COVID-19.
HIS FOCUS TODAY WILL BE ON THAT 
ONE-TIME BOOST TO THE CANADA 
CHILD BENEFIT THAT WAS 
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED.
IT IS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S 
BID, OF COURSE, TO HELP CANADIAN
FAMILIES DURING ALL OF THIS.
BUT THE PRIME MINISTER IS ALSO 
EXPECTED TO ADDRESS A BIG 
PICTURE ECONOMIC ISSUE TODAY, 
THE NEWS OF AIR CANADA HAS 
ANNOUNCED IT'S PLANNING TO 
LAYOFF AT LEAST HALF OF ITS 
WORKFORCE.
IT'S YET ANOTHER HIGH-PROFILE 
CANADIAN COMPANY THAT IS 
STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT, SO 
WE'LL BRING YOU THAT IN ABOUT 15
MINUTES' TIME WHEN THE PRIME 
MINISTER COMES OUT OF HIS FRONT 
DOOR.
IN THE MEANTIME, LET ME BRING IN
FROM OUR PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU 
THE CBC'S DAVID COCHRANE IS 
JOINING ME TODAY IN OTTAWA ON 
THIS SATURDAY.
THANKS FOR DOING THAT, DAVID.
SO LET'S START WITH THE AIR 
CANADA ANNOUNCEMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK SHORTLY WITH
THE PROFESSOR ABOUT IT TOO, BUT 
THESE ARE SUBSTANTIAL LAYOFFS, 
SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 
OF 20,000 PEOPLE, AND IT COMES 
IN SPITE OF SIGNIFICANT PACKAGES
OFFERED TO LARGE COMPANIES LIKE 
AIR CANADA.
>> David: YEAH, I THINK IT'S 
GOING TO BE INTERESTING WHAT THE
PRIME MINISTER HAS TO SAY ABOUT 
THAT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO 
BE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF NEWS 
IN HIS ACTUAL SPEECH OR 
ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY.
IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE A SUMMARY OF
THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY
ANNOUNCED, BUT HIS RESPONSE TO 
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH ONE OF 
CANADA'S LARGEST AND MOST 
IMPORTANT COMPANIES IS GOING TO 
BE INTERESTING.
AND ROSIE, IT REALLY JUST 
ILLUSTRATES THE CHALLENGE THAT 
NOT ONLY AIR CANADA FACES BUT 
CANADA AS A WHOLE FACES IN 
COMING OUT OF THE ECONOMIC 
DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THE 
PANDEMIC.
THE AIRLINE SECTOR ACUTELY 
VULNERABLE, AND AIR TRAVEL BEING
DOWN I BELIEVE 95% OR JUST 
AROUND 95%, GIVE OR TAKE, SINCE 
THE BEGINNING OF THIS.
AND AIR CANADA SUFFERING A 
BILLION DOLLAR LOSS IN THE FIRST
QUARTER, AND EVEN WITH THINGS 
LIKE THE WAGE SUBSIDY AND LOANS 
BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO IT OF 
QUITE A SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT STILL
CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THINGS LIKE 
PAY ITS PENSION OBLIGATIONS, PAY
ITS BENEFITS AND FINANCE ITS 
FLEET AND MAINTAIN THE STAFFING 
LEVELS THAT IT HAS.
SO WHENEVER ANY MAJOR COMPANY IS
LAYING OFF MORE THAN -- TALKING 
ABOUT LAYING OFF, BECAUSE NONE 
OF THIS HAS BEEN OFFICIAL YET, 
MORE THAN HALF OF ITS WORKFORCE,
IT'S A DARK DAY FOR THE COUNTRY,
BUT IT ALSO JUST SHOWS THE 
CHALLENGE AND THE APPROACH THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN HERE IN 
THAT BY AND LARGE CANADIANS ARE 
GETTING GRANTS, CANADIAN 
COMPANIES ARE GETTING LOANS.
AND IT SEEMS TO BE A BETTER 
BUSINESS DECISION FOR AIR 
CANADA'S EXECUTIVES AT THIS 
POINT TO LAY PEOPLE OFF RATHER 
THAN WRACK UP DEBT.
AND LOOKING FORWARD, AS THE 
ECONOMY TRIES TO COME BACK INTO 
SOME SORT OF A RECOVERY, ALL OF 
THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE TAKING 
ON SIGNIFICANT DEBT THAT WE WILL
COUNT ON TO REHIRE AND GROW AND 
INVEST AND EXPAND, DEBT 
SERVICING COSTS AND DEBT 
REPAYMENT MAY GET IN THE WAY OF 
RAPID RE-HIRING, RAPID 
INVESTMENT AND RAPID EXPANSION 
SIMPLY BECAUSE THE OBLIGATIONS 
THEY ARE TAKING ON ARE NOT GOING
TO BE INSIGNIFICANT, AND THAT'S 
GOING TO EAT INTO THEIR BOTTOM 
LINE QUITE CONSIDERABLY. 
>> Rosemary: I THINK THE AIRLINE
SAID THEY ARE BURNING THROUGH 
$22 MILLION A DAY.
>> David: YES. 
>> Rosemary: AND THEY EXPECT 
THESE PROBLEMS WITH LIMITED AIR 
TRAVEL TO EXIST FOR ABOUT THREE 
YEARS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, I WOULD 
GUESS, THAT AIR CANADA IS DOING 
THIS TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GO 
UNDER, WHICH WOULD BE A FAR MORE
DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCE FOR THIS
COUNTRY THAN, YOU KNOW, THE 
LAYOFF OF 20,000 PEOPLE.
I REALIZE THAT THAT'S A TERRIBLE
THING TOO, BUT FOR THE WHOLE 
AIRLINE COMPANY TO GO UNDER, YOU
KNOW, WOULD NOT OBVIOUSLY WORK 
FOR THIS COUNTRY GIVEN HOW 
LITTLE COMPETITION THERE IS OUT 
THERE ANYWAY.
SO I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR 
THE PRIME MINISTER TALK ABOUT 
THE FACT THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN, 
THAT THERE WILL BE COMPANIES 
THAT AS THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANK
OF CANADA SUGGESTED THIS WEEK 
THAT WILL GO BANKRUPT.
AIR CANADA IS NOT -- IS TRYING 
TO NOT BE ONE OF THEM, BUT THERE
ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE GOING TO 
FAIL BECAUSE THERE ARE 
INDUSTRIALS THAT ARE NOT GOING 
TO COME BACK VERY QUICKLY.
>> David: YEAH, YOU DO THE MATH 
ON THOSE AIR CANADA NUMBERS, AND
IT'S JUST UNDER A MILLION 
DOLLARS AN HOUR THAT THE COMPANY
IS LOSING RIGHT NOW.
WITH NO REAL SIGNS OF IT GETTING
BETTER.
THE WAGE SUBSIDY THE PRIME 
MINISTER ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY 
WOULD BE EXPANDED UNTIL THE END 
OF AUGUST, THIS IS NOT GOING TO 
BE OVER BY THE END OF AUGUST.
CERTAINLY NOT FOR AIR TRAVEL.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW BUSINESS
IS ADAPTING TO THE INABILITY TO 
MEET IN PERSON, A LOT MORE 
THINGS ARE HAPPENING OVER ZOOM.
BUSINESS THINGS ARE HAPPENING 
REMOTELY AS OPPOSED TO GETTING 
TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE TO WONDER HOW QUICKLY 
BUSINESS TRAVEL WILL COME BACK, 
HOW QUICKLY GOVERNMENT TRAVEL 
WILL COME BACK.
FEDERAL CIVIL SERVANTS FLYING 
AROUND THE COUNTRY AND 
BUSINESSPEOPLE FLYING AROUND THE
COUNTRY IS A HUGE PART OF THE 
DAILY TRAFFIC FOR AIRLINES.
THEN EVEN IN THIS SORT OF, LIKE,
HALF PHASE BEFORE THERE'S A 
VACCINE OF AIR TRAVEL OF 
ALLOWING FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING
INSIDE OF A PLANE, REMOVING 
PEOPLE FROM THE MIDDLE SEATS.
THAT'S FULLY ONE THIRD OF 
REVENUE RIGHT THERE, EVEN ON 
WHAT COULD BE A FULL PLANE.
SO THE CHALLENGES AIR CANADA ARE
FACING ARE ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS.
SPEAKING OF SOMEBODY IN 
GOVERNMENT WHAT IS LOOKING AT 
THIS -- WHO IS LOOKING AT THIS 
WHOLE SECTORAL AID, GOING BACK A
DECADE, IT TOOK THE AIRLINES 
THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO KIND OF 
COME OUT OF THAT, AND THAT WAS 
REALLY ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF 
MONEY AS OPPOSED TO THE MOVEMENT
OF PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHAT THIS 
CRISIS IS ABOUT, THE MEDICAL 
COMA THAT THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN 
PLACED INTO.
SO THE CHALLENGES THERE OF 
GETTING BACK TO FULL FLIGHTS IS 
GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT AND 
ENORMOUS FOR AIRLINES, BECAUSE 
EVEN IF THE RESTRICTIONS LIFT, 
WILL THE DEMAND COME BACK IN 
WILL PEOPLE BE WILLING OR EAGER 
TO DO IT, AND WILL THEIR 
BUSINESSES OR THEIR HOUSEHOLDS 
EVEN HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND ON 
BUSINESS TRAVEL AND RECREATIONAL
TRAVEL WHEN THE COUNTRY GETS AND
THE WORLD GETS BACK TO A POINT 
WHERE THAT IS EVEN POSSIBLE FROM
A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE.
SO THIS AIR CANADA THING, IT 
JUST SHOWS THAT THE MULTI- -- 
THE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS IN AID THAT HAVE BEEN 
PUT ON THE TABLE, THE LOANS IN 
EXCESS OF $60 MILLION FOR BIG 
COMPANIES LIKE AIR CANADA THAT 
HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE, IT'S 
STILL JUST NOT ENOUGH.
THE CHALLENGES ARE STILL TOO 
GREAT.
>> Rosemary: LET'S JUST TALK, 
BEFORE I TALK MORE WITH AN 
EXPERT ABOUT THIS DECISION, 
ABOUT THE EXTENSION OF THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY PROGRAM, WHICH HAPPENED 
YESTERDAY, NOW MOVING TO THE END
OF AUGUST.
I'LL POINT OUT, THOUGH, THAT IT 
IS STILL THE UPTAKE FOR THAT 
PROGRAM IS STILL NOT OBVIOUSLY 
WHERE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS IT TO
BE.
THEY HAVE ABOUT 2 MILLION 
WORKERS ON IT, 120,000 
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN 
APPROVED.
BUT IT'S WORTH $73 BILLION.
BILL MORNEAU YESTERDAY COULDN'T 
SAY IF THAT FIGURE WILL GET 
BIGGER BECAUSE OF THIS 
EXTENSION, BUT IT'S ONLY PAID 
OUT JUST OVER 3 BILLION.
JUST OVER 3 BILLION.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO THE UPTAKE THERE IS SMALL, 
AND I THINK THERE WERE CONCERNS 
ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT 
THAT THE CERB HAD BEEN SO -- YOU
KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SUCH A HIGH 
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED 
IT AND IT'S GONE EVEN ABOVE WHAT
THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, AND 
NOW THEY HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO 
MAKE THAT TRANSITION, TRY AND 
GET PEOPLE OFF OF THAT BENEFIT, 
BACK INTO JOBS IF THEY CAN, AND 
TRY TO GET COMPANIES USING THE 
SUBSIDY.
>> David: YEAH, THE FEDERAL WAGE
SUBSIDY BEING A NATIONAL PROGRAM
THEY ROLLED OUT WITH BROAD 
NATIONAL CONDITIONS.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN GETTING
THAT GOING IN A BIG WAY IS THE 
LOCAL CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND 
FOR A COMPANY.
IF YOU'RE STILL UNDER A PRETTY 
AGGRESSIVE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER, 
SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER, DO YOU 
EVEN BOTHER TO REHIRE PEOPLE IF 
YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T REOPEN AT 
ALL?
SO THERE WERE DISINCENTIVES FOR 
PEOPLE TO DO THE UPTAKE JUST 
BECAUSE OF LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES 
AND A TOTAL LACK OF ECONOMIC 
ACTIVITY.
EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT HAVE 
BEEN REQUIRED TO REOPEN TO GET 
THE WAGE SUBSIDY OR GET THE 
TOP-UP, THERE WAS A LOT OF 
UNKNOWN AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT IT
WHICH HAS BEEN A BARRIER FOR 
PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT
PROGRAM.
A LOT OF BUSINESSES WERE DEALING
WITH MORE PRESSING CONCERNS, HOW
DO I PAY THIS APRIL 1 RENT AND 
THE MAY 1 RENT, NEVER MIND 
REBUILDING THE WORKFORCE AND 
SIGNING UP FOR A PROGRAM THAT 
TOOK FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS TO 
REALLY GET TO LAUNCH AND IS ONLY
NOW PUTTING MONEY INTO THE 
ECONOMY.
BUT THEY DO HAVE THIS OTHER 
CHALLENGE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ON CERB GETTING 
THE $2,000 A MONTH, SO THAT ONLY
LASTS FOR 16 WEEKS, AND THEY 
WANT TO DO THIS WHAT THEY CALL A
GLIDE AND LAUNCH THING, WHERE 
THEY SORT OF SLOWLY WIND DOWN 
THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT 
AND THEN RAMP UP THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY TO GET THE ECONOMIC 
REOPENING GOING.
THE CHALLENGE THERE, ROSIE, IS 
THAT THE COUNTRY, IT'S DIFFERENT
DEPENDING ON WHICH PART OF THE 
COUNTRY YOU LIVE IN, BUT IT'S 
STILL A VERY TENTATIVE STEP 
TOWARDS REOPENING IN A LOT OF 
PLACES.
ALBERTA, MUCH FURTHER ALONG THAN
ONTARIO OR CERTAINLY QUEBEC ARE 
ON THIS PARTICULAR PATH, BUT 
EVEN THERE, CALGARY AND BROOKS 
ARE UNDER A DIFFERENT SET OF 
ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THAN, 
SAY, EDMONTON AND RED DEER WOULD
BE.
SO THIS IS THE BIG CHALLENGE 
THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT, AND 
ALSO, ROSIE, HOW DOES CERB WORK 
WITH EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE?
EI ALREADY WORKS ON A REGIONAL 
BASIS, WHERE DEPENDING ON THE 
UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS, DIFFERENT 
HOURS OF WORK ARE REQUIRED TO 
QUALIFY IT.
DOES THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT NEED TO BE TWEAKED TO BE
MORE LIKE EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 
SO THAT IT HAS DIFFERENT 
CRITERIA DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT 
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND WHAT 
THE SPECIFICS OF YOUR LOCAL 
EPIDEMIC ARE AND THE LOCAL 
ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
BECAUSE THE PREFERENCE IS TO 
HAVE PEOPLE ON THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
RATHER THAN THE CERB BECAUSE 
THAT AT LEAST INVITES THE HOPE 
OF AN ECONOMIC REOPENING AND 
RETURN TO NORMAL.
