTIVE 
EQUIPMENT.
>> Rosemary: NOW I CAN SEE YOU, 
THAT'S GOOD.
YOU ARE MAYBE THE ONLY ONE, THE 
ONLY PREMIER WHO IS THIS 
DETERMINED OR THIS CONVINCED 
THIS IS THE ANSWER.
WE HEARD FOR INSTANCE, FROM THE 
QUÉBEC PREMIER WHO SAID HE WANTS
THE MOST FLEXIBILITY.
HE DOES NOT WANT THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT TO TAKE THIS STANCE.
WHEN YOU WERE ON THE CALL WITH 
THE PRIME MINISTER THE OTHER 
DAY, WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION 
ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD THIS MIGHT 
HAPPEN?
>> WELL, I THINK THE MESSAGE 
KIND OF GOT CONFUSED WITH THE 
LEGISLATION AND THE ADDITION OF 
THE KIND OF THE UNFETTERED 
SPENDING RULES THAT WERE 
COMBINED WITH THE EMERGENCY 
MEASURES ACT AND THIS BILL THAT 
WAS TRYING TO GET THROUGH IN 
TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL PACKAGE.
I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF 
CONCERN ABOUT THAT AND I'VE 
SHARED THAT SAME CONCERN ABOUT 
THAT, THAT KIND OF INCLUSION OF 
THE SPENDING OF THE BILL.
BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT.
THIS IS IN RELATION TO HAVING AN
ABILITY TO EXERCISE A NATIONAL 
STRATEGY AROUND THE HEALTH CARE 
AND THE TREATMENT OF CITIZENS 
AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF 
EQUIPMENT.
I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS TO DO 
THEIR OWN THING IN SOME WAYS, 
THE BIGGER PROVINCES HAVE BETTER
CAPABILITIES TO DO THAT AND THAT
IS THE REASON FOR A 
STANDARDIZATION.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A STANDARD 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE 
COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 
SAME MEASURES ARE PRACTISED 
THROUGHOUT.
IN A CRISIS LIKE THIS, WE NEED 
TO BE MORE CONFIDENT OF THAT.
>> Rosemary: YOU DON'T HAVE AN 
ENORMOUS NUMBER OF CASES NOW OR 
YET.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOUR PROVINCE IS
LACKING?
WE'VE HEARD DIFFERENT CONCERNS 
AROUND THE COUNTRY CONCERNING 
MEDICAL SUPPLIES, WHAT IS IT 
THAT YOU'VE ASKED THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH?
>> CERTAINLY, WE'VE GIVEN A LIST
LIKE OTHERS OF CRITICAL 
COMPONENTS OF TESTING AND MASKS 
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY FINE IN THAT 
REGARD WITH NUMBERS, BUT WE'RE 
ANTICIPATING WHERE THIS IS GOING
TO GO AND WATCHING THE RISE 
ELSEWHERE.
I EXPECT THE CASE LOAD TO GO UP,
BUT WE WANT TO HEAD THAT OFF AS 
MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
RIGHT NOW OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
IS AT A LOWER DEMAND MODEL 
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STAYING AWAY 
FROM HOSPITALS AND PEOPLE ARE 
NOT OUT MOVING AROUND, WHICH IS 
EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT, BUT I WANT
TO BE PREPARED.
IF WE'RE LEARNING FROM OTHER 
PROVINCES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE 
THAT IS UNIVERSAL ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY -- UNIFORM ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER CALL WITH
THE PRIME MINISTER SOON?
DO YOU EXPECT TO SPEAK WITH HIM?
>> WELL, WE LIKELY WILL HAVE 
ANOTHER CALL IN RELATION TO OUR 
MEMBERS TO DISCUSS THE PENDING 
ISSUES THE LONGER THIS GOES ON.
CERTAINLY IN ATLANTIC CANADA, 
THE WHOLE FISHING INDUSTRY IS AT
RISK OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND 
WEEKS.
THERE IS NOT ONE SCHEDULED THIS 
WEEK, BUT I ANTICIPATE THERE 
WILL BE AND AS ALWAYS, THE 
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER HAS MADE 
HERSELF READILY AVAILABLE AND 
DONE THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
WE HAVE ACCESS, WE'LL CONTINUE 
TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THE PRIME
MINISTER'S OFFICE.
>> Rosemary: PREMIER BLAINE 
HIGGS OF NEW BRUNSWICK.
GOOD OF YOU TO MAKE THE TIME.
BEST TO THE PROVINCE AND 
YOURSELF.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ONE OTHER 
PREMIER.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO 
PREMIERS TO GET A PERSPECTIVE OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT 
REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY.
EVERYONE STRUGGLING WITH THE 
SAME ISSUE BUT IN DIFFERENT 
WAYS.
THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN, BECAUSE 
IT SEEMED YOU HAD TO BE SICK OR 
SOMEONE IN THE FAMILY SICK, TO 
ACCESS THAT.
THIS IS EXPLICIT.
BASICALLY ANYBODY WHO IS OUT OF 
WORK BECAUSE OF ANYTHING TO DO 
WITH THE PANDEMIC, IT APPEARS 
WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS 
MONEY, WHICH ONCE AGAIN, MY 
UNDERSTANDING IS, IS ABOUT 
$2,000 A MONTH FOR FOUR MONTHS 
AT THIS POINT.
AND THE HOPE IS OBVIOUSLY THAT 
MONEY CAN GET OUT THE DOOR, BUT 
LIKE I SAID, THE CONVERSATIONS 
I'M HAVING, THERE IS A BUNCH OF 
CONCERN.
THERE ARE ISSUES ALREADY WITH 
GETTING EI OUT THE DOOR WITH 
PROCESSING TIMES.
YES, THE MAJORITY FALL WITHIN 
THE ONE-MONTH WINDOW, BUT I 
THINK IT'S 20% TO 30% OF THE 
CLAIMS TAKE LONGER THAN THAT.
OBVIOUSLY THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS
A LOT DIFFERENT NOW WHICH COULD 
AND SHOULD HAVE IMPACT ON THAT 
CAPACITY TO DELIVER THE MONEY, 
BUT I THINK THERE IS -- THIS IS 
UNPRECEDENTED, RIGHT, AS WE'VE 
BEEN DISCUSSING ON SO MANY 
INSTANCES AND PARTS OF THE 
STORY.
ALSO THIS, THEY'VE NEVER HAD 
THIS MANY EI CLAIMS IN A WEEK.
I THINK THERE REMAINS A BIG 
QUESTION MARK ON THE ABILITY TO 
DELIVER, WHICH I KNOW PEOPLE 
DON'T WANT TO HEAR.
THEY'RE NERVOUS ABOUT GETTING 
THE MONEY IN TIME.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT 
BEFORE APRIL 1 LIKELY WHEN THEY 
HAVE TO PAY RENT AND MORTGAGES, 
BUT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT MAY 
1ST.
>> Rosemary: LET ME SAY FURTHER,
THEY DO HAVE THE EMPLOYMENT 
INSURANCE SYSTEM WHICH IS AN OLD
SYSTEM, EVERYONE WOULD AGREE 
WITH THAT, OPERATING, BUT THEY 
ALSO HAVE THE CANADA REVENUE 
AGENCY OPERATING AND LOTS MORE 
PEOPLE WORKING FOR BOTH OF THEM.
THERE WAS ONE OTHER PROVISION, 
AND PEOPLE ASKED ME ABOUT THIS, 
WE GOT CLARIFICATION FROM BILL 
MORNEAU IN THE SENATE.
HE SAYS THAT -- WE HAVE TWO 
MINUTES UNTIL THE PRIME MINISTER
COMES OUT, I'M TOLD -- BILL 
MORNEAU SAYS IF YOU OWN A 
BUSINESS AND YOUR BUSINESS HAS 
BEEN AFFECTED, YOU DON'T HAVE 
BUSINESS, IT'S A RESTAURANT, YOU
CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE IN AND YOU 
DON'T HAVE ORDERS, OR WHAT HAVE 
YOU, ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES NOW 
HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY COVID-19, 
ALL OF THEM CAN NOW ACCESS THE 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT, BUT 
THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS CAN 
ALSO ACCESS THAT BENEFIT.
WHICH I THINK WAS UNCLEAR TO 
PEOPLE -- SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE 
OR PEOPLE WHO OWNED THEIR OWN 
BUSINESS BEFORE.
THIS ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT 
ANYONE, AS VASSY SAID THERE, WHO
IS AFFECTED IN ANY WAY 
FINANCIALLY BY THE PANDEMIC CAN 
TAP INTO THIS.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MORE 
DIRECT OR MORE COMPLETE RESPONSE
THAN PERHAPS WE EVEN SAW LAST 
WEEK.
I'LL CUT YOU OFF IF THE PRIME 
MINISTER COMES OUT.
>> THE GOAL OFFICIA ARE 
TELLING ME OF CREATING THIS 
RESPONSE BENEFIT IS TO MAKE IT 
SIMPLER AND MORE EFFICIENT FOR 
CANADIANS WHO ARE GOING TO 
APPLY.
SIMPLER AND MORE EFFICIENT FOR 
THEMSELVES.
THERE IS NOTHING SIMPLE ABOUT 
THIS.
AS WE TALK ABOUT THE MECHANISMS 
OF HOW THIS GETS OUT THE DOOR, I
THINK THE AMOUNT, TOO, IS A BIG 
QUESTION.
PEOPLE ARE POINTING OUT THERE 
ARE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WHERE 
THEY'RE A LOT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN
TERMS OF HOW MUCH WAGES.
YOU LOOK AT THE TEMPORARY 
BUSINESS WAGE SUBSIDY, THAT'S AN
ELEMENT, BUSINESSES ARE ELIGIBLE
TO RECEIVE 10% OF THEIR PAYROLL.
A LOT OF BUSINESSES SAYING THIS 
IS NOT ENOUGH.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LOT 
MORE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT 
TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES.
FOR MANY BUSINESSES THIS IS A 
CONVERSATION THAT IS LIVE.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING ABLE
TO KEEP FUNCTIONING -- SOME OF 
THEM HAVE HAD TO CLOSE THEIR 
DOORS -- BUT BEING ABLE TO DO 
THAT IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, 
COUPLE OF WEEKS.
>> Rosemary: THIS ANSWERS SOME 
QUESTIONS, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ALL
OF THEM.
AGAIN, AS WE SAID, THERE IS A 
QUESTION OF TIMELINESS AROUND 
THIS.
WE SAW SOMETHING YESTERDAY THAT 
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEBATED IN 
FOUR HOURS, ENDED UP HAPPENING 
15 HOURS AFTER IT SPOKE TO.
HERE IS THE PRIME MINISTER TO 
SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: RIGHT NOW A LOT OF 
PEOPLE ARE SITTING AROUND THE 
KITCHEN TABLE WITH BILLS AND 
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS 
TO BE PAID AND HOW TO PLAN.
IF YOU'VE BEEN LAID OFF, HAD 
YOUR HOURS REDUCED OR WORRIED 
ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY, THESE MAY 
BE STRESSFUL.
FAR TOO MANY CANADIANS ARE 
HAVING THESE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT FINANCES AND THEIR FUTURE.
LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.
LAST WEEK, ALMOST A MILLION 
PEOPLE APPLIED FOR EMPLOYMENT 
INSURANCE.
THE HARD TRUTH IS THAT PEOPLE 
ARE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF THIS 
CRISIS AND WORRIED ABOUT WHAT 
COMES NEXT.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'LL
BE THERE TO HELP YOU.
OUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING 
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BE THERE 
FOR YOU.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: EARLIER THIS 
MORNING, THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 
PASSED AN EMERGENCY BILL TO HELP
PEOPLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THE BILL IS NOW BEFORE THE 
SENATE.
I DO HOPE THAT IT'S PASSAGE WILL
BE DONE QUICKLY SO WE CAN HELP 
CANADIANS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT 
THIS LATER THIS WEEK AND FURTHER
MEASURES TO ANNOUNCE.
AND THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
BUT THIS NEW LEGISLATION WILL 
ALLOW US TO TAKE THE NECESSARY 
MEASURES TO SUPPORT YOU 
IMMEDIATELY.
WE WILL BE ENHANCING THE CANADA 
CHILD BENEFIT AND DELAYING BY 
THREE MONTHS THE TIME TO REPAY 
STUDENT LOANS.
AND WITH THIS LEGISLATION, WE 
ARE INTRODUCING THE NEW CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THIS BENEFIT WILL REPLACE THE 
TWO BENEFITS WE ANNOUNCED LAST 
WEEK.
THE EMERGENCY CARE BENEFIT AND 
THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT BENEFIT, 
IN ORDER TO SIMPLIFY THE 
PROCESS.
AS I'VE BEEN SAYING FROM THE 
OUTSET, AS THE SITUATION 
EVOLVES, WE'RE ADJUSTING OUR 
EFFORTS TO HELP YOU BETTER.
THE CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT WILL PROVIDE $2,000 A 
MONTH FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS 
TO WORKERS WHO ARE NOT GETTING A
PAYCHEQUE BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
SO, IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB, 
OR -- AND YOU WERE WORKING ON A 
CONTRACT BASIS OR WERE 
SELF-EMPLOYED, THIS BENEFIT WILL
BE THERE FOR YOU.
IF YOU'RE SICK, OR IN 
QUARANTINE, OR IF YOU'RE LOOKING
AFTER SOMEONE WHO IS INFECTED, 
THIS BENEFIT WILL BE THERE FOR 
YOU.
IF YOU HAVE TO REMAIN AT HOME 
WITHOUT RECEIVING A SALARY TO 
LOOK AFTER YOUR CHILDREN OR 
SENIORS, THIS BENEFIT WILL BE 
THERE FOR YOU.
AND EVEN IF YOU STILL HAVE A JOB
BUT YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY 
SALARY BECAUSE OF THE CRISIS, 
THE NEW CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT WILL BE THERE 
FOR YOU.
THERE WILL BE AN ONLINE PORTAL 
TO PUT THROUGH APPLICATIONS.
IT WILL BE AVAILABLE VERY SOON.
AND PEOPLE WILL START TO RECEIVE
MONEY WITHIN 10 DAYS OF 
APPLYING.
THE CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT WILL PROVIDE $2,000 A 
MONTH FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS 
FOR WORKERS WHO LOSE THEIR 
INCOME AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
THIS WILL REPLACE THE TWO 
BENEFITS WE ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK,
THE EMERGENCY CARE BENEFIT AND 
THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT BENEFIT, 
IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE THE 
PROCESS.
LIKE I SAID FROM THE START, WE 
WILL ADAPT OUR APPROACH WHEREVER
NEEDED.
IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB BECAUSE 
OF COVID-19, WHETHER YOU'RE 
FULL-TIME, CONTRACT OR 
SELF-EMPLOYED, THIS NEW BENEFIT 
WILL BE THERE FOR YOU.
IF YOU'RE SICK OR QUARANTINED, 
LOOKING AFTER SOMEONE SICK OR AT
HOME TAKING CARE OF YOUR KIDS, 
IT'S THERE FOR YOU.
EVEN IF YOU'RE STILL EMPLOYED 
BUT NOT RECEIVING INCOME BECAUSE
OF THIS CRISIS, THE CERB IS 
THERE FOR YOU.
AN APPLICATION PORTAL WILL 
LAUNCH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE 
AND PEOPLE SHOULD RECEIVE MONEY 
WITHIN 10 DAYS OF APPLYING.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED 
ABOUT DELAYS.
FAMILIES ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHEN 
THEY'LL GET HELP.
IT CAN BE HARD TO GET THROUGH ON
THE LINE AND THAT IS 
FRUSTRATING.
PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE WORKING 
AROUND THE CLOCK WHILE DEALING 
WITH UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND AND 
ALL OF THE SAME PERSONAL STRESS 
EVERYONE ELSE IS FACING.
THEY WILL GET TO YOUR 
APPLICATION.
HELP IS ON THE WAY.
IN ORDER TO SPEED THINGS UP, 
WE'RE RAPIDLY DEPLOYING WORKERS 
FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO 
DEAL WITH CLAIMS.
IN THE LAST 10 DAYS, WE'VE 
BOOSTED THE TEAM BY CLOSE TO 
13,000 PEOPLE TO TAKE YOUR 
CALLS, PROCESS YOUR CLAIMS, AND 
GET YOU THE SUPPORT YOU NEED.
AND SINCE LAST MONDAY, WE'VE 
ALREADY PROCESSED 143,000 
EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS.
THAT MEANS MORE MONEY WILL GO 
DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE RIGHT ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE WORKING TO GET YOU THE 
SUPPORT YOU NEED WHEN YOU NEED 
IT.
AND IF YOU'RE DOING OKAY, THERE 
IS A WAY YOU CAN HELP SOMEONE 
ELSE AS AN EMPLOYER, A LANDLORD 
OR EVEN JUST A FRIEND, SO YOU 
CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
IT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
BECAUSE IT'S BY WORKING TOGETHER
THAT WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS.
AND OUR TEAM KNOWS THAT.
WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES AS 
WELL AS WITH FIRST NATIONS, 
INUIT AND METIS NATION 
COMMUNITIES TO COORDINATE OUR 
EFFORTS AND ENSURE THAT EVERYONE
IS SUPPORTED.
EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH THE 
PREMIERS WE ALSO DISCUSSED 
TESTING FOR COVID-19.
WE KNOW THAT HOW LONG YOU WAIT 
FOR YOUR RESULTS VARIES WIDELY.
THE PREMIERS AND I KNOW WE NEED 
TO ADDRESS THAT AND WE ARE.
THIS IS SOMETHING MINISTER HAJDU
AND I DISCUSSED WITH OFFICIALS 
EVERY DAY AND WILL CONTINUE 
DOING WHAT IS NEEDED TO SPEED UP
RESULTS FOR EVERYONE.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
INCREDIBLE WORK MEDICAL 
PROFESSIONALS ARE DOING ON THIS 
FRONT.
ACCORDING TO DR. TAM, WE'VE NOW 
TESTED ABOUT -- NOW TESTING 
ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE A DAY.
THAT IS A HUGE INCREASE IN 
NUMBERS IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD 
OF TIME.
AND IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY ARE WORKING 
TIRELESSLY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE HELPING 
COMPANIES, LABS AND SCIENTIFIC 
INSTITUTIONS PRODUCE AND SUPPLY 
WHAT WE NEED MOST, FROM MASKS 
AND VENTILATORS TO VACCINES AND 
ANTI-VIRAL DRUGS.
WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH 
AIRLINES TO GET CANADIANS HOME 
FROM ABROAD AND INSTRUCTING 
EVERYONE THEY MUST ISOLATE AT 
HOME FOR 14 DAYS.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR 
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS ON THIS 
CRISIS.
THIS MORNING I HAD CALLS WITH 
THE PRESIDENT OF SENEGAL AND THE
PRESIDENT.
I'VE ALSO SPOKEN TO PRIME 
MINISTER OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA 
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL 
COORDINATION.
TOMORROW, I'LL BE SPEAKING WITH 
OTHER G20 LEADERS TO DISCUSS 
FURTHER GLOBAL COORDINATION TO 
OUR RESPONSE.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: MORE THAN EVER, 
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT CANADIANS 
HAVE ACCESS TO THE MOST RECENT 
INFORMATION.
BUT LIKE EVERYONE THE MEDIA ARE 
ALSO FEELING THE CONSEQUENCES.
TO ENSURE THAT JOURNALISTS CAN 
CONTINUE TO DO THEIR WORK, IT IS
EVEN MORE CRITICAL IN THE MIDST 
OF A CRISIS.
AND THEREFORE, OUR GOVERNMENT IS
ANNOUNCING MEASURES TO SUPPORT 
THEM.
THE MINISTER WILL PROVIDE 
ADDITIONAL DETAILS LATER, BUT IN
THE MEANTIME I WANT TO THANK ALL
JOURNALISTS AND OUR CANADIAN 
MEDIA WHO ARE KEEPING CANADIANS 
WARE OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS 
WITH FACTS AND RELIABLE 
INFORMATION.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR 
WORK.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: RIGHT NOW IT'S MORE 
IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT 
CANADIANS HAVE ACCESS TO THE 
LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION.
TO ENSURE THAT JOURNALISTS CAN 
CONTINUE TO DO THIS VITAL WORK 
OUR GOVERNMENT IS ANNOUNCING NEW
MEASURES TO SUPPORT THEM.
MINISTER GUILBAUT WILL HAVE MORE
TO SAY ABOUT THIS SHORTLY, BUT I
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK 
OUR JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA FOR 
EVERYTHING THEY DO, TODAY AND 
EVERY DAY.
ABOVE ALL, THE MOST IMPORTANT 
WAY WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IS BY 
STAYING APART.
SOCIAL DISTANCING IS OUR BEST 
TOOL TO STOP PEOPLE FROM GETTING
SICK.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE SEEING 
DIFFERENT GRAPHS ABOUT HOW 
EFFECTIVE SOCIAL DISTANCING CAN 
BE AND NEW MAPS TRACKING THE 
SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.
EVERY TIME YOU TURN ON THE TV OR
GO ONLINE, YOU PROBABLY READ 
SOMETHING NEW.
I KNOW I DO.
AND YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS 
COMING NEXT.
TODAY I'LL BE GETTING THE LATEST
MODELLING FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AGENCY OF CANADA AND WE'LL 
DISCUSS HOW TO SHARE THIS 
INFORMATION EVEN MORE DIRECTLY 
WITH ALL OF YOU.
BUT YOU DESERVE THE BEST 
INFORMATION WE'VE GOT ABOUT WHAT
IS HAPPENING TODAY AND WHAT 
TOMORROW MIGHT BRING, BECAUSE 
OTHERWISE, THE UNCERTAINTY CAN 
BE REALLY TOUGH.
NOT JUST FOR YOUR ROUTINE, BUT 
FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, TOO.
WE'RE FACING A 
ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION CHALLENGE 
AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU CAN'T DO
MANY OF THE THINGS THAT KEEP YOU
FEELING GOOD, GETTING TOGETHER 
WITH FRIENDS OR HAVING DINNER 
WITH YOUR NEIGHBOUR.
IF YOU NEED HELP, REACH OUT TO 
YOUR NEIGHBOUR, TO A SIBLING, TO
A FRIEND, A TO A HOT LINE, BUT 
DO IT FROM HOME.
DON'T GO OUT UNLESS YOU 
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO.
IF YOU'RE ALREADY FOLLOWING 
THESE RULES, THANK YOU FOR DOING
YOUR PART.
IF YOU AREN'T, KNOW THAT YOU'RE 
MAKING A DANGEROUS CHOICE.
BECAUSE IGNORING THESE RULES 
PUTS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, 
YOURSELF INCLUDED, AT RISK.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: THIS IS THE 
REALITY.
IF PEOPLE REFUSE TO FOLLOW THE 
RECOMMENDATIONS OUR DOCTORS AND 
NURSES HAVE MORE LIKELIHOOD OF 
CONTRACTING COVID-19.
AND IF OUR HEALTH CARE 
PROFESSIONALS GET SICK, THEY 
CANNOT GO TO WORK AND THEREFORE 
THEY CANNOT TAKE CARE OF YOU IF 
YOU GET SICK.
OUR COUNTRY IS FACING THE 
GREATEST HEALTH CARE CRISIS IN 
ITS HISTORY.
WE CANNOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO PUT
PEOPLE AT RISK WHO TAKE CARE OF 
OUR HEALTH SO INSTEAD OF 
INVITING PEOPLE OVER FOR DINNER,
DON'T DO IT.
THAT PUTS EVERYONE AT RISK.
GROCERS, TECHNICIANS, BUS 
DRIVERS, FARMERS, PEOPLE WHO 
COLLECT OUR GARBAGE, ALL OF 
THOSE PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER.
WE MUST PROTECT THEM.
IT'S NOT HARD TO DO WHAT WE'RE 
ASKING TO YOU DO.
JUST STAY HOME.
IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST GO OUT, 
KEEP A TWO-METRE DISTANCE 
BETWEEN YOU AND OTHERS.
IF YOU'RE COMING BACK FROM 
TRAVEL ABROAD, GO DIRECTLY HOME 
AND STAY THERE FOR AT LEAST 14 
DAYS.
THAT APPLIES TO EVERYONE.
IN ORDER TO COME THROUGH THIS, 
WE MUST ALL LOOK AFTER EACH 
OTHER AND WE MUST ALL DO OUR 
SHARE.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THIS AND I
KNOW THAT CANADIANS ARE EQUAL TO
THE TASK.
THANK YOU.
>> RADIO-CANADA.
I'D LIKE MORE CLARITY WITH 
RESPECT TO DEADLINES, APRIL 6TH 
IS WHAT MR. MORNEAU IS SAYING.
NOW IN TERMS OF DEPLOYING THIS 
NEW BENEFIT, WHAT EXACTLY WILL 
HAPPEN ON APRIL 6TH?
WILL THERE BE AN ONLINE 
PLATFORM?
AND UNDER THAT SCENARIO THAT 
MEANS SOME PEOPLE WOULD NOT 
RECEIVE ANY HELP UNTIL THE 
MIDDLE OF APRIL.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY TO 
PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP RIGHT 
AWAY?
>> FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE WORKING 
HARD IN AN UNPRECEDENTED 
SITUATION.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS 
GREAT PRESSURE TO GET THE HELP 
TO PEOPLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 
MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE
HELPED IN A VERY SHORT TIME 
FRAME AND WE NEED TO DEVELOP THE
SYSTEMS THAT CAN QUICKLY WORK 
FOR US AS LONG AS THEY'RE 
RELIABLE.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT 
IS WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND WE 
DO HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT 
SYSTEM IN PLACE BY APRIL THE 6TH
WITH MONEY COMING IN THE 
FOLLOWING DAYS.
WE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE VERY 
QUICK AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO 
GET PEOPLE APPLIED FOR IT WELL 
BEFORE THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON
RIGHT NOW.
IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP
NOW, WE KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE 
ARE FACING VERY STRESSFUL TIMES.
THEY'VE STOPPED WORKING, THEY'VE
BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR TWO WEEKS, 
THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAYCHEQUES 
COMING IN, SO WE'LL DO 
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THEM.
WITH ACCESS TO CREDIT AND OTHER 
MEASURES AS NECESSARY, WE ARE 
HERE AND LISTENING TO YOU, BUT 
WILL HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD TO 
TOGETHER IN ORDER TO COME 
THROUGH THIS.
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE RECOGNIZE THIS IS AN
UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION WITH AN 
OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF DEMAND BY
CANADIANS TO GET MONEY AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE 
GETTING THAT MONEY OUT QUICKLY, 
BUT ALSO RELIABLY TO CANADIANS 
AND THAT MEANS DOING THINGS THAT
GOVERNMENT HASN'T DONE BEFORE 
AND SCALING UP OUR PROCESSES 
EXTREMELY QUICKLY.
WE NEED TO DO THAT IN A WAY THAT
IS GOING TO BE BOTH RELIABLE AND
QUICK.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE PULLING 
TOGETHER PEOPLE FROM ACROSS 
GOVERNMENT TO GET THIS DONE.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE SYSTEM 
WILL BE UP AND RUNNING BY THE 
6TH OF APRIL, AND THAT CHEQUES 
OR THE DIRECT DEPOSITS WILL BE 
FLOWING DAYS AFTER THAT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT IS A WAYS OFF 
STILL AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO 
STOPPED WORKING A WEEK AND A 
HALF GO, TWO WEEKS AGO, THAT ARE
NOW RECEIVING THEIR LAST 
PAYCHEQUE AND NOT KNOWING WHEN 
THE NEXT MONEY IS COMING IN.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HELP 
PEOPLE BRIDGE THROUGH CREDIT OR 
OTHER MEASURES THEIR ABILITY TO 
MAKE IT TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO 
WORK DILIGENTLY AND RAPIDLY TO 
MAKE SURE WE'RE HELPING EVERY 
CANADIAN WE CAN.
>> PRIME MINISTER, WITH "THE 
GLOBE AND MAIL".
60 BUSINESS GROUPS ARE CALLING 
ON CANADA FOR A WAGE SUBSIDY.
THEY SAY IT WOULD BE MORE 
EFFICIENT THAN THE SLOW PROCESS 
YOU'RE ROLLING OUT RIGHT NOW.
YOU'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THIS FOR
SEVERAL DAYS.
THE QUESTION IS THINGS ARE STILL
ON THE TABLE, BUT PEOPLE ARE 
LAYING OFF WORKERS NOW.
NOW YOU SEEM TO BE SAYING THAT 
STRUGGLING BUSINESSES COULD 
CHOOSE TO SIMPLY NOT PAY THEIR 
EMPLOYEES AND THE WORKERS COULD 
RECEIVE PAYMENT UNDER THE NEW 
BENEFIT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE URGING 
STRUGGLING BUSINESSES TO DO AND 
WHY NOT GO WITH THE HIGHER WAGE 
SUBSIDIES?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE'RE ABSOLUTELY 
LOOKING AT MORE DIRECT HELP FOR 
BUSINESSES.
WE RECOGNIZE IN AN IDEAL 
SITUATION BUSINESSES WOULDN'T 
HAVE TO LAY OFF PEOPLE AND 
PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE TO FEEL 
LIKE THEY'VE LOST THEIR JOB AND 
DON'T HAVE A JOB TO COME BACK TO
AFTER THIS CRISIS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH BUSINESS 
GROUPS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH SMALL 
BUSINESSES.
HEARING THEIR CONCERNS.
LOOKING VERY CAREFULLY AT THE 
MODELS PUT FORWARD IN OTHER 
PARTS OF THE WORLD LIKE DENMARK 
AND GERMANY AND OTHERS AND 
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT 
WORK OR MAKE EQUIVALENT THINGS 
WORK HERE IN CANADA.
WE WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ON THAT
IN THE COMING DAYS.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: WE RECOGNIZE IN 
AN IDEAL SITUATION PEOPLE WOULD 
NOT BE LOSING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE
OF THE SITUATION, BECAUSE OF 
THIS CRISIS, AND EMPLOYERS 
SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LAY PEOPLE 
OFF.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE TRYING 
TO RESOLVE WITH THEM.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME 
MODELS OUT THERE THAT ARE 
WORKING IN DENMARK AND GERMANY, 
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE
DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT, BUT 
AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO DO 
THINGS DIRECTLY FOR BUSINESSES 
AS WELL.
AND WE WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY 
ABOUT THAT IN THE COMING DAYS.
>> Reporter: HI, PRIME MINISTER.
CTV.
I KNOW YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT 
DIRECT SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES, 
BUT CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC.
IN THE MEANTIME, YOU SAID IT 
WILL COME OUT LATER THIS WEEK.
THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE 
LAID OFF PEOPLE, THERE ARE 
PEOPLE AT HOME WHO CANNOT AFFORD
TO PAY THEIR RENT AND THE 
CHEQUES ARE DUE SOON.
WHAT SPECIFIC AID IS AVAILABLE 
FOR PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE 
SITTING AT HOME WHO CANNOT 
AFFORD THEIR BILLS?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: BUSINESSES, WE MOVED 
QUICKLY TO HELP THEM BRIDGE 
THROUGH THIS TIME, HELP THEM GET
THE LIQUIDITY THEY NEED AT A 
TIME OF CRISIS AND SIGNIFICANT 
SLOWDOWN IN THE ECONOMY.
FOR PEOPLE AT HOME, WE RECOGNIZE
THAT LOOSENING UP RULES AROUND 
CREDIT IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY.
WE'VE TAKEN CERTAIN MEASURES ON 
THAT.
WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS.
WE KNOW THAT THEIR FINAL 
PAYCHEQUES FROM TWO WEEKS AGO, 
LAST WEEK, ARE STARTING TO COME 
IN NOW AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE
THE NEXT ONE IS COMING IN, OR 
WHEN THE NEXT ONE IS COMING.
THAT'S WHY THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT IS GOING TO 
FLOW AS A WAY OF GIVING THEM 
$2,000 EVERY MONTH FOR THE NEXT 
FOUR MONTHS SO THAT WE CAN GET 
THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
>> Translator: PRIME MINISTER, 
YOU ARE NOW IN YOUR 14TH DAY OF 
ISOLATION, DOES THAT MEAN YOU 
ARE FREE NOW STARTING TOMORROW?
DOES YOUR WIFE STILL HAVE 
SYMPTOMS?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: THANK YOU FOR THAT 
QUESTION.
SOPHIE FEELS MUCH, MUCH BETTER.
AND THE CHILDREN AND I STILL DO 
NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW ALL 
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF OUR 
HEALTH CARE EXPERTS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
WELL THAT MEANS THAT EVERY DAY 
WE FOLLOW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS 
AND IF THE SITUATION CHANGES 
WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
GLOBAL NEWS.
WITH MORE THAN A MILLION 
CANADIANS RETURNING FROM 
OVERSEAS, ESPECIALLY IN HOT 
SPOTS LIKE EUROPE AND NEW YORK 
CITY, WHY ARE WE RELYING ON THE 
HONOUR SYSTEM AND NOT USING THE 
QUARANTINE ACT TO ISOLATE THEM 
GIVEN WE KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE 
HAVE BOARDED FLIGHTS WITH 
SYMPTOMS JUST SO DESPERATE TO 
GET HOME?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: IT IS EXTREMELY 
IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE 
RETURNING TO CANADA ISOLATE 
THEMSELVES FOR 14 DAYS.
THIS IS A MEASURE THAT WILL BOTH
KEEP THEM SAFE AND PREVENT 
FURTHER SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS 
THROUGH CANADA.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE 
REQUIRE OF EVERY SINGLE CANADIAN
COMING TO THIS COUNTRY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO TELL PEOPLE 
THAT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT 
THAT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO REQUIRE THAT 
OF ANYONE COMING INTO CANADA 
THAT THEY ISOLATE AT HOME FOR 14
DAYS IN ORDER TO PROTECT 
EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: HOW CAN YOU REQUIRE
IT IF IT'S NOT MANDATORY?
>> IT IS REQUIRED FOR PEOPLE TO 
STAY AT HOME FOR 14 DAYS.
>> Reporter: BUT IT'S NOT 
MANDATORY.
OLIVIA STEFANOVICH CBC NEWS, 
WE'VE LEARNED THAT SICK 
TRAVELERS ARE MASKING SYMPTOMS 
TO GET THROUGH AIRPORT 
SCREENING.
WHY DOES CANADA NOT TEST 
TEMPERATURES, SCREEN AIR 
PASSENGERS FOR FEVER, OR USE 
THERMAL SCREENING AT AIRPORTS?
SHOULD THERE BE THERMAL 
SCREENING AND CONSEQUENCES FOR 
THOSE WHO MASK THEIR SYMPTOMS?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE
ARE MANY CONCERNS ABOUT 
PASSENGERS RETURNING TO CANADA, 
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE
TO IMMEDIATELY ISOLATE AS SOON 
AS THEY GET HOME.
IT IS A REQUIREMENT.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES USING 
VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES AND WE'LL 
CONTINUE TO LACK AT WHAT IS 
THE -- LOOK AT WHAT IS THE BEST 
WAY TO KEEP CANADIANS SAFE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DISCUSSION 
AROUND THERMAL SCREENING AND 
TAKING TEMPERATURES AND SPOT 
COLLECTION.
ONE OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM 
SARS IS THAT IT IS SIMPLY NOT AS
EFFECTIVE AS -- NOT EFFECTIVE 
THE WAY PEOPLE WOULD LIKE IT TO 
BE AND CAN GIVE A FALSE SENSE OF
ASSURANCE.
THIS IS WHAT THE BEST MEDICAL 
ADVICE AND BEST SCIENCE ADVICE 
WE'RE GETTING IS, BUT WE'RE 
ALWAYS OPEN TO HEARING STRONGER 
OR DIFFERENT SCIENCE THAT 
SAYS -- OR DIFFERENT 
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IT, BUT 
WE'LL MAKE SURE HOW WE CHOOSE TO
DEPLOY OUR RESOURCES ARE THE 
RIGHT WAY TO HELP ACTUALLY HELP 
CANADIANS.
>> Reporter: SHOULD THERE BE 
TESTING AND SHOULD THE 
PASSENGERS RETURNING TO CANADA, 
SHOULD THERE BE CONSEQUENCES FOR
THOSE WHO MASK THEIR SYMPTOMS?
AND SHOULD THEY BE FORCED TO 
SIGN A DOCUMENT TO MAKE SURE 
THEY SELF-ISOLATE?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE KNOW THEY NEED TO 
ISOLATE WHEN THEY LAND IN 
CANADA.
THEY AGREE TO AN ATTESTATION ON 
THE PROCESSING WHEN THEY ARRIVE 
THAT THEY WILL SELF-ISOLATE FOR 
14 DAYS.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
AND CANADIANS WITH SYMPTOMS WILL
NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOARD FLIGHTS 
COMING HOME.
