PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE SLOWLY 
BEGINNING TO REOPEN.
DIFFERENT PACES DEPENDING ON 
WHERE YOU LIVE AND HOW THE 
SPREAD OF THE PANDEMIC IS BEING 
CONTAINED.
THAT ECONOMIC RE-START COULD NOT
COME SOON ENOUGH FOR SOME 
PEOPLE, THOUGH.
THE LATEST EMPLOYMENT DATA FROM 
JUST YESTERDAY SHOWED ANOTHER 2 
MILLION CANADIANS LOST THEIR JOB
IN THE MONTH OF APRIL.
THAT MEANS THAT NOW 3 MILLION 
CANADIANS ARE OUT OF WORK AND 
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE NOW STANDS
AT 13%.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU ANNOUNCED EARLIER
THIS WEEK, YESTERDAY IN FACT, 
THAT IT IS -- THAT HE WILL 
EXTEND, HIS GOVERNMENT WILL 
EXTEND THE WAGE SUBSIDY PACKAGE 
FOR BUSINESSES TO TRY AND HIRE 
BACK SOME OF THOSE WORKERS.
THAT WILL BE EXTENDED NOW BEYOND
JUNE.
WE ARE EXPECTING TO HEAR THE 
DETAILS OF THAT NEXT WEEK, AND 
PERHAPS MORE DETAILS FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER TODAY.
LET ME BRING IN MY COLLEAGUE, 
CATHERINE CULLEN, WHO IS HERE TO
HELP WITH OUR COVERAGE HERE IN 
OTTAWA.
CATHERINE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE 
EXPECTING ANYTHING NEW FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER TODAY, BUT IF YOU
THINK BACK THROUGH THE WEEK IN 
TERMS OF THINGS THAT HAVE 
HAPPENED, THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
EXTENSION IS PROBABLY THE 
BIGGEST MOVE BY THE GOVERNMENT, 
AND A RECOGNITION THAT MORE HELP
WAS DEFINITELY NEEDED TO TRY AND
GET BUSINESSES READY TO BRING 
THEIR WORKERS BACK AS WE SEE 
PARTS OF THE ECONOMY REOPENING.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND THE 
ANNOUNCEMENT COINCIDING, 
ROSEMARY, WITH THOSE -- 
OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, WHAT IS THE 
WORD, DEVASTATING, VERY 
TROUBLING JOB NUMBERS THAT WE 
SAW YESTERDAY.
TALK ABOUT THOSE TOP LINE 
FIGURES, 3 MILLION PEOPLE WHO 
HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS SINCE THE 
BEGINNING OF THE OUTBREAK, SINCE
FEBRUARY, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE
ARE A GREAT NUMBER -- MILLIONS 
MORE WORKERS, IN FACT, WHO HAVE 
BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS, WHO HAVE 
SEEN A REDUCTION IN THEIR HOURS,
WHO ARE WORKING FROM HOME, 
CHANGES -- ALL MANNER OF 
CHANGES.
NOW AS FOR HOW LONG THAT WAGE 
SUBSIDY EXTENSION IS GOING TO 
BE, THE PRIME MINISTER DID SAY 
YESTERDAY IT WAS SOMETHING THEY 
WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT 
WEEK.
CARLA QUALTROUGH, THE EMPLOYMENT
MINISTER, ON WITH OUR EMPLOYEE 
VASSY KAPELOS LAST NIGHT DID SAY
THAT SHE EXPECTS IT'S GOING TO 
BE MORE THAN A MONTH.
SHE ALSO SAID WHEN IT COMES TO 
THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT, 
THE CERB, THAT THEY ARE ALSO 
LOOKING AT AN EXTENSION OF THAT 
AS WELL, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THEY
ARE THINKING ABOUT VERY 
SERIOUSLY.
IN THE CASE OF THAT PARTICULAR 
BENEFIT, EXTENDING IT IS 
SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE 
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.
THEY'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE 
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
WE'VE SEEN THAT THAT PROCESS CAN
BE A BIT TOUCH AND GO, ALTHOUGH 
THE PARTIES HAVE REPEATEDLY 
ARRIVED AT AN AGREEMENT ON 
GETTING THESE BADLY NEEDED 
BENEFITS THROUGH.
BUT LONG STORY SHORT, WE'RE 
CERTAINLY EXPECTING TO SEE 
VARIOUS KINDS OF EXTENSIONS OF 
THESE BENEFITS.
THE GOVERNMENT DOES, I THINK, 
PREFER TO HAVE PEOPLE ON THE 
WAGE SUBSIDY, NOT ONLY MIGHT 
THEY BE GETTING A BIT MORE MONEY
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY WORKS, BUT THEY WOULDN'T
BE CONSIDERED, CARLA QUALTROUGH 
SAID, UNEMPLOYED BECAUSE THEY 
ARE ATTACHED TO THEIR EMPLOYER.
THE NUMBERS WOULD LOOK A BIT 
BETTER.
NONE OF IT AN IDEAL SITUATION. 
>> Rosemary: THE WAGE SUBSIDY 
WAS SUPPOSED TO START ROLLING 
OUT THIS WEEK.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANECDOTALLY 
WHETHER EVERYTHING HAS STARTED 
ROLLING OUT.
WE DO KNOW THAT 120,000 
BUSINESSES HAVE APPLIED BUT THE 
GOVERNMENT EXPECTS THAT COVERS 
1.7 MILLION CANADIANS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW AS MORE 
BUSINESSES APPLY, TAP INTO IT, 
THAT SHOULD HELP SOME OF THE 
PEOPLE, SOME CANADIANS GET OFF 
CERB BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY HIGH 
NUMBER TOO, MORE THAN 7 MILLION.
I THINK THE QUESTION IS WITH THE
PACE OF REOPENING DIFFERENT -- 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, 
THAT NUMBER WILL TAKE SOME TIME 
TO INCREASE AS BUSINESSES DECIDE
WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HOW THEY 
CAN REOPEN SAFELY FOR THEIR 
EMPLOYEES TOO.
>> WELL, AND THIS WAS PART OF 
THE REASON I THINK PART OF THE 
LOGIC FOR EXTENDING THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY.
WE HEARD FROM THE CANADIAN 
FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT 
BUSINESSES YESTERDAY PRAISING 
THIS DECISION, NOTING THAT SOME 
BUSINESSES WERE THINKING, 
LISTEN, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO 
WIND UP IN JUNE.
I DON'T KNOW IF MY BUSINESS IS 
GOING TO BE REOPENED.
WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO NEED 
MORE HELP.
THE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH, WHICH 
LEADS INTO THIS QUESTION OF HOW 
LONG IS ALL OF THIS GOING TO GO 
ON, WHAT IS THE RECOVERY EFFORT 
GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND OF 
COURSE HOW LONG IS ALL OF THIS 
GOING TO GO ON.
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS, BUT IT'S 
INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE 
GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO PLAN FOR
THIS.
AND WE HEARD THE PRIME MINISTER 
SAY YESTERDAY WHEN IT COMES TO A
VARIETY OF THESE MEASURES, IT'S 
GOING TO BE ABOUT CONSTANTLY 
ADJUSTING AS WE GET A SENSE OF 
THE OVERALL PICTURE. 
>> Rosemary: I HAD FORGOTTEN 
UNTIL I REREAD THE NOTES MY 
PRODUCER PHIL PREPARES FOR ME 
THAT THE WAGE SUBSIDY IS 
RETROACTIVE TO MARCH 15, SO THE 
SOONER COMPANIES CAN GET 
STARTING IT, THE SOONER THEY CAN
GET BACK ALL THAT MONEY FROM 
BEFORE AS WELL, BECAUSE OF 
COURSE EXPENSES FOR COMPANIES 
HAVEN'T REALLY STOPPED 
REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE 
COMPANY, SO THAT MONEY MIGHT BE 
PRETTY CRITICAL TO BUSINESSES AS
WELL.
IF I JUST LOOK BACK THROUGH THE 
THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED 
THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, 
THOUGH, WHICH WE WILL EXPECT THE
PRIME MINISTER TO HIGHLIGHT TOO,
THERE'S BEEN THE AID FOR THE 
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD INDUSTRY.
THERE'S BEEN THE REALLY 
IMPORTANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN 
PROVINCES AND OTTAWA TO SOMEHOW 
TOP UP ESSENTIAL WORKERS' PAY, 
AND THEN THIS EXTENSION OF THE 
WAGE SUBSIDY.
SO IN TERMS OF THE POLICY WORK 
TO SUPPORT CANADIANS THROUGH 
THIS PANDEMIC, IT DOESN'T REALLY
SEEM TO BE SLOWING DOWN.
IN FACT, IT IS, AS YOU SAY, JUST
TRYING TO BRIDGE THE GAPS AND 
THE HOLES THAT MIGHT BE OUT 
THERE STILL FOR SOME CANADIANS 
AND SOME INDUSTRIES.
>> AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A 
COUPLE OF HOLES THAT STILL NEED 
TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE PRIME MINISTER HIMSELF 
SAYING THERE IS SOMETHING COMING
FOR SENIORS.
MANY OF THEM ON FIXED INCOME.
THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR INCOME 
NECESSARILY CHANGE BY THIS IF 
THEY ARE ON, FOR INSTANCE, A 
PENSION, BUT THEY MAY HAVE SEEN 
THEIR COSTS GO UP.
JUST ONE OF THE MANY CONCERNS 
THAT CANADIAN SENIORS CAN BE 
FACING RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IT'S 
INCREASED FACE OF GROCERIES, 
COST TO GET YOUR GROCERIES 
DELIVERED ON TOP OF SOME OF THE 
CHALLENGES THEY ARE DEALING 
WITH, BEING PARTICULARLY 
VULNERABLE, FACING ISOLATION.
WE HAVE TALKED ON THIS PROGRAM 
WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE 
YESTERDAY OR TODAY.
NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO 
BE NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT WHAT FORM
IT MIGHT TAKE TOO.
WE KNOW IN SOME INSTANCES THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS LOOKED AT 
INCREASING THE GST CREDIT FOR 
LOW-INCOME CANADIANS TO TRY TO 
GET A BIT MORE MONEY TO PEOPLE 
ON TOP OF THINGS TAKE THE 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
WOULD IT BE SOME SORT OF MEASURE
LIKE THAT, INCREASING AN 
EXISTING BENEFIT TO GET IT 
DIRECTLY TO SENIORS.
THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE OPTION.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, CATHERINE, 
I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
THE PRIME MINISTER WILL EMERGE 
IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES TIME OR SO 
TO GIVE US A BRIEFING, AN UPDATE
ON HOW HIS GOVERNMENT IS 
RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC.
FOR NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT 
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I KNOW SO 
MANY OF YOU ARE ALSO 
CONSIDERING, CANADIANS WHO ARE 
LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A COTTAGE 
AND THINKING ABOUT WHEN CAN I 
GET UP THERE TO TRY AND TEST IT 
OUT, OR AS PREMIER FORD DID THE 
OTHER DAY, JUST TO MAKE SURE 
EVERYTHING IS OKAY.
IN ONTARIO, THOUGH, SOME 
OFFICIALS ARE ASKING SEASONAL 
RESIDENTS TO JUST HOLD OFF FOR A
WHILE.
JOINING ME NOW IS GRADEN SMITH, 
AND HE'S THE MAYOR OF 
BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO.
IT'S PART OF THE BEAUTIFUL 
MUSKOKA COTTAGE COUNTRY IN THIS 
PROVINCE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE
REACHED HIM.
MAYOR SMITH, GOOD TO SEE YOU, 
SIR. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOOD 
MORNING.
>> Rosemary: SO WHAT ARE YOU 
ADVISING TO PEOPLE, BECAUSE 
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE 
FEELING LIKE THEY'D LIKE TO GET 
AWAY.
THEY'D LIKE TO GET OUT OF THEIR 
HOUSES, AND IF THEY HAVE A 
COTTAGE, THEY THINK TO THEMSELF,
WELL, THAT WILL BE SAFE, I'LL 
JUST HEAD UP THERE AND 
SELF-ISOLATE AT MY COTTAGE FOR A
LITTLE WHILE. 
>> AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, 
AND THIS HAS GONE ON FOR QUITE 
SOME TIME NOW OBVIOUSLY, AND 
FROM THE BEGINNING WE'VE SEEN 
PEOPLE THAT HAVE COTTAGES OR 
SEASONAL HOMES HERE BECAUSE WE 
GET SNOWBIRDS RETURNING TO THEIR
ONLY HOME IN CANADA IN THIS 
AREA.
COMING TO THIS AREA AND TAKING 
REFUGE, AND DESPITE THE FACT 
THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF 
DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE CAN
AND CAN'T DO, THERE'S REALLY 
BEEN NOTHING PROHIBITING PEOPLE 
DOING THAT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN 
ASKING SECONDARY HOMEOWNERS TO 
HOLD OFF.
AT THE BEGINNING THERE WAS 
CONCERNS ABOUT FOOD SUPPLY AND 
CERTAINLY THE ABILITY FOR OUR 
HOSPITALS TO DEAL WITH ANY LARGE
NUMBERS OF PATIENTS BECAUSE THEY
ARE RELATIVELY SMALL.
>> Rosemary: SURE.