>> Rosemary: YEAH, AND IT ALSO 
DEALS WITH THE PROBLEM OF A 
BUSINESS OWNER I ENCOUNTERED 
YESTERDAY, ONLY HAS ONE EMPLOYEE
AND SHE'S MAKING MORE MONEY ON 
THE CERB THAN IF SHE CAME BACK 
TO WORK.
THEY HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO BLEND
THE CERB PROBABLY WITH THE EI 
PROGRAM TO MAKE THAT WORK 
SOMEHOW.
OKAY, DAVID, I'M GOING TO JUST 
LEAVE YOU FOR A MOMENT IF I CAN.
THE PRIME MINISTER WILL COME OUT
OF HIS FRONT DOOR IN ABOUT SIX 
MINUTES' TIME.
IN THE MEANTIME, THOUGH, LET'S 
BRING IN FRED LIQUOR STORES 
DEMARCH FOR SOME ANALYSIS OF THE
NEWS THAT AIR CANADA WILL LAY 
OFF 50 TO 60% OF ITS WORKFORCE.
HE IS AT RYERSON AND IN TORONTO,
FREDERIC, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THIS 
SATURDAY.
APPRECIATE IT. 
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
GOOD MORNING. 
>> Rosemary: GOOD MORNING.
HOW SURPRISED WERE YOU WITH THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT BY AIR CANADA?
BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS SOME 
HOPE, AT LEAST AMONGST EMPLOYEES
AND THE UNION, THAT THE VARIOUS 
AID PACKAGES FROM THE GOVERNMENT
WOULD BE ENOUGH TO MAYBE KEEP 
MORE OF THE WORKFORCE GOING.
>> YES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS 
IS THE WORLDWIDE SITUATION THAT 
IS HURTING EVERYONE, AND YOU 
KNOW, THE WORLD OVER, THE TRAVEL
AND TOURISM SECTOR, AND TO ME 
IT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT AIR 
CANADA, SUCH AS THE EUROPEAN 
AIRLINES OR AMERICAN AIRLINES, 
ARE SUFFERING.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE 
MORE OF THOSE KIND OF MOVES IN 
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
>> Rosemary: THE FACT THAT THEY 
ARE AT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT 
SHOULDN'T BE SHOCKING, BUT IT 
KIND OF IS WHEN YOU HEAR THE 
NUMBER OF 5% CAPACITY, THAT'S 
WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO FLY AT, DO
YOU THINK THAT THEY ARE RIGHT TO
ASSESS OR DETERMINE THAT THIS 
WILL BE SOMETHING THAT LASTS 
WITHIN THE INDUSTRY FOR AS MUCH 
AS THREE YEARS?
>> THAT'S WHAT THE CEO OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT 
ASSOCIATION IS SAYING.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST 
THREE YEARS TO RECOVER.
SO IN FACT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS 
THAT ALL OF THE AIRLINES WILL BE
REDUCING VOLUME.
SO SOME OF THEM WILL BE 
DISAPPEARING, UNFORTUNATELY.
SOME OF THEM WILL STAY AFLOAT, 
BUT THEY WILL CERTAINLY STAY 
AFLOAT IN A MUCH SMALLER SCALE.
SO PEOPLE ARE NOT READY TO FLY.
THERE ARE STILL SOME BARRIERS, 
INTERNATIONALLY, WE STILL CANNOT
FLY INTERNATIONALLY, AND IT WILL
TAKE MONTHS, AND THREE YEARS 
PROBABLY TO COME BACK TO NORMAL.
>> Rosemary: WHAT DO YOU THINK 
THAT MEANS FOR THE CONSUMER?
OBVIOUSLY NO ONE'S INCLINED TO 
FLY RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE 
PROBLEM HERE FOR AIRLINE 
TRAFFIC.
OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE AREN'T WANTING 
TO GO ANYWHERE, BUT WHAT WILL IT
MEAN FOR THE CONSUMER OVER THE 
LONG RUN, DO YOU THINK?
>> SO IT'S A MATTER OF TRUST, 
YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AT THE MOMENT 
OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN TOLD, YOU 
KNOW, FOR MANY MONTHS, YOU KNOW,
NOT TO TRAVEL, NOT TO SEE 
ANYONE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, SO
WE DON'T TRAVEL BECAUSE WE ARE 
FEARFUL OF TRAVELLING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, 
SOME OF THE AIRLINE OPERATORS, 
LIKE AIR CANADA, JUST ANNOUNCED,
AS YOU KNOW, THE CLEAN CHAIR 
PLUS TYPE OF SITUATION WHERE 
THEY ARE GOING TO BEEF UP ALL 
THE HYGIENE PROCEDURE, AND SO WE
ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE CUSTOMERS
FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT 
TRAVELLING AND ABOUT TAKING THE 
PLANE, BUT NONETHELESS, THE 
TRUST IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE 
BEFORE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL 
MONTHS.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK 
THE CONSUMERS WILL HAVE TO 
REALIZE THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO 
DO SOMETHING ELSE THAN, YOU 
KNOW, FLYING.
SO THE BUSINESS TRAVELLERS ARE 
ADAPTING.
THEY ARE MEETING THROUGH MEDIA, 
LIKE THIS ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND 
THE LEISURE TRAVELLERS WILL 
REALIZE THEY WON'T GO TO THE 
CARIBBEAN OR TO MEXICO FOR THEIR
USUAL WEEKLY TRIP.
SO I THINK THEY WILL HAVE TO 
REDISCOVER THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
THIS IS IN FACT GOOD NEWS FOR 
CANADIAN TOURISM.
THERE WILL BE MORE DOMESTIC 
TOURISM.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S INTERESTING,
BECAUSE THERE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, 
SOME PROVINCES THAT AREN'T EVEN 
LETTING DOMESTIC TOURISM HAPPEN.
NEW BRUNSWICK COMES TO MIND AS A
PLACE THAT'S COMPLETELY SHUT 
DOWN ITS INTERNAL BORDERS.
I GUESS EVENTUALLY THAT COULD 
HAPPEN.
DO YOU THINK THE FACT THAT THERE
ARE SUCH STRONG RESTRICTIONS AS 
WELL BETWEEN CANADA AND THE U.S.
HAS PERHAPS SURPRISED AIR CANADA
AND OTHER AIRLINE COMPANIES?
>> IT PROBABLY -- IT HAS THE 
BIGGEST IMPACT FOR SURE, YOU 
KNOW.
IT'S THE BIGGEST MARKET FOR US, 
YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES, 
WHETHER IT'S DRIVING OR FLYING.
SO THE FACT THAT THIS BORDER IS 
STILL REMAINING CLOSED, YOU 
KNOW, IS THE MAIN IMPEDIMENT TO 
RECOVERY FOR THE TRAVEL AND 
TOURISM SECTOR IN CANADA.
SO HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST?
WE DON'T KNOW.
>> Rosemary: I KNOW THAT AIR 
CANADA LOST MORE THAN A BILLION 
DOLLARS IN ITS FIRST QUARTER, 
BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY DOING PRETTY
WELL AS A COMPANY BEFORE THAT.
AND NOW IT SAYS IT'S BURNING 
THROUGH $22 MILLION A DAY.
IS THERE POSSIBILITY THAT AIR 
CANADA CAN'T SURVIVE THIS, OR 
ARE THEY DOING THIS IN ORDER TO 
SURVIVE IT?
>> SO THEY ARE FOR SURE DOING 
THIS IN ORDER TO SURVIVE IT.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO 
REALIZE THAT IT'S AN AIRLINE 
THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO ANY 
COUNTRY, AND WE NEED AIR CANADA,
AND ANY COUNTRY WILL NEED TO 
HAVE AT LEAST ONE, TWO OR THREE 
AIRLINES TO FLY.
RECOVERY WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON 
THE ABILITY TO FLY PEOPLE AND TO
FLY MERCHANDISE.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEE AIR 
CANADA DIE.
THERE IS NO WAY, I DON'T THINK, 
YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT WILL 
LET IT HAPPEN.
>> Rosemary: WELL, SO THAT LEADS
ME PERHAPS TO MY LAST QUESTION, 
AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE 
TAKING A -- THEY ARE TAKING 
ADVANTAGE OF, PLAN TO, THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY PROGRAM, AIR CANADA.
THERE WAS THAT LARGE COMPANY 
BRIDGE FINANCING THAT THEY COULD
HAVE TAPPED INTO.
SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT OR COULD 
THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDER SOME 
SORT OF MORE DIRECTED BAILOUT, 
AS WE HAVE SEEN, FOR INSTANCE, 
IN THE UNITED STATES?
>> FRANKLY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT 
THEY WILL HAVE TO DO AT ONE 
POINT.
YOU KNOW, THE AIRLINES, THERE IS
LARGE DEBT IN THE AIRLINE 
BUSINESS AS YOUR COLLEAGUE 
STATED EARLIER, THE COST OF 
RENTING SOME OF THE PLANES AND 
OPERATING, ET CETERA.
IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE BUSINESS 
WITH LOW MARGINS, AND SO AS THEY
KEEP BORROWING MONEY FROM THE 
GOVERNMENT OR FROM OTHER 
SOURCES, THEY WILL HAVE TO REPAY
THE DEBT AT ONE POINT.
IS THIS GOING TO BE A SOLUTION 
IN THE LONG TERM?
PROBABLY NOT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND SOME
OTHER SOLUTIONS TO HELP THEM 
SURVIVE.
>> Rosemary: HMM.
OKAY, LAST QUESTION, DO YOU 
THINK THAT WE WILL GO BACK TO 
AIR TRAVEL AS WE KNEW IT?
AND I DON'T MEAN WHAT IT WILL 
LOOK LIKE AND HOW I WILL BE 
SITTING, BUT I JUST MEAN THE 
VAST NUMBER OF FLIGHTS AND 
PASSENGERS AND TRAVELLERS.
DO YOU THINK THAT WILL ACTUALLY 
EVER HAPPEN?
>> IT MIGHT HAPPEN IN A LONG 
TIME, BUT IN THE FORESEEABLE 
FUTURE, THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE 
YEARS WE'RE GOING TO SEE SMALLER
AIRLINES, FEWER AIRLINES.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE FEWER 
DESTINATIONS ALSO THAT WILL BE 
AVAILABLE FOR FLYERS AND 
VISITORS.
SO WE MAY GO BACK TO THE SYSTEM 
AS WELL AS FINDING SO 
[INDISCERNIBLE] THAT WE SEE 
TODAY GOING FROM POINT TO POINT.
SO IT IS CHANGING, YOU KNOW, THE
WHOLE SYSTEM OF THE AIRLINE 
SECTOR, AND HOW LONG WILL IT 
LAST?
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE DON'T KNOW.
>> Rosemary: FREDERIC DIMANCHE, 
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING 
TIME ON THIS SATURDAY.
THE PRIME MINISTER IS OUT, SO I 
WILL LET YOU GO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HERE IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
CANADA.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: -- 
AGAINST TRANSPHOBIA AND 
BIPHOBIA.
EVERY YEAR THIS IS A DAY WHERE 
WE SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE STIGMA,
DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE THAT
TARGETS THE LGTBQ2 COMMUNITY.
HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA AND 
BIPHOBIA ARE NEVER OKAY.
WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN 
BUILDING A CANADA WHERE EVERYONE
CAN BE PROUD OF WHO THEY ARE AND
WHOM THEY LOVE.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WHEREVER YOU LIVE OR WHAT YOU DO
IN LIFE, YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED 
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
YOUR NEEDS, YOUR CONCERNS AND 
YOUR CHALLENGES ARE NOT THE SAME
AS BEFORE BECAUSE YOUR SITUATION
IS NOT THE SAME EITHER.
OUR GOVERNMENT, THEREFORE, 
INTRODUCED NEW PROGRAMS TO HELP 
US TO GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS, 
WHETHER YOU'RE IN STUDYING OR 
RETIRING, WITH OR WITHOUT A JOB.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE 
PLANNING TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT
TO ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE WORK IS 
EVEN MORE CRITICAL THESE DAYS. 
[ End of Interpretation ]
I WANT TO START WITH SOME NEWS 
ON THE MEDICAL FRONT.
HEALTH CANADA HAS NOW APPROVED 
THE FIRST CANADIAN CLINICAL 
TRIALS FOR A POTENTIAL COVID-19 
VACCINE AT THE CANADIAN CENTRE 
FOR VACCINOLOGY AT DALHOUSIE 
UNIVERSITY.
THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF
CANADA WILL BE WORKING WITH THE 
MANUFACTURERS SO THAT THESE 
VACCINE TRIALS -- SO THAT IF 
THESE VACCINE TRIALS ARE 
SUCCESSFUL, WE CAN PRODUCE AND 
DISTRIBUTE IT HERE AT HOME.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAKE 
TIME AND MUST BE DONE RIGHT, BUT
THIS IS ENCOURAGING NEWS.
A FEW WEEKS AGO WE ANNOUNCED $40
MILLION FOR WOMEN'S SHELTERS AND
SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTRES ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY.
AND FOR INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND 
CHILDREN FLEEING VIOLENCE, WE'RE
PROVIDING $10 MILLION FOR 
EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
OUR GOAL WAS TO HELP THESE 
ORGANIZATIONS TAKE ALL THE 
NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT 
PEOPLE NOT ONLY FROM VIOLENCE 
BUT FROM COVID-19.
TO DATE, MORE THAN 500 WOMEN'S 
SHELTERS AND SEXUAL ASSAULT 
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RECEIVED 
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, INCLUDING IN
AS MUCH HOUSE IN HAMILTON, THE 
MIRAMICHI EMERGENCY CENTRE FOR 
WOMEN, THE SASKATOON INTERVAL 
HOUSE, AND THE SOUTH OKANAGAN 
WOMEN IN NEED SOCIETY.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS 
SHELTERS FOR WOMEN ARE A 
CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR THE MOST 
VULNERABLE, AND DURING THE 
PANDEMIC, THEIR MISSION DOES NOT
CHANGE.
ON THE CONTRARY, THEY ARE 
SERVING A LARGER CLIENTELE AND 
MUST ADAPT TO THE REALITIES OF 
THIS PANDEMIC.
WE, THEREFORE, INTRODUCED AN 
EMERGENCY FUND THAT NOW HAS AN 
ENVELOPE OF $350 MILLION.
MOST OF THAT MONEY WILL BE 
DISTRIBUTED THROUGH VARIOUS 
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS
THE RED CROSS AND UNITED WAY.
THE DETAILS WITH RESPECT TO THE 
REGISTRATION PROCESS WILL BE 
PUBLISHED ON OUR PARTNER 
ASSOCIATIONS' WEBSITES.