THAT IS A DIFFICULT MEASURE I 
KNOW FOR MANY PEOPLE, MANY 
FAMILIES, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE 
SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE 
CAN TO KEEP CANADIANS SAFE.
>> Reporter: BUT SOME PASSENGERS
ARE MASKING THEIR SWITCHES, WHAT
ARE THE -- SYMPTOMS, WHAT THE 
CONSEQUENCES?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO 
WHAT IS NECESSARY AND EXPLAINING
TO PEOPLE IN ORDER TO KEEP 
THEMSELVES SAFE AND KEEP 
CANADIANS SAFE.
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION PRESS 
STAR 1.
>> THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM 
RADIO-CANADA INTERNATIONAL.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
CANADA, WHEN YOU CAME TO POWER, 
YOU ANNOUNCED THAT CANADA IS 
BACK, THE UNITED NATIONS IS 
ASKING FOR $2 BILLION IN 
EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR COVID-19.
IS YOUR GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO 
GOING THIS -- 
[INAUDIBLE]
-- AND SETTING ASIDE -- TO 
COUNTRIES THAT ARE VERY HARD HIT
AND NOT BY THIS EQUIPMENT ON THE
MARKETS?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: IN OUR BILLION DOLLAR 
COVID-19 RESPONSE ANNOUNCED LAST
WEEK, WE HAD ALREADY SET ASIDE 
MONEY FOR INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS.
WE, OF COURSE, WILL WORK WITH 
THE U.N., CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS ON 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT
WE CAN RESPOND TO THIS GLOBAL 
PANDEMIC WITH GLOBAL RESOURCES.
CANADA WILL BE THERE TO 
PARTICIPATE.
AND I CAN ALSO HIGHLIGHT ON YOUR
SECOND QUESTION THAT WE ARE 
RAMPING UP PRODUCTION OF 
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT OF EMERGENCY
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, OF 
MEDICATIONS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A 
POTENTIAL NEED FOR MUCH MORE IN 
CANADA, BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY A
NEED FOR MUCH MORE AROUND THE 
WORLD AND CANADA WILL BE PART 
THE SOLUTION, NOT JUST TO MAKE 
SURE CANADA HAS ALL THE SUPPLIES
NEEDED FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT WE 
WILL HAVE HOPEFULLY EQUIPMENT 
AND SUPPLIES TO SHARE WITH THE 
VULNERABLE PARTS OF THE WORLD 
THAT WILL DESPERATELY NEED HELP.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: GOOD MORNING, MR.
TRUDEAU.
IT WAS MENTIONED YESTERDAY THAT 
THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO HELP PEOPLE
WHO ARE INFECTED WITH COVID-19, 
BUT ON THE GROUND THERE ARE 
NURSES WHO ARE AFRAID THEY WON'T
HAVE THAT PROPER MEDICAL 
EQUIPMENT.
ARE YOU ABLE TO GUARANTEE THE 
PROVINCES THAT MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
WILL BE PROVIDED TO THEM SO THEY
CAN CARE FOR PATIENTS?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: THANK YOU FOR THAT 
QUESTION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD A 
LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT DURING 
MY CALL WITH THE PREMIERS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT
NEEDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES 
DEPENDING ON THE REGION OF THE 
COUNTRY AND WE WILL DO 
EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO ENSURE 
THAT EVERY AREA, EVERY REGION, 
HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO RESPOND TO 
THE NEEDS OF INFECTED 
INDIVIDUALS.
WE WANT THAT EQUIPMENT TO BE 
SHARED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT WE
WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DEPLOY 
OUR EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE 
AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS 
AVAILABLE AND THE ESSENTIAL 
EQUIPMENT THAT PEOPLE ARE 
LOOKING FOR.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE 
DOING, BUT THERE HAS TO BE MORE 
COORDINATION BETWEEN THE 
PROVINCES AND THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT AND THAT WILL ENSURE 
THAT WE CAN MEET PEOPLES' NEEDS 
WHEREVER THEY ARE IN CANADA.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
JUSTIN LING, FROM FREELANCE.
GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
LAST WEEK I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE 
POSSIBILITY OF REDUCING THE 
PRISON POPULATION TO HELP COMBAT
A POTENTIAL SPREAD OF COVID-19.
SINCE THEN I'VE HEARD FROM 
PRISONERS, INMATES AND GUARDS 
WHO SAID THAT PRISONS ARE NOT 
READY, THAT THEY'RE RELEASE IS 
NOT CONTEMPLATED, THERE IS NOT 
ENOUGH SOAP, THE SANITARY 
CONDITIONS ARE WORSE AND GUARDS 
ARE ALLOWED INTO THE PRISON EVEN
AFTER RETURNING FROM ABROAD.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO 
CONTINUE REDUCING THE RISK TO 
THE FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS AND IS 
RELEASING INMATES ON THE TABLE?
>> Prime Minister Justin 
Trudeau: WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE 
INCARCERATED POPULATION IS AT 
GREATER RISK CONTRACTING AND 
SPREADING COVID-19.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY
WITH CORRECTIONS CANADA TO 
ENSURE WE'RE LOOKING AT A BROAD 
RANGE OF MEASURES TO KEEP BOTH 
THOSE WHO WORK IN OUR 
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, BUT 
ALSO THOSE WHO ARE RESIDENTS 
THERE, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING 
THINGS THAT WILL KEEP THEM SAFE.
I HAVE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES WE'RE
NOT TAKING ANYTHING OFF THE 
TABLE IN TERMS OF OPTIONS IN 
ORDER TO KEEP CANADIANS SAFE.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE OUR 
DISCUSSIONS WITH CORRECTIONS 
CANADA TO LOOK AT OPTIONS AND TO
LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFE RIGHT ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY WHEREVER THEY BE.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS THE PRIME 
MINISTER OF CANADA WRAPPING UP 
HIS DAILY BRIEFING.
EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ROYAL ASSENT
BY THE END OF THE DAY IS THIS 
NEW COMBINED MEASURE THAT WAS 
ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK UNDER A NEW 
NAME, CALLED THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT, 
WHICH MEANS THAT MANY, MANY, 
MANY CANADIANS WHO ARE CURRENTLY
UNEMPLOYED OR ABOUT TO BE 
UNEMPLOYED OR JUST DON'T HAVE 
ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE ENDS MEET 
FOR ALL SORTS OF REASONS RELATED
TO THE PANDEMIC WILL NOW HAVE 
ACCESS TO THIS.
LET ME BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES.
VASSY, AS YOU HAD RIGHTLY 
INFORMED US BEFORE THE PRIME 
MINISTER SPOKE, IT IS GOING TO 
BE $2,000 A MONTH.
WHAT ELSE DID YOU TAKE FROM 
THAT?
>> Vassy: A COUPLE OF THINGS I 
WOULD FLAG.
OF COURSE ON WHAT SO MANY 
CANADIANS ARE WATCHING FOR, THAT
IS THE TIMING OF THE AID THAT IS
SUPPOSED TO FLOW.
AT FIRST, THE PRIME MINISTER 
SAID ESPECIALLY WHERE THE NEW 
PROGRAMME IS CONCERNED THAT THE 
APPLICATION PORTAL, THE PAGE 
THAT YOU GO TO APPLY FOR THIS, 
WOULD BE OPEN AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I 
THOUGHT I HEARD HIM SAYING IT 
WOULD BE APRIL 6TH AND 10 DAYS 
AFTER THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE THE
PAYMENTS.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE
TO CLOSELY WATCH.
WE WAS CAREFUL IN HIS WORDING 
NOT TO GUARANTEE THAT THE PORTAL
WILL BE UP APRIL 6TH.
AND THERE IS CONCERN GETTING THE
APPLICATION PROCESS.
FOR PEOPLE WATCHING, THAT IS 
SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
THE SOONER THE APPLICATION 
PROCESS GETS GOING, THE BETTER 
FOR THEM, BUT THERE NO 
GUARANTEES AT THIS POINT.
AND YOU AND CATHERINE HAD TALKED
ABOUT THIS.
IT'S HARD TO OVERSTATE HOW 
SIGNIFICANT THIS IS FOR 
BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM SO MANY 
ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT IN 
PARTICULAR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE CFIB SAID IN THE SURVEY OVER
THE WEEKEND, ONE-THIRD OF THE 
BUSINESSES SAID THEY WOULD NOT 
SURVIVE THE MONTH.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR COMPARABLE 
SUBSIDIES WHAT WE SEE IN 
JURISDICTIONS IN EUROPE.
70 TO 80%.
THE PRIME MINISTER GAVE MORE 
DETAILS THAN HE HAS IN THE PAST 
ON THIS, INSOFAR AS HE SAID IT'S
SOMETHING THEY'RE CONSIDERING.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, NO TIME LINE 
ATTACHED.
HE SAID THAT MORE TO COME IN THE
COMING DAYS.
THE REASON THAT I FOCUS ON THE 
TIMING ISSUE IS BECAUSE OF THAT 
ONE-MONTH WINDOW THAT SO MANY 
BUSINESSES ARE LOOKING AT.
LOOK, IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO 
RUNS A SMALL BUSINESS, YOU KNOW 
THAT MEETING PAYROLL IS HARD IN 
THE BEST OF TIMES.
WHEN YOU HAVE ZERO REVENUE IT 
BECOMES NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.
SUBSIDIZING 10% OF WAGES UP TO 
$25,000 PER EMPLOYER, THE 
CONSENSUS AMONG THE 
ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT 
THOSE BUSINESS, IS THAT IS NOT 
ENOUGH.
THE THIRD THING, QUICKLY, BEFORE
YOU HEAD TO CATHERINE, THE 
QUESTION AROUND USING THE 
QUARANTINE ACT.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD A 
LOT AS WELL, THAT PEOPLE ARE -- 
NOT EVEN ANECDOTALLY, YOU SEE 
STATES OF EMERGENCY BECAUSE 
PEOPLE ARE NOT COMPLYING WITH 
THAT RECOMMENDATION WHICH IS -- 
ORDER DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE, 
WHEN YOU COME BACK FROM WHERE 
YOU'RE YOU'VE BEEN TRAVELLING, 
YOU HAVE TO SELF-ISOLATE.
THE PRIME MINISTER WAS ASKED WHY
USE THE HONOUR SYSTEM, WHY NOT 
INVOKE THE QUARANTINE ACT WHICH 
MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD HAVE A 
PUNISHMENT OR PENALTY.
HE REALLY AVOIDED ADDRESSING WHY
HE WASN'T GOING TO USE IT OR 
WHETHER HE WOULD IN THE FUTURE 
AND RE-EMPHASIZED THE MESSAGE 
WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
THIS IS WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU.
BUT I DO THINK HE HAS FRAMED 
THIS, YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO 
WHAT I'M SAYING, THIS IS MY 
FINAL WARNING.
WILL THERE BE A CONSEQUENCE?
IT'S UNCLEAR.
I THOUGHT THOSE WERE THE BIG 
THINGS TO TAKE AWAY.
>> Rosemary: I WOULD POINT OUT 
WHEN YOU COME INTO THE COUNTRY, 
ALTHOUGH THIS APPLIES IN 
PROVINCES, WHEN YOU COME INTO 
THE COUNTRY, YOU DO HAVE A HIT 
ATTESTATION ON THE CUSTOMS 
MACHINE THAT YOU GO THROUGH, 
SAYING THAT YOU WILL 
SELF-ISOLATE.
I WOULD IMAGINE YOU COULD GO 
BACK AND TRACK PEOPLE AND 
ENFORCE IT IF WE GOT TO THAT 
POINT, BUT IT DOES SEEM -- DAVE 
SEGLINS HAS BEEN REPORTED AROUND
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT BEING 
TRUTHFUL ABOUT THEIR SYMPTOMS 
AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, 
ALTHOUGH AS THE PRIME MINISTER 
ALSO SAID, WHEN THEY DID A VAST 
POSTMORTEM ON THE SARS, THE 
TEMPERATURE TESTING ISSUE REALLY
DIDN'T WORK AS THE PRIME 
MINISTER POINTS OUT.
SO THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING 
THAT DIFFERENT THAN SOMEONE JUST
TAKING THEIR WORD.
CATHERINE, I'LL GET YOU TO WEIGH
IN.
AN ANGUS REID POLL IN THE LAST 
WEEK SHOWS A THIRD OF CANADIANS 
ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING
ABLE TO PAY FOR THEIR RENT.
AND DON'T HAVE MUCH MONEY COMING
IN.
THE URGENCY THAT WE'RE TALKING 
ABOUT HERE IS A REAL THING FOR 
MANY PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: AND THERE WAS ONE 
MOMENT WHERE HE SAID SOMETHING 
INTERESTING, I DON'T THINK WE'VE
HEARD FROM THE PRIME MINISTER, 
HE SAID WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO
HELP PEOPLE BRIDGE THROUGH 
CREDIT.
HE DIDN'T OFFER ANY EXPLANATION 
OF WHAT IT IS HE'S TALKING 
ABOUT, WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK 
LIKE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IS EXACTLY THE
KIND OF HELP THAT MOST CANADIANS
ARE THINKING OF.
THEY WANT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR 
THESE PROGRAMMES.
BUT WE GOT CERTAINLY A HINT 
THERE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER AS
ONE OF THE OPTIONS THEY'RE 
LOOKING AT, AT LEAST TO HELP 
PEOPLE GET THROUGH UNTIL THE AID
HE IS TALKING ABOUT IS 
DELIVERED.
POSSIBLY BEYOND THAT REALLY, WE 
DON'T KNOW.
BUT ONE OF MANY QUESTIONS WE'RE 
LOOKING AT.
ANOTHER THING I WOULD RAISE, YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SCREENING
OF PEOPLE COMING BACK TO CANADA 
AND I THINK TO SOME EXTENT THERE
ARE TWO ISSUES MIXED TOGETHER.
THE REPORTING THAT DAVE SEGLINS 
DID, THE QUESTIONS THAT THE 
PRIME MINISTER WAS ASKED, A LOT 
HAD TO DO WITH PEOPLE GETTING ON
AIRPLANES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE 
AFRAID AND THEY KNOW IN SOME 
CASES THE WINDOW TO GET HOME IS 
CLOSING.
A LOT OF WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER
HAD TO SAY WAS ABOUT 
SELF-ISOLATING WHEN YOU GET 
BACK, BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAS 
SAID THEY'VE ENLISTED THE HELP 
OF CANADA BORDER SERVICES, THE 
AIRLINES, THEY'RE TRYING TO 
CHECK PEOPLE BEFORE THEY COME ON
THE PLANES THEMSELVES AND THEN 
THERE IS THE QUESTION OF WHAT 
PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY RETURN TO 
CANADA.
THAT WAS A POIGNANT MOMENT WHEN 
HE WAS PRESSED BY A REPORTER AND
SAID WHY NOT MAKE IT MANDATORY.
HE SAID IT'S REQUIRED, BUT OF 
COURSE, THEY'RE TRYING TO 
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THIS, BUT
THERE IS NOT A MEASURE THAT 
REQUIRES THEM TO DO IT.
>> Rosemary: THERE COULD BE 
MEASURES.
SO IT'S SORT OF PEOPLE SAYING, 
AS VASSY SAID, YOU EITHER DO IT 
OR WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU DO 
IT.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU FOR A 
MOMENT, BECAUSE SPEAKING OF 
PEOPLE WHO WANTED INFORMATION 
ABOUT EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, 
ABOUT ADDITIONAL BENEFITS, LET'S
GO TO REBECCA ZURK NOW.
SHE IS SELF-EMPLOYED.
WORKS IN A SALON.
SHE'S CONCERNED WHETHER SHE'LL 
BE QUALIFIED FOR THIS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I'M DOING WELL, THANKS FOR 
HAVING ME.
>> Rosemary: I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
WERE ABLE TO HEAR THE PRIME 
MINISTER AND WHETHER ANY OF THAT
OR ANYTHING WE'VE SAID HAS 
CLARIFIED FOR YOU WHETHER YOU'LL
BE ABLE TO GET HELP.
>> YES.
SO ACTUALLY THAT HAS PROVIDED A 
GOOD AMOUNT OF CLARITY.
I WAS QUITE CONCERN BECAUSE 
WHAT I HEARD PREVIOUSLY WAS FOR 
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WAGE 
SUBSIDIES.
BEING SELF-EMPLOYED AND WORKING 
IN A SALON I'M SOLE PROPRIETOR, 
OWNER-OPERATOR, THE ONLY PERSON.
SO I DON'T PAY A WAGE TO ANYBODY
BUT MYSELF.
SO 10% OF MY WAGE TURNS OUT TO 
BE VERY LITTLE.
IT REALLY IS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP 
MY BUSINESS OPEN AFTER THE 
QUARANTINE AND THE PANDEMIC ENDS
OR EVEN SUBSIDIZE PART OF MY 
LIVING EXPENSES.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR IT'S 
MORE AVAILABLE TO SELF-EMPLOYED 
CANADIANS IN THAT WAY.
>> Rosemary: IT SURE IS.
YEAH, YOU WILL QUALIFY AND THE 
PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES THAT 
YOU WILL GET $2,000 A MONTH.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IS NOT 
GOING TO BE ENOUGH, BUT YOU TELL
ME HOW THAT WILL HELP YOU OR 
NOT?
>> SO, IT WILL HELP KEEP ME IN 
MY HOUSEHOLD, GETTING BY IN THE 
MEANTIME.
IT'S NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION 
TRULY FOR ME.
MY CONCERN IS ACTUALLY KEEPING 
MY BUSINESS OPEN TO HAVE A 
BUSINESS TO COME BACK TO AT THE 
END OF IT.
WHAT THAT WILL DO IS KEEP A ROOF
OVER MY HEAD AND GROCERIES IN MY
FRIDGE, BUT REALLY THE CONCERN 
IS THE LONG-TERM, TRULY.
IT'S HAVING SOMETHING TO COME 
BACK TO AND COVERING THE 
EXPENSES I HAVE.
>> Rosemary: I UNDERSTAND YOUR 
HUSBAND, TOO, HE ALSO HAS BEEN 
AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND THE
ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HIM?
>> SO HE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A 
LAYOFF PRIOR TO THE QUARANTINE 
DUE TO ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.
SO HE'D BEEN ON EI -- I WANT TO 
SAY HE APPLIED A WEEK BEFORE A 
LOT OF THE SHUTDOWNS WERE IN 
EFFECT.
SO HE'S BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THE
EI SYSTEM, BECAUSE ONE IT'S 
OVERLOADED WITH PLENTY OF 
PEOPLE, AND BY THE PEOPLE 
STARTING THE QUARANTINE.