>> I THINK AS TIME HAS GONE ON 
THAT'S CHANGED A LITTLE BIT AND 
WE'RE SOFTENING THAT LANGUAGE TO
SOME DEGREE.
>> Rosemary: SO IS IT OKAY, 
THEN, FOR PEOPLE TO BE GOING 
BACK AND FORTH FROM THE CITY TO 
THEIR COTTAGE?
DO YOU WANT THEM -- ARE YOU 
SAYING YOU CAN MOVE UP HERE AND 
DO YOUR SELF-ISOLATION 
PERMANENTLY?
WHAT IS THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO 
FOR YOU?
>> Interview: SO AGAIN, THERE 
ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY 
HERE, AND FOR THOSE PEOPLE I 
THINK IT'S PREFERENTIAL THAT 
THEY SAY HERE.
IF SOMEBODY IS COMING TO THE 
AREA, I THINK THEY SHOULD TRY 
AND STAY HERE AS WELL.
WHAT WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE
ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONSTANTLY 
MOVING FROM COMMUNITY TO 
COMMUNITY BECAUSE, OF COURSE, 
THAT'S GOING TO EXACERBATE THE 
POTENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY SPREAD.
>> Rosemary: I GUESS THE OTHER 
CONCERN, AND IT IS A REAL ONE, 
OF COURSE, DURING ALL THIS IS 
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO 
USUALLY WOULD START COMING UP 
PROBABLY MAY LONG WEEKEND, IN A 
COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND COME UP 
SYSTEMICICALLY EVERY WEEKEND, 
AND THEN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD 
IN THE SUMMER, THAT'S BOUND TO 
HAVE AN ECONOMIC FALLOUT FOR 
YOUR COMMUNITY.
>> Interview: ABSOLUTELY.
OUR ECONOMY, ESPECIALLY IN THE 
SUMMERTIME, IS SUPPORTED BY OUR 
SEASONAL AND TOURISM VISITORS.
AND SO IT'S GONNA BE A VERY 
DIFFICULT 2020 REGARDLESS OF 
WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ONLY TALKING 
ABOUT SEASONAL AND COTTAGE 
PROPERTY OWNERS COMING UP.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE 
TOURISM INDUSTRY REOPENING IN 
ANY WAY.
IN FACT, WE'D SAY IF PEOPLE WANT
TO COME ON A DAY TRIP, THEY 
REALLY SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT 
BECAUSE THERE'S NO 
INFRASTRUCTURE HERE TO SUPPORT 
THEM.
THERE'S NO OPEN RESTAURANTS.
THERE'S NO PUBLIC PARKS, PER SE.
THERE'S NO WASHROOMS FOR YOU TO 
USE.
SO THIS IS KIND OF AN OPENING TO
A VERY SMALL SEGMENT, AN 
OFFERING TO A SMALL SEGMENT OF 
THE POPULATION TO COME AND CHECK
ON YOUR COTTAGE OR STAY AT YOUR 
COTTAGE, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT IF 
YOU ARE DOING IT, WE'RE 
EXPECTING YOU TO FOLLOW ALL THE 
PROTOCOLS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN 
PLACE TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE.
>> Rosemary: AND I KNOW THE 
PREMIER GOT A LITTLE FLAK THE 
OTHER DAY BECAUSE HE HAD TOLD 
PEOPLE NOT TO GO TO COTTAGES 
OVER THE EASTER LONG WEEKEND.
THEN HE DECIDED TO GO UP AND 
CHECK ON HIS PIPES.
PEOPLE CRITICIZED HIM FOR THAT 
DECISION.
HAVE YOU SEEN PEOPLE DOING THAT?
IT IS A SECOND RESIDENCE.
THEY ARE CERTAINLY NICE, VERY 
NICE COTTAGES IN YOUR NECK OF 
THE WOODS.
ARE PEOPLE COMING UP JUST TO 
MAKE SURE THINGS ARE OKAY AND 
HAVE YOU BEEN DISCOURAGING THAT 
UP TO THIS POINT?
>> Interview: WELL, WE'VE BEEN 
TRYING TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH 
ADVICE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE
AT THIS POINT, WHETHER IT'S BEEN
FROM DR. TAM OR DR. WILLIAMS IN 
ONTARIO, OR OUR LOCAL MEDICAL 
OFFICER OF HEALTH, HAS BEEN TO 
LIMIT NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL WHICH
TO US HAS MEANT PLEASE DON'T 
COME RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE DONE 
THAT.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE COME UP AND 
STAYED.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE MADE THAT DAY 
TRIP JUST TO CHECK ON THINGS.
AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED 
ME TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE 
GOING TO RIDE THIS OUT.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING
AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO HANG IN 
THE CITY FOR A WHILE AND WE'LL 
GET THERE WHEN EVERYTHING IS A 
LITTLE BIT BETTER.
>> Rosemary: AND LAST QUESTION 
AROUND SUPPLIES.
YOU SAID INITIALLY YOU WERE A 
BIT WORRIED ABOUT FOOD SUPPLIES 
AND OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE 
MIGHT NEED.
WOULD THAT BE OKAY NOW IF PEOPLE
WENT UP, OR ARE YOU TELLING THEM
TO BRING THEIR SUPPLIES?
WHAT'S YOUR BEST ADVICE ON THAT 
FRONT?
>> Interview: IDEALLY BRING YOUR
OWN SUPPLIES WITH YOU BECAUSE 
WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE
GOT A LIMITED NUMBER OF STORES, 
AND THE LINEUPS CAN GET PRETTY 
LONG ON A GOOD DAY, ESPECIALLY 
ON THE WEEKENDS.
>> Rosemary: YEAH, SURE.
>> Interview: SO IF PEOPLE CAN 
BRING THEIR OWN SUPPLIES, 
SELF-ISOLATE AS BEST THEY CAN, 
TRY AND LIMIT THEIR INTERACTIONS
WITH PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE HERE, 
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SAWOFF FOR
EVERYBODY IN THIS.
IT'S BEEN INTERESTING, I'VE 
RECEIVED SOME NOT-SO-NICE EMAILS
FROM PEOPLE, MAD THAT WE ARE 
TELLING THEM THEY CAN'T COME.
WE DIDN'T SAY YOU CAN'T COME.
WE SAID YOU SHOULDN'T COME, BUT 
IF YOU DO COME, HERE IS WHAT YOU
SHOULD DO, AND THAT'S REALLY 
WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WE SEE THIS AS A VERY SLOW 
OPENING OF A DOOR, TRYING TO GET
THROUGH IT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE 
QUITE SOME TIME.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A LINEAR 
PROGRESSION BACK TO NORMAL, BUT 
WE WANT TO WORK WITH ALL 
CITIZENS OF MUSKOKA AND ALL 
PROPERTY OWNERS AND SEASONAL 
RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE THAT LOVE 
THIS AREA TO WORK TOGETHER.
BE COMPASSIONATE AND EMPATHETIC 
TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER AND TRY AND 
GET BACK TO SOME LEVEL OF NORMAL
SLOWLY.
>> Rosemary: OTHER THAN THE MEAN
EMAILS, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
HOW ARE YOU DOING HEALTH-WISE 
AND HOW ARE YOU DOING IN TERMS 
OF WORRYING ABOUT YOUR 
COMMUNITY?
>> Interview: OH, WELL, I 
SURVIVE THE MEAN EMAILS OKAY.
THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
I GOT BROAD SHOULDERS.
I AM AT HOME A LOT.
I'VE GOT TWO YOUNG KIDS AT HOME 
AND MY WIFE IS WORKING OUT OF 
OUR BEDROOM UPSTAIRS AND I WORK 
OUT OF THE OFFICE DOWNSTAIRS.
THE KIDS NEED HELP WITH SCHOOL 
WORK.
SO VERY MUCH LIKE A TYPICAL 
FAMILY IN THAT REGARD.
I THINK I JUST HAVE A MUCH 
HIGHER VOLUME OF EMAILS AND 
PHONE CALLS TO DEAL WITH THAN 
NORMAL.
I LOVE THIS JOB AND I LOVE THIS 
COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE IN IT, 
SO IT'S STILL A PLEASURE EVERY 
DAY TO GET TO DO IT.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, MAYOR SMITH, 
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE
TIME.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE, THIS IS 
ON THEIR MIND, SO I APPRECIATE 
YOU GIVING THAT ADVICE AND I 
WOULD IMAGINE IT'S SIMILAR 
ADVICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
GOOD OF YOU TO MAKE THE TIME, 
SIR. 
>> MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, STAY HEALTHY.
THAT'S THE MAYOR OF BRACEBRIDGE,
ONTARIO TALKING THERE ABOUT WHAT
YOU SHOULD DO AS YOU MOVE BACK 
AND FORTH.
CAN YOU MOVE BACK AND FORTH 
BETWEEN YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE 
AND THE CITY AND A COUNTRY HOME 
OR A COTTAGE HOME AND THE BEST 
ADVICE HERE IN ONTARIO RIGHT NOW
IS DON'T DO THAT.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE GOING BACK AND 
FORTH EVERY WEEKEND.
IT WILL PUT A STRAIN ON THE 
SYSTEM, AND THEY ARE, OF COURSE,
VERY WORRIED IN THIS PROVINCE IN
PARTICULARLY ABOUT COMMUNITY 
SPREAD.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER 
YESTERDAY SAYING THAT HE WASN'T 
QUITE SURE WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH
COMMUNITY SPREAD RIGHT NOW, AND 
THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT 
OUT A LITTLE BIT.
ABOUT TWO MINUTES AWAY FROM 
SEEING THE PRIME MINISTER TODAY 
ON THIS SATURDAY, IN CASE YOU 
HAD LOST TRACK.
HE WILL BE COMING OUT TO RECAP A
LITTLE BIT WHAT HIS GOVERNMENT 
DID THIS WEEK AND THE ONGOING 
RESPONSE AND ANSWER SOME 
QUESTIONS, TOO, ABOUT THE THINGS
CATHERINE AND I WERE TALKING 
ABOUT, POTENTIAL GAPS AND 
CHANGES THAT MIGHT NEED TO 
HAPPEN IN SOME OF THE POLICY 
THAT HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT OVER 
THE PAST NUMBER OF WEEKS AND 
PAST NUMBER OF DAYS.
BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY A MINUTE 
AWAY, I'LL BRING BACK CATHERINE 
CULLEN IF I CAN, KNOWING THAT I 
MIGHT CUT HER OFF SOONER THAN I 
WOULD LIKE, TO GET SOME -- TO 
LET THE PRIME MINISTER SPEAK.
GO AHEAD, CATHERINE. 
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE
OF THE -- MAYBE THE MAJOR 
ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS WEEK QUICKLY,
ROSEMARY.
ONE I WANT TO MENTION IS THE 
ESSENTIAL WORKERS ANNOUNCEMENT.
WE GOT A BIT MORE INFORMATION 
FROM ALBERTA YESTERDAY.
WE KNOW ALL THE PROVINCES HAVE 
BOUGHT IN IN TERMS OF WHICH 
WORKERS THEY ARE LOOKING AT 
OFFERING THIS TOP-UP TO.
THE PREMIER SAYING THAT HE 
THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INDEED 
PEOPLE IN THE HEALTH CARE 
SECTOR, LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
EACH PROVINCE AND TERRITORY IS 
GOING TO DECIDE PRECISELY WHO 
QUALIFIES, WHO IS AN ESSENTIAL 
WORKER, BUT ONE STREAM OF 
CONTINUITY THAT WE'RE SEEING 
HERE IS I THINK EVERYONE 
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE ON THE SO-CALLED FRONT 
LINES, THE PEOPLE PUTTING 
THEMSELVES DIRECTLY IN HARM'S 
WAY, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE 
PERHAPS MOST DESERVING OF THIS 
TOP-UP.
THEN YOU SEE DISPARITY FROM ONE 
PROVINCE TO THE NEXT.
FOR INSTANCE, QUEBEC GROCERY 
STORE WORKERS, IF THEY ARE 
MAKING A RELATIVELY LOW INCOME, 
THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS, 
AND IN ONTARIO THAT'S NOT THE 
CASE.
ANOTHER BIG ANNOUNCEMENT THIS 
WEEK, AND ONE THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN -- I THINK 
PRETTY ROUNDLY CRITICIZED FOR, 
EARLIER THIS WEEK THE 
ANNOUNCEMENT OF $252 MILLION FOR
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR FOR 
FARMERS.
WE KNOW THAT GROUPS REPRESENTING
FARMERS WANTED A LOT MORE MONEY 
THAN THAT, $2.6 BILLION THAT 
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT 
THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT WAS 
REALLY JUST A FIRST PIECE TO TRY
TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE HEALTH 
AND SAFETY CONCERNS, TO TRY TO 
GET FARMERS ACCESS TO MONEY THAT
THEY MIGHT NEED TO GET THROUGH, 
BUT REALLY A VERY WIDELY PANNED 
ANNOUNCEMENT BY MANY IN THE 
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR WHO WERE 
HOPING FOR MORE HELP.
>> Rosemary: CATHERINE, THANK 
YOU.
THE PRIME MINISTER IS EMERGING 
THERE IN HIS SATURDAY OUTFIT.