BUT ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED THAT
SUPPORT WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY 
STARTING ON TUESDAY.
[ End of Interpretation ]
I NOW WANT TO TURN TO WHAT WE'RE
DOING FOR PARENTS.
AS YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD, WE'RE 
BOOSTING THE CANADA CHILD 
BENEFIT FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
YOU CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE $300 
MORE PER CHILD WHEN YOU GET YOUR
BENEFIT THIS WEDNESDAY, BUT 
THAT'S NOT ALL.
STARTING ON JULY 20, WE WILL 
INCREASE THE CANADA CHILD 
BENEFIT ONCE AGAIN FOR THE 
UPCOMING YEAR.
EVERY SUMMER FOR THE PAST THREE 
YEARS WE BOOSTED THE CCB TO HELP
KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING.
THIS SUMMER WILL BE NO 
DIFFERENT.
AS THE PRICE OF YOUR GROCERIES 
GO UP, SO WILL THE BENEFIT.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE ARE ALREADY PROVIDING FOR 
TARGETED MEASURES FOR STUDENTS 
AND PARENTS BECAUSE WE ARE AWARE
THAT THESE ARE THE GROUPS THAT 
ARE FACING PARTICULAR CHALLENGES
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT OF COURSE THERE ARE STILL 
PEOPLE WE NEED TO SUPPORT.
I'M THINKING OF WOMEN WHO ARE 
OWNERS OF THEIR OWN BUSINESSES 
WHO HAVE SUFFERED A 
DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT OF THE 
PANDEMIC.
MANY HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES AND 
ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH 
LIQUIDITY.
OTHERS WORK IN SECTORS THAT ARE 
TOTALLY PARALYZED BECAUSE OF 
COVID-19, SUCH AS RESTAURANTS 
AND HOTELS.
NOW THE OBSTACLES ASSOCIATED 
WITH THIS PANDEMIC ARE ADDED TO 
THE NUMBER OF OBSTACLES WOMEN 
OFTEN FACE, SUCH AS GENDER-BASED
DISCRIMINATION.
IN ORDER TO HELP THOSE WOMEN 
DURING THIS CRISIS, OUR 
GOVERNMENT WILL BE INVESTING $15
MILLION IN A NEW STRATEGY FOR 
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS.
[ End of Interpretation ]
FROM THE OUTSET, OUR NUMBER ONE 
PRIORITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO 
PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
CANADIANS, AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO COUNT ON THE CANADIAN RED 
CROSS TO DO JUST THAT.
THEY HAVE BEEN PLAYING A KEY 
ROLE IN SUPPORTING CANADIANS 
DURING THIS CRISIS, HELPING BOTH
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WITH
THEIR MOST PRESSING NEEDS.
BUT, LIKE MANY ORGANIZATIONS, 
THE RED CROSS IS FACING AN 
INCREASED DEMAND FOR ITS 
SERVICES AT A TIME WHERE THEY 
ARE GETTING FEWER VOLUNTEERS AND
RECEIVING LESS IN DONATIONS.
SO TODAY OUR GOVERNMENT IS 
INVESTING $100 MILLION TO ENSURE
THAT THE RED CROSS CAN KEEP 
RESPONDING TO COVID-19 WHILE 
ALSO PREPARING FOR POTENTIAL 
FLOODS AND WILDFIRES.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
I JUST WANT TO CLOSE THIS 
MORNING BY TALKING TO THE 
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE 
LISTENING TODAY.
I KNOW THAT THE LAST FEW WEEKS 
HAVE NOT BEEN EASY FOR YOU.
YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO SEE YOUR 
FRIENDS AND RETURN TO SCHOOL 
AND, YES, TO HAVE A BREAK FROM 
YOUR PARENTS.
FOR THE TEENAGERS WHO ARE 
MEMBERS OF THE LGTBQ COMMUNITY, 
I KNOW IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
IT'S DIFFICULT AT HOME, BUT I 
KNOW AS WELL THAT YOU'RE FAR 
FROM YOUR SUPPORT NETWORKS.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE
FOR YOU, AND I KNOW THAT 
TOGETHER WE WILL COME THROUGH 
THIS.
SLOWLY THINGS WILL START TO GET 
BETTER.
SO DO CONTINUE TO DO YOUR BEST 
AT HOME AND HELP YOUR PARENTS, 
BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME THAT 
HELPS US TO GET THROUGH THIS AS 
A SOCIETY.
STAY STRONG AND WE WILL SEE EACH
OTHER ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> WE WILL NOW GO TO THE PHONES 
FOR QUESTIONS.
ONE QUESTION, ONE FOLLOW-UP.
OPERATOR?
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
FOR QUESTIONS, STAR 1.
FIRST QUESTION, THERESA WRIGHT, 
THE CANADIAN PRESS.
LINE OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME
MINISTER.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS YOU 
HAVE MADE COMMENTS SUGGESTING 
HOW FAR THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY WAS
COMING.
NOW AIR CANADA IS LAYING OFF 
MORE THAN HALF ITS WORKFORCE.
WILL SPECIFIC HELP WILL COMING 
FOR AIR CANADA AND THE AIRLINE 
INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE AND HOW WILL
IT HELP THE WORKERS AFFECTED BY 
THESE LAYOFFS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
MOVED FORWARD QUICKLY ON SUPPORT
FOR PEOPLE WHO GOT LAID OFF AND 
THEN MOVED FORWARD ON A WAGE 
SUBSIDY THAT HAVE BEEN DRAWN ON 
BY AIR CANADA AND OTHER AIRLINES
IN ORDER TO SUPPORT PEOPLE 
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY WHO, BECAUSE
AS YOU SAY THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY 
IS EXTREMELY AFFECTED BY 
COVID-19, THERE HASN'T BEEN THE 
WORK FOR THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK 
WITH AIRLINES ACROSS THIS 
COUNTRY, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
DRAWING ON THE BENEFIT PACKAGES 
THAT WE PUT FORWARD FOR WORKERS 
THROUGH THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
BUT WE'VE ALSO MOVED FORWARD ON 
A LEEFF PROGRAM FOR LARGE 
EMPLOYERS, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT
SECTORAL SUPPORTS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
DIRECTLY WITH BIG EMPLOYERS 
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND VARIOUS 
SECTORS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY 
HAVE THE SUPPORT SO WE CAN ALL 
COME ROARING BACK ONCE THIS 
PANDEMIC IS THROUGH.
>> AND A FOLLOW-UP, THERESA?
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
YOU MENTIONED THAT AIR CANADA 
WAS USING THE WAGE SUBSIDY, BUT 
THIS CLEARLY HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH 
TO KEEP EMPLOYEES ON THE 
PAYROLL.
UPTAKE ON THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
PROGRAM HAS BEEN LOW OVERALL.
WHAT IS THIS TELLING YOU ABOUT 
THE HELP THAT WILL BE NEEDED FOR
BUSINESSES OVER THE LONGER TERM?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT 
BUSINESSES NEED IS CONFIDENCE TO
KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE 
THERE, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY 
I COME OUT AND REASSURE PEOPLE 
THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE 
THERE TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES, TO 
SUPPORT WORKERS, TO SUPPORT 
FAMILIES THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT 
SITUATION.
WE JUST ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY THAT
WE WILL BE EXTENDING THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY UNTIL THE
END OF THE SUMMER IN ORDER TO 
MAKE SURE THAT COMPANIES CAN 
REHIRE PEOPLE, KEEP THEM ON 
THEIR PAYROLL, BECAUSE WE KNOW 
THAT THE BEST WAY TO BRING THE 
ECONOMY BACK QUICKLY AND 
EFFICIENTLY IS IF PEOPLE 
CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT LINK WITH 
THEIR EMPLOYER, EVEN AS WE GO 
THROUGH THE CONTAINMENT MEASURES
WE HAVE TO.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE KNOW THAT IT'S A MAJOR 
CHALLENGE NOW FOR LARGE 
COMPANIES, INCLUDING THE AIRLINE
SECTOR, WHEN IT COMES TO 
SUPPORTING THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE INTRODUCED THE
WAGE SUBSIDY, AND THAT'S WHY WE 
HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH VARIOUS 
COMPANIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO 
SUPPORT THEM.
WE KNOW THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS 
TO BE DONE, AND WE HAD THE 
CERTAINTY BEHIND THAT, AND IT 
WAS THE REASON WHY WE EXTENDED 
THE WAGE STUDY, AND WE WILL 
CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE 
CAN KEEP THEIR ATTACHMENT TO 
THEIR EMPLOYER SO THAT WE CAN 
RETURN QUICKLY ONCE THIS 
PANDEMIC IS OVER.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> NEXT QUESTION, OPERATOR. 
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
[No Interpretation].
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
THE FACT THAT 20,000 PEOPLE ARE 
BEING LAID OFF AT AIR CANADA, 
WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU ABOUT 
THE WAGE SUBSIDY?
DO YOU THINK MORE NEEDS TO BE 
DONE?
AND COULD THE GOVERNMENT AGAIN 
NATIONALIZE AIR CANADA AS HAS 
BEEN DONE IN THE AEROSPACE 
SECTOR? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS AN 
EXTREMELY CHALLENGING SITUATION 
NOW FOR AIRLINE COMPANIES, AND 
THAT'S WHY WE INTRODUCED 
MEASURES ACROSS THE ECONOMY TO 
SUPPORT WORKERS, INCLUDING IN 
THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.
WE WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH 
COMPANIES LIKE AIR CANADA TO SEE
WHAT MORE WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT 
THEM.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS 
PANDEMIC HAS HIT EXTREMELY HARD 
ON THE TRAVEL INDUSTRIES AND ON 
THE AIRLINES PARTICULARLY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO KEEP 
WORKING WITH AIRLINES, INCLUDING
AIR CANADA TO SEE HOW WE CAN 
HELP EVEN MORE THAN WE HAVE WITH
THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: YES.
JUST COMING BACK TO THE IDEA OF 
NATIONALIZATION, HAVE YOU RULED 
OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF 
NATIONALIZING AIR CANADA?
AND COULD THERE BE A BAILOUT FOR
THIS COMPANY?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH LOTS OF 
DIFFERENT SECTORS AND LOTS OF 
COMPANIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY 
CAN COME THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, 
AND WE'LL BE TALKING TO AIR 
CANADA AND OTHER AIRLINES AS 
WELL TO SEE WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE
TO SUPPORT THE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF WORKERS WHO ARE PART OF THEIR
WORKFORCE.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Reporter: ASHLEY BURKE, CBC 
NEWS.
GOOD MORNING.
THE WAGE SUBSIDY AND THE BRIDGE 
LOANS, THEY WERE NOT ENOUGH TO 
PREVENT AIR CANADA FROM PLANNING
THESE MAJOR CUTS.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT 
THE FUTURE OF THIS INDUSTRY IN 
PARTICULAR, AND THE 
EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS,
AND IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOME 
MIGHT NOT SURVIVE, REGARDLESS OF
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THIS 
IS A PANDEMIC THAT HAS HIT 
EXTREMELY HARD IN ALL SECTORS OF
THE ECONOMY, AND IT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE ARE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO GET THROUGH THE BEST 
POSSIBLE WAY.
BUT CERTAIN SECTORS HAVE BEEN 
HIT EVEN HARDER.
OBVIOUSLY TOURISM, AIRLINES ARE 
THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE 
SIMPLY ARE NOT DRAWING ON RIGHT 
NOW.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO KEEP 
WORKING WITH VARIOUS SECTORS, 
KEEP WORKING WITH SPECIFIC 
COMPANIES TO TRY AND SEE WHAT 
THE BEST WAY THROUGH OF 
SUPPORTING WORKERS WHO DEPEND ON
THOSE INDUSTRIES FOR THEIR 
LIVELIHOODS, BUT ALSO LOOK AT 
HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT CANADA
COMES THROUGH THIS IN TACT AND 
EVEN IN A GOOD POSITION FOR THE 
FUTURE.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
THE SECTORS AND INDUSTRIES THAT 
HAVE BEEN VERY HARD HIT BY THIS 
PANDEMIC.
WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO 
ENSURE THAT CANADA CAN COME OUT 
OF THIS SITUATION IN GOOD SHAPE,
AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE SEEKING TO
SUPPORT WORKERS AND FAMILIES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Reporter: ONE OF YOUR MPS HAS
SAID IN WRITING TO THE MEMBER OF
THE PUBLIC THAT THERE WILL NOT 
BE A BAILOUT COMING FOR THE 
AIRLINE INDUSTRY.
IS HE RIGHT? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
SECTORS AND INDUSTRIES AS THEY 
TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS 
PANDEMIC.
WE PUT IN PLACE THE LARGE 
ENTERPRISE EMERGENCY FINANCE 
FACILITY, LEEFF, TO BE ABLE TO 
SUPPORT COMPANIES WITH LIQUIDITY
OVER THIS TIME OF THE PANDEMIC.
IT IS NOT A BAILOUT.
IT IS A LOAN THAT IS GOING TO 
HELP THEM GET THROUGH, BUT WE 
ARE STILL WORKING WITH COMPANIES
TO SEE WHO'S TAKING THAT UP AND 
HOW THOSE -- THE FORMAT OF IT 
WILL BE WORKED OUT.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL CREDIT 
AND MADE THAT AVAILABLE TO 
EMPLOYERS, AND WE WILL BE 
WORKING WITH DIFFERENT 
COMPANIES, PERHAPS AIRLINES AS 
WELL, TO OFFER MORE LIQUIDITY TO
THEM IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
>> Reporter: CHRISTIAN NOEL, 
RADIO-CANADA.
CITIES, CITIES ARE PRETTY MUCH 
IN A DIFFICULT POSITION BECAUSE 
THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO HELP 
WITH THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY, 
BUT THINGS ARE NOT DOING WELL.
THEY HAVE LESS REVENUES COMING 
IN.
NOW ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS?
HAVE YOU DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE
PROVINCES?
WHAT CAN YOU DO? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
I HAD MY NINTH DISCUSSION WITH 
THE PREMIERS ON THURSDAY 
EVENING, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE
CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ARE 
PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR 
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES AS A 
RESULT OF THIS CRISIS.
THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF SERVICES 
TO CITIZENS.
BUT THEY ARE SEEING THEIR 
REVENUES DECLINE DRASTICALLY.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE RESPECT THE FACT
THAT CANADIAN CITIES ARE A 
PROVINCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF 
INTERFERING IN THAT 
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE HAVE SAID
TO THE PROVINCES THAT WE WANT TO
BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM SO THAT
WE CAN HELP THE PROVINCES TO 
ENSURE THAT THE CITIES REMAIN 
HEALTHY.