SO REALLY AND TRULY IS 
INTERACTION WITH EMPLOYMENT 
INSURANCE AT THAT TIME WAS 
SCARY.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET A LOT
OF ANSWERS.
WE STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED MUCH 
INFORMATION FROM AND ABOUT HIS 
CLAIM.
WE'RE WAITING HOURS ON THE PHONE
TO TALK TO ANYBODY BECAUSE, YOU 
KNOW, I'M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE 
PEOPLE FLOODING THE LINES AT 
THIS POINT REALLY.
>> Rosemary: AND DOES THAT WORRY
YOU?
THE PRIME MINISTER SEEMS TO SAY 
THAT THIS NEW PORTAL, THIS NEW 
BENEFIT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO IN
THE BEGINNING OF APRIL TO SIGN 
UP, YOU SHOULD GET IT 10 DAYS 
LATER.
THAT'S ASKING A LOT, BUT HE 
SEEMS TO THINK THAT IS THE TIME 
LINE.
IS THAT FAST ENOUGH?
ARE YOU WORRIED IT WON'T BE IN 
YOUR HANDS?
>> I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT 
NOT BEING IN MY HANDS FAST 
ENOUGH.
I'VE ALREADY BEEN OUT OF WORK 
FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS.
I'M IMMUNO COMPROMISED AT THIS 
POINT.
AND ALSO WITH MY HUSBAND BEING 
ON EI AS WELL, BEING ON A 
LAYOFF, I'M REALLY CONCERNED 
WE'RE GOING TO BE WAITING FIVE, 
SIX, SEVEN WEEKS BEFORE WE 
RECEIVE ANY KIND OF SUPPORT.
BECAUSE I CAN IMAGINE THAT 
RECEIVING PAYMENT 10 DAYS AFTER 
APPLICATION IS QUITE OPTIMISTIC 
WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT 
WILL BE APPLYING.
>> Rosemary: IF YOU COULD SAY 
SOMETHING TO THE PRIME MINISTER 
OR THE FINANCE MINISTER ABOUT 
YOUR SITUATION, WHAT OTHER 
CANADIANS LIKE YOU NEED URGENT, 
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?
>> OTHER CANADIANS LIKE ME, WE 
NEED IMMEDIATE SUPPORT FOR 
ENTREPRENEURS, TRULY, TO KEEP 
THEIR BUSINESSES, KEEP THEIR 
JOBS, KEEP THEM IN THE ECONOMY 
DURING THIS.
AND ALSO IMMEDIATELY SOME SORT 
OF IMMEDIATE RELIEF THAT 
REQUIRES NO KIND OF APPLICATION 
PROGRAMME LIKE A UNIVERSAL 
BENEFIT.
SO THAT WE CAN SUBSIDE AND NOT 
BE IN THIS CONSTANT PANIC 
WAITING FOR THIS RELIEF TO BE 
RELEASED AFTER EVERYBODY ELSE 
HAS APPLIED.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF 
UNIVERSAL -- SOME KIND OF 
UNIVERSAL PROGRAMME THAT AS A 
CANADIAN CITIZEN YOU RECEIVE 
THIS AMOUNT JUST FOR BEING A 
CANADIAN CITIZEN.
>> Rosemary: HOW IS YOUR HEALTH?
YOU SAID YOU WERE IMMUNO 
COMPRISED?
>> I'M FEELING WELL, HEALTHY.
I'M NEARLY 20 WEEKS PREGNANT, SO
I'M KEEPING FAR AWAY FROM 
EVERYONE NOW.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S A GOOD 
DECISION AND CONGRATULATIONS.
I HOPE YOU GOT BETTER 
INFORMATION THERE.
I HOPE YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED 
THERE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE
APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU.
THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT 
THERE LIKE YOU RIGHT NOW.
SO GOOD THOUGHTS TO YOU AND YOUR
HUSBAND.
THANKS, REBECCA.
LET ME GO BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES,
VASSY KAPELOS AND CATHERINE 
CULLEN AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRESS 
CONFERENCE, THE DAILY PRESS 
CONFERENCE FROM THE COVID-19 
CABINET COMMITTEE.
I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THE 
SENATE, I BELIEVE, IS CLOSE TO 
VOTING NOW ON THIS LEGISLATION 
AFTER WHICH, OF COURSE, IT WILL 
RECEIVE ROYAL ASSENT.
IT IS GOOD TO PUT FACES -- I 
ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES -- BUT 
IT'S GOOD TO BE PUT FACES TO THE
STORIES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
REACHING OUT, WHICH IS ONE 
THING, BUT TO TALK TO PEOPLE HOW
THEY'RE AFFECTED AND THE VERY 
THINGS WE THINK PEOPLE NEED TO 
THINK ABOUT.
AND THAT FOR REBECCA WAS THE 
TIME LINE HERE.
>> Vassy: THE TIME LINE IS GOING
TO BE SO SIGNIFICANT AND I THINK
ALSO THERE ARE JUDGING BY THE 
SOCIAL MEDIA, A LOT OF QUESTIONS
COMING FROM CANADIANS STILL 
ABOUT, I'M A STUDENT, I DON'T 
HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR WORK, 
DO I QUALIFY?
THE QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS ARE 
STILL SIGNIFICANT.
I WOULD URGE THEM TO CONTINUE 
WATCHING AS VARIOUS MINISTERS 
START SPEAKING PUBLICLY AND 
THOSE QUESTIONS WILL BE POSED TO
THEM.
>> Reporter: THE GOVERNMENT SAID
AGAIN TODAY, THE PRIME MINISTER 
SAID, THIS IS ONLY THE 
BEGINNING.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS 
GOING TO COME NEXT?
NOT ONLY TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE 
REBECCA, BUT OTHER PEOPLE WHO 
AREN'T CAUGHT UP BY THE 
PROGRAMME BUT ARE CAUGHT BY THE 
OUTBREAK.
>> Rosemary: OKAY.
VASSY AND CATHERINE, THANK YOU 
FOR YOUR HELP.
WE'LL BE BACK TO YOU.
SO THE BIG NEWS TODAY, AS THIS 
LEGISLATION WINDS ITS WAY 
THROUGH THE SENATE MAKING ITS 
WAY INTO LAW BY PASSAGE OF ROYAL
ASSENT THIS AFTERNOON.
$82 BILLION FINANCIAL AID 
PACKAGE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, 
THIS NEW CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT WHICH WILL GIVE
MANY, MANY CANADIANS ACCESS TO 
$2,000 A MONTH FOR 16-WEEK 
PERIOD.
YOU CAN LOOK FOR MORE 
INFORMATION ON THE GOVERNMENT 
WEBSITE WHEN IT BECOMES 
AVAILABLE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE 
BIG QUESTIONS.
HOW QUICKLY CAN THIS MONEY ROLL 
OUT?
SO MANY PEOPLE WAITING TO PAY.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THIS IS OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE OF 
THE PANDEMIC.
YOU CAN CONTINUE WATCHING ON CBC
NEWS NETWORK AND CBC.CA 
STREAMING AROUND THE WORLD.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THANK YOU.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
>> WELCOME BACK TO OUR SPECIAL 
COVERAGE OF THE COVID-19 
PANDEMIC AS WE WAIT FOR OUR 
DAILY BRIEFING FROM CABINET 
MINISTERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS ABOUT ANNOUNCEMENTS 
THE PRIME MINISTER MADE EARLIER 
TODAY AND THE STATE OF THE 
PANDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY.
I'LL BRING IN VASSY KAPELOS AND 
CATHERINE CULLEN RIGHT NOW JUST 
TO GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT WE 
MIGHT HEAR HERE.
I WANT TO, IF I CAN, GET TO A 
COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON THE LINE WHO
ARE STUCK IN PERU BECAUSE THIS 
IS, OF COURSE, THE OTHER PART OF
THE STORY, SO MANY CANADIANS 
TRYING TO GET HOME DESPERATELY.
VASSY, WHAT WILL YOU BE WANTING 
TO HEAR MORE ABOUT?
>> Vassy: A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST, WHAT YOU JUST BROUGHT UP.
I'M INTERESTED TO SEE IF THERE 
ARE UPDATES ON THE SPECIFICS OF 
THE FLIGHTS THAT WE KNOW ARE 
SUPPOSED TO BE COMING FROM 
PLACES LIKE PERU.
I'M KEEN TO SEE IF THERE IS A 
MORE SPECIFIC TIMETABLE.
I KNOW CANADIANS WATCHING AROUND
THE WORLD ARE KEEN TO IF FIND 
THOSE ANSWERS AS WELL.
THE SECOND THING IS ON WHAT 
WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT AND 
THAT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S 
ANNOUNCEMENT THEY'VE COMBINED 
THE BENEFITS INTO ONE STREAM.
A STATISTIC THAT PRIME MINISTER 
PUT OUT THERE JUST MINUTES AGO I
THINK IS WORTH FLAGGING, WHEN IT
COMES TO THE IDEA OF WHEN WILL 
THE MONEY COME, HOW FAST CAN IT 
GET INTO THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO
NEED IT NOW?
HE MENTIONED AND ALREADY 
RELEASED THIS STATISTIC, THAT 
929,000 PEOPLE APPLIED FOR EI.
HE SAID 1300 CIVIL -- HE SAID 
13,000, BUT HE MEANT 1300, 
REDIRECTED TO GET CLAIMS 
PROCESSED.
I DID SOME MATH, WHICH RARELY 
HAPPENS, BUT I DID IT AND I HAD 
OTHER PEOPLE CHECK IT TO MAKE 
SURE IT WAS RIGHT BECAUSE I'M 
OFTEN WRONG, BUT THAT'S ABOUT 
15.4%.
THAT'S OF REGULAR EI CLAIMS IN A
SYSTEM THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS SO 
OVERBURDENED BY A NUMBER IT'S 
NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
KEEP THAT IN MIND, THEY'RE 
WORKING TIRELESSLY TO GET THAT 
MONEY OUT, BUT EVEN IN THE 
SYSTEM THAT EXISTS, THEY'VE ONLY
BEEN ABLE TO PROCESS 15% OF THE 
APPLICATIONS.
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF 
SYSTEM IS GOING TO HANDLE THIS 
OTHER BENEFIT.
WHAT MEASURES HAVE THEY PUT IN 
PLACE OR DO THEY PLAN TO PUT IN 
PLACE TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THAT 
PROCEDURAL STUFF?
AND HOW FAST DO THEY EXPECT THE 
10-DAY MARK THAT THE PRIME 
MINISTER PUT OUT TO BE MET?
>> Rosemary: EVEN IF YOU, AS WE 
TALKED TO OUR FRIEND REBECCA, 
EVEN IF 2000 BUCKS IS NOT 
ENOUGH, IT WILL KEEP PEOPLE 
WITH, AS SHE SAID, A ROOF OVER 
HER HEAD AND GROCERY, BUT YOU 
HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET IT.
YOU CAN'T BE WAITING TWO OR 
THREE WEEKS.
THAT IS CRITICAL.
>> Reporter: CERTAINLY, THOSE 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF
HOW ALL THIS IS GOING TO WORK.
THE PRIME MINISTER IS TRYING TO 
BE THE REASSURER IN CHIEF, BUT 
THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS FOR THE 
CABINET MINISTERS ABOUT THE 
MECHANICS ITSELF.
HOW IT'S GOING TO GET DONE.
A LOT OF THE FOCUS IS AROUND 
FINANCIAL MEASURES, THAT'S 
UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT THERE ARE 
OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS ABOUT 
THINGS LIKE TESTING CANADA.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY THEY 
WANT TO SEE MORE TESTING DONE.
WE SEE THE NUMBERS JUMPING UP 
AND YET THERE IS STILL DEMAND 
FOR A LOT MORE OF THAT.
WE TALK ABOUT THE QUESTIONS FROM
VIEWERS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE 
ASKING WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE 
MUCH GREATER LEVELS OF TESTING?
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
AND WE WILL PROBABLY GET AN 
UPDATE IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE 
SHORTLY ON THAT VERY ISSUE.
I'M GOING TO PUT YOU TWO ON 
STANDBY AND GO TO NORMA JOHN AND
PHILLIP, THEY'RE STRANDED IN 
THEIR ROOMS.
WE HAVE REACHED THEM IN PERU.
GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> Rosemary: SO IT WAS A FRIEND 
OF YOURS, OR MAYBE A SON-IN-LAW 
THAT REACHED OUT THAT SAID THAT 
YOU WERE BOTH STUCK THERE.
AT THIS STAGE YOU DO NOT HAVE A 
GOVERNMENT FLIGHT OUT.
AND PHILLIP, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE 
UNDERLYING CONDITIONS.
SO LET ME FIRST ASK YOU, 
PHILLIP, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING
FROM THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT A 
FLIGHT FOR YOU?
>> MY COMMUNICATIONS ARE HANDLED
IN TERMS OF -- BECAUSE I AM NOT 
IN CONNECTION.
>> WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT 
GETTING ANY OF US OUT.
THERE WAS A FLIGHT THAT LEFT 
YESTERDAY AND APPARENTLY THERE 
IS ANOTHER FLIGHT THURSDAY AND 
FRIDAY FROM LIMA, BUT WE ARE NOT
ON THOSE FLIGHTS AS FAR AS WE 
KNOW.
>> Rosemary: NORMA, WHAT ARE -- 
PHILLIP IS YOUR BROTHER, WHAT 
ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT 
PHILLIP'S HEALTH AND THE NEED TO
GET OUT OF THEIR QUICKLY?
>> YES, HIGH BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.
EXERCISE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE -- 
[INAUDIBLE]
-- ROOM HERE.
FOOD EVERY DAY WHICH IS 
FORTUNATE FOR US.
THE FOOD IS ALSO -- 
[INAUDIBLE]
-- ALL THIS -- SO I'M JUST 
CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE MORE OF A
CHANCE OF GETTING THE VIRUS 
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE TRYING
TO CONTAIN IT.
OWN HOMES AND BE SELF-ISOLATED 
FOR HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES.
WE DON'T CARE.
WE JUST WANT, PLEASE, PRIME 
MINISTER TRUDEAU, PLEASE WORK ON
GETTING THOSE PLANES TO ALL THE 
OTHER CANADIANS.
>> Rosemary: SO THE CONNECTION 
IS NOT GREAT.
I WILL TELL PEOPLE, BECAUSE I 
KNOW?
SOME OF THE HISTORY HERE.
I KNOW THAT PHILLIP DOES SUFFER 
FROM DIABETES, SO YOU'RE RUNNING
INTO PROBLEMS WITH DIET AND 
EXERCISE AND OTHER CONCERNS.
I DID HEAR THE PLEA CLEARLY AT 
THE END, THOUGH, AROUND, NORMA, 
FROM TRYING TO GET THE PRIME 
MINISTER A PLANE.
I BELIEVE SOMETHING IS IN THE 
WORKS.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE 
BECAUSE THE CONNECTION IS NOT 
GREAT.
BUT THE MESSAGE WAS HEARD LOUD 
AND CLEAR.
WE'LL CHECK BACK WITH YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S A COUPLE OF CANADIANS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET HOME TO 
MISSISSAUGA.
AS YOU HEARD, CONTRARY TO WHAT 
OTHER CANADIANS ARE NOT DOING, 
THEY'RE HAPPY TO SELF-ISOLATE IF
THEY GET HOME, BECAUSE THAT 
WOULD, OF COURSE, BE REQUIRED.
WE'LL CHECK BACK WITH THEM AND 
TRY TO GET A BETTER CONNECTION, 
TOO.
AS WE WAIT FOR CABINET MINISTERS
TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE 
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY 
AND THE ONGOING SITUATION OF THE
PANDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY, LET ME
BRING IN THIS DOCTOR.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> MORNING.
>> Rosemary: SO LET ME START 
WITH THAT QUESTION THERE, THAT 
THE PRIME MINISTER GOT A COUPLE 
OF TIMES AND WE'VE DONE 
REPORTING ON.
THE ISSUE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT 
SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING ON PLANES
IF THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS, THEY'RE 
NOT ALLOWED ON PLANES.
IT HAS BEEN LEFT TO AIRLINES 
COMPANIES TO SORT OF GIVE A 
ONCE-OVER AND OF COURSE NEWS IS 
ON THE CANADIAN TO ADMIT THEY 
MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS.
SHOULD OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE
THE GOVERNMENT COULD BE DOING TO
EITHER CHECK THE HEALTH OF 
PEOPLE TRYING TO GET ON PLANES, 
OR ENFORCE THE 14-DAY ISOLATION,
BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET ON THE 
PLANE, IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS,
THAT BECOMES VERY PROBLEMATIC.
>> IT'S TRUE.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.
ONE THAT IS TOUGH EVEN IF YOU DO
HAVE A FEVER, IT'S TOUGH TO 
MONITOR.
LET'S SAY YOU HAD A FEVER SIX 
HOURS AGO, YOU MAY NOT HAVE ONE 
RIGHT NOW, EVEN WITHOUT USING 
TYLENOL.
I THINK WHAT THEY'RE DOING, IF 
SOMEONE LOOKS CLEARLY ILL AND 
COUGHING, THEY'RE NOT LETTING 
THEM ON.
THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH THE 
AIRPORT SCREENING, IT DOESN'T 
WORK WELL.
YOU CAN MISS HALF THE PEOPLE 
THAT ARE SICKENED AND DON'T EVEN
KNOW IT.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE PUT THE STRESS
ON HAVING PEOPLE WATCH THEIR 
SYMPTOMS ONCE THEY LEAVE THE 
AIRPORT AND OF COURSE THAT 
14-DAY ISOLATION.
I URGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO 
KEEP THE ISOLATION GOING, 
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COME BACK 
FROM TRAVEL.
WE KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS NOT 
OFF THE TABLE.
WE MAY SEE THE QUARANTINE ACT 
ENACTED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF 
DAYS.
>> Rosemary: THE MINISTERS ARE 
COMING INTO THE ROOM, SO ABOUT 
30 SECONDS.
THERE IS ONGOING ISSUE OF 
TESTING.
WE'RE UP TO 10,000 TESTS A DAY 
IN THIS COUNTRY.
OBVIOUSLY, I THINK THE 
GOVERNMENT WOULD AGREE, EVERYONE
WOULD LIKE TO TEST MORE.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE
TO SEE AS WELL?
WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?
>> I AGREE, WE SHOULD BE TRYING 
TO TEST WHEREVER WE CAN.
MILD CASES AND SEVERE CASES.
WE'LL SEE A RAMPING OCCUPY UP OF
THAT IN THE COMING DAYS.