LET'S LISTEN TO THE PRIME 
MINISTER OF CANADA NOW.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THESE
DAYS THERE ARE MANY CANADIANS 
OUT THERE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH 
DIFFICULT TIMES BECAUSE OF 
COVID-19.
THE PANDEMIC REPRESENTS AN 
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE FOR OUR 
COUNTRY, AND CANADIANS ARE 
SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES.
BUT SOME INDIVIDUALS AND SOME 
SECTORS ARE MORE HARD HIT THAN 
OTHERS.
THEREFORE, THIS WEEK WE 
ANNOUNCED ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO
ASSIST THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.
NOW FIRST OF ALL WE'RE REACHING 
AN AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES TO 
TOP-UP THE WAGES OF ESSENTIAL 
WORKERS.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ON THE 
FRONT LINE OF THE FIGHT AGAINST 
COVID-19 AND HAVE BEEN FROM THE 
OUTSET, AND THEY ARE DOING AN 
AMAZING JOB.
THE BEST WAY OF THANKING THEM IS
TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROPERLY
PAID AND PROTECTED, AND THIS 
WEEK, THANKS TO THAT AGREEMENT, 
WE ARE NOW MOVING FORWARD TO A 
NEW STEP BY PUTTING MORE MONEY 
IN THEIR POCKETS.
WE ALSO ANNOUNCED MORE SUPPORT 
TO HELP THE FOOD SUPPLY SECTOR 
GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS.
WE ARE GIVING MORE MONEY TO FOOD
PROCESSORS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY 
OF THEIR WORKERS.
WE ARE ALSO LAYING OUT SPECIAL 
MEASURES FOR PORK AND CATTLE 
PRODUCERS SO THAT THEY CAN ADAPT
TO MARKET CHANGES.
AND WE ARE SETTING UP A PROGRAM 
THAT WILL ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT 
TO BUY ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS THAT 
COULD BE WASTED IN ORDER TO 
REDISTRIBUTE THEM TO CHARITIES.
ALL IN ALL, OUR GOVERNMENT HAS 
PROPOSED A LOAN CAPACITY OF $5 
MILLION AND ADDITIONAL MONEY TO 
SUPPORT FOOD SAFETY FROM THE 
OUTSET OF THIS CRISIS, AND AS I 
SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK, IF WE 
HAVE TO DO MORE, WE WILL DO 
MORE.
[ End of Interpretation ]
FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, OUR 
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON 
GETTING PEOPLE THE HELP THEY 
NEED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT TO COME OUT OF THIS STRONGER
THAN EVER, WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK
LONG TERM.
WE NEED TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK 
NOW SO OUR ECONOMY CAN COME 
ROARING BACK, AND THAT'S WHAT 
WE'RE DOING WITH MEASURES LIKE 
THE CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS 
ACCOUNT AND THE CANADA EMERGENCY
WAGE SUBSIDY.
SO FAR MORE THAN HALF A MILLION 
SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED A
LOAN THROUGH THE CEBA, AND LESS 
THAN TWO WEEKS SINCE LAUNCHING 
THE CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE 
SUBSIDY, EMPLOYERS HAVE APPLIED 
FOR SUBSIDIES FOR ALMOST 2 
MILLION WORKERS.
OUR GOVERNMENT IS GIVING 
EMPLOYERS MORE RESOURCES SO THEY
CAN STAY IN BUSINESS AND KEEP 
PEOPLE ON THE PAYROLL DURING 
THIS CRISIS.
MAINTAINING THE CONNECTION 
BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE 
WILL BE KEY, NOT JUST TO HELP 
PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET, 
BUT ALSO TO OUR ECONOMY.
IN THAT VEIN, WE ANNOUNCED 
YESTERDAY THAT WE WOULD BE 
EXTENDING THE CANADA EMERGENCY 
WAGE SUBSIDY BEYOND JUNE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE WORKING 
WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM AROUND 
THE WORLD TO BEAT COVID-19 FOR 
GOOD.
THIS PANDEMIC IS A GLOBAL ISSUE.
KEEPING CANADIANS SAFE AND 
RE-STARTING OUR ECONOMY MEANS 
DEFEATING THE VIRUS NOT JUST AT 
HOME BUT WHEREVER IT IS FOUND, 
SO EARLIER THIS WEEK WE 
ANNOUNCED NEW INVESTMENTS TO 
ACCELERATE THE GLOBAL 
DEVELOPMENT OF COVID-19 
VACCINES, TREATMENTS, TESTING 
AND RESEARCH, INCLUDING RESEARCH
BEING DONE HERE IN CANADA.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
IN RECENT WEEKS, WE ESTABLISHED 
NEW ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR 
WORKERS AND BUSINESSES, BUT WE 
KNOW THAT THE WORK IS NOT OVER 
YET.
AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES, THE 
NEEDS AND THE CHALLENGES ALSO 
EVOLVE, AND WE ARE ADJUSTING OUR
RESPONSE CONSEQUENTLY.
WE CONTINUE TO BE LISTENING TO 
CANADIANS, AND WE ARE ALWAYS 
SEEKING OTHER WAYS OF SUPPORTING
THEM.
[ End of Interpretation ]
I WANT TO CLOSE BY ASKING ALL 
THE MOMS TO STEP OUT OF THE ROOM
FOR A MINUTE SO I CAN TALK TO 
YOUR KIDS.
I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND.
OKAY.
TOMORROW IS MOTHER'S DAY, KIDS.
IT'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR ALL THE 
PEOPLE WHO ARE MOTHER'S DAY TO 
US, OUR MOMS, STEP-MOMS, 
GRANDMOTHERS, AUNTS AND OLDER 
SISTERS.
SO LET'S SHOW THEM HOW MUCH WE 
LOVE AND CARE ABOUT THEM.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET UP EARLY 
TO MAKE HER BREAKFAST OR ASK DAD
TO HELP YOU GET HER SOME 
FLOWERS.
OR IF YOU'RE NOT TOGETHER THIS 
YEAR BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS OR 
OTHER REASONS, YOU CAN DRAW HER 
A CARD OR SET UP A VIDEO CALL.
WHATEVER YOU DO, I'M SURE YOU'LL
CHOOSE -- WHAT YOU'LL CHOOSE TO 
DO WILL MAKE HER DAY AND EXPRESS
HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HER, HOW MUCH 
YOU NEED HER AND HOW MUCH SHE 
HAS YOUR FULL SUPPORT AND FULL 
LOVE DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME,
BUT ALL THE TIME AS WELL.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
TOMORROW IS MOTHER'S DAY.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR
MOMS JUST HOW MUCH WE LOVE THEM.
MAYBE YOU'LL GET UP EARLIER TO 
MAKE HER BREAKFAST IN THE 
MORNING OR PERHAPS YOU PREFER TO
BUY HER FLOWERS OR PREPARE A 
CARD FOR HER.
WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO, I'M 
SURE THAT YOU WILL REALLY MAKE 
HER DAY BY TELLING HER HOW MUCH 
YOU LOVE HER, THAT YOU'LL BE 
THERE FOR HER, AND THAT WE WILL 
ALL BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER 
DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
HAVE FUN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 
THIS DAY.
WE WILL COME THROUGH THIS 
TOGETHER.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> THANK YOU, PRIME MINISTER.
WE'LL NOW GO TO THE PHONES FOR 
QUESTIONS.
ONE QUESTION, ONE FOLLOW-UP.
OPERATOR?
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
FIRST QUESTION, ROD NICOL FROM 
REUTERS.
LINE OPEN. 
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, AS 
YOU KNOW, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER 
MEAT PACKERS HAVE UNFAIRLY 
PROFITED FROM LOW LIVESTOCK 
PRICES AND HIGH MEAT PRICES 
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
GIVEN THAT THE SAME BIG MEAT 
COMPANIES OPERATE IN CANADA, DO 
YOU SHARE THAT CONCERN?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT 
THE ENTIRE SCOPE OF OUR 
AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAIN.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT 
WORKERS ARE SAFE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT 
CANADIANS FROM COAST TO COAST TO
COAST ARE GETTING RELIABLE AND 
SAFE SUPPLY OF THE FOOD THEY 
NEED TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND 
PUT ON THE TABLE.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE 
THAT NO ONE IS PROFITING IN AN 
EXAGGERATED WAY FROM THIS 
CRISIS.
WE WILL TAKE A VERY CAREFUL LOOK
TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE THERE 
FOR EACH OTHER AND SUPPORTING 
EACH OTHER AND NO ONE IS 
FOCUSING ON PROFITS BEFORE 
SUPPORTING CANADIANS.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, 
WHAT WILL THAT CAREFUL LOOK 
INVOLVE?
LIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE 
COMPETITION BUREAU IN CANADA 
LOOK INTO THIS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
HAVE MANY MECHANISMS AT THE 
FEDERAL LEVEL TO KEEP AN EYE ON 
SUPPLY CHAINS AND PRICES, AND WE
WILL ENGAGE WITH THOSE 
PROCESSES, AS WE HAVE SINCE THE 
VERY BEGINNING OF THIS CRISIS.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE KNOW THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO ENSURE THAT OUR FOOD SUPPLY 
CHAIN IS SECURE AND TO MAKE SURE
THERE'S FOOD FOR ALL CANADIANS.
THAT MEANS ENSURING THE SAFETY 
OF THE WORKERS WHO ARE ON THE 
PRODUCTION LINES, BUT ALSO 
ENSURING THAT THOSE SUPPLY 
CHAINS CONDITION TO OPERATE 
CLEARLY AND ROBUSTLY FOR 
CANADIANS DURING THIS CRISIS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO 
ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS PLACING 
PROFIT BEFORE THE HEALTH AND 
SAFETY OF CANADIANS IN THE 
CURRENT SITUATION, AND WE HAVE 
TOOLS AVAILABLE AT DIFFERENT 
LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, AND WE 
WILL USE THEM IF NECESSARY.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Operator: THE NEXT QUESTION, 
THERESA WRIGHT, THE CANADIAN 
PRESS.
LINE OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME
MINISTER.
WE KNOW FROM THE NATIONAL 
INQUIRY INTO MISSING AND 
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND 
GIRLS THAT INDIGENOUS WOMEN WERE
ALREADY MORE LIKELY TO 
EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE, AND NOW 
COVID-19 HAS EXPOSED THEM TO 
CONCERNINGLY HIGH LEVELS OF 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DUE TO THE 
PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS.
GIVEN THIS, CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE
THE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON THE 
INQUIRY'S FINDINGS IN JUNE AS 
PROMISED, OR WILL COVID-19 DELAY
THIS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: NO, 
THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ACTION 
PLAN ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 
COMING OUT OF THE MISSING AND 
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND 
GIRLS INQUIRY IS MORE IMPORTANT 
THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.
WE HAVE SEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE
SOMEONE IS FORCED TO STAY HOME 
WHEN HOME ISN'T SAFE A RISE IN 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF THE
STRESSES, BECAUSE OF THE 
CONFINEMENTS, BECAUSE OF THE 
CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING BECAUSE 
OF COVID-19, AND THIS GOVERNMENT
HAS WORKED FROM THE BEGINNING TO
GIVE MORE SUPPORT TO SHELTERS 
AND ORGANIZATIONS AND NETWORKS 
THAT ARE SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF 
FAMILY VIOLENCE OR GENDER-BASED 
VIOLENCE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT 
WORK.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK VERY 
HARD ON THAT NATIONAL ACTION 
PLAN COMING FROM THE MISSING AND
MURDERED INQUIRY.
THIS IS A PRIORITY THAT 
CONTINUES AND IS EVEN 
INTENSIFIED BECAUSE OF THIS 
CRISIS.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND 
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE ARE 
UNFORTUNATELY MORE PREVALENT 
DURING THIS CRISIS BECAUSE OF 
THE STRESS AND THE CONFINEMENT 
AND THE VULNERABILITIES OF 
CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE 
POPULATION.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE CONTINUING
OUR IMPORTANT WORK TO COUNTER 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND 
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE 
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE 
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS 
WOMEN AND GIRLS INQUIRY, AND WE 
WILL CONTINUE TO BOLSTER THOSE 
EFFORTS DURING THIS CRISIS.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACKWARDS.
ON THE CONTRARY, WE WANT TO MOVE
FORWARD ON THIS.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Reporter: THERE ARE MANY 
PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL NOT BEING 
HELPED BY YOUR EMERGENCY 
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, 
PEOPLE WHO WERE UNEMPLOYED 
BEFORE THE CRISIS BEGAN, PEOPLE 
ON DISABILITY OR SOCIAL 
ASSISTANCE.
THEY ARE ALL LEFT OUT.
WILL HELP BE COMING FOR THEM? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO
GET HELP OUT TO MILLIONS OF 
CANADIANS VERY QUICKLY, AND 
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.
WE'VE SEEN OVER 7 MILLION PEOPLE
ACCESS THE CERB, THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT, BUT 
WE'VE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED THERE IS
MORE TO DO.
WE MADE MODIFICATIONS THAT 
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE 
RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED, WHOSE 
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS RAN OUT 
BEFORE COVID-19 STARTED, WOULD 
ALSO QUALIFY FOR THE CERB.
WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE MEASURES TO
SUPPORT STUDENTS.