[ End of Interpretation ]
WE TALKED DIRECTLY ABOUT THIS ON
THURSDAY EVENING IN MY FIRST 
MINISTERS EVENING, THE NINTH OF 
THIS PANDEMIC, WITH THE PREMIERS
WHERE I HIGHLIGHTED MY CONCERNS 
THAT CANADA'S BIG CITIES, AND 
INDEED MUNICIPALITIES OF ALL 
SIZES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ARE 
FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AS
THEY CONTINUE TO DELIVER 
SERVICES IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
FOR THEIR CITIZENS WHILE AT THE 
SAME TIME SING MASSIVE DROPS 
IN REVENUE.
WE RESPECT, OF COURSE, AND WE 
KNOW THAT CITIES ARE THE 
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROVINCES,
BUT I HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS EAGER TO 
HEAR FROM THE PROVINCES HOW WE 
CAN SUPPORT CITIES.
IT HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT FOR 
ME AS PRIME MINISTER OVER THESE 
PAST FIVE YEARS TO BE SUPPORTIVE
OF OUR CITIES, AND WE'RE 
CONTINUING TO LOOK TO DO SO, BUT
RECOGNIZE THE PROVINCIAL 
JURISDICTION IN THIS.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> Reporter: FIRST OF ALL, ARE 
YOU SAYING THAT THE HELP THAT 
COULD BE GIVEN TO THE CITIES IS 
SLOWER NOW BECAUSE YOU CAN'T 
AGREE ON THAT WITH THEM?
AND ALSO, THEY NEED SUPPORT NOW.
THERE ARE CITIES THAT HAVE 
ALREADY HAD TO LAYOFF MUNICIPAL 
EMPLOYEES, AND CITIES LIKE 
EDMONTON THAT ARE THINKING OF 
REDUCING THEIR PUBLIC TRANSIT 
SERVICES AS A RESULT OF THIS.
SO, ONE, WILL YOU TALK TO THE 
CITIES SO THAT THEY CAN GET THAT
HELP QUICKLY.
AND WILL THEY BE ABLE TO GET IT 
AS EARLY AS THIS SUMMER? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
AS I SAID, WE HAVE DISCUSSED 
THIS ALREADY, AND ALL OF US, THE
PREMIERS AND MYSELF ALL AGREE 
THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE 
CITIES.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL BE 
THERE AS A PARTNER TO SUPPORT 
THE PROVINCES IN THE WORK THAT 
THEY HAVE TO NOW CARRY OUT TO 
SUPPORT THEIR CITIES.
[ End of Interpretation ]
WE ALL AGREE ACROSS FIRST 
MINISTERS THAT WE NEED TO DO 
MORE TO SUPPORT CITIES, AND I 
HAVE ASSURED THEM THAT THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL BE THERE
TO SUPPORT THE CITIES IN WHAT 
THEY CHOOSE TO DO, WHAT THEY 
NEED TO DO -- SORRY, TO SUPPORT 
THE PROVINCES IN WHAT THEY NEED 
TO DO TO SUPPORT CITIES.
>> Reporter: HI, PRIME MINISTER,
GLOBAL NEWS.
BEYOND THE WAGE SUBSIDY AND 
ALREADY ANNOUNCED PROGRAMS, WILL
THERE BE ANY INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC 
SUPPORTS FOR SMALLER AIRLINES IN
CANADA THAT DON'T MEET 
THRESHOLDS FOR SUPPORTS? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE'VE
PUT IN PLACE SUPPORT FOR SECTORS
AND LARGE EMPLOYERS, AND THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE MOVING 
FORWARD ON.
INDUSTRY CANADA IS ENGAGED 
CLOSELY WITH VARIOUS SECTORS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT CERTAIN AREAS 
ARE HARDER HIT THAN OTHERS.
AIRLINES IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF 
SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING WELL 
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WHERE WE 
ARE GOING TO NEED AIRLINES 
AFTERWARDS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN 
SUPPORT THEM THROUGH IN THE 
RIGHT WAY THAT MAKES SENSE FOR 
CANADIANS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL
DO. 
>> Reporter: BUT WILL THERE BE 
ANY SPECIFIC SUPPORTS FOR THIS 
INDUSTRY? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: AS I 
SAID, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE 
INDUSTRY.
WE'RE WORKING WITH SECTORS TO 
SEE WHAT KIND OF SUPPORTS WOULD 
BE RIGHT, BOTH FOR CANADA AND 
FOR THEM.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME
MINISTER.
AIR CANADA RIGHT NOW IS LOSING 
ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS AN HOUR.
THEY LOST A BILLION DOLLARS LAST
QUARTER.
THEY ARE ONLY FLYING ABOUT 5% OF
THEIR FLIGHTS, AND NOW THAT THEY
ARE LAYING OFF ABOUT HALF OF 
THEIR STAFF AND CHOOSING NOT TO 
USE THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
YOU SAID BEFORE THAT CANADA 
NEEDS TO HAVE A STRONG AIRLINE 
SECTOR AFTER THIS.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, IS THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILLING TO 
TAKE AN EQUITY STAKE IN AIR 
CANADA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY 
STAY ALIVE? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH AIR
CANADA, AS WE WILL WITH AIRLINES
ACROSS THE SECTOR, TO TRY AND 
SEE HOW BEST -- THE BEST WAY TO 
GET THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR 
PANDEMIC IS.
WE KNOW THAT AIRLINES ARE 
INCREDIBLY HARD HIT BY THIS 
PANDEMIC, AND WE WILL BE THERE 
TO WORK WITH THEM TO SEE HOW 
BEST WE CAN HELP.
>> Reporter: ONE OF THE THINGS 
THAT AIR CANADA MENTIONED IS 
THAT, YES, WE CAN GET THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY FROM THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT, BUT THE MAJOR ISSUE 
FOR THEM FINANCIALLY WAS THE 
FACT THAT THEY HAD TO STILL PAY 
THEIR PENSION AND HEALTH 
BENEFITS OUT.
IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
CONSIDERING ANY ADDITIONAL 
CHANGES TO THE WAGE SUBSIDY THAT
WOULD INCLUDE THESE PROGRAMS TO 
ALLOW LARGER BUSINESSES TO STILL
KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE'RE
GOING TO WORK WITH LARGE 
BUSINESSES, LIKE AIR CANADA, TO 
ENSURE THAT WORKERS, EMPLOYEES, 
PENSIONERS ARE PROTECTED DURING 
THIS SITUATION.
OUR FOCUS WILL ALWAYS BE ON 
SUPPORTING CANADIANS AND THEIR 
FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK 
WITH INDUSTRY AND COMPANIES 
ABOUT.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE WILL ALWAYS ENSURE THAT WE 
ARE SUPPORTING WORKERS, RETIREES
AND COMPANIES IN CANADA.
THAT'S OUR PRIORITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE 
DISCUSSING WITH THE VARIOUS 
COMPANIES OUT THERE WHO NEED 
HELP.
[ End of Interpretation ]
[INDISCERNIBLE]. 
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO FAMILIES 
ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THEY WILL BE 
RECEIVING THAT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
WILL BE INCREASING THE CANADA 
CHILD BENEFIT.
WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES ARE FACING
ADDITIONAL HARDSHIPS, AND 
STARTING NEXT WEDNESDAY YOU WILL
BE RECEIVING $300 MORE PER CHILD
THROUGH THE CANADA CHILD 
BENEFIT.
FURTHERMORE, IN JULY, AS WE HAVE
DONE EVERY YEAR IN THE LAST 
THREE YEARS, WE WILL BE AGAIN 
INCREASING THE CHILD BENEFIT TO 
ENSURE IT KEEPS PACE WITH THE 
COST OF LIVING SO THAT YOU CAN 
PAY FOR WHATEVER YOUR FAMILY 
NEEDS.
WE HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED 
FAMILIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO
SO.
>> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT, THAT IS 
THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA ON 
THIS SATURDAY OF THE LONG 
WEEKEND.
WE ARE NOT EXPECTING BRIEFINGS 
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER SUNDAY 
OR MONDAY, SO THIS IS THE LAST 
TIME WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM OVER 
THE COURSE OF THE LONG WEEKEND.
A COUPLE OF BITS OF NEWS IN WHAT
HE HAD TO SAY TODAY, SO I'LL 
BRING IN MY COLLEAGUE DAVID 
COCHRANE TO HELP WITH THAT.
I'LL START PERHAPS WITH THE 
ENCOURAGING NEWS, DAVID, THAT 
THEY HAVE -- HEALTH CANADA HAS 
AUTHORIZED SOME CLINICAL 
TRIAL -- A CLINICAL TRIAL FOR A 
POSSIBLE VACCINE AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF -- DALHOUSIE 
UNIVERSITY.
SO THAT WOULD BE A FIRST IN 
CANADA AT ANY RATE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ABOUT 100 
OR SO VACCINES ON THE GO IN THE 
WORLD, BUT THAT WOULD BE A FIRST
CLINICAL TRIAL FOR THIS COUNTRY.
LET'S GO TO THE AIR CANADA MOVE,
THOUGH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT 
OF QUESTIONS, OBVIOUSLY, ABOUT 
THAT.
>> David: YEAH, A LOT OF 
QUESTIONS ON THAT, AND NOT 
NECESSARILY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT 
OF ANSWERS AT THIS POINT IN 
TIME, EXCEPT THAT THE GOVERNMENT
OF CANADA WILL WORK WITH THE AIR
CANADA SPECIFICALLY AND THE 
INDUSTRY MORE BROADLY TO SEE 
WHAT THINGS THEY MIGHT BE ABLE 
TO DO TO HELP THAT PARTICULARLY 
CHALLENGED SECTOR.
I MEAN, THE PRIME MINISTER WAS 
ASKED EVERYTHING AS TO, YOU 
KNOW, WHAT THIS SAYS ABOUT THE 
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAMS 
THEY ROLLED OUT AND WHETHER OR 
NOT THEY CONSIDER EXPANDING 
FEDERAL AID TO DO THINGS LIKE 
COVER PENSION AND BENEFIT 
OBLIGATIONS FOR LARGE COMPANIES,
MAYBE EVEN TAKING AN EQUITY 
STAKE IN A STRUGGLING COMPANY 
LIKE AIR CANADA.
NOTHING RULED OUT, NOTHING RULED
IN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT 
FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ON 
THE PENSION AND BENEFITS 
OBLIGATIONS FOR A LARGE-SCALE 
INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN 
IT'S ALREADY AGREED TO TAKE ON A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE WAGES
OF LARGE-SCALE AND SMALL-SCALE 
BUSINESS IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE WORD OF THE 
AGE IS UNPRECEDENTED, ROSIE, SO 
WHY RULE ANYTHING OUT WHEN IT IS
A POSSIBILITY OF A CHOICE 
BETWEEN AIR CANADA GOING UNDER 
OR DRASTICALLY DOWNSIZING TO A 
FRACTION OF WHAT IT WAS GOING 
INTO THIS.
THE GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE TO LOOK 
AT SOME VERY SPECIFIC OPTIONS, 
MUCH LIKE THE OTHER ISSUE HE WAS
ASKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF HELPING 
CITIES.
I MEAN, AS WE GO THROUGH THESE 
DAILY QUESTION AND ANSWER 
SESSIONS WITH THE PRIME 
MINISTER, YOU CAN JUST SEE THE 
SHEER SCOPE AND SCALE OF THE 
CHALLENGE THAT FROM AN 
INDIVIDUAL CANADIAN ALL THE WAY 
UP TO THE TOP OF THE CORPORATE 
SUITES OF THE BUSINESS ROLE IN 
CANADA, WHAT THEY ARE FACING.
YOU HAVE AIRLINES LAYING OFF 
MORE THAN 50% OF THEIR STAFF, 
45% OF THE CANADIAN WORKFORCE IS
ON SOME SORT OF DIRECT 
GOVERNMENT AID, THE EMERGENCY 
RESPONSE BENEFIT OR THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY.
YOU HAVE CITIES, MANY OF WHOM 
ARE RESTRICTED FROM LEGISLATION,
FROM RUNNING DEFICITS AND GOING 
INTO DEBT, CRYING OUT FOR 
ENORMOUS FINANCIAL HELP.
MAJOR TRANSIT SERVICES THAT RUN 
MUNICIPALLY AND PROVINCIALLY 
HAVING TO SCALE BACK AND CUT 
THEIR LEVEL OF SERVICES.
AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, FROM 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS TO 
INDUSTRY TO MUNICIPAL 
GOVERNMENTS TO PUBLIC AGENCIES 
ARE LOOKING AT ONE LEVEL OF 
GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT FOR HELP, BECAUSE IT 
HAS THE BEST BALANCE SHEET IN 
THE COUNTRY AND THE MOST FISCAL 
ROOM TO MANOEUVRE, BUT THAT ROOM
GETS GOBBLED UP REALLY, REALLY 
QUICKLY AS YOU GO THROUGH THESE 
ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE EXPANSION 
OF EVERYTHING FROM CHILD 
BENEFITS TO WAGE SUBSIDIES FOR 
COMPANIES.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
I WILL SAY THAT WAS THE FIRST I 
HAD HEARD HIM AT LEAST 
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT IS EAGER TO HEAR 
IDEAS FROM PROVINCES ON HOW TO 
BAIL OUT CITIES, BECAUSE THE 
CITIES -- THIS WEEK IN 
PARTICULAR -- SORT OF RAMPED UP 
THE DESPERATION, I THINK, FOR 
LARGE CITIES IN THEIR PLEAS FOR 
SOME KIND OF SUPPORT THAT THEY 
KNOW VERY WELL WILL HAVE TO COME
VIA THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I'LL JUST GO BACK TO THE AIR 
CANADA BAILOUT IDEA.
IT JUST -- THAT, TOO, IS VERY 
COMPLICATED, AS YOU SAY, BECAUSE
IF YOU DECIDE THAT YOU HAVE TO 
BAIL OUT AIR CANADA, AND YOU 
HEARD FROM MY GUEST EARLIER THAT
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE TO 
DO, THEN WHERE DO YOU SORT OF 
PUT THE LIMIT?
WHAT DO YOU NOT BAIL OUT?
YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN TO 
OTHER BIG COMPANIES OR 
INDUSTRIES THAT ARE BEING HARD 
HIT THAT THEY DON'T GET A 
BAILOUT?
I MEAN, I THINK THAT ONCE YOU 
OPEN THE DOOR TO THAT, IT 
BECOMES EXTREMELY COMPLICATED 
FOR THE GOVERNMENT, AND WHEN 
THEY PUT THAT LEEFF PROGRAM IN 
PLACE, THE LARGE EMPLOYER BRIDGE
FINANCING PROGRAM IN PLACE, I 
THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE 
HOPING, WAS THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH
THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GET 
INTO THE BUSINESS OF BAILING 
PEOPLE OUT.
>> David: YEAH, AND IT GETS MORE
COMPLEX I THINK THE BIGGER THE 
COMPANY IS.