>> I CAN SEE YOU'RE AT WORK AND 
WE APPRECIATE THE TIME.
THANKS AGAIN, DOCTOR.
>>> LET'S GO BACK TO OTTAWA 
WHERE WE CAN TELL YOU THAT THE 
SENATE HAS, IN FACT, PASSED THE 
LEGISLATION ON THE COVID-19 
FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE.
IT'S OFF TO ROYAL ASSENT.
LET'S LISTEN TO THE DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER CHRYSTIA FREELAND.
>> LET ME START WITH AN URGENT 
REMINDER TO CANADIANS, YOU MUST 
PRACTISE PHYSICAL DISTANCING, 
STAY AT HOME, ELIMINATE CONTACT 
WITH PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK, 
PARTICULARLY OUR BELOVED SENIORS
AND PEOPLE IN POOR HEALTH.
KEEP A DISTANCE FROM OTHERS.
AND, OF COURSE, IF YOU ARE DOING
AN ESSENTIAL JOB, IF YOU ARE, 
FOR EXAMPLE, A HEALTH CARE 
WORKER, ONE OF THE CANADIANS 
MAKING SURE WE HAVE FOOD ON OUR 
GROCERY STORE SHELVES, ONE OF 
THE PEOPLE MAKING SURE WE HAVE 
LIGHTS AND HEAT IN OUR HOMES AND
BUILDINGS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH 
FOR THE HARD AND IMPORTANT WORK 
YOU ARE DOING.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: URGENT REMINDER 
TO CANADIANS.
YOU MUST PRACTISE PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING.
STAY AT HOME.
LIMIT OUR ELIMINATE ALL CONTACT 
WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HIGH 
RISK.
KEEP A DISTANCE OF TWO METRES 
FROM OTHERS.
>>> AS PEOPLE ARE NO DOUBT 
AWARE, PARLIAMENT LAST NIGHT 
PASSED THE COVID-19 RESPONSE 
PLAN.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL MEMBERS OF
THE HOUSE FOR THAT WORK.
I'M GLAD THAT WE GOT THERE.
TODAY WE WILL HEAR FROM CANADA'S
DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICER FROM THE MINISTER OF 
INDIGENOUS SERVICES, MARC 
MILLER -- MINISTER OF CANADIAN 
HERITAGE, STEVEN GUILBEAULT AND 
BILL MORNEAU.
ALSO WITH ME TO ANSWER THE 
QUESTIONS ARE THE CHIEF OFFICER 
OF HEALTH AT INDIGENOUS 
SERVICES.
OUR MINISTER OF EMPLOYMENT, 
CARLA QUALTROUGH AND THE 
PRESIDENT OF THE TREASURY BOARD 
AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE 
COVID-19 COMMITTEE.
>> GLOBALLY, THERE ARE OVER 
420,000 CASES OF COVID-19 
AFFECTING EVERY COUNTRY AROUND 
THE WORLD.
IN CANADA, AS OF THIS MOMENT, 
THERE ARE 3,197 CASES OF 
COVID-19 AND 27 DEATHS.
WE HAVE NOW TESTED OVER 142,000 
PEOPLE IN CANADA, WHICH IS MORE 
THAN 20,000 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE 
TESTED SINCE YESTERDAY.
IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 
OUTBREAK, MOST OF OUR CASES WERE
LINKED TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF 
CANADA.
WHILE MORE CASES NOW ARE 
COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED THAN ARE 
TRAVEL-RELATED, WE STILL NEED TO
DO ALL WE CAN TO REDUCE THE 
IMPACT OF TRAVEL IMPORTED CASES.
FOR ALL OF THOSE ALREADY IN 
SELF-ISOLATION, WE KNOW THIS IS 
DIFFICULT AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR
THE SACRIFICE YOU'RE MAKING TO 
KEEP OTHERS SAFE.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: IF YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY SYMPTOMS, YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE
FOR A WALK, AS LONG AS YOU STAY 
AT LEAST TWO METRES FROM OTHERS.
AS ALWAYS, DON'T TOUCH COMMON 
SURFACES SUCH AS DOOR HANDLES 
AND WASH YOUR HANDS CAREFULLY 
AFTER YOU LEAVE HOME AND AS SOON
AS YOU'RE BACK AT HOME.
FOR THOSE WHO DO DEVELOP 
SYMPTOMS, REGARDLESS OF HOW 
SERIOUS THEY ARE, YOU MUST STAY 
AT HOME AT ALL TIMES.
ONLINE TOOLS WILL HELP YOU TO 
DETERMINE IF YOU NEED GREATER 
EVALUATION OR WHETHER YOU NEED A
COVID-19 TEST.
PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT IS AT 
CANADA.CA.
>>> IF YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING 
STIMP SYMPTOMS, IT'S OKAY TO GO 
OUT FOR A WALK.
AS ALWAYS, AVOID TOUCHING COMMON
SURFACES, DOOR KNOBS, AND WASH 
YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY.
FOR THOSE WHO DO DEVELOP 
SYMPTOMS, NO MATTER HOW MILD, 
YOU MUST REMEMBER TO REMAIN 
INSIDE YOUR HOUSE AT ALL TIMES.
RIGHT NOW IS AN EXTREMELY 
CRITICAL TIME FOR ALL OF US TO 
GET IT RIGHT.
WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE.
LET'S PLANK THE CURVE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. 
NJOO.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM MARC MILLER,
MINISTER OF INDIGENOUS SERVICES.
[Speaking French]
FIRST NATIONS, INUIT AND METIS 
ARE AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE IN
CANADA.
AND DURING THIS CRISIS IN 
PARTICULAR, THOSE IN REMOTE AND 
FLY-IN ONLY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
ARE VULNERABLE.
I WANT TO REITERATE THAT MY SOLE
PRIORITY, ONE THAT IS SHARED BY 
THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, IS THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF INDIGENOUS 
PEOPLES IN CANADA.
>> WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE 
COVID-19 SITUATION IN CANADA IS 
EVOLVING RAPIDLY.
ECONOMIC RESPONSE PLAN ANNOUNCED
BY THE PRIME MINISTER LAST WEEK,
OUR GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING $305
MILLION THROUGH THE INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITY SUPPORT FUND DIRECTLY 
TO FIRST NATIONS, INUIT AND 
METIS LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE 
THOME WITH MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY 
POSSIBLE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO
SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS REFLECT 
DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD WITH FIRST
NATIONS, INUIT AND METIS 
PARTNERS IN EACH PROVINCE AND 
TERRITORY ABOUT THEIR UNIQUE AND
SPECIFIC PRIORITIES DURING THIS 
PANDEMIC.
THESE FUNDS WILL FLOW DIRECTLY 
TO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WITH 
MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO HELP 
ADAPT RESPONSES TO ADDRESS LOCAL
NEEDS.
WE WILL DO THIS QUICKLY AND WITH
A SENSE OF URGENCY THAT THE 
SITUATION OBVIOUSLY 
NECESSITATES.
I WANT TO STRESS THAT THIS IS 
ONLY ONE OF THE FINANCIAL 
MEASURES THAT WE'RE 
CONTEMPLATING FOR FIRST NATIONS,
INUIT AND METIS.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: THIS MAY LEAD TO 
INCREASED SUPPORT FOR SENIORS, 
FOOD SUPPORT, HELP FOR CHILDREN,
AND HELP FOR THOSE WHO ARE 
UNEMPLOYED.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
OR EVEN AN EMERGENCY 
INTERVENTION SERVICES.
THE FIRST NATIONS PORTION OF 
THIS IS $250 MILLION.
EACH FIRST NATION WILL GET A 
BASE AMOUNT ADJUSTED FOR 
POPULATION, REMOTENESS AND 
COMMUNITY WELL-BEING.
THE INUIT PORTION IS $45 MILLION
AND WILL FLOW TO EACH OF THE 
FOUR INUIT CLAIM ORGANIZATIONS 
THROUGH ALLOCATION DETERMINED BY
I.T.K. AND REGIONAL LEADERSHIP.
FOR METIS, THERE WILL BE $30 
MILLION WHICH WILL FLOW THROUGH 
EACH GOVERNING MEMBER.
THE REMAINING PERCENTAGE WHICH 
ACCOUNTS FOR $15 MILLION WILL 
SUPPORT REGIONAL, URBAN AND 
INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS 
SUPPORTING THOSE WHO LIVE AWAY 
FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IT WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS 
MEASURES QUICKLY.
FROM CLOSING THEIR BORDERS TO 
DECLARING LOCAL STATES OF 
EMERGENCY.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEIR 
IMPORTANT WORK IN THE STRENGTH 
THEY'VE SHOWN, BUT LET ME BE 
CLEAR, THIS IS JUST THE 
BEGINNING.
WE KNOW THAT MORE SUPPORT WILL 
BE NEEDED AND WE'LL BE THERE TO 
MAKE SURE NO INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITY IS LEFT BEHIND.
OUR GOVERNMENT IS HERE TO 
SUPPORT YOU DURING THIS TIME.
MIIGWECH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM -- MINISTER 
OF CANADIAN HERITAGE, MR. 
STEVEN
GUILBEAULT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I THINK WE 
CAN TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE HOW 
THE CURRENT SITUATION SHOWS WE 
HAVE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY AND TAKE
CARE OF EACH OTHER.
THIS IS A COMPLEX SITUATION AND 
EVOLVING RAPIDLY.
ALL SECTORS HAVE TO BE TAKEN 
INTO ACCOUNT.
THERE ARE JOURNALISTS WHO IN 
NORMAL SITUATIONS, CRISIS 
SITUATIONS WITH EXPERIENCING 
GREAT DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE THEY 
LOSE AD REVENUE.
IT'S CRUCIAL THAT CANADIANS CAN 
OBTAIN FACTUAL INFORMATION 
RELATED TO COVID-19.
THIS IS WHY THE GOVERNMENT OF 
CANADA IS TAKING IMMEDIATE 
ACTION SO CANADIANS CAN CONTINUE
TO ACCESS DIVERSE AND RELIABLE 
SOURCES OF NEWS.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: FIRST, I'M 
PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON 
BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE, THE 
MINISTER OF CANADIAN REVENUE, 
THAT THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE 
THAT IS WORKING WITH THE C.R.A. 
IS GOING TO IMPLEMENT TAX 
MEASURES ANNOUNCED IN THE 2019, 
THEY ARE NOW FORMAL.
MOREOVER, THAT BASED ON THE $30 
MILLION INVESTED ON OUR 
GOVERNMENT IN A NATIONAL 
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ABOUT 
COVID-19, WE WILL -- THIS WILL 
BE INDUCTED IN CANADIAN MEDIA, 
WHETHER IT'S ON TV, NEWSPAPERS, 
ONLINE, SO THAT THE REVENUES 
GENERATED BY THIS CAMPAIGN 
BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO OUR MEDIA.
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS IS 
WORKING ON THIS FILE.
I WANT TO MENTION THE INITIATIVE
OF THE CANADIAN MEDICAL 
ASSOCIATION, THE ROYAL COLLEGE 
OF PHYSICIAN AND SURGEONS AND 
THE COLLEGE OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS
OF CANADA, COORDINATED BY THE 
CANADIAN PUBLIC HEALTH 
ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORTED BY 
VOLUNTEER WORK AND ADVERTISING 
AGENCY.
TOGETHER THEY ARE PREPARING A 
PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN AND 
PARTNERING WITH CANADIAN MEDIA 
AND ONLINE PLATFORM TO AIR IT.
THIS IS A REMINDER OF HOW 
CANADIANS CAN PULL TOGETHER TO 
HELP EACH OTHER.
FINALLY, BECAUSE IMMEDIATE 
ACCESS TO LIQUIDITY IS CRITICAL.
THE DEPARTMENT IS PUTTING IN A 
SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION PROCESS 
FOR THE CANADIAN BOOK FUND AND 
THE CANADIAN PERIODICAL FUND.
THIS MEANS THAT BENEFICIARIES OF
THESE PROGRAMMES WILL BE 
RECEIVING THEIR 20-21 FUNDING 
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AS 
OPPOSED TO THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE TAKE THESE MEASURES TO ENSURE
THAT ALL CANADIANS CAN RECEIVE 
FACTUAL INFORMATION AND TO 
SUPPORT OUR MEDIA AND CULTURAL 
ORGANIZATIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU, NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM 
OUR FINANCE MINISTER.
BILL, PLEASE.
>> THANKS.
THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THANK 
YOU TO ALL OF THE PARTIES THAT 
WORKED TOGETHER LAST NIGHT TO 
GET UNANIMOUS CONSEND ON OUR 
LEGISLATION ALLOWING US TO MOVE 
FORWARD WITH THE MEASURES WE 
KNOW WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD 
WITH TO SUPPORT CANADIANS.
AS YOU HEARD ME SAY, 
EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGES 
NECESSITATE EXTRAORDINARY 
MEASURES.
AND THAT IS INDEED HOW WE'VE 
GOTTEN TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THE 
BENEFITS THAT WE ARE PUTTING 
FORWARD TO SUPPORT CANADIANS, 
THE BENEFITS WE'RE PUTTING 
FORWARD TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES 
AND BENEFITS WE'RE PUTTING 
FORWARD TO SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY.
I'D LIKE TO WALK THROUGH WHERE 
WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE REALIZED OVER THE LAST 
WEEK THAT THE VERY BEST WAY TO 
SUPPORT CANADIANS WHO ARE OUT OF
WORK, WHO ARE SICK, WHO ARE IN A
SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE 
SUPPORTING ON ELDERLY PARENT, 
WHERE THEY'RE AT HOME BECAUSE 
THEY'RE PROTECTING THEMSELVES 
AND THEIR FAMILIES, IS BY HAVING
ONE EMERGENCY BENEFIT.
IN THE LEGISLATION WE MOVED 
FORWARD WITH, IT'S ONE EMERGENCY
BENEFIT, THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THE IDEA IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO 
DELIVER FOR EVERY CANADIAN THAT 
FINDS THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION 
WHERE THEY'VE EARNED REVENUE IN 
THE PAST 12 MONTHS, SO $5,000 OR
MORE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY 
INCOME AS A RESULT OF COVID-19, 
THEY CAN GET THIS BENEFIT.
IT'S $2,000 PER MONTH FOR FOUR 
MONTHS.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ENSURING 
THAT WE ENABLE PEOPLE TO BRIDGE 
THROUGH THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME
SO THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY 
NEED FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR 
FAMILIES.
WE'VE DESIGNED THIS IN A WAY SO 
IT'S A WAGE SUBSIDY DELIVERED 
DIRECTLY TO EMPLOYEES, TO 
PEOPLE.
SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT FOR 
AN EMPLOYER, THEY WILL NOT HAVE 
TO SEPARATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF 
THEIR EMPLOYEES FROM THEIR 
ORGANIZATION.
SO IN THAT WAY, WE'RE DIRECTLY 
SUPPORTING EMPLOYERS.
THEY WILL JUST BE IN A SITUATION
WHERE, IF THIS EMPLOYEE IS NO 
LONGER RECEIVING INCOME FROM 
THEIR COMPANY, THEY CAN IN FACT 
BE GUARANTEED THIS EMPLOYEE WILL
BE ABLE TO APPLY IN A SIMPLE WAY
AND GET ACCESS TO $2,000 PER 
MONTH FOR FOUR MONTHS.
THAT IS, WE THINK, CRITICALLY 
IMPORTANT.
WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE COURSE 
OF THE LAST WEEK IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE BENEFITS CAN BE 
DELIVERED, DELIVERED IN A SIMPLE
AND EFFICIENT WAY, GETTING MONEY
INTO PEOPLES' POCKETS AS RAPIDLY
AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE 
THAT ADMINISTRATION IS ABLE TO 
BE DONE.
WE'RE TARGETING THE WEEK OF 
APRIL 6TH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO 
DELIVER ON THIS FOR PEOPLE.
THAT IS IMPORTANT.
THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE TO
ENSURE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN DEAL 
WITH THE VERY LARGE VOLUMES AND 
THAT WORK IS BEING DONE BY MY 
COLLEAGUE, CARLA QUALTROUGH, MY 
COLLEAGUE DIANE LEBOUTHILLIER, 
AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW TO BEST 
DELIVER ON THAT.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE OVERALL 
ECONOMY.
THE IMPACT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING 
FOR THE ECONOMY IS VERY 
SIGNIFICANT.
THE APPROACH WE DECIDED TO TAKE 
MEANS WE'RE ENTIRELY FUNDING 
THIS THROUGH THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT MEANS THAT THE 
ESTIMATES IN TERMS OF THE KIND 
OF ECONOMIC SUPPORT THAT WE'RE 
GIVING ARE SIGNIFICANTLY 
DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE LAST 
WEEK.
SO RATHER THAN THE EXPECTATION 
OF DIRECT SUPPORT TO CANADIANS 
AND TO SMALL BUSINESSES OF $27 
BILLION, WE ARE EXPECTING RIGHT 
NOW THAT THIS DIRECT SUPPORT BE 
BUDGETED AT $52 BILLION.
SO THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE 
BECAUSE OF THE SCALE AND THE 
SIGNIFICANCE FOR PEOPLE OF THESE
BENEFITS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE 
DONE, THAT IS $52 BILLION IN 
DIRECT SUPPORT EXPECTED.
ON TOP OF THAT IS THERE $55 
BILLION IN TAX DEFERRALS THAT 
WE'VE SAID ARE THERE BECAUSE 
NEITHER INDIVIDUALS NOR 
CORPORATIONS WILL BE FORCED TO 
PAY THEIR INCOME TAX BEFORE 
AUGUST 31ST.
SO A TOTAL PACKAGE OF $107 
BILLION INTO OUR ECONOMY.
I SPENT TIME YESTERDAY ON THE 
PHONE WITH G7 FINANCE MINISTERS.
THE DAY BEFORE I SPENT TIME ON 
THE PHONE WITH G20 FINANCE 
MINISTERS PLEASE.
AND CANADA IS TAKING AN 
APPROPRIATE, BUT ALSO 
SIGNIFICANT APPROACH TO 
RESPONDING TO THE INCREDIBLE 
CHALLENGE WE'RE FACING TODAY.
[Speaking French]
>> Translator: I WOULD LIKE TO 
SAY THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR
US TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE 
PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR 
SITUATION, IF THEY DON'T HAVE 
INCOME OVER THE NEXT FOUR 
MONTHS, FOR THEM TO HAVE $2,000 
A MONTH FOR FOUR MONTHS.