WE HAVE LOOKED FOR OTHER WAYS TO
FILL GAPS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE 
TO.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE GIVEN 
MORE MONEY TO COMMUNITY 
ORGANIZATIONS AND NETWORKS THAT 
ARE SUPPORTING OUR MOST 
VULNERABLE IN CASES WHERE THE 
DIRECT SUPPORT WE'RE OFFERING 
CAN'T REACH PEOPLE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE
SURE THAT ALL CANADIANS, BUT 
PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE 
CANADIANS, ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH
THIS CRISIS.
>> Reporter: HI, PRIME MINISTER.
WITH ALL THE AID MONEY YOU'RE 
ROLLING OUT THE DOOR, ARE YOU 
SIMULTANEOUSLY PLANNING FOR HOW 
TO HELP THE ECONOMY BACK NOW OR 
WAITING UNTIL SOME OF THE 
PANDEMIC IS BEHIND US? 
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE 
THINKING ABOUT THE LONGER TERM 
WHILE WE DESIGN AND WHILE WE 
BRING IN PLACE SUPPORT FOR 
PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE 
MOVED FORWARD WITH THE WAGE 
SUBSIDY, WHICH UNLIKE THE CERB 
IS THERE FOR PEOPLE -- WHICH IS 
THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOSE THEIR 
JOB AND LOSE THEIR PAYCHEQUE AND
THEREFORE HAVE A BROKEN 
CONNECTION WITH THEIR PREVIOUS 
JOB.
THE WAGE SUBSIDY ALLOWS PEOPLE 
TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THEIR 
EMPLOYMENT SO THAT ONCE WE START
BEING ABLE TO REOPEN CERTAIN 
SECTORS AND ONCE THE ECONOMY 
PICKS UP AGAIN, PEOPLE WILL 
STILL HAVE THAT LINK BY GETTING 
A PAYCHEQUE FROM THAT EMPLOYER 
THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO GET BACK
POSITIVELY AND QUICKLY.
THERE ARE A BROAD RANGE OF WAYS 
IN WHICH THE MEASURES WE'VE PUT 
FORWARD ARE VERY MUCH THINKING 
ABOUT THE RECOVERY.
THAT GOES PART AND PARCEL, BUT 
OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS 
SUPPORTING CANADIANS SO THAT 
THEY CAN DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE 
DONE TO SLOW AND STOP THE SPREAD
OF THIS PANDEMIC AS WE START 
LOOKING AT REOPENING.
>> Reporter: SORRY, I'M NOT 
QUESTIONING THE HELP.
I'M ASKING IF RECOVERY PLANS ARE
HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
ARE OF COURSE LOOKING TOWARDS 
THE STEPS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED 
ON THE RECOVERY OF THE ECONOMY.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF 
WORK THAT IS ONGOING, BUT OUR 
FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON 
RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE NOT IN 
THE RECOVERY PHASE YET.
WE ARE NOT EVEN FULLY INTO THE 
RE-STARTING PHASE YET.
WE ARE STILL IN THE EMERGENCY 
PHASE WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO GET 
THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THEY 
CAN CONTINUE TO SOCIALLY 
DISTANCE, TO STAY AT HOME, EVEN 
AS CERTAIN REGIONS AND CERTAIN 
PLACES ARE TALKING ABOUT 
REOPENING, THE VAST MAJORITY OF 
CANADIANS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE 
TO BE VERY CAREFUL, AND THAT'S 
WHY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO NEED 
SUPPORT.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE KNOW THAT IN SOME PLACES THEY
ARE STARTING TO RE-START THEIR 
SOCIETY AND ECONOMY, BUT WE ARE 
STILL IN A POSITION WHERE PEOPLE
MUST CONTINUE TO PROTECT 
THEMSELVES, MUST STAY HOME AND 
CONTINUE TO PRACTISE SOCIAL 
DISTANCING.
AS WE SLOWLY AND GRADUALLY 
REOPEN THE ECONOMY, WE KNOW THAT
MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO 
CONTINUE TO STAY HOME, AND 
THAT'S WHY OUR EMPHASIS RIGHT 
NOW CONTINUES TO BE ON 
SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND WORKERS 
SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT WE ALL 
NEED TO DO TO STOP THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME
MINISTER.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS SUSPENDED THE
SHIPMENT OF 8 MILLION N-95 MASKS
MADE IN CHINA THAT FAILED TO 
MEET SPECIFICATIONS.
GIVEN THIS IS A MONTREAL COMPANY
THAT OUTSOURCED TO CHINA, DOES 
THIS NOT PROVE THAT WE SHOULD BE
RELYING ON FOREIGN OUTSOURCING 
FOR SUCH CRITICAL EQUIPMENT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY 
HARD SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING TO
BRING IN AS MUCH P.P.E. AS WE 
POSSIBLY CAN.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT -- ABOUT 23
DIFFERENT FLIGHTS JUST FROM 
CHINA OF MILLIONS OF ITEMS OF 
P.P.E. BECAUSE WE KNOW THE NEED 
IS -- AND HAS BEEN SO PRESSING.
AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE ENSURED
THAT WE ARE RAMPING UP DOMESTIC 
CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE 
THAT WE'RE COVERING THE NEEDS 
THAT WE HAVE FOR THE LONGER 
TERM, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL 
THE COMPANIES, THE MANUFACTURERS
WHO HAVE STEPPED UP.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO KNOW 
THAT IN THE MILLIONS OF ITEMS 
THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, WE HAVE TO 
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE AT THE TOP 
QUALITY EXPECTED BY OUR CANADIAN
HEALTH CARE WORKERS, AND WITH 
WITHHOLDING OR THE SUSPENDING OF
SHIPMENTS FROM THIS PARTICULAR 
SUPPLIER IS PROOF THAT OUR 
SYSTEM WORKS.
WE ARE TESTING ALL THOSE MASKS, 
ALL THOSE ITEMS BEFORE THEY 
REACH OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS 
BECAUSE WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE 
ON THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR
OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE HAVE 
MADE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO 
HAVE AS MUCH PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT 
MEANS THAT WE BROUGHT IN 23 
DIFFERENT FLIGHTS FROM CHINA.
THERE ARE MORE FLIGHTS COMING IN
JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY SO THAT WE 
HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT FOR OUR 
FRONT-LINE WORKERS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE NEEDED TO 
DEVELOP OUR OWN DOMESTIC 
CAPACITY HERE, AND THAT'S WHY 
MANY CANADIAN COMPANIES ARE NOW 
PRODUCING THAT EQUIPMENT, AND WE
HOPE TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON THEM 
IN THE MONTHS TO COME, AND AT 
THAT POINT RELY LESS ON IMPORTS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW 
THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A RISK THAT
THE PRODUCTS THAT WE IMPORT DO 
NOT MEET CANADIAN SPECIFICATIONS
FOR OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS, AND 
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE INTRODUCED A 
RIGOROUS VERIFICATION SYSTEM SO 
THAT NO ITEM THAT DOES NOT MEET 
OUR SPECIFICATIONS HERE IN 
CANADA WILL BE DISTRIBUTED.
AND THE EXAMPLE OF THAT MONTREAL
COMPANY IS THE PROOF THAT THE 
SYSTEM IS WORKING, BECAUSE NONE 
OF THOSE MASKS FOUND THEIR WAY 
INTO OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM 
BECAUSE WE DO THE NECESSARY 
CHECKS.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, A 
FEW WEEKS AGO ONE OF YOUR DEPUTY
MINISTERS SAID THAT CANADA WAS 
SPENDING BETWEEN $1.50 -- OR 
EXCUSE ME, $1.20 AND $6 PER N-95
MASK.
HOW MUCH DID WE PAY FOR THESE 
ONES?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: RIGHT
NOW WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH 
THE SUPPLIER BECAUSE WE WILL NOT
BE BURDENED WITH MASKS THAT DO 
NOT FIT OUR STRINGENT 
REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS ONGOING 
WITH THEM ABOUT WHETHER THERE 
ARE ALTERNATIVE USES FOR THESE 
MASKS, BUT WE WILL NOT BE PAYING
FOR MASKS THAT DO NOT HIT THE 
STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT TO GIVE
TO OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THIS
WITH THE SUPPLIER TO SEE IF 
THERE'S ANY ALTERNATE USE WE 
COULD MAKE OF THOSE MASKS.
PERHAPS WE COULD SEND THEM TO 
OTHER PLACES, OTHER THAN TO OUR 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WILL 
NOT PAY THE FULL PRICE FOR MASKS
THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE 
WITHIN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Reporter: HAS THE NATIONAL 
CAPITAL COMMISSION REVERSED A 
RULE OVERNIGHT THAT SAID PEOPLE 
WEREN'T ALLOWED TO TAKE PICTURES
IN THE PARKS OF THE TULIPS, AND 
THEY INSTALLED SIGNS TO SAY NO 
PICTURES PLEASE.
THEY ARE NOW TAKING THOSE DOWN.
THAT FOLLOWS OTTAWA'S REVERSAL 
OF A RULE THAT YOU CAN'T TALK TO
YOUR NEIGHBOURS OVER FENCES AND 
YOU CAN'T VISIT YOUR LOVED ONES 
AT THE WINDOWS OF NURSING HOMES.
ARE WE GETTING A BIT OVERZEALOUS
WITH THE COVID-19 RULES?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK DIFFERENT ORDERS OF 
GOVERNMENT AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE
TRYING AS BEST THEY CAN TO PUT 
IN RULES THAT WILL BALANCE THE 
NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND 
SLOW AND STOP THE SPREAD OF 
COVID-19 WHILE AT THE SAME TIME 
GIVING PEOPLE THE MUCH-NEEDED 
RESPITE AND SAFETY VALVES FROM 
THE STRESSES AND INDEED THE 
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES MANY 
PEOPLE ARE FACING.
WE NEED TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE 
THROUGH THIS HEALTHY, WHICH 
MEANS BOTH FIGHTING COVID-19 AND
SUPPORTING THEM AND ALLOWING FOR
AS NORMAL LIVES AS WE CAN, 
DESPITE THE DEEP ABNORMALITY OF 
THIS SITUATION.
IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION.
LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING 
DIFFERENT THINGS TO KEEP PEOPLE 
SAFE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ADJUSTING, 
ALL OF US, WHEN WE GET THINGS 
RIGHT, WHEN WE GET THINGS WRONG.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE 
EXPECT.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
RADIO-CANADA.
SOME PEOPLE MAY BE TAKING THINGS
TOO SERIOUSLY AND SOME NOT 
SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.
MONTREAL IS THE HARDEST HIT, AND
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE 
SAYING THAT IF THERE'S ANY 
RELAXATION OF THE RULES THERE 
WILL BE EVEN MORE PEOPLE FALLING
ILL.
NOW I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO 
ENTER INTO A WAR WITH THE 
PROVINCES, BUT YOU HAVE 
CONSTITUENTS IN MONTREAL, SO ARE
YOU CONCERNED AND DO YOU THINK 
THE QUEBEC GOVERNMENT IS DOING 
WHAT IT SHOULD?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
I AM A QUEBECER, AND I'M A 
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN 
MONTREAL, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF MONTREAL, 
JUST AS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT 
PEOPLE RIGHT ACROSS THIS 
COUNTRY.
WE HAVE TO BASE OURSELVES ON 
SCIENCE.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WHAT 
WE'RE DOING CONSIDERS THE 
PROTECTION OF ALL CITIZENS AND 
AS A PRIORITY OUR SENIORS.
SO YES I KNOW WE HAVE TO TALK 
ABOUT GRADUALLY AND 
PROGRESSIVELY REOPENING THE 
ECONOMY, BUT THAT HAS TO BE DONE
IN SUCH A WAY AS TO KEEP PEOPLE 
SAFE.
THAT'S THE PRIORITY, AND I'M 
MONITORING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN 
THE SENIORS HOMES VERY 
CAREFULLY, PARTICULARLY IN MY 
OWN RIDING, AND I'M WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS, 
INCLUDING FRANÇOIS LEGAULT'S 
GOVERNMENT, TO ENSURE THAT WE 
ARE TAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS 
TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
[ End of Interpretation ]
OF COURSE I'M WORRIED.
AS A QUEBECER, AS A MONTREAL MP 
ABOUT THE SITUATION GOING ON IN 
MY RIDING, IN THE PROVINCE, AS I
AM CONCERNED ABOUT CANADIANS 
FROM COAST TO COAST TO COAST AS 
PRIME MINISTER.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO 
PROGRESSIVELY AND SLOWLY AND 
GRADUALLY ON ANY REOPENING, 
KEEPING AT TOP OF MIND THE 
IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PEOPLE 
SAFE AND HEALTHY.
I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC 
PRESSURES WE'RE ALL UNDER, AND I
UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH PEOPLE DO 
WANT TO GO OUTSIDE.
BUT WE NEED TO DO IT IN WAYS 
THAT WE ARE SURE ARE GONNA KEEP 
PEOPLE SAFE, BECAUSE THE LAST 
THING PEOPLE WANT IS A FEW WEEKS
FROM NOW BEING TOLD, OKAY, WE 
LOOSENED THE RULES AND NOW COVID
IS SPREADING AGAIN AND YOU'RE 
ALL GOING TO HAVE TO GO INSIDE 
FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
THAT'S WHY BEING VERY CAREFUL, 
STEP BY STEP, IS GOING TO BE SO 
IMPORTANT.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> Reporter: ON A DIFFERENT 
TOPIC, WITH RESPECT TO THE 
LABELLING OF ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS,
SOME PRODUCTS ARE COMING IN WITH
NOT BOTH OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ON 
THEM.