YOU LOOK AT THE SMALL BUSINESS 
AID PACKAGE THAT WAS OUT THERE, 
THE WAGE SUBSIDY THERE, THE BIG 
TWEAK THAT WAS MADE TO THAT WAS 
THAT THEY WOULD REMIT CPP AND EI
PREMIUMS THAT A SMALL BUSINESS 
MIGHT HAVE TO PAY FOR HIRING 
PEOPLE BACK TO MAKE IT AS COST 
NEUTRAL AS POSSIBLE.
THAT'S AN EASY FIX FOR SMALL 
BUSINESSES WHO DON'T HAVE 
DEFINED BENEFIT OR DEFINED 
CONTRIBUTION PENSION PLANS, OR 
EVEN LIKE BROAD HEALTH BENEFITS 
PLANS.
THE BIGGER THE COMPANY GETS, THE
MORE THOSE OBLIGATIONS GET 
COMPLICATED AND FAR MORE 
EXPENSIVE, AND IT BECOMES A BIG 
ASK TO GET THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT TO COVER THOSE.
SO THIS BECOMES A SORT OF -- THE
CHALLENGES THAT ARE THERE.
AIR CANADA UNDOUBTEDLY IS A 
STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT COMPANY 
FOR THIS COUNTRY.
>> Rosemary: YES.
>> David: SO IS WESTJET, YOU 
KNOW, SO AIR CANADA, THOUGH MUCH
LARGER AND HAS A BIGGER 
INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT, THE 
CHALLENGES THEY FACE ARE JUST 
ASTRONOMICAL RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE 
THERE IS NOTHING BUT UNCERTAINTY
IN THE WORLD.
I MEAN, WE HAD THE GREAT NEWS 
OFF THE TOP THAT RESEARCHERS AT 
DALHOUSIE, THEY HAVE APPROVAL TO
START CLINICAL TRIALS.
CLINICAL TRIALS IS A LONG WAY 
FROM A VACCINE WHICH IS A LONG 
WAY FROM THE MANUFACTURING OF A 
VACCINE WHICH IS A LONG WAY TO 
THE VACCINATION OF THE 
POPULATION TO GET HERD IMMUNITY.
THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS OF 
WHAT HAPPENS WITH AIR CANADA 
CAN'T BE ANSWERED UNTIL THAT 
HAPPENS.
>> Rosemary: I'LL LEAVE YOU 
THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND I'LL
LEAVE PEOPLE WITH THIS NOTE TOO.
TODAY AIR CANADA -- CANADA 
CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF THE 
75,000 COVID CASES IN THIS 
COUNTRY, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS 
THERE ARE NOW MORE RECOVERED 
CASES THAN ACTIVE ONES.
KEEP THAT IN MIND.
SO WHILE THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY IS
HOPING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
WILL PERHAPS PROVIDE SOME MORE 
SUPPORT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, 
THERE'S ANOTHER SECTOR LOOKING 
TO STAY AFLOAT DURING THIS 
PANDEMIC.
NEW BRUNSWICK LOBSTER SEASON IS 
UNDER WAY, BUT THIS YEAR THE 
SHORTAGE OF TEMPORARY FOREIGN 
WORKERS IN THAT PROVINCE HAS 
LEFT A WORRYING LABOUR GAP.
THAT GAP IS FORCING SOME SEAFOOD
PLANTS TO TAKE A DIFFERENT 
APPROACH AND HIRE STUDENTS.
COMING UP, WE'LL SPEAK TO A 
FATHER AND SON WHO WILL BE 
WORKING SIDE BY SIDE THIS SUMMER
RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK.
♪
♪
>> Rosemary: HI, WELCOME BACK.
IN NEW BRUNSWICK, LOBSTER SEASON
IS UNDER WAY, BUT THIS YEAR THE 
SHORTAGE OF TEMPORARY FOREIGN 
WORKERS HAS LEFT A BIT OF A 
LABOUR GAP, SO THE PROVINCE DID 
HOLD A VIRTUAL JOB FAIR, BUT 
SOME FISHERIES AND PROCESSING 
PLANTS FOUND IT DIDN'T HELP.
IN AN EFFORT TO FILL IN LOST 
LABOUR, SOME SEAFOOD PLANTS ARE 
TURNING TO STUDENTS TO HELP 
PROCESS LOBSTERS.
RUSSELL JACOB IS THE OWNER OF 
WEST MORELAND FISHERIES AND HE'S
ALSO WORKING AT THE PLANT WITH 
HIS SON THERE.
THAT'S ZAKARY BESIDE HIM.
GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.
>> HI, NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> Rosemary: HI.
RUSSELL, LET'S START WITH YOU.
SO THE PROVINCE HELD A JOB FAIR,
AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME?
>> DISASTROUS.
IT WAS A VIRTUAL JOB FAIR, AND 
IT WAS REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND
HOW TO GET THROUGH TO THE JOB 
POSTINGS.
FIRST YOU HAD TO CREATE AN 
ACCOUNT, AND I TRIED MYSELF.
IT WAS VERY, VERY CONFUSING, AND
I HAD PEOPLE ALSO CHECK AS WELL,
AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING.
AND WE HAD ONE APPLICANT, AND 
THE PERSON WAS FROM MEXICO.
SO IT'S NOT EFFICIENT AT ALL, 
AND WITH NO RESULTS, ZERO 
RESULTS.
>> Rosemary: NORMALLY, WHERE 
WOULD YOUR LABOUR COME FROM AT 
THIS TIME OF YEAR?
>> WELL, WE HAVE MANY LOCAL 
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BETWEEN 150 
TO 200 LOCAL EMPLOYEES, AND WE 
ALSO HAVE THE -- BETWEEN 150 AND
200 FOREIGN WORKERS, DEPENDING 
ON THE YEAR, HOW BUSY WE ARE.
AND MOST OF THEM COME FROM 
MEXICO.
WE HAVE FILIPINOS, INDONESIANS, 
THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY 
YEARS AND THEY ARE PART OF THE 
FAMILY, RIGHT?
>> Rosemary: AND WHAT HAPPENED 
THIS YEAR?
THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO COME IN?
YOU COULDN'T GET THEM?
WHAT WAS THE COMPLICATION?
>> THEY WERE DISALLOWED BY OUR 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.
THEY PUT A BAN ON TFWS CROSSING 
THE BORDER.
>> Rosemary: AND WHAT DID YOU 
THINK OF THAT?
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OTHER 
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS HAVE 
BEEN ALLOWED IN OTHER PARTS OF 
THE COUNTRY, IN QUEBEC, ONTARIO,
TO HELP WITH FARMING.
I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 11,000 
THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED INTO THE 
COUNTRY.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF YOUR 
PROVINCE'S DECISION TO NOT ALLOW
THAT?
>> VERY UPSETTING AND VERY 
DISCOURAGED AT OUR OWN 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT'S PULLED A
FAST ONE ON US, AT THE LAST 
MINUTE TOO, WITH NO WARNING 
SIGNS AT ALL.
OUR NEIGHBOURS, NOVA SCOTIA AND 
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, THEIR 
GOVERNMENTS ARE ACTUALLY 
EMBRACING THE FOREIGN WORKERS TO
SAVE THEIR MANUFACTURERS, THE 
FISHING INDUSTRY AND THE FARMING
INDUSTRY.
THE P.E.I. GOVERNMENT, NOVA 
SCOTIA GOVERNMENT TOOK CHARGE 
AND THEY TOOK POSSESSION OF 
FOREIGN WORKERS AS SOON AS THEY 
CAME IN THE PROVINCE.
THEY PUT THEM IN HOTELS AND THEY
DID THEIR QUARANTINING THERE 
WITH SECURITY, AND THEY HAD MEAL
PLANS AND EVERYTHING.
AFTER THE QUARANTINE, THEY ARE 
DELIVERED TO THE PLANTS TO BE 
ABLE TO WORK AND HELP OUT, 
RIGHT?
>> Rosemary: SO ZAKARY IS NOT 
JUST SITTING THERE FOR HIS FIVE 
MINUTES OF FAME.
HE'S SITTING THERE BECAUSE YOU 
HIRED YOUR SON TO HELP YOU IN 
THE PLANT BECAUSE YOU'RE DOWN 
WORKERS.
MAYBE I'LL START ASKING ZAKARY, 
HOW OLD ARE YOU AGAIN, ZAKARY?
>> 13.
>> Rosemary: YOU'RE 13.
THAT'S YOUNG TO HAVE A JOB LIKE 
THAT.
WHEN YOUR DAD SAID I NEED SOME 
HELP, WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?
>> I SAID YES, AND I WANTED TO 
COME HERE BEFORE, AND HE SAID I 
NEED HELP, SO I GOT TO GO HELP 
HIM.
>> Rosemary: AND DO YOU KNOW HOW
TO DO THE WORK?
>> YES.
>> Rosemary: YOU DO.
IS HE PAYING YOU?
>> YEP.
>> Rosemary: OH, THAT'S GOOD.
[LAUGHTER]
SO, RUSSEL, OBVIOUSLY YOUR SON, 
IT'S FAIRLY EASY TO FIRE  -- 
HIRE HIM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE 
HE'S INTERESTEDED IN WORK 
ANYWAY.
BUT YOU'VE TRIED TO GET OTHER 
STUDENTS ON BOARD.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT?
>> ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T NEED TO 
TRY.
THE WORD GOT AROUND THAT ZAKARY 
WAS WORKING AROUND HERE, SO THEY
STARTED APPLYING.
WE HAVE -- TODAY WE HAD AROUND 
10 TEENAGERS, 13, 14, 15, 
16-YEAR-OLDS.
TOMORROW WE'RE -- THERE'S ABOUT 
SEVEN MORE ADDING TO THAT.
>> Rosemary: WOW.
>> AND WONDER WE WILL ADD MORE.
WE HAD ABOUT 40 TO 60 APPLICANTS
FROM THE TEENAGERS, BUT WE HAD 
ZERO APPLICANTS FROM THE VIRTUAL
JOB FAIR, BUT AT LEAST THE LOCAL
KIDS ARE STEPPING UP TO THE 
PLATE AND THEY ARE REALLY, I 
MUST SAY, MY HAT'S OFF TO THEM.
THEY ARE REALLY HELPING OUT.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S GREAT.
I GUESS ZAKARY IS FAMILIAR WITH 
THE BUSINESS A LITTLE BIT, BUT 
ARE TEENS -- CAN THEY DO THIS 
WORK?
HOW HARD IS IT TO TRAIN THEM?
>> WELL, THIS MORNING WE'RE A 
BIT NERVOUS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, 
THEY SURPRISED US.
VERY, VERY SURPRISINGLY THEY 
CAUGHT ON THE WORK.
YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE THEM DO 
DIFFERENT KIND OF JOBS THROUGH 
THEIR WORK TERM HERE, AND SO WE 
DON'T WANT THEM TO GET BORED.
WE WANT THEM TO LOVE IT AS MUCH 
AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW UP EVERY 
DAY.
BUT NO, IT WENT VERY, VERY WELL 
THIS MORNING.
THE KIDS SURPRISED ME, AND EAGER
TO LEARN.
AND WE PROBABLY LEARNED MORE 
FROM THEM THAN THEY WILL LEARN 
FROM US, RIGHT?
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT THIS IS 
WORKING, THAT YOU'VE COME UP 
WITH THIS -- I MEAN, THAT'S ONE 
OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS WHOLE 
PANDEMIC IS PEOPLE COMING UP 
WITH REALLY CREATIVE IDEAS TO 
SOLVE SOLUTIONS, AND THIS IS ONE
OF THEM.
WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THAT?
>> I DIDN'T EXPECT IT, BUT JUST 
SO WE'RE CLEAR, NO, THEY ARE NOT
GOING TO REPLACE OUR FOREIGN 
WORKERS THAT HAVE THE 
EXPERIENCE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE -- OUR 
EFFICIENCY WILL BE DOWN BY A 
LOT.
OUR CAPACITY WILL MOST LIKELY BE
DOWN BY 60%, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S 
GOING TO BE A BIT CHAOTIC IN THE
NEXT WEEKS TO COME, IF THERE'S A
LOT OF LOBSTERS BEING LANDED.
>> Rosemary: THE GOVERNMENT DID 
OFFER A COUPLE WEEKS BACK $62 
MILLION FOR PROCESSING PLANTS SO
YOU COULD BUY, YOU KNOW, 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT OR
EXTRA FREEZER ROOM.
HAVE YOU TAPPED INTO ANY OF THAT
SUPPORT?
>> NOT YET, NO.
WE HAVE PAID FOR ALL THE P.P.E. 
OURSELVES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR OWN 
FREEZER HERE, AND WE USE OTHER 
FREEZERS, BUT YEAH, NO, THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BEEN A BIG 
HELP SO FAR, AND WE'RE JUST 
TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE 
SEASON.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
AND, ZAKARY, HAVE YOU CONVINCED 
ANY OF YOUR BUDDIES TO GET ON 
BOARD AND GET A JOB TOO?
>> YEAH.
WELL, I TOLD THEM AND THEY WERE,
LIKE, YEAH, COME -- LIKE, I TOLD
THEM AND THEY WERE -- THEY 
WANTED TO COME TOO.
>> Rosemary: YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
I'M IMPRESSED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD DO 
THAT WORK, SO I'M VERY IMPRESSED
THAT YOU WANTED TO HELP YOUR DAD
OUT, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE GETTING
PAID.
>> YEAH.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Rosemary: OKAY, RUSSEL AND 
ZAKARY JACOB.
THEY ARE THE OWNER OF 
WESTMORELAND FISHERIES AND WE 
REACHED THEM IN CAP PELE, NEW 
BRUNSWICK.
MERCI, THANKS. 
>> THANK YOU.
>> BYE. 
>> Rosemary: BYE-BYE.
I'LL BRING BACK DAVID COCHRANE, 
JUST AS WE WAIT FOR THE NOON 
BRIEFING TO BEGIN WITH SOME 
FEDERAL CABINET MINISTERS AND 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.
SEE, YOU CAN GET YOUR KIDS DOING
YOUR WORK, IF YOU PAY THEM, AND 
THEY CAN GET THEIR BUDDIES 
HELPING OUT TOO.
>> David: I WAS A 6-YEAR-OLD AND
A 3-YEAR-OLD WITH A LOT OF 
ENERGY WHO ARE GOING A LITTLE 
BIT HOUSE CRAZY.
>> Rosemary: SHIP THEM OUT TO 
NEW BRUNSWICK.
>> David: IF PREMIER HIGGS WILL 
LET US CROSS THE BORDER, I WILL 
DROP THEM OFF TOMORROW.
>> Rosemary: HE PROBABLY WON'T, 
UNFORTUNATELY.
I WILL BRING PEOPLE UP TO SPEED 
ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THEY NEED 
TO KNOW OUT OF THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S BRIEFING.
THE CANADA CHILD BENEFIT, WHICH 
WE KNEW WAS GOING TO GET THAT 
EXTRA $300 BUMP.