THAT MEANS IT'S A DIRECT WAGE 
SUBSIDY TO PEOPLE AND WILL ALSO 
HELP COMPANIES.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO 
LOOK AT HOW WE CAN SITUATION FOR
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED 
ENTERPRISES, BUT RIGHT NOW WITH 
THESE MEASURES IT'S IMPORTANT TO
SEE WE HAVE ASSISTANCE FOR 
PEOPLE, A TOTAL OF $52 BILLION 
IN DIRECT SUPPORT, AND WITH THE 
TAX DEFERRALS FOR INDIVIDUALS 
AND COMPANIES, THEY CAN TAKE UP 
TO AUGUST 31ST TO PAY THEIR 
TAXES AND THIS WILL INJECT 
ANOTHER $55 BILLION IN REVENUE 
INTO OUR ECONOMY.
IT'S A TOTAL OF $107 BILLION.
SO WE CAN LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BE 
AGGRESSIVE TO DEAL WITH THIS 
SITUATION TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND OF COURSE I'M HAPPY TO 
ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BILL.
AND ALL COLLEAGUES.
AND WE'RE INDEED READY TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTIONS.
THREE QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE AND
THEN BACK TO THE ROOM.
OPERATOR?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
>> Reporter: THE FIRST QUESTION 
IS "THE GLOBE AND MAIL".
GO AHEAD.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON, 
THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AGAIN 
TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HEALTH 
MINISTER JUST TOLD THE UPPER 
CHAMBER THAT AS OF MIDNIGHT 
TONIGHT POWERS IN THE QUARANTINE
ACT ARE GOING TO BE USED TO 
ENSURE THAT TRAVELLERS OTHER 
THAN ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE GOING
TO BE SUBJECT TO A MANDATORY 
14-DAY ISOLATION.
MY QUESTION IS FOR THE DEPUTY 
PRIME MINISTER, CAN YOU JUST 
SPEAK TO WHY THE GOVERNMENT IS 
NOW TAKING THIS SPECIFIC STEP TO
ENSURE THAT SELF-ISOLATION FOR 
TRAVELLERS IS INDEED MANDATORY?
AND ARE YOU PLANNING AN 
ENFORCEMENT TOOL TO GO ALONG 
WITH THIS, BECAUSE HOW ARE YOU 
GOING TO POLICE PEOPLE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE 
QUESTION AND LET ME JUST 
REITERATE THAT, YES, THE HEALTH 
MINISTER WILL BE USING POWERS 
THAT SHE HAS UNDER THE 
QUARANTINE ACT BEGINNING AT 
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO IMPOSE A 
MANDATORY 14-DAY PERIOD OF 
ISOLATION ON ALL PEOPLE COMING 
INTO CANADA FROM OUTSIDE CANADA.
THIS ISSUE WAS DISCUSSED AT 
LENGTH AT THE CORONAVIRUS 
CABINET COMMITTEE ON MONDAY.
ALL CANADIANS HAVE BEEN WORKING 
VERY, VERY HARD TO PRACTISE 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN THEIR 
LIVES AND WE HAVE FOR SOME TIME 
NOW BEEN URGENTLY ADVISING 
PEOPLE COMING INTO CANADA TO 
SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS UPON 
THEIR RETURN.
WE HAVE DECIDED THAT NOW IS THE 
TIME TO MAKE THAT MEASURE 
MANDATORY.
I THINK WE ALL REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE 
THIS SELF-ISOLATION TO PROTECT 
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF 
CANADIANS.
AND I MAY TURN TO DR. NJOO TO --
WOULD YOU LIKE TO OFFER A PUBLIC
HEALTH PERSPECTIVE?
>> CERTAINLY FROM A PUBLIC 
HEALTH PERSPECTIVE WE'VE BEEN 
REPEATING MANY TIMES THAT IT'S 
IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING, SO THAT INDIVIDUALS 
DON'T EXPOSE EACH OTHER 
POTENTIALLY TO THE VIRUS.
AND ALSO THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
PRINCIPLE OF 14 DAYS BEING THE 
OUTER LIMIT FOR THE INCUBATION 
PERIOD, SO RESPECTING THIS 
PUBLIC HEALTH PRINCIPLES, THE 
MINISTER HAS SAID, TRAVELLERS 
COMING BACK TO CANADA, YOU MIGHT
HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU COME 
BACK HOME TO PROTECT FELLOW 
CANADIANS BY SELF-ISOLATING.
THIS IS JUST AN APPROPRIATE 
STEP.
>> I WILL JUST ADD, WE HAD THE 
PRIME MINISTER LED A CALL WITH 
THE PREMIERS OF THE PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES EARLIER THIS 
WEEK.
WE HAVE SEEN THE PROVINCES 
STEPPING UP AND TAKING MORE 
CLEAR MEASURES WITHIN PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES INCLUDING SOME 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES 
IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL 
FROM OUTSIDE THE PROVINCE AND 
TERRITORY.
I THINK ALL CANADIANS UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS 
SITUATION.
IT WILL GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS
BETTER.
AS A COUNTRY, WE ARE LUCKY TO 
HAVE AN OUTSTANDING NATIONAL 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND TERRIFIC 
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, BUT 
WE ALL NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN AS
WE HEARD FROM DR. NJOO AT THE 
BEGINNING OF THIS TO FLATTEN THE
CURVE AND THIS MANDATORY 
ISOLATION WILL HELP ALL OF US DO
THAT.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
JUST AS A FOLLOW-UP, I WAS 
WONDERING FOR THE FINANCE 
MINISTER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT 
YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TALKING
TO BANKS ABOUT POSSIBLY USING 
THEM TO DISTRIBUTE MONEY TO 
BUSINESSES SPECIFICALLY.
I'M WONDERING IF THE MINISTER 
CAN PLEASE PROVIDE A SPECIFIC 
UPDATE ON HOW THESE TALKS ARE 
GOING?
>> THANK YOU.
THE BANKING SYSTEM IS A SOURCE 
OF STRENGTH FOR CANADA.
WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, THE 
STRONGEST BANKING SYSTEM IN THE 
WORLD.
IT ENABLES US TO WORK TOGETHER 
WITH THE BANKING SYSTEM TO MAKE 
SURE WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE
KIND OF CREDIT THAT BUSINESSES 
NEED.
BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES.
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND HAVE 
BEEN WORKING LITERALLY OVERNIGHT
OVER THE RECENT DAYS TO MAKE 
SURE THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE 
SUPPORT THAT WE OUTLINED LAST 
WEEK, THE BUSINESS CREDIT 
AVAILABILITY PROGRAMME, THE 
BACKSTOP OF THE BUSINESS 
DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA AND 
EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 
FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND 
MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS LOANS, BUT
ALSO THE CAPACITY FOR THE BANKS 
TO DELIVER ON ALL SIDES OF 
BUSINESSES, THE KIND OF CREDIT 
THEY NEED TO GET THROUGH A 
CHALLENGING TIME.
I WOULD SAY THE DISCUSSIONS ARE 
GOING VERY WELL.
THE BANKS ARE WORKING WELL 
TOGETHER WITH US, BUT WE DON'T 
HAVE ANYTHING FINAL TO REPORT IN
TERMS OF THE PARAMETERS.
WHEN I DO HAVE THOSE FINAL 
PARAMETERS, I'LL BE COMING TO BE
TRANSPARENT AS RAPIDLY AS 
POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM 
CANADIAN PRESS.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
>> Translator: MR. MORNEAU, I 
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE NEW 
BENEFITS.
THE PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE SAID 
IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
AND SOME PEOPLE WON'T GET THESE 
FUNDS FOR AT LEAST THREE WEEKS 
AT LEAST.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE SURE 
THE PEOPLE GET THEIR FUNDS 
QUICKER?
THAT YOU CAN REACH EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT 
QUESTION.
OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS AND 
WEEKS, WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER TO 
ENSURE THAT WE CAN HAVE A SIMPLE
AND EFFICIENT APPROACH SO THAT 
WE CAN QUICKLY GET FUNDS TO 
CANADIANS WHICH IS NECESSARY IN 
OUR CURRENT SITUATION.
SO WE FOUND A FEW SYSTEMS WITHIN
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT CAN 
HELP US TO HAVE A VERY EFFICIENT
AND QUICK APPROACH.
IT WILL TAKE A FEW DAYS AND I'M 
SURE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE 
THAT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING 
PROPERLY.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO DO 
THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND 
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO 
DO.
TODAY WE THINK THAT IN THE WEEK 
OF APRIL 6TH IS WHEN WE'LL BE 
ABLE TO DELIVER THESE FUNDS FOR 
CANADIANS.
BUT IF THERE ARE ANY NEW -- IF 
THERE IS ANY NEW INFORMATION, WE
WILL BE GIVING IT TO YOU DAY BY 
DAY.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW 
THAT WE'RE ABSOLUTELY IN A 
SITUATION WHERE THIS IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING FOR US EVERY 
DAY, MYSELF AND CARLA 
QUALTROUGH, AND DIANE 
LEBOUTHILLIER ARE LOOKING AT 
THESE IMPORTANT SYSTEMS.
>> Reporter: I UNDERSTAND THE 
REFERENCE, BUT IT WON'T BE 
QUICKER.
IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER THREE 
WEEKS.
EVEN IF WE TALK ABOUT THE 10 
DAYS THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE 
DAY OF APRIL 6TH AS THE PRIME 
MINISTER SAID.
SO, THERE COULD EVEN BE A PORTAL
AND IT MIGHT WORK, CAN YOU 
COMMENT ON THAT?
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT 
THE QUARANTINE THAT MINISTER 
HAJDU IS IMPOSING AND GIVEN WHAT
IS HAPPENING IN THE U.S., WHAT 
ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO IMPOSE 
THIS QUARANTINE?
I'M UNDERSTANDING WE ARE 
ORDERING PEOPLE TO QUARANTINE 
THEMSELVES, BUT DO YOU HAVE THE 
MEANS TO CHECK PEOPLE WHO ARE 
ENTERING THE COUNTRY AND FOLLOW 
UP WITH THEM 14 DAYS AFTER THEY 
ENTER THE COUNTRY.
>> [Speaking French]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, 
WITH RESPECT TO THE QUARANTINE, 
THIS IS A CHANGE.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 
MANDATORY QUARANTINE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL HAVE 
MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO ENFORCE 
THE QUARANTINE.
THAT WILL BE FOR ALL TRAVELLERS 
FROM ABROAD, INCLUDING 
TRAVELLERS FROM THE U.S.
EXCEPT FOR WORKERS WHO DO 
ESSENTIAL WORK.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO -- 
>> Reporter: WHAT MECHANISMS --
>> ANSWER.
I WOULD LIKE TO I DON'T 
UNDERSTAND SCORE OUR ADVICE -- 
UNDERSCORE OUR ADVICE HASN'T 
CHANGED.
FOR A FEW DAYS, WE FIRMLY 
ADVISED ALL TRAVELLERS FROM 
ABROAD TO SELF-ISOLATE ONCE THEY
ENTER CANADA.
THE CHANGE TAKING PLACE 
MIDNIGHT -- AS OF MIDNIGHT, THE 
QUARANTINE WILL BECOME 
MANDATORY.
>> Reporter: BUT WHAT MECHANISMS
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
>> [Speaking French]
ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION PER CALL,
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM ALTHIA
RAJ.
>> THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE MY 
QUESTION, BUT SINCE YOU DIDN'T 
ANSWER IT, WHAT ENFORCEMENT 
MECHANISMS ARE YOU GOING TO USE 
TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE 
ABIDING THIS QUARANTINE?
>> IT WILL FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
BE A LEGAL OBLIGATION OF PEOPLE 
ENTERING CANADA FROM OUTSIDE 
CANADA TO SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 
DAYS.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS ARE EXCLUDED AS HAS BEEN
THE CASE WITH THE STRONG ADVICE 
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER, FROM 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, FOR 
SOME DAYS.
IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC 
PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT 
MECHANISMS, WE'LL BE GIVING YOU 
MORE INFORMATION LATER TODAY.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
AND MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOR 
BILL MORNEAU.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BILL, 
YESTERDAY'S BILL.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MADE 
YOU THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A 
GOOD IDEA TO ASK PARLIAMENT FOR 
THE POWERS TO TAX AND SPEND 
WITHOUT THEIR APPROVAL UNTIL THE
END OF 2021?
NOT EVEN THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT 
YEAR.
WHAT MADE YOU THINK THAT WAS AN 
APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO THIS 
CRISIS?
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE 
QUESTION.
AND I THINK WHAT I SHOULD START 
SAYING IS THAT I'M PLEASED THAT 
WE GOT LAST NIGHT, ACTUALLY 6 
A.M. THIS MORNING, UNANIMOUS 
CONSENT WITH THE OTHER PARTIES 
TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE RESPONSE 
PLAN FOR CANADIANS.
WE KNOW THIS IS AN EXTREMELY 
CHALLENGING TIME FOR PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO RESPOND 
APPROPRIATELY.
THE BILL THAT WE GOT TO, THAT 
WAS WORKED THROUGH THE SYSTEM, 
IS ONE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO 
HAVE THE ABILITIES THAT WE THINK
WE NEED.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT LAST WEEK
YOU HEARD ME SAY TO CANADIANS, 
WE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO 
SUPPORT THEM AND TO SUPPORT OUR 
ECONOMY THROUGH THIS CHALLENGING
TIME.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THAT 
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE WILL DO 
THAT.
WE WILL THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN 
HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE 
QUICKLY, TO RESPOND TO 
CHALLENGES, EVENTS THAT ARE IN 
MANY CASES COMPLETELY 
UNFORESEEN.
WHAT WE SEE, NOT ONLY IN CANADA 
BUT AROUND THE WORLD IS THAT THE
ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING ONE 
WEEK ARE DIFFERENT, 
SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN MANY 
CASES THAN THE ISSUES WE SAW THE
WEEK BEFORE.
CANADIANS EXPECT US TO BE 
PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THESE 
CHALLENGES, TO HAVE THE ABILITY 
TO MOVE QUICKLY.
TO HAVE THE FUNDING SO WHETHER 
WE NEED TO BUY PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE GEAR ON A MOMENT'S 
NOTICE BECAUSE WE CAN FIND IT, 
OR WHETHER WE NEED TO SUPPORT A 
PROVINCE THAT IS IN EXTREME 
CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF THEIR 
SITUATION, THAT WE HAVE THE 
CAPACITY TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE SEEKING TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO 
THAT.
WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THESE 
AUTHORITIES WILL BE REQUIRED AT 
AN UNPRECEDENTED SPEED.
YOU'RE HEARING TALK TODAY ABOUT 
THE NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH
DETAILS THIS AFTERNOON ON 
IMPORTANT MEASURES.
WE'RE WORKING IN ORDER TO MAKE 
SURE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO 
PROTECT CANADIANS, TO GET 
OURSELVES THROUGH THIS AND COME 
OUT OF THIS CHALLENGE.
THIS IS, WE EXPECT, A VERY 
CHALLENGING TIME, BUT A 
TEMPORARY TIME, TO COME OUT OF 
THIS WITH OUR ECONOMY INTACT.
WE UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT KNOW THE
DEPTH OR THE DURATION OF THIS 
CHALLENGE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE 
KEEN TO BE WORKING TOGETHER TO 
OTHER PARTIES TO MAKE SURE WE 
CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CAPACITY 
TO RESPOND IN A VERY, VERY 
TIMELY WAY TO EVERY CHALLENGE WE
SEE.
>> QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO BACK 
TO THE HOMES.
>> JULIE VAN DUSEN WITH CBC.
DONALD TRUMP, AMERICAN 
PRESIDENT, IS LOOKING TOWARDS 
EASTER, WHICH IS APRIL 12TH.
HE WANTS AMERICAN WORKERS BACK 
TO WORK.
CAN CANADIANS EXPECT TO BE BACK 
TO WORK AROUND THE SAME TIME?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, 
JULIE.
OUR APPROACH IN CANADA IS TO ACT
VERY MUCH IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
SCIENCE AND WITH THE ADVICE OF 
OUR EXCELLENT PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS.
MANY CANADIANS ARE AT WORK TODAY
PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND
I KNOW THAT ALL OF US ARE 
REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL TO THOSE
CANADIANS.
AS FOR CANADIANS WHO ARE DOING 
NON-ESSENTIAL WORK OR ABLE TO 
WORK FROM HOME, WE NEED TO 
CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THESE 
PRACTISES OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING
TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN FLATTEN 
THE CURVE OR IN THE TERM THAT 
DR. NJOO AND DR. TAM HAVE BEEN 
USING, PLANK THE CURVE.
I KNOW THAT WE ALL APPRECIATE, 
AND CERTAINLY AFTER THE DEBATE 
IN PARLIAMENT LAST NIGHT WE 
APPRECIATE IT EVEN MORE, 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING DOES COME AT
AN ECONOMIC COST.
OUR GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN -- 
YOU'VE HEARD MORE ABOUT IT 
NOW -- VERY SIGNIFICANT MEASURES
TO SUPPORT CANADIANS THROUGH 
THIS TIME.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO 
CANADIANS -- AND I THINK THE 
WHOLE COUNTRY GETS THIS -- IT IS
BETTER FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
OF CANADIANS AND IN THE MEDIUM 
TERM IT IS BETTER FOR OUR 
ECONOMY TO PRACTISE PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING NOW, TO FLATTEN THE 
CURVE, AND TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT
OF THIS.
IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC TIME LINES,
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND 
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS FOLLOWING 
THE SCIENCE AND SEE HOW THE 
SITUATION IS DEVELOPING.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO 
DO.
MAYBE DR. NJOO WANTS TO ADD.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCIENCE 
AND EVIDENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE 
OF OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE 
WORLD WITH THE PANDEMIC, I CAN 
SAY IT'S NOT DAYS AND WEEKS, BUT
CERTAINLY MONTHS THAT THIS 
PANDEMIC WILL ENDURE.
SO CERTAINLY FROM A PUBLIC 
HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE NOT 
THINKING IT'S GOING TO BE OVER 
IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS OR SO.
>> Reporter: WITH THIS PLAN, AND
TURNS A BLIND EYE TO THE IMPACT 
OF THE VIRUS, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN 
TO STEP UP SCREENING AT THE 
BORDER FOR EVERYONE CROSSING IT,
INCLUDING ESSENTIAL WORKERS?
>> WELL, I THINK WE ANNOUNCED 
TODAY SOME STEPPED-UP BORDER 
MEASURES WHICH ARE VERY 
IMPORTANT ONES.
THE MANDATORY QUARANTINE.
I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THOSE 
BORDERS MEASURES, I TRUST 
CANADIANS SO MUCH.