DID YOU FIND A SOLUTION TO 
ENSURE THAT ALL THOSE PRODUCTS 
COMING INTO THE COUNTRY ARE 
LABELLED IN BOTH OFFICIAL 
LANGUAGES?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
FIRST OF ALL WE KNOW THAT 
LABELLING IN BOTH OFFICIAL 
LANGUAGES IS NOT JUST A MATTER 
OF RESPECTING CANADA'S 
LINGUISTIC DOCUMENT.
IT'S ALSO A QUESTION OF SAFETY 
FOR THE USERS, FOR CONSUMERS AND
FOR CUSTOMERS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE PRODUCTS 
AND KNOW HOW TO USE THEM 
PROPERLY.
AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS A CONCERN 
FOR ALL OF US WHEN HEALTH 
CANADA, AND I KNOW THAT THIS WAS
SHARED BY SANTE QUEBEC, THAT 
TOOK SIMILAR MEASURES TO ALLOW 
FOR THE LABELLING TO APPEAR ONLY
IN ENGLISH, BUT THEY -- YOU 
KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A SEARCH FOR 
OTHER SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE 
AT THE VERY LEAST IN BOTH 
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES AND ALSO IN 
OTHER LANGUAGES, IF NECESSARY, 
FOR USERS.
[ End of Interpretation ]
WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT BILINGUAL 
LABELLING IS NOT JUST A QUESTION
OF RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT 
BILINGUALISM OF OUR COUNTRY, BUT
IT'S A QUESTION OF SAFETY AS 
WELL.
IT'S A QUESTION OF ACTUALLY 
ENSURING THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO
SAFELY USE THE PRODUCT THAT THEY
ARE USING OR THEY ARE 
PURCHASING.
THAT'S WHY I KNOW THAT HEALTH 
CANADA AND INDEED HEALTH QUEBEC 
THAT APPROVED UNILINGUAL ENGLISH
LABELLING IN CERTAIN LIMITED 
CASES DIDN'T PARTICULARLY WANT 
TO AND LOOKED HARD TO TRY AND 
FIND SOLUTIONS.
AND I KNOW ON THE HEALTH CANADA 
SIDE WE'VE MOVED FORWARD WITH 
ONLINE INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE 
CAN ACCESS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOING
TO BE ABLE TO FULLY UNDERSTAND 
WHAT IT IS THAT THE PRODUCTS 
THEY ARE USING.
>> Reporter: IAN WOOD, CTV NEWS.
PRIME MINISTER, YOU PREVIOUSLY 
SAID THAT THE ECONOMY AND 
BUSINESSES SHOULD ONLY REOPEN IF
THEY HAVE ADEQUATE P.P.E. TO 
PROTECT WORKERS.
GIVEN THE PROCUREMENT ISSUES, 
ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE ANY 
SUGGESTIONS TO THE PROVINCES 
THAT MAYBE THEY SCALE BACK ON 
THEIR REOPENING PLANS, AND HOW 
LONG IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO 
BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THESE 
EMERGENCY SUBSIDIES?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: FIRST
OF ALL, WE AGREED AS ALL FIRST 
MINISTERS, PREMIERS OF PROVINCES
AND TERRITORIES AND THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT, THAT THERE ARE 
PRINCIPLES THAT NEED TO UNDERLIE
ANY RE-STARTING OF THE ECONOMY, 
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE 
MOVING FORWARD ON CAREFULLY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE CONTINUING TO 
PROCURE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF 
P.P.E., INCLUDING FLIGHTS ALMOST
DAILY FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH 
FROM CHINA AND ELSEWHERE, TO 
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH 
EQUIPMENT, EVEN AS THE CANADIAN 
PRODUCERS AND MANUFACTURERS OF 
THESE EQUIPMENTS ARE STARTING TO
COME ONLINE AND DELIVER THEIR 
PRODUCTS AS WELL.
WE KNOW THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD 
TO REOPENING WE NEED TO MAKE 
SURE THAT WORKPLACES ARE SAFE 
FOR CANADIANS AND THAT WE ARE 
ARRESTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
AND PREVENTING A SECOND WAVE 
THAT COULD SEND US ALL BACK INTO
CONFINEMENT THIS SUMMER, WHICH 
WE CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO BE 
DOING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO 
WORK WITH THE PROVINCES TO MAKE 
SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO 
FULFILL THE LEVELS THAT THEY ARE
PROJECTING THEY WILL NEED IN 
TERMS OF P.P.E., AND THAT IS 
SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO 
CONTINUE.
AS FOR HOW LONG THESE SUPPORTS 
ARE GOING TO LAST, WE'RE GOING 
TO KEEP ADJUSTING TO WHAT THE 
ECONOMY NEEDS ARE, BUT MOSTLY 
WHAT THE NEEDS OF CANADIANS ARE,
TO BE SUPPORTED AND TO STAY SAFE
IN THIS SITUATION.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES TO 
ESTABLISH THE PRINCIPLES THAT 
WILL GUIDE THE REOPENING OF THE 
ECONOMY IN A GRADUAL MANNER AND 
BASED ON GOOD VIGILANCE, AND AT 
THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO HAVE 
ENOUGH PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO 
BE ABLE TO PROTECT WORKERS AND 
PREVENT THE VIRUS FROM SPREADING
MORE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON 
THIS AND TO BRING IN P.P.E.
WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING WITH THE
PROVINCES TO RESPOND TO THEIR 
NEEDS BY CREATING DOMESTIC 
PRODUCTION HERE IN CANADA, BUT 
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE 
PROVINCES TO ENSURE THEY HAVE 
ALL THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO 
BE ABLE TO REOPEN THEIR 
ECONOMIES IN A SAFE AND SECURE 
MANNER.
NOW WITH RESPECT TO THE BENEFITS
FOR CANADIANS, WE WILL LOOK AT 
THE SITUATION, CONTINUE TO 
MONITOR THINGS, AND WE WILL BE 
THERE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AND 
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE 
COUNTRY SO THAT WE CAN ALL STAY 
SAFE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT, THAT IS 
THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA ON 
THIS SATURDAY GIVING US AN 
UPDATE ON HIS GOVERNMENT'S 
RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND A 
MESSAGE THERE FOR KIDS TO 
CELEBRATE THEIR MOTHERS IN SOME 
WAY TOMORROW.
AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE 
NOT EXPECTING THE PRIME MINISTER
TO EMERGE TOMORROW BECAUSE HE'S 
ALSO GOT A MOTHER, AND A MOTHER 
IN HIS LIFE, AND A WIFE, AND 
THREE KIDS OF HIS OWN.
SO I'LL BRING BACK CATHERINE 
CULLEN TO TALK A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD THERE FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER.
I WAS MOST INTERESTED, 
CATHERINE, IN WHAT HE HAD TO SAY
ABOUT THE MASKS.
>> YES.
>> Rosemary: THAT WERE REJECTED,
8 MILLION MASKS, N-95 MASKS 
REJECTED AFTER SOME TESTING BY 
HEALTH CANADA.
>> YEAH, LET'S START BY GIVING 
THE VIEWERS A SENSE OF THE 
CONTEXT HERE.
THIS WAS A SHIPMENT OF 11 
MILLION MASKS.
WE KNOW THAT 8 MILLION OF THEM 
HAVE BEEN FOUND NOT TO BE UP TO 
STANDARD.
THESE ARE THOSE N-95 MASKS THAT 
WE'VE ALL LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT 
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS 
OUTBREAK.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO KEEP OUT 
95% OF PARTICLES AND ARE USED IN
THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
WE KNOW THIS WAS A 
MONTREAL-BASED PRODUCER WHO WAS 
GETTING THESE MASKS MADE 
OVERSEAS, I BELIEVE IN CHINA IF 
I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
PROBLEM WITH 8 MILLION OF THE 
MASKS, A 1 OF THEM WORK, SOME OF
THEM WORK, SOME STILL BEING 
TESTED AS WELL.
THE PRIME MINISTER SAID A FEW 
INTERESTING THINGS THERE.
WHILE THEY HAVE NOT NAMED THE 
PRODUCER AND THE INITIAL REPORTS
ABOUT THIS RAISED QUESTIONS 
ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN 
HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD 
HAPPEN TO THE MASKS, WHAT WOULD 
HAPPEN TO THE PAYMENT THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 
GIVING FOR THESE MASKS.
WE HEARD THE PRIME MINISTER SAY 
VERY CLEARLY THERE WE WILL NOT 
BE BURDENED WITH MASKS THAT 
DON'T WORK.
PERHAPS THERE COULD BE SOME 
ALTERNATE USE OUTSIDE OF THE 
HEALTH CARE FIELD, BUT NOTABLY 
THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO PAY 
FOR MASKS THAT WERE NOT UP TO 
STANDARD.
THE QUESTION WAS SPECIFICALLY 
HOW MUCH EACH OF THESE MASKS 
COST.
THE PRIME MINISTER DIDN'T ENGAGE
WITH THAT, BUT A BIT OF TOUGH 
TALK THERE WITHOUT GETTING INTO 
REAL SPECIFICS, BUT ESSENTIALLY 
SAYING THIS IS NOT OKAY.
WE ARE GOING TO PUSH BACK.
WHAT I THOUGHT WAS PARTICULARLY 
INTERESTING, THOUGH, WAS THE 
MOMENT WHERE HE SAID SUSPENDING 
IS PROOF THAT OUR SYSTEM WORKS 
AND SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHEN 
THESE PIECES OF PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT COME FROM 
OVERSEAS, THERE IS CHECKING 
THAT'S DONE BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AGENCY OF CANADA TO MAKE SURE 
THAT THEY ARE INDEED UP TO 
STANDARD.
THIS SITUATION, THE PROBLEM WITH
THESE MASKS IS NOT AN ISOLATED 
ONE.
WE HAVE SEEN IT AROUND THE 
WORLD.
SUSPENDING IS CERTAINLY PROOF 
THAT THE CHECKS ARE BEING DONE 
AND THAT THESE MASKS ARE NOT 
GIVEN TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS, 
BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE IF THEY 
HAD GONE INTO THE HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM AND THEY WEREN'T UP TO 
SNUFF, THE RESULTS COULD BE 
DEVASTATING, BUT IT IS NOT A 
VICTORY EITHER, CERTAINLY, TO 
SEE 8 MILLION MASKS NO LONGER 
USABLE IN THE HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM.
TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT, I BELIEVE 
THE NUMBER OF MASKS CANADA HAS 
RECEIVED FROM OVERSEAS, 
ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT OF 
CANADA, IS SOMEWHERE IN THE 
NEIGHBOURHOOD OF 33 MILLION, AND
OF COURSE THERE ARE EFFORTS 
BEING MADE TO RAMP UP DOMESTIC 
PRODUCTION.
EVERYONE SEEMS TO AGREE THAT 
THAT IS THE KEY MOVING FORWARD 
HERE, THE NEW REALITY IS GOING 
TO INVOLVE A LOT MORE MASKS AND 
GLOVES, ROSEMARY, AND SO CANADA 
IS GOING TO NEED TO BE MAKING 
MORE AND MORE RIGHT HERE AT 
HOME. 
>> Rosemary: AND IF YOU DON'T 
HAVE A RELIABLE SOURCE WHEN 
YOU'RE OUTSOURCING FROM A 
MONTREAL COMPANY, IT SORT OF 
MAKES THE ARGUMENT, INDEED, THAT
THE DOMESTIC SUPPLY CHAIN HAS TO
RAMP UP AND IN A PRETTY DRAMATIC
WAY.
CATHERINE, THANK YOU FOR THIS.
WE'LL BE BACK TO YOU AS WE WAIT 
FOR THE NOON BRIEFING FROM 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AND 
CABINET MINISTERS.
THANK YOU, CATHERINE.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
♪
♪
>> Rosemary: PUTTING ON A 
PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE ONE OF 
ONTARIO'S HARDEST-HIT LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES, THIS IS A LOCAL 
BAND.
THE BASS PLAYER, THOUGH, IS THE 
MAN WHO PULLED THIS PERFORMANCE 
TOGETHER.
HIS 93-YEAR-OLD MOM IS A 
RESIDENT OF EATONVILLE CARE 
HOME, AND WE'LL TALK TO HIM 
AFTER THE BREAK ABOUT THIS SHOW 
OF SUPPORT AND WHAT HE'S GOING 
TO DO TOMORROW FOR MOTHER'S DAY.
THAT'S NEXT ON "CBC NEWS 
NETWORK".
♪
♪
♪
>> Rosemary: THAT WAS A VIEW 
OUTSIDE EATONVILLE, ONE OF 
ONTARIO'S HARDEST-HIT LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES BY THE PANDEMIC.
THE RESIDENTS THERE TREATED LAST
WEEK TO THIS PARKING LOT SHOW BY
A LOCAL BAND CALLED TURNY BLUE 
AND THE DISTRACTIONS.
THE BASS PLAYER IS THE MAN WHO 
PUT THIS PERFORMANCE TOGETHER 
AND HIS 93-YEAR-OLD MOM IS A 
RESIDENT AT EATONVILLE CARE 
HOME.