HE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT IT IS 
GOING UP AS IT DOES ANNUALLY IN 
CASE PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT.
BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE 
RELY ON THAT IN THEIR FAMILIES, 
AND IT DOES OBVIOUSLY INCREASE 
EACH YEAR.
THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED 
YESTERDAY, DAVID, WAS THE 
STUDENT AID BEING OPENED UP FOR 
PEOPLE AS WELL, AND I HAVE HAD 
SOME TWEETS ALREADY THAT IT 
SEEMS TO BE GOING FAIRLY 
SMOOTHLY FOR THEM AS WELL.
>> David: YEAH, EVERY WEEK IT 
SEEMS ANOTHER NEW MULTI-BILLION 
DOLLAR AID PACKAGE COMES ONLINE,
AND CREDIT TO THE FEDERAL PUBLIC
SERVICE, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE 
DESIGN OF THE PROGRAMS, BUT IN 
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THEM, THE 
INTERNET PORTALS.
WE SAID AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF
THIS PANDEMIC, ROSIE, THE 
ROLLOUT OF THESE AID PROGRAMS 
WOULD BE A TEST FOR THE I.T. 
SYSTEMS OF THE GOVERNMENT.
TO THIS POINT, THAT HAS NOT BEEN
A PROBLEM.
THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH 
THE PROGRAMS, PEOPLE GETTING 
MONEY THEY SHOULDN'T GET, PEOPLE
GETTING DOUBLE PAYMENTS OR 
UNDERPAYMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO 
WORK OUT IN TERMS OF DESIGN AND 
ADMINISTRATION, BUT TO THIS 
POINT, AT LEAST, THE I.T. 
SYSTEMS HAVE HELD AND PEOPLE 
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE MONEY 
IN THEIR POCKET.
THE POLITICAL HAGGLING OVER THE 
STUDENT AID PROGRAM, THOUGH, 
WILL BE AN INTERESTING ONE TO 
SEE THERE IS AN INSISTENCE FROM 
SOME QUARTERS THAT TO GET THIS 
MONEY YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO 
GO TAKE SOME JOBS IN SECTORS 
LIKE AGRICULTURE OR WHEREVER.
WHETHER THAT COMES TO PASS AND 
HOW IT IS TRACKED AND HOW IT CAN
BE DEMONSTRATED AND WHETHER IT'S
ENOUGH TO SATISFY THE PEOPLE WHO
WANT THAT AS A CONDITION OF 
HELP.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, DAVID, I'LL 
LEAVE IT THERE JUST FOR A MOMENT
IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT 
BREAK HERE ON "CBC NEWS 
NETWORK".
WHEN WE COME BACK AT THE TOP OF 
THE HOUR WE'LL GO TO THE FEDERAL
BRIEFING WITH CABINET MINISTERS 
AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS FOR 
THE VERY LATEST ON FEDERAL AID 
DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
YOU'RE WATCHING "CBC NEWS 
NETWORK".
♪
♪
>> Rosemary:  HI THERE.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON HERE IN THE
NATION'S CAPITAL.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
WE ARE STANDING BY TO HEAR FROM
FEDERAL CABINET MINISTERS ON THE
ANNOUNCEMENTS THE PRIME MINISTER
MADE ABOUT 45 MINUTES AGO.
THEY ARE EXPECTED TO GIVE US
MORE DETAILS THAT THE PRIME
MINISTER HINTED AT EARLIER.
FOR INSTANCE, THAT HEALTH CANADA
HAS APPROVED THE FIRST CANADIAN
CLINICAL TRIAL FOR A POTENTIAL
COVID-19 VACCINE AND THAT NEWS
COMES AS THE SCALE OF THE
PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO GROW.
REARE TRACKING A TOTAL NUMBER OF
CONFIRMED CASES OF MORE THAN
75,000.
AS I INDICATED EARLIER,
RECOVERED CASES ARE NOW MORE
THAN THE ACTIVE CASES, PEOPLE
WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM THE
VIRUS.
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY ON THIS LONG WEEKEND,
THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO
THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO DO MANY
WEEKENDS AGO AND PART OF THAT IS
HAPPENING IN ONTARIO.
IT IS ONE OF THE PROVINCES THAT
IS VERY SLOWLY LIFTING SOME OF
THE HEALTH RESTRICTS BECAUSE OF
THE HIGH NUMBER OF CASES STILL
IN THIS PROVINCE.
PART OF THE PLAN BY THE PREMIER,
DOUG FORD, TO TRY TO RESTART THE
ECONOMY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
THERE ARE NEW GUIDELINES IN
PLACE ON GOLF COURSES TO
MAXIMIZE PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND
LIMIT CONTACT POINTS WHERE THE
VIRUS CAN BE PASSED ON.
FOR MORE, I'M JOINED BY THE
MARKETING DIRECTOR AT TPC
DIRECTOR AT OFFSPREE VALLEY AND
THAT IS A GOLF COURSE JUST
OUTSIDE OF TORONTO WHICH IS
BEHIND HIM AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD.
I'M NOT A GOLFER MYSELF BUT I
KNOW MEAN PEOPLE WHO ARE AND
WERE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THIS DAY
AND SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING I
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AND STILL
FOLLOW PHYSICAL DISTANCING
RESTRICTIONS, REQUIREMENTS.
SO HOW HAVE YOU ADAPTED TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE CAN DO THAT?
>> YEAH, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF
TIME PUTTING A DETAILED PLAN
TOGETHER TO LOOKS LIKE WHAT IT
FROM THETYPE PEOPLE ARRIVE ON TE
PROPERTY UNTIL THEY LEAVE.
EVERYBODY HAS A ROLE TO BRING
THIS INTO OUR LIVES SAFELY AND
THANKFULLY, WE'RE ABLE TO PUT A
PLAN TOGETHER IN ADVANCE AND
ONCE THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWED US
TO GIVE US NOTICE TO OPEN ON
SATURDAY, WE WERE RELATIVELY
WELL PLANNED TO GO AHEAD WITH
THAT AND IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS AND REALLY
THE ATTITUDE THAT WE'RE ALL IN
THIS TOGETHER.
>> HOW BUSY SIT THERE TODAY?
>> WELL, WE FILLED UP ALL OF THE
TEE TIMES FOR THIS WEEKEND
WITHIN A FEW MINUTES.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
[ Laughter ]
>> THAT'S OK, ONE OF THE HAZARDS
OF BEING OUTSIDE.
[ Laughter ]
>> OUR TEE TIMES SOLD OUT WITHIN
IN A MATTER OF MINUTES AND
THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE FEWER TEE
TIMES THAN WE NORMALLY WOULD.
WE HAVE 20% CAPACITY BECAUSE WE
WANTED TO TAKE SURE WE COULD DO
THIS SAFELY FIRST.
THAT WAS THE PRIMARY FROM THE
GET-GO, WAS MAKING SURE WE WANT
TO GET OFF THE GROUND RUNNING
AND WE CAN DO THIS WITH SAFE
OPERATIONS AND NOT TRY TO PUT
THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE AND
GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES AND MAKE
SURE EVERYBODY IS SAFE WHEN THEY
GET HERE.
>> I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE
ASKING OR THINKING ABOUT WHAT
YOU WOULD DO WITH THE ACTUAL
HOLE AFTER YOU SINK A PUTT AND
HAVE YOU HAD TO ADAPT THAT?
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THAT COULD BE
A SOURCE OF TRANSMISSION.
>> YEAH, THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED
SOME SUGGESTIONS AND BEST
PRACTISES FOR WHAT TO DO.
A LOT OF COURSES HAVE USED A
POOL NOODLE OR RAISED CUP.
WE HAVE THE PIN CADDY WHICH
ALLOWS THE BALL TO POP OUT OF
THE HOLE SO THE GOLFERS DON'T
HAVE TO TOUCH THE HOLE AND WE
WERE ABLE TO TEST THAT AND WE
FEEL IT'S A GOOD, SAFE SYSTEM
FOR PEOPLE TO USE.
BUT EVERYBODY IS DOING THINGS
DIFFERENTLY.
THE GOLF COURSES HAVE BEEN GIVEN
AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN A
POSITION WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF
RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THIS RIGHT
AND EVERYBODY IS DOING THINGS A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY BASED ON
THE BEST PRACTISES THAT WERE
OUTLINED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
>> BRIAN DECKER, GOOD OF YOU TO
MAKE THE TIME AND DO THAT
OUTSIDE FOR US, EVEN WITH THE
GUSTS OF WIND.
I HOPE THE WEEKEND GOES WELL AND
YOU'RE ONE OF THE FIRST
BUSINESSES OUT THERE REOPENING
AND YOU'LL BE A GOOD TEST FOR
EVERYBODY.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S BRIAN DECKER WIT
GOLFER TPC TORONTO AND LOOKS
LIKE A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
>>> LET'S GO TO THE FEDERAL
BRIEFING IN OTTAWA WITH FEDERAL
CABINET MINISTERS.
THIS IS MINISTER HUSSI THANKS.
>> WE ANNOUNCED THE EMERGENCY
SUPPORT FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF
$350 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO
NONPROFITS AND THE CHARITABLE
SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT
SUPPORT THE MOST VULNERABLE IN
OUR COMMUNITIES.
I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT
STARTING ON MAY 19th,
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
THAT REQUIRE FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE TO REORIENT THEIR
OFFICES TO VULNERABLE CANADIANS
DURING THE PANDEMIC WILL BE ABLE
TO APPLY FOR FUNDING THROUGH OUR
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS
PLEASED TO WORK HAND IN HAND
WITH THE UNITED WAY CANADA, THE
CANADIAN RED CROSS AND OUR
PARTNERS WILL POST INFORMATION
ON ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND HOW
ORGANIZATIONS CAN APPLY FOR THAT
FUNDING ON TUESDAY, MAY 19th.
WHILE WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON
HELPING CANADIANS THROUGH THIS
PANDEMIC, THE GOVERNMENT OF
CANADA ALSO RECOGNISES THAT
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES
FACED BY VULNERABLE CANADIANS
INCLUDING AFRICAN AND BLACK
CANADIANS.
IN RECOGNITION OF PEOPLE WITH
AFRICAN DISSENT, I'M PROUD TO
SAY THEY'RE MOVING AHEAD TO UP
TO $25 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS
IN ASSISTANCE TO BLACK CANADIAN
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS,
INCLUDING $5 MILLION IN CAPITAL
ASSISTANCE.
LATER THIS SPRING, WE WILL SHARE
DETAILS ON HOW THESE
ORGANIZATIONS CAN APPLY FOR
GRANTS TO BUILD THE NECESSARY
CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO
BETTER SERVE BLACK CANADIAN
COMMUNITIES.
WE WILL THEN WORK WITH THE
NETWORK FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF
BLACK CANADIANS, COMMUNITY
SERVICES, AS WELL AS THE BLACK
BUSINESS INITIATIVE AND THE
GROUP TRANSET, TRANSSET TO
DISPERSE THESE INVESTMENTS
BEFORE THE END OF 2020.
CHARITIES AND NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ALREADY
STEPPED UP TO HELP THE MOST
VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
EVEN IF THE MOST CHALLENGING OF
CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY HAVE
CONTINUED TO HELP THE MOST
VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES
AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO
HELP THEM IN RETURN.
WE HAVE YOUR BACKS.
MERCI.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MERCI.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> WE'RE ON THE LINE FOR
MINISTER MOSEF.
>> COVID HAS HIT WOMEN HARDEST,
FOR THEIR KIDS AND ELDERS AND
WOMEN ARE THE ON THE FRONTLINES
OF THE CRISIS AND SUPPORT
WORKERS, CHILDCARE WORKERS AND,
NURSES AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS
AND SOCIAL WORKERS.
THE RACE OF AGENDA-BASED
VIOLENCE WERE HIGH PUERTO RICO
PRE- COVIDWITH A WOMAN BEING KIY
SIX DAYS IN CANADA.
WITH THE PRESSURES PEOPLE ARE
EXPERIENCING, OUR PARTNERS ARE
TELLING US THE RAPES AND
SEVERITY OF THE VIOLENCE HAVE
INCREASED.
AT THE SAME TIME, SOME
ORGANIZATIONS ARE TELLING US
THINGS ARE EERILY QUIET,
PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AND
ISOLATED REGIONS OF OUR COUNTRY
AND SOME WOMEN ARE UNABLE TO
SEEK HELP IN SCRUTINY AND
CONTROLLED AND LACK TO ACCESS TO
FRIENDS, EXTENDED FAMILIES,
COMMUNITY CENTRES, SCHOOLS,
PLACES OF WORSHIP.
AND THE PANDEMIC DOESN'T MAKE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STOP.
IT JUST SILENCES IT.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT,
BUT WE KNOW IT IS HAPPENING,
MAKING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE A
SHADOW PANDEMIC.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EVERYWHERE AND
ALWAYS IS ABOUT INEQUALITY OF
POWER.
WHEN THE POWERFUL FEEL LOSS OF
CONTROL, SOME BECOME DEPRESSED,
SOME SNAP, UNLEASHING
FRUSTRATIONS ON THOSE AROUND
THEM.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A UNIVERSAL
PHENOMENON AND IT HAPPENS IN
RICH AND POOR HOUSEHOLDS, IN
RICH AND POOR NATIONS AND IN
URBAN, RURAL AND REMOTE SETS.
SETTINGS.
WE UNDERSTAND SOME WOMEN AND
CHILDREN MAY NOT BE AWARE
SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS ARE OPEN
AND READY TO HELP.
TO ENSURE THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS
ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR
CRITICAL WORK AT THIS PHYSICAL
TIME, OUR GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED
$50 MILLION TO SUPPORT THEM.
$40 MILLION IS BEING DELIVERED
TO MY DEPARTMENT AND FOR
INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND
WILL FLOW THROUGH INDIGENOUS
SERVICE'S CANADA.
$23 MILLION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO
WOMEN'S SHELTERS CANADA AND THE
CANADIAN WOMEN'S FOUNDATION WHO
WORKED QUICKLY AND TIRELESSLY TO
LET MONEY INTO THE BANK ACCOUNTS
OF FRONTLINE ORGANIZATIONS AND
WE THANK THEM FOR THIS WORK.
FUNDING BEGAN TO FLOW IN APRIL
AND AS OF TODAY, I CAN CONFIRM
THAT 422 WOMEN SHELTERS AND 89
SEXUAL ASSAULT ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING.
WE'VE REACHED A SEPARATE
AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENTS
OF QUEBEC THAT WILL SEE OVER
$6 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING
FLOW TO FRONTLINE ORGANIZATIONS
IN THE PROVINCE.
THOSE FUNDS WERE TRANSFERRED TO
QUEBEC EARLIER THIS MONTH.