CANADIANS ARE GREAT AND PEOPLE 
HAVE BEEN MAKING REAL PERSONAL 
SACRIFICES TO SELF-ISOLATE AND 
PRACTISE PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK ALL OF
US ARE GOING TO BE AND FEEL 
SAFER WITH MANDATORY QUARANTINE 
FOR ANYONE ENTERING CANADA.
IN TERMS OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS, 
WE NEED TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFUL 
ABOUT WHAT WE DO THERE.
LET ME GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE OF 
TRUCKERS.
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED
IN GOVERNMENT AND WITH BUSINESS 
AND WITH LABOUR LEADERS 
EXTENSIVELY.
WE RELY ON CROSS-BORDER TRADE 
FOR ESSENTIAL GOODS LIKE THE 
FOOD IN OUR GROCERY STORES, FOR 
ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
AND THOSE GOODS ARRIVE VERY 
OFTEN BY TRUCK.
SO WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL 
ABOUT HOW THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE
THOSE ESSENTIAL SERVICES 
INCLUDING FACILITATING CROSS 
BORDER TRADE ARE TREATED AND 
THAT IS WHY MINISTER HAJDU 
SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT THE 
MANDATORY QUARANTINE WILL NOT 
APPLY TO ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
WE, OF COURSE, UNDERSTAND THAT 
THE SITUATION IN THE WORLD AND 
ON OUR CONTINENT IS FLUID AND 
EVOLVING.
AND AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES, 
WE'RE CONSTANTLY -- BY 
CONSTANTLY, I MEAN EVERY SINGLE 
HOUR -- REVIEWING ADDITIONAL 
MEASURES INCLUDING MEASURES AT 
THE BORDER.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL START WITH MINISTER MILLER.
WE'RE HEARING ABOUT A CAPACITY 
SHIFT TO THE SOUTH THAT DOCTORS 
ARE RETURNING FROM RESERVES TO 
SERVE IN COMMUNITIES, THERE IS 
ENCOURAGEMENT OF TELEHEALTH.
IS THAT SHIFT HAPPENING?
ARE THERE DOCTORS FROM ABROAD?
AND HOW DOES THAT FIT FOR THE 
PLEDGE TO THE INDIGENOUS 
CANADIANS.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENT 
REPORTING ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES 
IN PARTICULAR.
THERE ARE REALITIES THAT 
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES FACE, 
THAT IS SHORTAGE OF NURSES AND 
DOCTORS.
AND AS PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS, 
LOOKING AT WHAT THAT GAP IS HOW 
TO FILL IT IN THE MOST 
EXPEDITIOUS MANNER IS PART OF 
THE CONVERSATION.
THIS IS AN ONGOING DISCUSSION 
THAT IS HAPPENING IN REALTIME.
I'LL DEFER TO TOM TO ANSWER THE 
DIRECT QUESTIONS, BUT AS WE 
IDENTIFY THE NEEDS FOR SURGE 
CAPACITY WILL ALLOW US TO DEPLOY
QUICKLY IN THE REGION SHOULD THE
EPIDEMIC HIT IN A FASHION WE 
NEED TO ACT AND SUPPORT RAPIDLY,
OR GETTING OUT THE BASIC PUBLIC 
MESSAGE, THAT COMES WITH A LOT 
OF DISCUSSIONS OVER FINANCIAL 
RESOURCES, BUT ALSO PHYSICAL 
RESOURCES, PERSONAL PROTECTION 
EQUIPMENT AND GETTING DOCTORS 
AND NURSES ON SITE IN A RAPID 
FASHION, IN A WAY THAT WILL BEST
SERVE THOSE COMMUNITIES.
I'LL LET TOM ANSWER THE REST OF 
THE QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE NETWORK 
OF PHYSICIANS AND NURSES AND 
OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN 
ORDER FOR THEM TO BE PART OF THE
SURGE CAPACITY SHOULD A 
COMMUNITY NEED THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: QUESTION FOR 
DOCTOR, WE HAVE PROVINCES THAT 
ARE SHIFTING TO SATELLITE LABS 
AWAY FROM THE CENTRAL LABS.
IS EVERYTHING STILL CONFIRMED AT
THE NATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY LAB.
WHAT IS THE SERVICE STANDARD?
AND WHAT IS THE CURRENT BACKLOG 
OF THE SAMPLES TO BE TESTED?
>> OKAY, SO IN TERMS OF THE 
TESTING REGIME, AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE SITUATION IN JANUARY, 
CERTAINLY ALL OF THE LABORATORY 
CONFIRMATIONS WERE DONE BY OUR 
NATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY 
LABORATORY, BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS
GOOD COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR 
LABORATORY AND THE ONES IN THE 
PROVINCE AND TERRITORIES AND NOW
WE HAVE A VALIDATED.
SO THERE IS NO NEED TO HAVE THE 
TEST OR RECONFIRMED IF ONE OF 
THE PROVINCIAL LABS VALIDATES 
IT, HAS THEIR OWN TEST RESULT AS
POSITIVE, THAT IS CONFIRMED.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE 
MML.
AT THIS POINT, IT'S THERE TO 
HELP THE SMALLER PROVINCES THAT 
MAY NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY.
AND CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF THE 
TURNAROUND TIME, ONCE THEY GET 
THE SAMPLE IT TAKES LESS THAN A 
DAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY 
QUESTION.
MY FIRST QUESTION FOR DR. NJOO.
IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT C13 
LET'S THE GOVERNMENT CREATE 
INVENTION TO RESPOND TO THE 
HEALTH EMERGENCY?
DOES THIS APPLY TO DRUGS AND 
COULD IT LEAD TO VACCINES?
>> THAT IS OUT OF MY SCOPE IN 
TERMS OF MY EXPERTISE.
CERTAINLY AS A PUBLIC HEALTH 
PHYSICIAN, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY
WITH HEALTH CANADA, BUT IF 
YOU'RE LOOKING AT LICENCING 
REGULATIONS, I'M NOT IN A 
POSITION TO ANSWER THAT.
WE KNOW OBVIOUSLY, OUR MINISTER 
OF HEALTH, MINISTER HAJDU, HAS 
APPROVED SOME OF THE NEW TESTING
TECHNOLOGY, SO I CAN SPEAK TO 
THE POSTURE IN TERMS OF THE 
LABORATORY TEST APPROACHING 
APPROACH, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO 
THAT.
>> WORTH A SHOT.
YOU HAVE SAID THERE IS 
ADDITIONAL AID AND MEASURES 
COMING.
I'M WONDERING CAN YOU KNOW WHEN 
WE'LL SEE THE AID AND WHAT AREAS
IT'S GOING TO BE IN AND WHEN 
WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE ENERGY 
PACKAGE?
>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO MAKE 
SURE WE DEAL WITH THE MOST 
URGENT AND IMPORTANT ISSUES 
FIRST.
AND WHAT, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, 
WE'VE REALIZED IS THAT THERE 
WILL BE CANADIANS, MANY 
CANADIANS, WHO FIND THEMSELVES 
WITHOUT INCOME, PERHAPS ALREADY,
AND CERTAINLY IN THE COMING 
DAYS.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT THAT THE VERY 
FIRST THING ON OUR AGENDA, 
PRETTY MUCH SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH 
ESAID WE NEED TO SUPPORT 
BUSINESSES SO THEY CAN BRIDGE 
THIS TIME FROM WHERE WE ARE 
TODAY TO WHEN WE GET THROUGH THE
ISSUE.
THAT HAS MEANT WE NEED TO WORK 
ON MULTIPLE FRONTS AT THE SAME 
TIME.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE 
ADEQUATE FINANCIAL CAPABILITY 
FOR FIRMS TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING WITH
THE BANKS TO MAKE SURE CREDIT 
AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES SMALL 
AND LARGE.
AND IT MEANS WE NEED TO BE THINK
BEING NOT ONLY THE SCALE OF THE 
COMPANIES, BUT ALSO THE 
PARTICULAR SECTORS.
YOU MENTIONED THE OIL AND GAS 
SECTOR, THE ENERGY SECTOR.
IT IS ONE OF THE SECTORS THAT IS
PARTICULARLY HARD-HIT BECAUSE 
THEY HAVE THE ISSUE BOTH AROUND 
THE COVID-19 CHALLENGE AND 
AROUND THE LOW PRICE OF OIL AND 
GAS AS A RESULT OF THE OPEC 
DECISION.
SO WE KNOW THAT IS AT OR NEAR 
THE FRONT OF THE THINGS WE NEED 
TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, BECAUSE 
THE SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED 
ENTERPRISES IN THAT SECTOR ARE 
PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE 
UNDERSTAND IT'S MULTIPLE 
SECTORS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AIRLINES 
SECTOR.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HOSPITALITY
SECTOR WRIT LARGE WHICH IS 
FACING ENORMOUS CHALLENGES, 
MAKING SURE WE CAN DELIVER FROM 
THEM.
IN TERMS OF WHEN WE HAVE MORE TO
SAY, IT WILL BE IN THE VERY NEAR
TERM.
IN THE COMING DAYS WE WANT TO 
GIVE PEOPLE A MORE FULL 
UNDERSTANDING HOW THE IMPACTS 
WILL BE MITIGATED TO THE BEST 
EXTENT POSSIBLE IN THIS 
CHALLENGING TIME.
TODAY, I THINK WHAT YOU'VE HEARD
US SAY IS NOT ONLY ARE WE 
ENSURING THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS
TO $2,000 A MONTH FOR FOUR 
MONTHS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING 
THAT IS DIRECTLY ADVANTAGING 
COMPANIES, BECAUSE THE COMPANIES
DON'T NEED TO SEPARATE THEIR 
EMPLOYEE FROM THEIR COMPANY.
THEY JUST NEED TO SAY, WE CAN'T 
PAY YOU DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THERE IS A 
DIRECT WAGE SUBSIDY TO PEOPLE, 
TO EMPLOYEES, SO THEY CAN 
ACTUALLY LIVE THEIR LIVES WHEN 
THIS DONE AND THEY CAN GO BACK 
TO WORK FOR THEIR EMPLOYERS AND 
THAT WE THINK IS CRITICALLY 
IMPORTANT.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THREE 
QUESTIONS.
ONE IN FRENCH TO START: 
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
>> Translator: THANK YOU.
MR. MORNEAU, I'D LIKE TO 
UNDERSTAND YOUR FIRST ASSISTANCE
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS A WEEK AGO 
ALREADY AND YOU SAID WE'RE 
LOOKING AT APRIL 6TH FOR AN 
ONLINE PORTAL, ANOTHER 10 DAYS, 
WHICH BRINGS US TO THE 17TH OF 
APRIL, MR. TRUDEAU SAYS IT COULD
TAKE A FEW DAYS FOR A CHEQUE, 
THAT WILL LEAD US TO THE 27TH.
THERE ARE A MILLION PEOPLE WHO 
ASKED FOR EI LAST WEEK.
PEOPLE NEED THE MONEY URGENTLY 
AND YOU'RE TELLING THEM 27 DAYS 
FROM THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT AND 
WHEN THE CHEQUE ARRIVES.
IS THAT REASONABLE?
HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY SUCH A 
DELAY?
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT THIS 
SITUATION IS URGENT.
AND THAT IS WHY WE FOUND A 
SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO 
DELIVER OUR AID.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SYSTEM 
THAT WILL BE DELIVERED TO 
PEOPLE, DELIVERING MONEY IN THE 
COMING WEEKS.
WE THINK IT WILL START IN THE 
WEEK OF APRIL 6TH.
I CAN'T TELL YOU AN EXACT DATE 
BECAUSE WE'RE ENSURING THAT OUR 
SYSTEM WILL BE WORKING.
CLEARLY, OUR SYSTEMS DIDN'T HAVE
THE CAPACITY TO FACE -- RISE TO 
THIS CHALLENGE AND THAT'S WHY 
WE'RE FINDING AWAY TO DEAL WITH 
IT.
IT'S URGENT, IMPORTANT AND WE'RE
GOING TO BE THERE.
I KNOW IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER FEW 
DAYS.
I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO THIS, WE HAVE 
TO HAVE AN APPROACH THAT WORKS.
OTHERWISE, THE SITUATION WILL 
GET EVEN WORSE.
IN THE COMING DAYS, WE'RE GOING 
TO HAVE MORE DETAILS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU 
EXACTLY HOW AND WHEN AND, OF 
COURSE, WE DO HAVE TO WORK 
TOGETHER TO ENSURE -- WE DO HAVE
A GOOD APPROACH.
>> Reporter: MY QUESTION IS VERY
PRECISE.
I'M NOT SURE IF SOMEONE CAN 
ANSWER IT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER 
THAT IS OKAY, BUT THE WORK THAT 
IS BEING DONE ON THE EFFICIENT 
SYSTEM TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDING TO 
CANADA, WHEN DID THE TECHNICAL 
WORK ACTUALLY BEGIN TO MAKE THE 
SYSTEM WORK?
WE HEARD LAST WEEK.
WE WAITED FOR THE BILL TO BE 
ADOPTED.
BUT WE WANT TO KNOW WHEN YOU 
STARTED TO ELABORATING THE 
SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO 
IMPLEMENT?
>> ANSWER.
WE STARTED THE APPROACH OVER THE
PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THAT WAS ALREADY UNDER WAY.
AND NOW WE WANT TO MAKE SURE 
THAT GIVEN THE SCALE AND THE 
LEVEL OF DEMAND, THAT WE'RE ABLE
TO ENSURE THAT THE MONEY WILL BE
THERE FOR PEOPLE.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE TO SAY 
ABOUT THIS AND THE WORK WHICH 
STARTED MORE THAN A WEEK AGO.
AND WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE THE 
MOST EFFICIENT SYSTEM IN THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE 
THAT THE FUNDS ARE THERE.
AND THE REASON WE DECIDED THIS 
WEEK TO HAVE A SINGLE BENEFIT IN
PLACE FOR ALL CANADIANS IN A 
SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE LACKING 
INCOME BECAUSE OF COVID-19 IS 
BECAUSE, CLEARLY, WE DO HAVE TO 
HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS EFFICIENT 
AND STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WE'LL BE THERE FOR THEM.
AND I THINK WE FOUND A GOOD 
SOLUTION AND WE'RE GOING TO 
CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT 
THE SYSTEM WILL FUNCTION AS IT 
SHOULD.
>> THANK YOU.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT QUESTION.
"TORONTO STAR" GO AHEAD.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: JUST ON THE NEXT 
STEP OF THE FINANCIAL AID 
TARGETED AT CERTAIN SECTORS, 
DOES THE BILL THAT WE EXPECT TO 
BE PASSED BY THE SENATE TODAY, 
THE NEW BILL, GIVE THE 
GOVERNMENT THE POWER TO ENACT 
THAT SPENDING, TO SEND OUT THE 
NEXT STEP OF MONEY FOR THIS 
WITHOUT RECALLING PARLIAMENT, 
WITHOUT PASSING ANOTHER BILL?
>> I THINK THAT QUESTION WAS FOR
ME?
>> Reporter: YES.
>> I DO, TOO.
>> SO WHAT IS CLEAR, WE NEED TO 
HAVE THE CAPACITY IN THIS 
GOVERNMENT TO ACT RAPIDLY.
WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE 
CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING.
WE KNOW THAT GETTING THE 
OPPORTUNITY FOR CREDIT TO 
BUSINESSES SMALL, MEDIUM AND 
LARGE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO DO THAT
WE NEED TO HAVE THE AUTHORITIES 
TO MAKE SURE THAT BUSINESS 
DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, 
EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, 
BOTH HAVE THE ABILITY TO 
DELIVER.
THAT GOES AS WELL FOR FARM 
CREDIT CANADA.
SO THE BILL AS IT'S BEING LOOKED
AT RIGHT NOW BY THE SENATE 
ENABLES US TO LIST THOSE -- LIFT
THOSE LIMITS SO WE CAN DELIVER 
THAT SORT OF FINANCIAL CREDIT 
APPROPRIATELY CONSIDERED TO ALL 
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE 
PARLIAMENT HAS APPROVED THIS 
MORNING, AS YOU KNOW, AT 6:00, 
THAT BILL THAT DOES ALLOW US 
THAT CAPACITY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING 
TOGETHER WITH THE BANKS TO 
ENSURE WE GET IT OUT IN A RAPID 
WAY FOR BUSINESSES FACING 
CHALLENGES.
>> JUST AS A FOLLOW-UP, I THINK 
THIS MIGHT BE FOR THE DEPUTY 
PRIME MINISTER ON THE ENFORCED 
MANDATORY QUARANTINE.
WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE 
RETURNED FROM SPRING BREAK, 
WE'VE SEEN REPATRIATION FLIGHTS 
IN RECENT DAYS.
WILL THIS APPLY RETROACTIVELY TO
PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME BACK TO 
CANADA RECENTLY?
WILL IT APPLY RETROACTIVELY?
>> NO, THE MANDATORY ISOLATION 
APPLIES AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
 FOR ALL TRAVELLERS INTO CANADA.
AND JUST LET ME REMIND PEOPLE 
THAT ALREADY WHEN PEOPLE SAY FLY
INTO CANADA, ALREADY AT THOSE 
KIOSKS, YOU GET A SCREEN WHICH 
STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU 
SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS.
AND YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
YOU HAVE RECEIVED THAT STRONG 
RECOMMENDATION.
SO THAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE.
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY CLEARLY BEING
ADVISED TO DO THIS.
AND THEY NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE 
THEY'RE ADVISED TO DO THIS.
WE WILL, FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, 
BE TAKING THE CONTACT DETAILS OF
ALL RETURNING -- WELL, OF ALL 
PEOPLE COMING INTO CANADA, AND 
THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THEM 
TO BE SURE THAT THEY ARE, 
INDEED, SELF-ISOLATING BECAUSE 
AS OF MIDNIGHT THAT BECOMES 
MANDATORY.
BUT LET ME EMPHASIZE, YOU SHOULD
BE DOING IT ALREADY.
THIS IS A STEP WE CAN ALL TAKE 
TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
OF CANADIANS AND ULTIMATELY TO 
ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMIC REBOUND
COMES MORE QUICKLY.
IF WE CAN FLATTEN THE CURVE, 
THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO NORMAL 
LIFE MORE QUICKLY.
>> THANK YOU, ONE LAST QUESTION 
ON THE PHONE.
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE ONE FROM THE
ROOM.
CALL IT A DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM 
RADIO-CANADA.