SHE HAD COVID-19, BUT SHE HAS 
NOW RECOVERED.
SO WE WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE MAN
BEHIND THIS LOVELY GESTURE AS HE
GETS READY TO CELEBRATE HIS MOM,
WHO YOU CAN SEE IN PICTURES 
THERE.
MICHAEL SWANK JOINS ME FROM 
KOEBS OUTSIDE TORONTO.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, MICHAEL.
TELL ME FIRST HOW IS YOUR MOM.
SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID.
I KNOW SHE'S 93.
HOW'S SHE DOING?
>> YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, A 
COUPLE OF DAYS AGO I GOT A CALL 
AND THINGS DIDN'T LOOK REALLY 
GOOD BECAUSE SHE WAS REALLY 
WEAK, AND THEN YESTERDAY I GOT 
ANOTHER CALL, WHICH WAS REALLY 
INTERESTING, AND THE WONDERFUL 
NURSE INSIDE TURNS HER iPAD 
AROUND AND I SEE THIS WOMAN WHO 
I RECOGNIZE AS MY MOM SITTING 
THERE SMILING AND WAVING AT ME.
I'M LIKE, WHOA, OKAY, WHAT 
HAPPENED?
I DON'T GET THIS, BUT I DO GET 
IT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE 
PULLING FOR HER.
IF YOU WANT TO USE THE WORD 
PRAYER AND POSITIVE ENERGY, 
THERE'S PEOPLE ALL OVER THE 
PLACE SENDING GOOD ENERGY TO MY 
MOM, AND SHE SEEMS TO BE DOING 
REALLY GOOD AT THIS POINT, SO I 
AM JUST HAPPY AS CAN BE.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S GREAT.
WHAT'S YOUR MOM'S NAME, MICHAEL?
>> LILLIAN.
LILLIAN MAY SWANCE.
>> Rosemary: LOVELY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LONG-TERM 
CARE CENTRES THAT'S BEEN VERY 
HARD HIT AND THE MILITARY IS IN 
THERE HELPING.
>> YES, IT IS.
>> Rosemary: WHAT DO YOU KNOW 
ABOUT WHAT KIND OF ADDITIONAL 
HELP THEY ARE BEING ABLE TO 
PROVIDE FOR THE CENTRE?
>> OKAY, I DID TIME IN THE 
MILITARY MYSELF BACK IN THE 
'70S, AND I KNOW THAT THE GUYS 
THAT ARE IN HERE RIGHT NOW ARE 
DOING EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY 
CAN TO GET THIS PLACE SPIC AND 
SPAN AND TO THE POINT WHERE 
PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN IT 
COMFORTABLY.
AND EVERYTHING THAT I SEE GOING 
ON AROUND HERE, IT'S HAPPENING.
I SEE THE MILITARY FOLKS ARE 
WALKING IN AND OUT OF THIS PLACE
IN SCRUBS AND IN CAMOUFLAGE ALL 
THE TIME, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY
HAPPY ABOUT IT, TO TELL YOU THE 
HONEST TRUTH.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S GREAT.
MICHAEL, WHAT WAS THE LAST TIME 
YOU SAW YOUR MOM IN PERSON?
>> FRIDAY THE 13TH, MARCH.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S A LONG TIME.
>> FATEFUL DAY, FRIDAY THE 13TH.
BUT YEAH, IT'S -- YOU KNOW WHAT,
WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ON 
THE PHONE, AND WE'VE DONE A 
COUPLE OF FACETIME 
CONVERSATIONS, AND WE'RE BOTH 
PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE 
SITUATION AS IT SITS RIGHT NOW, 
SO I DON'T FEEL TOO BAD ABOUT 
THE WAY THINGS ARE.
>> Rosemary: BUT YOU'VE DONE A 
LOT TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FROM 
OUTSIDE, WHETHER IT BE THE BAND,
WHICH WAS GREAT.
I SEE YOU'VE GOT A HEART UP 
BEHIND YOU THERE.
>> Interview: YEAH, I PUT THAT 
UP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
>> Rosemary: HAS SHE RESPONDED 
TO THAT?
IS SHE HAPPY TO SEE THAT SHOW OF
SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE?
>> Interview: YEAH.
LAST WEEK WHEN WE PUT THIS SHOW 
ON, WITH THE BLESSINGS OF MAYOR 
TORY AND THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE 
HERE AT EATONVILLE, BLESS THEM 
AND THANK THEM FOR IT, WE PUT IT
ON AND THE NURSES, THEY MANAGED 
TO GET MOM STANDING UP BY THE 
WINDOW, AND I SAW THE 
RECOGNITION, AND SHE WAVED, AND 
MUSIC BETWEEN MOM AND I IS A 
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THING.
THAT'S HOW WE STARTED OUR LIVES 
TOGETHER, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN 
SOMETHING MAJOR FOR US.
SO BEING 93, I NEED TO SAY I GOT
A BIT NERVOUS, AND WITH THE 
COVID THING HITTING I GOT A 
LITTLE MORE NERVOUS, AND I CAN'T
GET IN THERE AND SIT WITH HER.
I CAN'T TALK TO HER, AND I CAN'T
PLAY MY CDS OR WHATEVER, FOR 
HER, AND I FIGURED THE ONLY WAY 
I COULD DO THIS WAS TO PUT THIS 
PERFORMANCE ON, A, FOR HER, B, 
FOR THE PEOPLE INSIDE, AND VERY 
MUCH SO, C, FOR THE FRONT-LINE 
WORKERS.
THESE PEOPLE INSIDE THIS 
BUILDING ARE SIMPLY FREAKING 
AMAZING.
THEY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE
ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND WE HAVE TO GIVE AS MUCH AS 
WE CAN BACK TO THEM, SIMPLE AS 
THAT.
>> Rosemary: YEAH, YOU SOUND 
LIKE A LOVELY GUY, SUPPORTING 
THEM, AND ALSO A PRETTY GOOD SON
TOO.
WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE LIKE 
TOMORROW WHEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO
GIVE HER A HUG AND HANG OUT WITH
HER FOR MOTHER'S DAY?
>> I GAVE HER MY HUG LAST 
SATURDAY.
SHE KNOWS IT.
SHE FEELS IT.
SHE ACKNOWLEDGED IT YESTERDAY.
NOT BEING ABLE TO BE WITH HER 
PHYSICALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE 
TOUGH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, MY 
MOM'S PRETTY TOUGH TOO, AND I'M 
SURE SHE'S GOING TO GET THROUGH 
THE DAY.
I'M GOING TO GET THROUGH THE 
DAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE
OUT HERE ALL LINED UP, WATCHING 
AND LOOKING AT THEIR FAMILIES 
AND EVERYBODY WAVING.
THERE WAS A FAMILY OUT HERE 
EARLIER, AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, 
ALONG WITH MYSELF, I GOT TO TAKE
MY HAT OFF TO A LOT OF THE 
PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP HERE BECAUSE
THE WEATHER HASN'T BEEN 
PLEASANT, AND WE HAVE BEEN 
PUTTING UP WITH A LOT OF STUFF, 
BUT WE DO IT BECAUSE WE LOVE THE
FOLKS INSIDE.
>> Rosemary: WELL, THAT'S GREAT.
>> Interview: THE ONES THAT WE 
CARE FOR, AND FOR THE ONES THAT 
ARE ACTUALLY TAKING CARE OF THE 
FOLKS THAT WE CARE FOR.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
MICHAEL, THAT'S GREAT.
I KNOW THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE 
LIVING THROUGH THIS IN THE SAME 
WAY AS YOU, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE 
INSPIRED THEM FOR TOMORROW, AND 
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, LILLIAN, IF 
YOU'RE WATCHING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, FROM 
ETOBICOKE, ONTARIO.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, THANK 
YOU.
>> THANKS, ROSIE. 
>> Rosemary: WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
A SHORT BREAK HERE ON "CBC NEWS 
NETWORK" AS WE STAND BY FOR THE 
FEDERAL BRIEFING FROM CABINET 
MINISTERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS.
WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A COUPLE 
MOMENTS.
♪
♪
[♪♪♪] 
>> Rosemary: HELLO, AGAIN.
I AM ROSEMARY BARTON HERE IN 
OTTAWA.
WE ARE LIVE STREAMING ON THE CBC
APP AND ON cbcnews.ca.
WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM 
FEDERAL CABINET MINISTERS AND 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS FOR 
THEIR UPDATE ON THE PANDEMIC 
RESPONSE.
FOCUS IS TURNING TO CONTAINMENT 
DURING THIS NEW NORMAL.
LIVING WITH COVID IS THE WAY 
DR. TAM REFERS TO IT.
SOME PROVINCES ARE EASING 
LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS DEPENDING 
ON WHERE YOU LIVE.
THERE ARE CONCERNS IN THE TWO 
HARDEST-HIT PARTS OF THE 
COUNTRY, INCLUDING ONTARIO.
THE NEW DATA SUGGESTS MAYBE SOME
PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWING 
RULES ON PHYSICAL DISTANCING 
STRICTLY BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN 
A FAIR AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY 
SPREAD, AND QUÉBEC AS YOU KNOW 
HAD AMBITIOUS PLANS TO REOPEN 
STORES AND SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY
IN THE MONTREAL AREA, OVER SOME 
FEARS OF ANOTHER WAVE OF 
INFECTION.
THEY HAVE NOW DELAYED THOSE 
PLANS, EXPECTING TO HEAR ALL 
ABOUT THAT IN THIS BRIEFING 
SHORTLY.
I'LL ALSO TELL YOU THAT ON 
SATURDAYS WE GENERALLY GET AN 
UPDATE FROM THE MINISTER OF 
INDIGENOUS SERVICES, MARC 
MILLER, ABOUT HOW THE PANDEMIC 
IS AFFECTING THE INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITIES.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN AN 
OUTBREAK IN NORTHERN 
SASKATCHEWAN AS OF LATE, EVEN AS
THE PROVINCE THERE STARTS TO 
REOPEN SLOWLY AS WELL, THERE 
DOES SEEM TO BE A DIFFICULT 
OUTBREAK.
12 OF THE 13 NEW CASES IN THAT 
PROVINCE RELATED TO OR HAVE 
HAPPENED IN LALOCHE, 
SASKATCHEWAN.
WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM THE 
MINISTER ABOUT THE APPROACH 
TOWARDS INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES 
AS WELL.
LET'S BRING IN MY COLLEAGUE 
CATHERINE CULLEN AS WE WAIT FOR 
THAT UPDATE.
WE DID GET AN UPDATE ON 
INDIGENOUS STATISTICS ON 
SATURDAY'S BRIEFING WHERE 
MINISTER MILLER APPEARS.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE ISSUE 
AROUND MONTREAL.
THERE WAS SOME STARTLING 
INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT 
YESTERDAY AND MUCH OF IT HAS 
BEEN PUBLISHED TODAY AROUND 
MODELLING AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN 
ON THE ISLAND OF MONTREAL IF 
RESTRICTIONS ARE EASED IN A REAL
WAY.
IT'S QUITE ALARMING, ACTUALLY.
>> Catherine: YES, IT'S A STUDY 
OF THE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC 
HEALTH IN QUÉBEC.
WHAT IT SAYS IS IF THIS 
DECONFINEMENT PLAN IS PURSUED, 
AND RIGHT NOW MONTREAL, AS YOU 
SAY, WHILE IT'S PUSHED BACK THE 
DATE OF REOPENING, THEY ARE 
LOOKING AT OPENING SOME 
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ON MAY 25.
IF THIS IS PURSUED, ACCORDING TO
ONE OF THE MODELS PUT FORWARD BY
THE INSTITUTE, THERE COULD BE AS
MANY AS 150 DEATHS A DAY IN THE 
MONTREAL AREA BY JULY, AND THAT 
DOES NOT INCLUDE, ROSEMARY, THE 
DEATHS IN LONG-TERM CARE HOMES.
WE KNOW IN QUÉBEC AND ACROSS THE
PROVINCE THAT HAS ACCOUNTED FOR 
THE MAJORITY OF THE DEATHS.
THAT IS AN ALARMING SET OF 
PREDICTIONS.
THAT PARTICULAR PREDICTION DOES 
NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE 
PROSPECT OF RAMPING UP TESTING 
AND CONTACT TRACING.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM 
OFFICIALS IN QUÉBEC HAVE BEEN 
FOR DAYS TALKING ABOUT THE 
INTENT TO RAMP UP TESTING IN 
PARTICULAR IN THAT PROVINCE.
IN FACT, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE
BEEN RAMPED UP TO A NEW HEIGHT 
YESTERDAY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS A WORK IN 
PROCESS, BUT THAT IS ONE MEANS 
OF MANAGING THIS.
THAT RAISES THE QUESTION BROADLY
WHETHER QUÉBEC AND MONTREAL 
SHOULD BE PURSUING THAT PLAN IF 
THAT IS THE PROGNOSIS.
WE HEARD THE PRIME MINISTER 
BEING ASKED ABOUT THAT DURING 
HIS BRIEFING.
HE IS THE M.P. FOR PAPINEAU, ON 
THE ISLAND OF MONTREAL.
HE SAID HE'S CONCERNED AS THE 
PRIME MINISTER AND AS A 
CANADIAN.