ORGANIZATIONS ARE USING THESE
FUNDS TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN,
MAY THEIR STAFF, PURCHASE
CLEANING SUPPLIES AND PPE,
LAPTOPS AND SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT
CLIENTS REMOTELY, PROTECT
WORKERS AND ALLOW FOR NECESSARY
PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES.
AS A PART OF THE $50 MILLION
THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED,
$10 MILLION WILL BE DISTRIBUTED
TO ADDRESS GAPS AND SUPPORT
HUNDREDS OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
ALL ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS WILL
RECEIVE FUNDING BY EARLY JUNE
AND I WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS TO
SHARE ON THIS IN THE COMING
DAYS.
SO IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING
VIOLENCE AT HOME, IF YOUR HOME
IS NOT A SAFE HOME FOR YOU OR
YOUR CHILDREN, YOU DO NOT HAVE
TO STAY.
I KNOW YOU'RE AFRAID, BUT THERE
ARE THOUSANDS OF SMART, CARING
PROFESSIONALS IN EVERY CORNER OF
THIS COUNTRY WHO CAN HELP.
REACH OUT TO ONE DIRECTLY OR
TALK TO SOMEONE TO DISCUSS YOUR
OPTIONS AND PLAN YOUR EXIT.
VISIT SHELTERSAFE.CA FOR MORE
RESOURCES.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN
IMMEDIATE DANGER CALL 9-1-1 OR
YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES.
THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE ANSWERING
CRISIS LINES WHO CAN HELP YOU,
EVEN IF YOU HAVE ONLY A FEW
MINUTES TO TALK, INCLUDING THE
KID'S HELPLINE AT (800)668-6868.
IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK ON THE PHONE,
SIGNAL FOR HELP IS A SIMPLE
ONE-HANDED SIGNAL YOU CAN USE ON
A VIDEO CALL.
IT CAN HELP YOU SILENTLY SHOW
YOU NEED HELP AND WANT SOMEONE
TO CHECK IN WITH YOU IN A SAFE
WAY.
IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE
CANADIAN WOMEN'S FOUNDATION.
PUT YOUR THUMB TO THE CAMERA AND
TUCK YOUR THUMB AND THEN TRAP
YOUR THUMB.
IF YOU SEE SOMEONE SIGNALING FOR
HELP LIKE THIS, VISIT THE
CANADIAN WOMEN'S FOUNDATION
WEBSITE TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN
HELP.
YOUR HELP AND SAFETY IS
EVERYONE'S PRIORITIES FROM THE
VIRUS AND FROM THOSE WHO MAY BE
THREATENING YOU.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE
THROUGH VIOLENCE WHETHER IT BE
PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR
SEXUAL.
THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES BUT
THE PANDEMIC HAS ALSO
HIGHLIGHTED CANADIAN'S
TREMENDOUS CAPACITY FOR SOCIAL
SOLIDARITY AND SHARED SACRIFICE
FOR ONE ANOTHER.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR
EACH OTHER AND THINGS WILL GET
BETTER.
WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS AND
EQUALITY-SEEKING ORGANIZES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PROVIDING
SERVICES TO VULNERABLE WOMEN AND
THEIR CHILDREN.
THEY ARE PROVIDING CRITICAL
SUPPORTS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THEM SO THAT THEY CAN
CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR WOMEN
AND CHILDREN IN THEIR HOUR OF
NEED.
MERCI.
>> MERCI, THANK YOU, MINISTER.
WE'LL NOW HERE FROM MINISTER
ING.
>> THANK YOU.
WOMEN, AND BUSINESS OWNERS ARE
BEING AFFECTED BY COVID-19, LIKE
IN RETAIL, HOSPITALITY AND THE
SERVICE INDUSTRIES.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> THEIR BUSINESSES ARE
GENERALLY SMALLER AND MORE
VULNERABLE.
BECAUSE OF COVID-19, MAKING MANE
TAKING ON MORE OF THIS WOMEN.
 WORK.
 THIS WORK.
I KNOW MANY WOMEN ARE WEARING SO
MANY DIFFERENT HATS AND AT A
TIME INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING AND
UNCERTAIN.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE SEE YOU
AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE
CAN TO SUPPORT YOU.
YOU MAKE VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO
OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ECONOMY.
THAT'S WHY YEARS AGO, OUR
GOVERNMENT HAS THE WOMEN
STRATEGY WITH A $200 BILLION
ACCESS TO FUNDING, NETWORKS AND
EXPERTISE TO SUCCEED IN THE
CANADIAN ECONOMY AND, INDEED,
THIS INVESTMENT ACTUALLY HAS
TOTALED CLOSER TO $5 BILLION,
WHEN YOU HAVE FINANCING FOR
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS LOOKING TO
EXCERPT GLOBALLY.
WE ARE HOPING THEM TO PAY THEIR
RENT AND SAVING CHILD BENEFIT
FOR PARENTS, INCREASING FUNDING
TO ADDRESS GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
AND SO MUCH MORE.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> TODAY, WE ARE SUPPORTING
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS EVEN MORE.
WE PROVIDE TARGETED SUPPORT TO
ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO
HELPING WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS.
IN THE COMING WEEK, THIS
INVESTMENT WILL HELP THOUSANDS
OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS NAVIGATE
THROUGH THIS CRISIS AND GIVE
WOMEN TAILORED SUPPORT THROUGH
THINGS LIKE BUSINESS WORKSHOPS,
MENTORSHIPS AND SKILL TRAINING
TO HELP ADAPT TO THE
MARKETPLACE.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS A
FRIGHTENING TIME FOR MANY
BUSINESS LEADERS, ESPECIALLY
WOMEN LEADERS.
IT IS ABOUT GETTING SUPPORT AND
WHAT COMES NEXT.
SO LET ME SAY THIS CLEARLY,
WE'RE HEAR FOR YOU AND OUR WORK
IS FAR FROM OVER.
WE WILL SUPPORT YOU EVER STEP OF
THE WAY THROUGH THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
EXCEPTIONALLY TODAY WE'LL START
IN THE ROOM WITH McKENZIE AND
THEN WE'LL GO TO THE PHONE.
>> Question:  ON MARCH 26th,
THE GOVERNMENT CLOSED ALL THE
CANADA SERVICE CENTRES.
I CAN GO TO THE DRIVING RANGE,
HOME DEPOT AND MANY OTHER
PROVINCES ARE OPENING BACK UP.
WHEN WILL SERVICE CANADA OPEN
BACK UP?
>> WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CLOSE THIS ON THE ANALYSIS ON
THE IMPORTANT OF EMPLOYEE
SAFETY, AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF
OUR CLIENTS.
HOWEVER, THIS HAS NOT IMPACTED
SERVICE.
WE HAVE REDEPLOYED 3,000 STAFF
MEMBERS TO BETTER SERVE
CANADIANS THROUGH COVID-19 AND
WE HAVE A 1500-AGENT CALL CENTRE
THAT IS TAKING CALLS RELATED TO
SERVICE CANADA.
WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES TO
CANADIANS AND IN TERMS OF WHAT
HAPPENS NEXT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS
ISSUED GUIDELINES ON
APRIL 28th AND IT WILL BE
GRADUAL AND BASED ON THE HEALTH
ADVICE FROM OFFICIALS.
>> Question:  GROCERY STORES
HAVE BEEN OPEN ALL THIS TIME AND
THEY PUT UP PLEXIGLAS AND DID
OTHER THINGS.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING
CANADIANS RECEIVE THE BENEFITS
THEY NEED RIGHT NOW.
>> AND THAT HASN'T STOPPED.
>> Question:  I'M NOT DEBATING
IT STOPPED.
MANY JOURNALISTS GET CALLS FOR
PEOPLE WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO
THE COMPUTER AND MAYBE THEY'RE
ON THE PHONE AND WOULD LIKE TO
GO IN-PERSON.
WHY ARE PLACES NOT OPEN AND
OTHER PLACES ARE OPEN?
>> SO WE MADE THE DECISION BASED
ON THE CONSIDERATION OF OUR
CLIENTS WHO WOULD VISIT THESE
SITES.
HOWEVER, THE SERVICES ARE BEING
SUPPLIED TO CANADIANS AND, IN
FACT, WE HAVE REDEPLOYED STAFF
TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, FOR THOSE
WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE
INTERNET, WE TOOK PROACTIVE
MEASURES TO NOT ONLY SCALE UP
OUR ABILITY TO TAKE PHONE CALLS,
BUT WE ALSO WENT THROUGH OUR
OUTREACH AND LIAISON OFFICERS
AND WENT THROUGH TRUSTED
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH
OUT TO THE MOST VULNERABLE AND
THOSE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS
THE INTERNET, TO BE ABLE TO
ENSURE TO THEM, TO ASSURE THEM
THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEANS
TO ACCESS SERVICE INCLUDING
INDIVIDUAL AGENTS WHO ARE
WORKING THROUGH PEOPLE THROUGH
APPLICATIONS WHEN THEY ARE
UNABLE TO FILL THEM ONLINE OR
EVEN ACCESS THE PHONE LINES.
AS I SAID, WE WILL MAKE THOSE
DECISIONS BASED ON THE ADVICE OF
OUR HEALTH OFFICIALS.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
WE'LL NOW TURN TO THE PHONE
OPERATOR.
>> Operator:  PLEASE PRESS STAR
1 IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
THE FIRST QUESTION FROM TERESA
WRIGHT FROM THE CANADIAN PRESS.
>> Question:  THIS QUESTION IS
FOR MINISTER ING, ABOUT THE AIR
CANADA LAYOFFS AND I'M SURE AIR
CANADA AND THE PUBLIC WILL BE
WONDERING IF A BAIL-OUT WOULD BE
WELCOME TO THIS COUNTRY.
THE PRIME MINISTER DIDN'T SAY
YES TO THIS BUT ALSO DIDN'T SAY
NO.
WHEN LOOKING AT THE SITUATION,
IS THERE A CONCERN THAT BAIL-OUT
FOR THIS COMPANY TO OPEN THE
FLOODGATES?
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS
QUESTION AND THE UTMOST CONCERN
IS HELPING OUR COMPANIES AND OUR
WORKERS THROUGH THIS VERY
DIFFICULT TIME AND THE CANADA
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY IS THERE,
WAITING FOR COMPANIES TO HELP
KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES ON STAFF
AND WE JUST ANNOUNCED A FEW DAYS
AGO A LARGE ENTERPRISE FACILITY
THAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE AS A
LAST RESORT FUNDING SUPPORT FOR
THOSE COMPANIES WHO MAY BE
LOOKING FOR IT.
BUT THE WORK WILL HAVE TO
CONTINUE AND THIS PERIOD IS A
REALLY CHALLENGING ONE FOR
CANADIAN BUSINESSES AND THAT'S
WHY WE BEGIN TO INTRODUCE THE
MANY EMERGENCY MEASURES WE HAVE
TO HELP BUSINESSES WEATHER
THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD.
>> Operator:  IS THERE A
FOLLOW-UP?
QUESTION.
THEY SAID MONEYGIVEN TO SHELTER9
AID IS NOT REACHING INDIGENOUS
WOMEN, PARTICULARLY THOSE LIVING
OFF RESERVE.
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO RECTIFY
THIS?
>> THANK YOU.
MINISTER BENNET AND I WERE ON A
CALL FROM INDIGENOUS LEADERS
FROM VARIOUS CORRESPONDENCE OF
THE COUNTRY YESTERDAY AND WE
HAVE PROVIDED SUPPORTS TO
INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS
ON RESERVE AND WE ARE PLANNING
ON DEPLOYING FURTHER FUNDS TO
STRENGTHEN THE WORK OF THOSE WHO
ARE WORKING AND DOING REALLY
IMPORTANT WORK OFFER RESERVE, IN
URBAN CENTRES, SO MORE TO COME
ON THAT.
>> Operator:  THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM CBC
AND TERESA PATELL.
>> Question:  HI THERE.
THIS IS FOR MINISTER ING, AS WE
HEARD AIR CANADA PLANS TO LAY
OFF MORE THAN HALF OF ITS
WORKFORCE AND DID USE THE WAGE
SUBSIDY AND WOULD HAVE HAD
ACCESS TO BRIDGE LOANS.
WHAT DOES THIS LATEST UPDATE
TELL YOU ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THESE PROGRAMS?
>> I THINK THAT THIS IS
ABSOLUTELY A CHALLENGING TIME.
WE CERTAINLY HEARD IT FROM MANY
BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AND THE MEASURES
THAT WE HAVE PUT OUT IS, INDEED,
HOW BUSINESSES WEATHER THROUGH
THIS DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING
PERIOD.
SO WHETHER IT IS TO HELP AND
KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH WAGE
SUBSIDY OR HELPING WITH LENDING
PRODUCTS WITH THE SMALL
BUSINESSES BUT BUSINESSES IN
NEED OF ALL SIZES, INCLUDING
BUSINESSES IN CANADA, WE KNOW
THAT SECTORS, PARTICULARLY LIKE
TOURISM HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY
HARD HIT AS A RESULT OF
COVID-19.
THIS IS WORK THAT WE'LL HAVE TO
CONTINUE TO DO TO SUPPORT OUR
WORK EXPERTS TO TO SUPPORT OUR
CANADIAN COMPANIES THREW THIS
DIFFICULT TIME AND THAT WORK
DOESN'T STOP.
IT CONTINUES.
>> Question:  REGARDLESS OF
THESE MEASURES, AIR CANADA IS
STILL ENGAGING IN LAYOFFS AND DO
YOU FORESEE SOME BUSINESSES NOT
SURVIVING THIS CRISIS,
REGARDLESS OF GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT?
>> I THINK THROUGHOUT THIS
PERIOD, OUR FOCUS HAS ABSOLUTELY
BEEN ON HELPING OUR CANADIANS,
HELPING WORKERS AND HELPING
BUSINESSES MANAGE THROUGH THIS
PERIOD AND THIS PERIOD HAS BEEN
PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT.
FOR SOME, AS IN TOURISM, WE'LL
HAVE TO KEEP DOING THE WORK WE
HAVE BEEN WITH CANADIAN
BUSINESSES TO WEATHER THROUGH
THIS PERIOD SO THAT WE CAN COME
OUT OF COVID-19.
>> Operator:  THANK YOU,
MINISTER.
McKENZIE, BACK TO YOU.
>> Question:  IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT GENERALLY
WHEN A COMPANY OF THIS SIZE LAYS
OFF THIS NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THEY
HAVE TO INFORM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT THERE HAVE TO BE
LAYOFFS OF THIS SIZE.
HAS AIR CANADA DONE THAT OR DID
THEY GIVE YOU A HEADS UP BEFORE
BECOMING PUBLIC?
>> I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT, BUT I
WOULD SAY WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO
AIR CANADA, AS WELL AS COMPANIES
OF ALL SIZES AND IN ALL SECTORS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THE CANADA
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY, WHERE
EMPLOYERS CAN, INDEED, KEEP
THEIR EMPLOYEES ON STAFF AND
KEEPING EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES
TOGETHER IS SOMETHING THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE WANT OUR
WORKERS TO BE SUPPORTIVE DIDN'T
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
COMPANIES ARE GETTING THE HELP
THEY NEED THROUGH THIS TIME.