GO AHEAD, YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: [Speaking French]
TRANSWE'VE SEEN THAT THE 
SITUATION IS WORSENING IN THE 
U.S. AND THEY'RE CLOSE TO US.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT
DOES THIS CONCERN YOU?
[please stand by]
interpreter]
THIS QUARANTINE IS NOW
MANDATORY, UNDER LAW, AS
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
IT IS ANOTHER MEASURE THAT
STRENGTHENS OUR ABILITY TO
PROTECT CANADIANS FROM
CHALLENGES AND EVEN
POTENTIALLY THREATS THAT
EXIST ELSEWHERE IN THE
WORLD.
NOTABLY, SOUTH OF THE
BORDER.
[Speaking French][Speaking throh
interpreter]
IT IS IS A POSSIBILITY,
POSSIBLY -- COULD YOU
CONSIDER RESTRICTING
TRAFFIC ADDITIONALLY TO
AVOID CONTAMINATION
INCREASING IN CANADA?
>> ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE
TABLE.
WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL
POSSIBILITIES.
ALWAYS, OF COURSE, WITH
THE CONCERN OF HAVING
ESSENTIAL GOODS IN CANADA
AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT,
FOOD THAT PEOPLE NEED TO
LIVE AND EVEN SURVIVE IN
CANADA.
BUT, OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS
HAVE TO KEEP A CAREFUL EYE
ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
THE UNITED STATES.
THANK YOU.
[End of translation]
>> I'LL GO BACK TO THE
ROOM FOR ONE LAST
QUESTION.
MIKE FROM GLOBAL?
>> I'M GOOD.
>> MAYBE ONE LAST QUESTION
ON THE PHONE, MAYBE,
OPERATOR?
>> CERTAINLY.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
LAUREN GARDNER OF
"POLÍTICO."
PLEASE GO AHEAD, YOUR LINE
IS OPEN.
>> Caller: THANKS FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
BOTH THE PRIME MINISTER
AND MR. DECLAUDE HAVE
INDICATED THAT
RESTRICTIONS AT THE
CANADA-U.S. BORDER COULD
BE TIGHTENED EVEN FURTHER,
DEPENDING ON HOW THE
NUMBER OF CASES OUT IN THE
STATE.
AND THE MINISTER ALSO
MENTIONED WORKERS AND
THAT.
COULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IT
WOULD TAKE, WHAT THE
THRESHOLD MIGHT BE FOR THE
GOVERNOR TO FURTHER
TIGHTEN WHAT IS ALREADY
HAPPENING AT THE BORDER,
AND WHAT ARE THE
CONTINGENCY PLANS THAT THE
PRIME MINISTER MENTIONED
YESTERDAY AT THE BORDER
LOOKS LIKE?
>> Chrystia Freeland: I
THINK WE HAVE SEEN TODAY
SOME OF THE CONTINGENCY
PLANS THAT THE PRIME
MINISTER WAS REFERRING TO
COMING INTO FORCE.
OBLIGATORY QUARANTINE OF
EVERYONE COMING INTO
CANADA IS A SERIOUS
FURTHER STEP.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP,
AND IT SHOULD MAKE ALL
CANADIANS FEEL MUCH SAFER.
WE TOOK, LAST WEEK, VERY
CAREFUL AND VERY
SIGNIFICANT MEASURES WHEN
IT COMES TO OUR BORDER
WITH THE UNITED STATES.
MEASURES THAT WE TOOK VERY
MUCH IN COLLABORATION AND
COOPERATION WITH OUR
AMERICAN NEIGHBOURS, AND
MEASURES THAT WERE
CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO
ENSURE THAT ESSENTIAL
WORK, ESSENTIAL TRADE CAN
CONTINUE.
YOU HEARD US ALL TODAY
REALLY EMPHASIZING THE
EXTENT TO WHICH THE FOOD
ON OUR TABLES, THE DRUGS
IN OUR DRUGSTORES REALLY
DEPEND ON THAT
CROSS-BORDER TRADE.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE
TO THANK THE TRUCKERS WHO
ARE DRIVING BACK AND FORTH
ACROSS THE BORDER EVERY
DAY.
THEY ARE DOING IMPORTANT
WORK, WHICH WE NEED TO
ACTUALLY SURVIVE.
WE ARE, OF COURSE,
THINKING VERY CAREFULLY
ABOUT ADDITIONAL MEASURES.
YOU'VE SEEN US ALREADY IN
THE COURSE OF JUST THE
PAST 10 DAYS TAKE A REAL
SERIES OF STEPS TO IMPROVE
CONTROL AT THE BORDER,
INCLUDING THE OBLIGATORY
QUARANTINE.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE
CONSTANTLY REVIEWING, AND
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW
IT.
I ALSO DO WANT TO SAY THAT
CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC HAS
BEEN DECREASING VERY
SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO WE HAVE BEEN SEEING
PEOPLE RESPONDING BOTH TO
THESE BORDER RESTRICTIONS,
AND ALSO TO THE BROADER
MESSAGE, WHICH PEOPLE ARE
HEARING FROM THEIR
GOVERNMENTS IN BOTH CANADA
AND THE UNITED STATES,
AND, FRANKLY, AROUND THE
WORLD.
AND THAT MESSAGE IS THAT
NOW IS THE TIME TO STAY
HOME.
NOW IS THE TIME TO
PRACTICE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING, AND THAT IS
WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON OUR
CONTINENT, AT OUR BORDER,
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Caller: AND AS A
FOLLOWUP, MS. FREELAND,
I'M WONDERING WHAT IT WAS
LIKE TO MAKE THESE SORTS
OF CALLS YOU WERE
DESCRIBING OVER THE LAST
10 DAYS, UNDERING YEAR IN
UNCHARTERED TERRITORY AND
IT IS A PANDEMIC, BUT THIS
GOVERNMENT HAS A HISTORY
OF PROJECTING IT IS OPEN
TO PEOPLE COMING FROM
DIFFERENT PLACES.
WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO
MAKE THESE CALLS THAT ARE
SOMEWHAT OF A TOTAL 180 IN
SOME RESPECTS?
>> Chrystia Freeland: I
DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE AT
ODDS WITH OUR GOVERNMENT'S
OR MY CORE BELIEFS IN ANY
WAY.
OUR GOVERNMENT TOTALLY
UNDERSTANDS THAT OUR
ABSOLUTE PRIORITY NEEDS TO
BE THE HEALTH OF SAFETY OF
CANADIANS.
IN PURSUIT OF THAT, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS,
MUNICIPAL LEADERS,
INDIGENOUS LEADERS,
CANADIANS VISIT THE
COUNTRY HAVE BEEN DOING
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT IN
SCHOOL.
VERY, VERY MANY PEOPLE ARE
WORKING FROM HOME.
MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT
WORKING AT ALL.
WE ARE PRACTICING, ALL OF
US, SOCIAL DISTANCING -- I
HOPE ALL OF US ARE
PRACTICING IT -- IN WAYS
THAT HAVE HAD A HUGE IN
PACT ON ALL OF OUR LIVES.
THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY
TIMES, AND I KNOW THAT WE
ALL GET THAT.
AND THOSE EXTRAORDINARY
CHANGES ABSOLUTELY NEED TO
HAVE AN IMPACT, AND HAVE
HAD AN IMPACT, ON WHAT
WE'RE DOING AT OUR
BORDERS.
THIS IS NOT ANY KIND OF
SHIFT IN OUR GOVERNMENT'S
VIEWS.
THIS IS ABOUT TAKING VERY
PRACTICAL STEPS TO PROTECT
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
CANADIANS.
THE 14-DAY QUARANTINE IS
VERY MUCH ANOTHER STEP ON
THAT PATH.
AND WE WILL ALWAYS PUT THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
CANADIANS FIRST.
AND I THINK ALL OF US FEEL
VERY CLEAR AND VERY
CONFIDENT THAT THAT IS THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> OKAY.
MERCÍ BEAUCOUP.[Speaking through
interpreter]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT WRAPS UP OUR PRESS
CONFERENCE FOR TODAY.
[End of translation]
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS OUR DAILY BRIEFING
FROM CABINET MINISTERS AND
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ON
THE PANDEMIC IN THIS
COUNTRY.
A BIG BIT OF NEWS CAME OUT
ACTUALLY IN THE SENATE A
SHORT TIME AGO, WHERE
HEALTH MINISTER PATTY
HAJDU WAS ANSWERING
QUESTIONS FROM SENATORS
AROUND THE COVID-19
SPECIAL AID PACKAGE.
BUT AS SHE WAS ANSWERING
THOSE QUESTIONS, THE
HEALTH MINISTER ANNOUNCED
MUCH TOUGHER MEASURES, A
SIGNIFICANT MOVE BY THE
GOVERNMENT, TO MAKE SURE
THAT TRAVELERS RETURNING
TO CANADA WHO PREVIOUSLY
HAD BEEN ASKED TO
SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS
ARE NOW GOING TO BE
ASKED -- WILL BE REQUIRED,
RATHER, TO HAVE ISOLATION
FOR 14 DAYS UNDER THE
QUARANTINE ACT.
LET ME LET THE HEALTH
MINISTER EXPLAIN THIS
MEASURE.
>> AFFECTIVE AT MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT, TRAVELERS
RETURNING TO CANADA, WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF ESSENTIAL
WORKERS, WILL BE SUBJECT
TO A MANDATORY 14-DAY
ISOLATION UNDER THE
QUARANTINE ACT.
IT WILL PROVIDE THE
CLARITY ABOUT THE
ESSENTIAL NEEDS TO
SELF-ISOLATE.
THOSE WHO EXHIBIT SYMPTOMS
UPON ARRIVING TO CANADA
WILL BE FORBIDDEN TO USE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND THEY WILL BE FORBIDDEN
TO SELF-ISOLATE WHERE
THERE ARE VULNERABLE
PEOPLE.
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
AND THAT IS THE HEALTH
MINISTER, PATTY HAJDU,
WITH THAT NEWS.
A LITTLE CURIOUS BECAUSE
THE PRIME MINISTER GOT A
COUPLE OF VERY SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT
EARLIER, BUT DID NOT INT
THAT THE FEDERAL HINT
THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WAS MAKING THIS
DECISION TO USE THE
QUARANTINE ACT TO ENFORCE
NOW ISOLATION ON PEOPLE
COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF
THIS COUNTRY.
AND STILL LOTS OF
QUESTIONS IN THAT PRESS
CONFERENCE LEFT, VASSY,
ABOUT HOW THAT ACTUALLY
WORKS.
AND I'M STILL NOT CLEAR ON
WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS.
>> Vassy: YEAH.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, OR
CHRYSTIA FREELAND SEEMED
TO INDICATE THAT THE
ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF
THINGS, HOW IT WILL WORK,
THAT INFORMATION WILL BE
RELEASED LATER TODAY.
YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THE
PRIME MINISTER GOT THIS
EXACT QUESTION: WHY ARE
YOU USING THE HONOUR
SYSTEM?
WHY DON'T YOU USE THE
QUARANTINE ACT TO ENFORCE
THIS ASK YOU HAVE MADE.
HE SPECIFICALLY DID NOT
SAY IT WILL BE USED.
HE SAID THIS IS WHAT IS
REQUIRED, AND THEN MINUTES
LATER THE HEALTH MINISTER
MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS, ACCORDING TO
MINISTER FREELAND, BECOMES
A LEGAL OBLIGATION AS OF
MIDNIGHT.
AND IT ALSO EXCLUDES
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
SO I THINK THAT IS PERT
PERTINENT TO A LOT OF THE
PEOPLE GOING CROSS-BORDER.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE
TRAVELING BETWEEN THE
BORDERS, BUT IF YOU ARE,
FOR EXAMPLE, A TRUCKER
THAT IS BRINGING GOODS
THAT CANADIANS NEED, OR
SHIPPING THAT TYPE OF
THING, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU
WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM
THIS.
AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO
ENFORCE THIS, WHAT
PENALTIES DO PEOPLE FACE
IF THEY DON'T COMPLY?
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO EVEN
FIND OUT THEY'RE NOT
COMPLYING?
HOW IS THIS LOGISTICALLY
GOING TO WORK.
AND THE GOVERNMENT AT THIS
POINT PROVIDED NO DETAILS
ON THAT.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
CHRYSTIA FREELAND
INDICATING THAT THAT
SPECIFIC INFORMATION WOULD
COME LATER TODAY.
>> Rosemary: AND THE
ONLY OTHER HINT I THINK WE
GOT ON HOW IT MIGHT WORK,
I THINK IT WAS THE DEPUTY
PRIME MINISTER AGAIN
SAYING WE WILL FOLLOW UP
WITH THEM AFTER THEY HAVE
BEEN TAKEN INTO A
DIFFERENT LOCATION.
PATTY HAJDU AS WELL
SUGGESTING THAT THE PUBLIC
HEALTH AGENCY MIGHT HOUSE
THESE PEOPLE TEMPORARILY,
IF NEEDED, OR GET THEM TO
THEIR NEXT LOCATION IN
ORDER TO ISOLATE IN A
MANDATORY WAY.
IT IS OBVIOUSLY PART OF
THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE
FACT THAT THE UNITED
STATES DOES NOT SEEM TO
HAVE A HANDLE ON THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN ANY
WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
IF YOU LOOK AT NEW YORK,
WHICH WE, OF COURSE, SHARE
ABORTED WITH, THINGS ARE
NOT GOING WELL.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE THE U.S.
PRESIDENT SAYING THINGS
LIKE "THIS IS GOING TO BE
OVER IN TWO WEEKS," THAT
IS OBVIOUSLY CAUSE OF
CONCERN FOR CANADA.
AND IT MEANS ALL OF THE
CANADIANS WAITING TO ARE
REPATRIATED WILL BE IN AN
ENFORCED MANDATORY
ISOLATION FOR 14 DAYS
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE
WEREN'T FOLLOWING THE
RULES.
I'LL GOING TO KATHRYN TO
CIRCLE ON THE OTHER BIG
ANNOUNCEMENT.
THERE IS ALWAYS NEWS
DURING THIS TIME, AND THAT
IS ON THE CANADA EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BENEFIT.
THE FINANCE MINISTER WILL
RECEIVE -- HE WAS ASKED
ABOUT HOW THAT IS GOING TO
WORK.
KATHRYN, WHAT STOOD OUT
FOR YOU THERE?
>> HE IS CONTINUING TO BE
PRESSED ABOUT THE BIG
QUESTION IN ALL OF THIS,
WHICH IS: WHEN ARE YOU
GOING TO BE ABLE TO
DELIVER THIS?
NOW YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE
MECHANISM IN PLACE AND GET
THE MONEY OUT TO PEOPLE.
HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO
CANADIANS THAT THIS IS
TAKING SO LONG?
AND THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS
SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT.
IT IS AN UNPRECEDENTED
EFFORT.
THEY'RE SIEGED WITH THE
URGENCY OF THIS.
WE GOT SOME INFORMATION
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED
OVER IN THEIR JOBS.
1300 PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME
FROM OTHER PARTS OF
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE TRYING
TO HELP PROCESS ALL OF
THESE APPLICATIONS.
WE KNOW FOR ANYONE WHO IS
LISTENING AND WANTS TO
KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN, THE GOVERNMENT IS
TALKING ABOUT GETTING SOME
SORT OF ONLINE PORTAL UP,
PERHAPS AS EARLY AS
APRIL 6th, AND
DEFINITELY QUESTIONS ABOUT
TIMELINE.
AS WE CREEP CLOSER AND
CLOSER TO THE END OF THE
MONTH, AND MANY PEOPLE
HAVE BILLS COMING UP -- I
WOULD ALSO NOTE ON THAT
QUESTION ABOUT THE
QUARANTINE ACT AND THE
MEASURES PATTY HAJDU WILL
BE PUTTING INTO PLACE, SHE
DID SAY OVER THE WEEKEND
THAT ONE OF THE OPTIONS
OPEN TO HER UNDER THE
QUARANTINE ACT ARE FINES
AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
WE KNOW THAT IS AN OPTION
THAT THEY HAVE.
AND I WAS REALLY STRUCK
WHEN CHRYSTIA FREELAND
SAID, IT SHOULD MAKE ALL
CANADIANS FEEL MUCH SAFER
THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW
DOING THIS.
IF IT IS REALLY GOING TO
MAKE THAT BIG OF A
DIFFERENCE, IF THAT IS NOT
JUST HYPERBOLE, SOME
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
ASKING WHY DIDN'T THEY DO
THIS EARLIER.
>> Rosemary: THE
ESSENTIAL WORKERS THAT ARE
ALREADY TRAVELING BACK AND
FORTH CAN CONTINUE TO DO
THAT, AS VASSY POINTED
OUT.
AND AS THE DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER SAID, THE AMOUNT
OF TRAVELING HAPPENING
ACROSS THE BORDER IS VERY,
VERY SMALL BECAUSE YOU
CAN'T TRAVEL FOR
RECREATIONAL REASONS.
MY FABULOUS PRODUCER SENT
ME THIS, WHAT THE
QUARANTINE ACT GIVES THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POWERS
TO DO, TO FINE OR JAIL
SOMEONE VIOLATING
INSTRUCTIONS, AND THEY CAN
FACE A FINE OF UP TO
$1 MILLION AND AS MANY AS
THREE YEARS IN PRISON.
IT IS A SERIOUS TOOL, AND
HOW THEY ACTUALLY ENFORCE
IT, THOSE DETAILS TO COME.
VASSY KAPELOS AND
CATHERINE CULLEN, THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US.
AND YOU CATCH VASSY
KAPELOS ON "POWER AND
POLITICS."
AS WE GET UPDATES ON THE
STATE OF THE PANDEMIC
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE'LL
GET MORE UPDATES
PROVINCIALLY AS THE DAY
GOES ON.
LET ME TELL YOU AS OF
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MORE
THAN 3,000 CASES IN
CANADA, AND MORE THAN 27
DEATHS, WITH QUEBEC
CONFIRMING IN THIS HOUR
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MORE
DEATHS IN THAT PROVINCE.
LET ME SIGN OFF WITH MY
COVERAGE, AND LET'S BRING
YOU TO QUEBEC CITY WHERE
PREMIER FRANÇOIS LEQAULT
IS PROVIDING AN UPDATE IN
THE PROVINCE.
[Speaking French][Speaking throh
interpreter]
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 1,39
CONFIRMED CASE.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT
IS NECESSARY.
I ADMIT WE HAD A FEW
PROBLEMS IN THE
DISTRIBUTION, AND WE ARE
CORRECTING THIS RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS
GOING TO BE NEGLECTED TO
PROTECT OUR HEALTH CARE
STAF