HE DID GET IMPASSIONED ABOUT 
TALKING ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF 
REOPENING AND AN OUTBREAK AND 
THEN SAYING, LOOK, WE'VE GOT TO 
GO BACK INSIDE AND DO THIS ALL 
AGAIN.
HE'S CAUTIONING THAT PEOPLE 
SHOULD BE LISTENING TO 
SCIENTISTS.
WAS THAT A SUGGESTION THAT THIS 
PARTICULAR REPORT THAT IS 
RECEIVING A LOT OF ATTENTION IN 
QUÉBEC BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY?
I IMAGINE SO.
REGARDLESS OF THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S COMMENTS, YOU CAN BE 
SURE THAT THE PREMIER AND PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS IN QUÉBEC ARE 
GOING TO BE FACING QUESTIONS 
ABOUT THIS.
>> Rosemary: YES, THE PREMIER 
AND THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICER, THEY HAVE READJUSTED 
THEIR REOPENING DATES FOR 
MONTREAL.
THEY HAD PLANNED TO REOPEN 
RETAIL STORES AND SCHOOLS AND 
NOW PUSHED THAT BACK BY A WEEK, 
MAY 25.
IT'S HARD TO SEE HOW THEY EVEN 
STAY ON THAT TIMELINE, GIVEN THE
WAY THE OUTBREAK IS PROGRESSING 
IN LONG-TERM CARE HOMES AND ALSO
IN LOWER-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN 
MONTREAL.
I KNOW THE MAYOR OF MONTREAL HAS
EXPRESSED SOME REALLY SERIOUS 
CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPEED OF 
WHICH THIS IS HAPPENING AND THE 
PRIME MINISTER OBVIOUSLY IN A 
DIFFICULT POSITION POLITICALLY 
TO NOT INTERFERE WITH WHAT 
QUÉBEC'S DECISIONS ARE BUT ALSO 
NEEDS TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT 
THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK.
I THINK FOR NOW QUÉBEC SEEMS TO 
BE RESPONDING WHEN THEY SEE THE 
DATA, BUT THE FACT THAT THEY PUT
ANOTHER TIMELINE ON THE 
REOPENING OF QUÉBEC SEEMS TO ME 
QUESTIONABLE TO SAY THE LEAST 
FOR THE PREMIER.
AND THAT'S FAIRLY DIFFICULT FOR 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO 
NAVIGATE.
>> Catherine: IN THIS BEGINNING 
OF THIS CRISIS, THE PREMIER 
FRANÇOIS LEGAULT AND DR. ARRUDA 
REALLY CELEBRATED THE WAY THEY 
WERE DEALING WITH THIS CRISIS, 
DESPITE THE NUMBERS WERE SO BAD.
PART OF THE REASON QUÉBEC FOUND 
THEMSELVES IN A MORE DIFFICULT 
SITUATION IS BECAUSE THEIR 
SPRING BREAK IS EARLIER THAN THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY.
PEOPLE WERE RETURNING FROM 
SPRING BREAK AND PERHAPS 
BRINGING COVID-19 BACK WITH 
THEM.
MUCH OF CANADA AND THE WORLD 
HADN'T WOKEN UP TO WHAT WE WERE 
IN THE MIDST OF.
FRANÇOIS LEGAULT VERY POPULAR.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE 
DECISIONS BEING RECONSIDERED.
THERE IS A LACK OF CLARITY 
AROUND THE RANGE OF THE ISSUES.
THE PREMIER IS FINDING HIMSELF 
MORE HEAVILY CRITICIZED.
QUESTIONS -- IN PARTICULAR THERE
HAVE BEEN REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT 
WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE IN THE AGE
RANGE OF 60 TO 69.
IF THEY'RE TEACHERS THEY 
SHOULDN'T MAYBE IN THE 
CLASSROOM.
A LOT OF LACK OF CLARITY ON 
ISSUES LIKE THAT AS WELL AS THE 
BROADER QUESTIONS OF TIMELINE.
THIS IS A CHALLENGING TIME 
FACING QUÉBEC.
ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 
INTERPLAY BETWEEN WHAT IS 
HAPPENING IN THE HOSPITAL'S 
SYSTEM AND THE HOSPITAL'S 
ABILITY TO RESPOND TO WHAT IS 
GOING ON AND THE LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES BECAUSE A LOT OF 
PEOPLE WHO WERE IN LONG-TERM 
CARE FACILITIES WERE TRANSFERRED
TO HOSPITALS AND RECOVERED FROM 
COVID-19, BUT THERE WAS A FEAR 
OF SENDING THOSE PEOPLE BACK TO 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
WE'VE HEARD HORRIFIED STORIES 
FROM QUÉBEC AND ONTARIO WHEN 
FACILITIES GET OVERCROWDED.
THERE IS FACILITY WHERE OVER 80 
PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN ONE 
FACILITY.
SOME REALLY TROUBLING STORIES.
THERE IS A REAL EFFORT UNDERWAY 
TO MANAGE THIS.
THERE IS A MIX OF PUBLIC OPINION
AS WELL.
THERE IS A REAL SENSE THAT THERE
ARE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AT 
PLAY AND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO 
KIDS WHEN THEY ARE LEFT IN THE 
HOME.
THAT IS PART OF THE IMPETUS OF 
TRYING TO RESTART ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOLS AND GIVING CHILDREN A 
SAFE PLACE TO BE, THE STRUCTURE 
AND EDUCATION THEY MIGHT NEED.
BUT IT LEADS TO A LOT OF 
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS I THINK.
CERTAINLY PEOPLE ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY ARE FEELING THAT, BUT 
ALSO ACUTELY IN QUÉBEC WHEN 
PARENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO 
CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THEY 
WANT TO SEND THEM BACK TO 
SCHOOL.
THERE ARE ONLY 15 STUDENTS PER 
CLASS AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP A 
2-METRE DISTANCE.
THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN 
RECESS AND DRAMA CLASS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT 
EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE 
HEADED BACK.
>> Rosemary: OUTSIDE OF 
MONTREAL, THE POINT I WANTED TO 
MAKE, IS QUITE A DIFFERENT 
PICTURE IN QUÉBEC.
THE VIRUS HAS HIT THE ISLAND OF 
MONTREAL IN A PARTICULAR WAY, 
BUT QUÉBEC HAD 900 NEW CASES, 
WHEREAS IN NOVA SCOTIA WHERE 
THEY'RE IN DOUBLE DIGITS, 
THEY'RE NOT REOPENING SCHOOL 
UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
EACH APPROACH MAKES SENSE, BUT 
GOOD TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 
SPEED OF THE SEVERITY.
CATHERINE, I'LL LEAVE YOU NOW.
NEW BRUNSWICK IS MOVING TO THE 
SECOND PHASE OF THEIR RECOVERY 
PROGRAM.
SHAINA LUCK JOINS US.
SHAINA, LAST TIME I CHECKED 
THERE WERE SOME NEW CASES.
>> Shaina: NEW BRUNSWICK IS 
CERTAINLY IN A VERY FORTUNATE 
POSITION AND YOU CAN TELL THEY 
ARE MAKING THE MOST OF THAT.
THEY'RE REOPENING THINGS LIKE 
RESTAURANTS, SHOPPING MALLS, ART
GALLERIES, MUSEUMS, THOSE WILL 
ALL BE ALLOWED TO REOPEN AS SOON
AS TODAY.
ONLY THEY HAVE TO RESPECT THOSE 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES.
SO THEY MAY NOT REOPEN RIGHT 
AWAY, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ALLOWED 
TO, BUT THEY WILL NEED SOME TIME
TO RETRAIN THEIR STAFF AND MOVE 
THINGS AROUND IN THE BUILDINGS, 
BUT CERTAINLY THEY'RE IN A 
FORTUNATE PLACE WITH ONLY 118 
NEW CASES AND NO DEATHS IN 
NEW BRUNSWICK EITHER.
>> Rosemary: I THINK MY BRIEFING
IS ABOUT TO START.
I'LL ASK YOU QUICKLY AFTER THIS 
PHASE WHAT IS NEXT?
WILL SCHOOLS REOPEN?
DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT WILL 
REOPEN NEXT?
>> Shaina: CERTAINLY FOR THE 
REST OF ATLANTIC CANADA, THEY 
ARE TAKING SLOW AND INCREMENTAL 
STEPS, NOVA SCOTIA NOT BRINGING 
THEIR SCHOOLS BACK.
P.E.I. IS EXPANDING THEIR 
HOUSEHOLD BUBBLES.
NEWFOUNDLAND LOOKING TO MOVE TO 
THEIR NEXT PHASE AS EARLY AS 
MONDAY. 
>> Rosemary: SHAINA LUCK IN 
HALIFAX TODAY.
I APPRECIATE IT, SHAINA.
LET ME TAKE YOU BACK TO OTTAWA 
WHERE FEDERAL MINISTERS AND 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE 
SPEAKING.
THIS IS MARC MILLER GETTING THE 
BRIEFING UNDERWAY.
>> [Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] WITHOUT FURTHER 
ADO, LET'S BEGIN WITH THE UPDATE
IN ENGLISH BY DR. TAM FOLLOWED 
BY DR. NJOO AND THEN MYSELF.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
[end of translation] LATEST 
NUMBERS OF COVID-19 IN CANADA.
THERE ARE NOW 66,730 CASES, 
INCLUDING 4,628 DEATHS.
30,600, OR 46%, HAVE NOW 
RECOVERED.
LABS ACROSS CANADA HAVE TESTED 
OVER 1,067,000 PEOPLE FOR 
COVID-19 TO DATE, WITH ABOUT 6% 
OF THESE TESTING POSITIVE.
IN THE PAST WEEK, WE'VE TESTED 
ON AVERAGE 26,000 PEOPLE DAILY.
TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE 
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS AND 
SEVERE OUTCOMES OF COVID-19 ON 
OUR SENIORS.
IT'S HARD TO CALCULATE THE 
HARDSHIPS ENDURED AND THE GRIEF 
THAT REMAINS FOR THOSE WE'VE 
LOST.
CANADA'S OLDER ADULTS ARE THE 
KEEPERS OF OUR HISTORY, CULTURE,
AND WISDOM.
EACH LOSS IS ONE TOO MANY, BUT 
THE SCALE AND IMPACT ON OUR 
SENIORS AS A WHOLE IS NOTHING 
SHORT OF A NATIONAL TRAGEDY.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF 
COVID-19 IN HIGH-RISK 
POPULATIONS IS CRUCIAL FOR 
CONTROLLING THIS AND FUTURE 
WAVES OF COVID-19.
THESE OUTBREAKS DRIVE UP THE 
CASE FATALITY RATE, ACCELERATE 
SPREAD, AND CONTINUE TO GROW IN 
THE COMMUNITY.
IT IS THE OLDER ADULTS WHO BEAR 
THE BRUNT.
AN ESTIMATED 20% OF COVID-19 IN 
CANADA ARE LINKED TO LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES.
80% OF DEATHS ARE IN SENIORS IN 
THESE SETTINGS.
A RANGE OF MEASURES HAS BEEN 
IMPLEMENTED IN AN EFFORT TO 
PREVENT AND CONTROL THE SPREAD 
OF COVID-19 IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES, HOWEVER, MANY AREAS OF 
THE COUNTRY ARE STILL STRUGGLING
TO GET AHEAD OF THE RAPID AND 
STEALTHY SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN 
THESE OUTBREAKS.
WE KNOW WHERE THERE ARE 
WEAKNESSES, WHETHER THEY'RE 
STRUCTURAL, SOCIAL, OR ECONOMIC 
IN NATURE, THIS VIRUS WILL TAKE 
ADVANTAGE IF WE ARE WILLING TO 
GIVE WHAT IT TAKES TO ADDRESS 
THESE WEAKNESSES IN LONG-TERM 
CARE AND ASSISTED-LIVING HOMES 
AND WITHOUT PROVIDING SUPPORT TO
THE WORKERS IN THESE SETTINGS, 
THEN WE WILL STAND AT A BETTER 
CHANCE OF BEATING THE VIRUS.
IF WE MAKE A PRIORITY TO LOOK 
AFTER THE MOST VULNERABLE IN 
SOCIETY, WE CAN CHANGE THE 
OUTCOME OF THIS PANDEMIC AND NOT
LIVE IN ITS SHADOW.
TOGETHER WE CAN GO THIS.
THANK YOU.
>> [Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] THANK YOU, DR. TAM.
DR. NJOO.
>> THANK YOU.
HELLO.
AS USUAL, I WILL START WITH THE 
LATEST NUMBERS OF COVID-19 IN 
CANADA.
IN CANADA THERE ARE NOW 66,744 
CONFIRMED CASES, INCLUDING 4,028
DEATHS AND 6% NOW RECOVERED.
LABS ACROSS CANADA HAVE TESTED 
OVER 1,067,000 PEOPLE FOR 
COVID-19 TO DATE, WITH ABOUT 6% 
OF THESE TESTING POSITIVE.
IN THE PAST WEEK WE'VE TESTED ON
AVERAGE OVER 26,000 PEOPLE 
DAILY.
TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE 
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS AND 
SEVERE OUTCOMES OF COVID-19 ON 
OUR SENIORS.