WE'VE ALSO EXTENDED THE WAGE
SUBSIDY SUPPORT, SO THAT WILL GO
UNTIL AUGUST AND WE'RE GOING
HAVE TO KEEP DOING THE WORK TO
ENSURE COMPANIES OF ALL SIZES
ARE SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THIS
PERIOD.
>> THE PRIME MINISTER MENTIONED
THE NEED FOR WORKERS TO STAY
WITH THEIR COMPANIES.
IF FEDERAL FUNDS ARE GIVEN TO
AIR CANADA, WILL IT BE ON THE
CONDITION OR ANY OTHER BUSINESS,
FOR THAT MATTER, THAT THEY
REHIRE THE EMPLOYEES THEY HAVE
LAID OFF?
>> WELL, THE CONDITIONS THAT WE
HAVE PUT OUT, PARTICULARLY FOR
THE WAGE SUBSIDY HAS TO DO WITH
REVENUE DECLINE, SO IF YOU'RE
SEEING REVENUE DECLINE, YOU
ABSOLUTELY WILL GET ACCESS TO
THE WAGE SUBSIDY AND IN THE
LARGE ENTERPRISE FACILITY, THERE
ARE CONDITIONS WITH RESPECT TO
THAT FACILITY THAT ENSURE THAT
CANADIAN TAXPAYERS ARE, INDEED,
CONSIDERED AND IN THE COURSE OF
THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.
>> Question:  MY FINAL QUESTION
FOR YOU, RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE
HAD A FLIGHT WITH AIR CANADA OR
ANY OF THE OTHER AIRLINES THAT
HAVE BEEN CANCELED, THEY'RE NOT
GIVING YOU A REFUND.
THEY'RE EITHER GIVING YOU A
CREDIT OR PUSHING YOUR FLIGHT
FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
FORWARD.
SHOULD MANY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT
THEY WILL HONOUR THEIR FLIGHTS
WHEN PLANES WILL TAKE OFF?
>> WELL, AIR CANADA HAS BEEN AND
CONTINUES TO BE A GOOD CANADIAN
CORPORATION AND WE HOPE THAT AIR
CANADA WILL TREAT ITS CUSTOMERS
IN THE WAY THAT THEY ALWAYS HAVE
AND I'M HOPEFUL THEY, OF COURSE,
WILL ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
SERVING THEIR CUSTOMERS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
THAT'S IT FOR TODAY AND THANK
YOU, EVERYONE.
>> Rosemary:  THAT IS THE SHORT
VERSION OF THE FEDERAL BRIEFING
TODAY, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
ARE NOT THERE AND JUST A HANDFUL
OF CAB NET MINISTERS.
CABINET MINISTERS.A LOT OF THESN
WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK AND
DAVID COCHRAN HAS BEEN LISTENING
IN WITH US AND LOTS OF ATTEMPTS
THERE TO TRY TO GET THE
MINISTER'S SMALL BUSINESS AND
MARY NG TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT
AIR CANADA AND IT WOULD NOT BE
WISE FOR HER TO DO THAT IS SHE
DID NOT.
>> David:  I THINK IT'S HARD TO
GET SPECIFIC ANSWERS AND NEXT
STEPS FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON THE
NEWS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON AIR
CANADA IS LESS THAN 24 HOURS
OLD.
IT WAS AFTER SUPPER LAST NIGHT
WHERE THE CANADIAN PRESS WAS THE
FIRST TO BREAK THE STORY THAT
THIS WAS COMING AND A BUNCH OF
THINGS GOING ON.
AIR CANADA HAS TO GIVE OFFICIAL
NOTICE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND TRYING TO NEGOTIATE SOME
SORT OF WORKPLACE CONCESSIONS
AND COST REDUCTIONS WITH ITS
EMPLOYEES TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT
OF ANY SORT OF WORKFORCE
RESTRUCTURING AND THESE ARE
THINGS THAT ALL TAKE TIME IS IT
HAS TO SEE IF IT WILL NEGOTIATE
WITH THE GOVERNMENT FOR SOME
KIND OF BRIDGE FINANCING UNDER
THE LEAF PROGRAM, THE LARGE
EMPLOYER EMERGENCY FUND ONLY
ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK AND IS A
NEGOTIATION OF BRIDGE FINANCING
AND LOANS IN EXCESS OF
$60 MILLION FOR THESE BIG
COMPANIES ON COMMERCIAL TERMS
WITH SPECIFIC REPAYMENT AND
OPERATIONAL TERMS.
SO THERE IS STILL A LOT OF
DIFFERENT TO SETTLE ON THE AIR
CANADA SITUATION RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE IT IS, IN FACT, SO NEW
AND SO SEISMIC AND SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S HAD AN ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS
FIRST QUARTER BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC.
THE SECOND QUARTER PROMISES TO
BE EVEN WORSE THAN THE FIRST,
WHERE THEY LOST A MILLION
DOLLARS AND HEMORRHAGING NEARLY
A MILLION DOLLARS AN HOURS A
THEY CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
SO THERE WILL BE ENORMOUS
PRESSURE AND CALLS ON THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO
SOMETHING.
SOME WILL SAY DON'T HELP AIR
CANADA.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE TICKETS WITH
THEM AND WHO WANT REFUNDS RATHER
THAN JUST A CREDIT, I THINK WHEN
YOU SEE THE NUMBERS COMING OUT
OFAIR CANADA, YOU CAN SEE WHY
THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE CASH TO DO
REFUNDS.
THIS WILL BE A LIVE ISSUE IN
VIRTUAL PARLIAMENT AS THE
GOVERNMENT HAS TO SIT DOWN AND
HAVE A CONVERSATION TO SEE WHAT
THEY CAN DO.
THE PRIME MINISTER PRESSED
REPEATEDLY, WHERE THERE WILL BE
A BAIL-OUT, WILL YOU COVERAGE
PENSION AND BENEFIT COSTS AND NO
DIRECTION ANSWERS BUT A PROMISE
TO WE'LL SEE WHICH IS A COMMON
ANSWER.
>> Rosemary:  THE GOVERNMENT
WANTS TO SEE HOW THIS WILL
UNFOLD AND WHETHER THEY WILL
NEED SUPPORT.
WE HEARD FROM AN EARLIER GUEST
THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO REALLY
LET AIR CANADA FAIL.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE KEEN ON
DOING BUT MAY BE TOO SOON TO SAY
IN WHAT CAPACITY THEY DO MORE AT
THIS STAGE.
AS I SAID EARLIER, IF YOU OPEN
THE DOOR TO AIR CANADA, YOU RISK
OPENING THE DOOR TO OTHER KINDS
OF BAIL-OUTS OF SUBSTANTIAL
SIZE.
ALTHOUGH, I UNDERSTAND AIR
CANADA IS DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF
HOW NECESSITY IS TO THE
FUNCTIONING OF THE ECONOMY.
>> David:  YOU'VE GOT EMPTY
PLANES AND EMPTY HOTEL CHAINS
AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE
STAFFING COSTS NOT MAKING MONEY
BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING ON
PLANES AND GOING TO A CITY WHICH
REQUIRES THEM TO STAY IN A
HOTEL.
SO STAGGERING AND UNPRECEDENTED
CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR THE
ECONOMY, ROSIE, WITH AIR CANADA
BEING THE FIRST LARGE INDUSTRIAL
PLAYER TO REALLY PUT UP THE
EMERGENCY SIGNAL FLARE IN A
PROFOUND WAY DEALING WITH THIS
WORKFORCE.
>> Rosemary:  DAVID, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR HELP.
DAVID HAS AN EXCELLENT PIECE AT
CBC.CA/POLITICS AND HE TRIES TO
ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS
SO COULD TAKE A READ OF THAT.
>>> OUR NEXT GUEST HELPS TO RUN
TWO WOMEN SHELTERS IN ONTARIO
BECAUSE WE ALSO HEARD ABOUT SOME
ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR WOMEN
SHELTERS TODAY, AS WELL AS SOME
INFORMATION THERE FROM
MARYAM MONSEF AND HER SHELTER
HAS RECEIVED FUNDING AND SHE
DOES PLAN ON APPLYING FOR MORE,
GIVEN THAT 350 MILLION WILL BE
AVAILABLE FOR THESE KINDS OF
ORGANIZATIONS STARTING ON
TUESDAY.
JEN HUTTON IS THE DIRECTOR OF
WOMEN'S CRISIS OF THE WATERLOO
REGION AND SHE JOINS US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> WE APPRECIATE IT.
WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF STORIES
HERE.
MY COLLEAGUE, ASHLEY BURKE,
ABOUT HOW INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
THE SITUATION IS FOR PEOPLE
BEING ABUSED RIGHT NOW AND HOW,
ALSO, THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP.
CAN YOU GIVE US A PICTURE OF
WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR
CENTRES?
>> WE'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR
NUMBERS DECLINE.
TYPICALLY WE RUN AT 90% CAPACITY
AND LATELY, SINCE THE PANDEMIC,
WE'VE HAD ABOUT 40, 50, 60%
CAPACITY AND WE'RE NOT SEEING AS
MANY WOMEN REACH OUT TO US.
THEY'RE ALSO NOT CALLING OUR
SUPPORT LINE IN THE SAME NUMBERS
THEY WOULD HAVE PREVIOUSLY.
>> MINISTER MONSER HAS SPOKEN TO
IT AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE IT IS
NOT HAPPENING.
>> YEAH.
>> SO TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON
THERE.
IT'S NOT THAT THERE ARE FEWER
PEOPLE IN THESE TERRIBLE TIMES
UNDERGOING STRESS.
WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
>> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T
THINK WOMEN ARE SAFE TO REACH
OUT.
THEY'RE JUST NOT HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE
PREVIOUSLY WHEN THEIR ABUSIVE
PARTNER WOULD GO OUT INTO THE
COMMUNITY, OUT FOR WORK,
WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE AND
SO WE ACTUALLY RECENTLY -- WE
DID IT WITHIN A MATTER OF A
COUPLE OF DAYS THAT WE ADDED AN
ONLINE CHAT FEATURE BECAUSE WE
REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WOMEN
COULD REACH US THAT NEED TO AND
WE ACTUALLY HAD A FAMILY COME IN
JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS
AND SHE SAID TO US THAT IF WE
DIDN'T HAVE THAT CHAT FEATURE,
WE MIGHT NOT HAVE GOTTEN TO
SAFETY.
SO THAT WAS GOOD NEWS FOR US.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORRIES
THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS
ACTUALLY INCREASING RIGHT NOW,
BUT OUR NUMBERS ARE DECREASING.
SO I JUST DON'T THINK WOMEN,
IT'S SAFE FOR THEM TO REACH OUT
AND I THINK IT'S HARD FOR THEM
TO PLAN AHEAD AND MAKE SUCH
MAJOR MOVES WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH
UNCERTAINTY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
>> FOR SURE, WHETHER IT BE
ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY OR HEALTH
UNCERTAINTY AND THESE PEOPLE, OF
COURSE, ARE STUCK IN THEIR HOMES
WITH THE ABUSER, AS WELL.
>> YEAH, EXACTLY.
>> YOU'VE RECEIVED SOME SUPPORT
FROM OTTAWA AND WHAT ELSE COULD
YOU DO, IF YOU WOULD GET MORE
MONEY, TO ADAPT YOUR SERVICES TO
THE SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW?
>> WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AHEAD
BECAUSE WE'RE ALL PREDICTING
THAT ONCE THINGS START TO OPEN
UP, WE'LL SEE AN INCREASED
DEMAND FOR OUR SERVICES.
SO WE'RE LOOK AHEAD AT HOW TO
PLAN FOR THAT POTENTIAL DEMAND
INCREASE AND HOW WE CAN REACH
WOMEN SOONER, ALWAYS LOOKING AT
HOW TO SHIFT OUR EFFORTS TO BE
MORE UPSTREAM AND ANY MONEY WILL
HELP US IN THAT REGARD KNOWING
WE'RE SEEING OUR COSTS GO UP
BECAUSE OF MANAGING THE PANDEMIC
IN THE SHELTER AND THEN ALSO
SEEING FUNDRAISING REVENUES
DECREASE BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO
CANCEL SOME OF OUR MAJOR EVENTS.
>> FOR SURE AND I'LL LEAVE IT
WITH THIS.
IF THERE WAS SOMEONE WATCHING
RIGHT NOW WHO WAS IN THIS
SITUATION AND VERY WORRIED AND
FRIGHTENED AND NOT SURE WHAT TO
DO, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?
>> I WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO FEEL
ALONE AND I WOULD WANT THEM TO
FIND A SAFE WAY TO REACH OUT FOR
HELP TO MAKE SURE THEY GET SOME
GUIDANCE IF THEY ARE THINKING OF
LEAVING.
BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S THE HIGHEST
RISK TIME FOR WOMEN.
AND I SAY TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBOURS TO LOOK OUT FOR ONE
ANOTHER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
IT'S MAYBE NOT SAFE FOR A WOMEN
TO REACH OUT, SO WE'RE ALSO
REALLY RELYING ON THOSE AROUND
THEM TO HELP THEM TAKE CARE AND
TO CALL FOR HELP IF NEEDED.
>> SUCH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.
JEN HUTTON, THANK YOU FOR MAKING
THE TIME.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HAVE A GATE DAY.
>> YOU, TOO.
THAT'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE
WOMEN'S CRISIS SERVICES OF THE
WATERLOO REGION.
THEY ARE REITERATING MEASURES
THAT THEY'VE TAKEN BUT REMINDING
YOU THAT THE CHILDCARE BENEFIT,
THE ONE-TIME ADDITIONAL PAYMENT
OF $300 IS AVAILABLE AND
CONFIRMING THAT AS IT HAS SINCE
THE GOVERNMENT PUT IT INTO
PLACE, THAT CHILD BENEFIT WILL,
IN FACT, GO UP.
LOTS OF COMMENTS, THOUGH, TOO,
ON THE LAYOFF OF THE POTENTIALLY
20,000 PEOPLE AT AIR CANADA WITH
THE GOVERNMENT, THE PRIME
MINISTER SPECIFICALLY NOT SAYING
MORE ABOUT A POTENTIAL BAIL-OUT,
GIVEN THE NUMBERS OF PROGRAMMES
ALREADY AVAILABLE TO AIR CANADA
AND MOWING THAT THIS MAY BE
SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO
CONTEMPLATE DOWN THE ROAD.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON AND THE
PRIME MINISTER IS TAKING A
COUPLE DAYS OFF THIS WEEKEND AND
I WILL, TOO.
MICHAEL SERAPIO CONTINUES AFTER
THIS SHORT BREAK.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND TAKE
GOOD DEAR.