IT'S HARD TO CALCULATE THE 
HARDSHIPS ENDURED AND THE GRIEF 
THAT REMAINS FOR THOSE THAT 
WE'VE LOST.
CANADA'S OLDER ADULTS ARE THE 
KEEPERS OF OUR HISTORY, CULTURE,
AND WISDOM.
EACH LOSS IS ONE TOO MANY, BUT 
THE SCALE AND IMPACT ON OUR 
SENIORS AS A WHOLE IS NOTHING 
SHORT OF A NATIONAL TRAGEDY.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF 
COVID-19 IN HIGH-RISK 
POPULATIONS IS CRUCIAL FOR 
CONTROLLING THIS AND FUTURE 
WAVES OF COVID-19.
THESE OUTBREAKS DRIVE UP THE 
CASE FATALITY RATE, ACCELERATE 
SPREAD, AND CONTINUE TO SPREAD 
INTO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT IT IS OUR OLDER ADULTS WHO 
BEAR THE BRUNT.
THOUGH AN ESTIMATED 20% OF 
COVID-19 CASES IN CANADA ARE 
LINKED TO LONG-TERM CARE HOMES, 
OVER 80% OF ALL DEATHS ARE AMONG
SENIORS RESIDING IN THESE 
SETTINGS.
A RANGE OF MEASURES HAS BEEN 
IMPLEMENTED IN AN EFFORT TO 
PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION AND 
SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES.
HOWEVER, MANY AREAS OF THE 
COUNTRY ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO 
GET AHEAD OF THE RAPID AND 
STEALTHY SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN 
THESE OUTBREAKS.
WE KNOW THAT WHERE THERE ARE 
WEAKNESSES, WHETHER STRUCTURAL, 
SOCIAL, OR ECONOMIC IN NATURE, 
THIS VIRUS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE.
IF WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE WHAT 
IT TAKES TO ADDRESS THESE 
WEAKNESSES IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOME AND ASSISTED LIVING HOMES 
AND TO PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT TO
POORLY COMPENSATED WORKERS IN 
THESE SETTINGS, WE STAND A 
BETTER CHANCE OF MAINTAINING 
CONTROL OF THE VIRUS.
WE WILL BE LIVING WITH COVID-19 
FOR SOME TIME.
IF WE MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO LOOK
AFTER THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR
SOCIETY, WE CAN CHANGE THE 
OUTCOME OF THIS PANDEMIC.
AND NOT LIVE IN ITS SHADOW.
TOGETHER, WE CAN DO THIS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. NJOO.
[end of translation] GOOD 
AFTERNOON, BONJOUR.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES THAT 
WE HAVE BEEN REPEATING FROM 
THESE SEATS AND THAT YOU HAVE 
HEARD SO MANY TIMES OVER HAVE 
NOT LOST THEIR IMPORTANCE.
THEY ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ON
DAY ONE.
AS OF MAY 8 WE HAVE SEEN 165 
CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 ON 
RESERVES IN NUNAVIK IN NORTHERN 
QUÉBEC.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO 
REMEMBER THAT NUMBER AS I 
CONTINUE WITH THIS UPDATE.
THIS WEEK WE SAW A RISE IN CASES
IN REMOTE COMMUNITIES IN 
NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN.
WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THIS AND 
WORKING WITH LOCAL LEADERSHIP ON
THE RESPONSE.
SOME COMMUNITIES IMPACTED AROUND
THE LALOCHE AREA INCLUDE FIRST 
NATIONS RESERVES, BUT NOT ONLY.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO KEEP 
COLLABORATING WITH THE 
GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN TO 
MAKE SURE THE MEDICAL STAFF CAN 
GET WHAT THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH 
THE OUTBREAK.
THE ONSET OF COVID IN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES MAY HAVE BEEN 
DELAYED BY REMOTENESS.
WE NEED TO REMAIN DILIGENT AND 
PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE 
SURE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING 
FROM THIS IN AND AROUND THE 
LALOCHE AREA ARE PROPERLY 
SERVED.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE CONTINUE 
TO WORK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION 
WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO 
SECURE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES 
TO COMBAT THE SPREAD OF 
COVID-19, INCLUDING THE 
COMMUNITIES OF CLEARWATER NATION
AND ENGLISH RIVER NATION AND THE
METIS NATION OF SASKATCHEWAN.
IN SASKATCHEWAN ALL FRONTLINE 
HEALTH SERVICES ARE DELIVERED BY
FIRST NATIONS AND TRIBAL HEALTH 
COUNCILS WITH TRIBAL OVERSIGHT 
AND INTER-TRIBAL HEALTH 
AUTHORITY.
WE ARE MONITORING THE P.P.E. IN 
THIS REGION.
AS OF MAY 8, WE HAVE SENT 129 
P.P.E. SHIPMENTS TO FIRST 
NATIONS COMMUNITIES IN 
SASKATCHEWAN, INCLUDING 59 
P.P.E. SHIPMENTS SENT DIRECTLY 
TO THE NORTHERN INTER-TRIBAL 
HEALTH AGENCY.
THE METIS NATION HAS UTILIZED 
RESOURCES THROUGH THE FUND WITH 
A FOCUS ON ELDERLIES, SUPPORT, 
AND P.P.E.
WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT SUCH AS
NURSING RECRUITMENT AND HEALTH 
SERVICES COORDINATION TO 25 
COMMUNITIES.
OVERALL, THERE ARE 70 INDIGENOUS
SERVICES CANADA NURSES IN 
SASKATCHEWAN OFFERING SERVICES 
TO ALL 74 FIRST NATIONS 
COMMUNITIES IN SASKATCHEWAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO SINCERELY THANK 
THEM FOR TIRELESSLY WORKING ON 
THE FRONT LINE OF THIS OUTBREAK 
AND PUTTING THEIR OWN SAFETY AT 
RISK, BUT NUMBERS DON'T TELL THE
WHOLE STORY.
FIRST NATIONS, INUIT, AND METIS 
COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE AN 
INCREDIBLE JOB IN RESPONDING AND
PREVENTING OUTBREAKS.
THEIR COLLECTIVE WORK IN THIS IS
CRITICAL AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO
SUPPORT THEM IN ENSURING THEY 
HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AND BEING 
ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT 
THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS REMAINS 
STEADFAST.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] TO SUPPORT 
INDIGENOUS LEADERS AND OUR 
PARTNERS TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND 
TO THE PANDEMIC AND TO PROTECT 
THEIR FOUNDATIONS, WE HAVE A 
SUPPORT FUND FOR INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITIES OF $305 MILLION IN 
ORDER TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE 
NEEDS OF FIRST NATIONS, INUIT, 
AND METIS COMMUNITIES DEAL WITH 
COVID-19, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THESE
FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN 
TRANSFERRED TO THE COMMUNITIES, 
$50 MILLION WERE ALSO ATTRIBUTED
TO URBAN AND OFF-RESERVE 
INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
WE ALSO ANNOUNCED FURTHER 
MEASURES IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE
MOST VULNERABLE HELP DEAL WITH 
THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD.
WE HAVE ANNOUNCED $10 MILLION 
FOR THE PREVENTION OF FAMILY 
VIOLENCE SHELTERS.
AND $306 MILLION IN FUNDING TO 
HELP SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED 
INDIGENOUS BUSINESSES AND TO 
SUPPORT INDIGENOUS FINANCIAL 
INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE FUNDING 
BUSINESSES.
$75.2 MILLION FOR FIRST NATIONS,
INUIT, AND METIS STUDENTS AT THE
POST-SECONDARY LEVEL FOR THE 
YEAR 2020-2021.
$129.9 MILLION TO RESPOND TO 
IMMEDIATE NEEDS WHEN IT COMES TO
HEALTH, THE ECONOMY, AND 
TRANSPORTATION IN THE NORTH.
WE KNOW THAT FURTHER HELP WILL 
BE NECESSARY AND WE ARE WORKING 
ACTIVELY TO ENSURE THAT NO 
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IS LEFT 
BEHIND.
[end of translation] AS WE ARE 
LEARNING FROM PAST EXPERIENCE 
WITH RESPONDING TO PANDEMICS IN 
CANADA AND SPECIFICALLY IN FIRST
NATIONS, METIS, AND INUIT 
COMMUNITIES DURING H1N1, THEY 
HAVE A HIGHER RISK.
WE ARE DOING BETTER, MORE 
ROBUST, AND ROUTINELY COLLECTED 
DISAGGREGATED DATA.
WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAYS, YOU 
CAN'T MEND WHAT YOU DON'T 
MEASURE.
TO BE FRANK, THE DATA MY 
DEPARTMENT PROVIDES IS LIMITED 
BY WHAT IS COLLECTED.
ACCURATE DATA IS ONLY AVAILABLE 
FOR FIRST NATIONS LIVING ON 
RESERVE AND FOR INUIT LIVING IN 
INUIT NUNANGAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN 
THE FAR NORTH OF LALOCHE, THE 
NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES IS 170 
POSITIVE PLUS.
ABOVE THAT, THERE ARE 16 
ON-RESERVE INDIGENOUS POSITIVE 
CASES, BUT GIVEN THAT LALOCHE IS
A METIS-DENE COMMUNITY OF THE 
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, THE 
PRESUMPTION THEN IS THAT THE 
ENTIRE 179 CASES OR SO ARE 
INDIGENOUS AND THAT'S A GAP IN 
THE DATA, FRANKLY.
WHEN INDIGENOUS LEADERS -- AND I
WOULD ADD AND PAUSE TO SAY WHEN 
YOU PUT THAT IN AN URBAN CONTEXT
SUCH AS MONTREAL, TORONTO, 
VANCOUVER, CALGARY, OR WINNIPEG,
THAT DATA IS JUST NOT THERE.
WHEN INDIGENOUS LEADERS AND 
ORGANIZATIONS ARE CALLING FOR 
BETTER DATA TO BE COLLECTED AND 
DISSEMINATED TO THEM, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THAT DATA.
IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE DATA 
PETITIONER INUIT OUTSIDE INUIT 
NUNANGAT, CITIZENS OF THE METIS 
NATION, OR FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE 
LIVING OFF THEIR RESERVES, AND 
FOR THIS TO BE REALIZED, WE NEED
HELP FROM PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS
AND PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES.
THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION IS 
CRITICAL NOT ONLY FOR INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES, BUT MANY VULNERABLE
GROUPS.
WE NEED TO PUT FORWARD TAILORED 
MEASURES AS WELL AS TO PREVENT 
OUTBREAKS.
INDIGENOUS-LED ANALYSIS OF THIS 
INFORMATION IS NECESSARY TO 
ADVANCE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE 
AND SCIENCE-BASED APPROACHES 
BOTH WITH ON AND OFF-RESERVE FOR
FIRST NATIONS AND INUIT AND 
METIS COMMUNITIES.
INDIGENOUS SERVICES CANADA IS 
PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN 
COLLABORATION WITH FIRST 
NATIONS, METIS, AND INUIT 
PARTNERS TO SUPPORT ONGOING 
SURVEILLANCE OF COVID-19 
POSITIVE CASES FOR ON-RESERVE 
CASES.
HOWEVER, THIS DATA, AS I 
MENTIONED, IS NOT ENOUGH TO 
PROVIDE US WITH AN ACCURATE 
OVERVIEW OF THOSE LIVING OFF 
RESERVE AS WELL AS IN INUIT AND 
METIS COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS WHY I'M PLEASED TO SPEAK
TO THE WORK OF DR. JANET SMILEY 
AT ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL IN 
TORONTO.
SHE IS WORKING WITH MANY OTHER 
PARTNERS TO COLLECT THE DATA 
THAT WILL ALLOW FOR BETTER 
UNDERSTANDING AND MODELLING OF 
COVID-19 INDIGENOUS CASES IN 
CANADA.
AS PART OF OUR EFFORTS TO 
PROVIDE BETTER DATA-BASED 
DISTINCTIONS, WE ARE 
IMPLEMENTING A COVID-19 TRACKING
AND RESPONSE PLATFORMS FOR FIRST
NATIONS, INUIT, AND METIS.
THIS WILL INCLUDE THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF A COVID-19 
CONSORTIUM, COMPILED OF FIRST 
NATIONS, METIS, AND INUIT 
PARTNERS.
IN THE SHORT TERM, WE HOPE THAT 
OUR WORK WILL HELP MITIGATE THE 
ADVERSE AND DISPROPORTIONATE 
IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON FIRST 
NATIONS, INUIT, AND METIS.
THEY ARE LEADING THE WAY IN 
GATHERING THIS DATA.
I APPLAUD THEM IN THIS WORK.
AS I HIGHLIGHTED BEFORE ON 
ANOTHER TOPIC, REMOTE AND FLY-IN
FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES ARE 
VULNERABLE DURING THIS TIME.
THE ONGOING DELIVERY OF MEDICAL 
SERVICES AND CARE AT A TIME WHEN
TRAVEL IS LIMITED IS 
PARTICULARLY TRAVELLING, BUT 
CRITICAL TO CANADA'S OVERALL 
RESPONSE TO COVID-19.
TO MINIMIZE THE RISK AND 
EXPOSURE OF THE VIRUS TO 
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SERVICE 
PROVIDERS ALIKE, WE ARE 
TRANSPORTING PERSONNEL ON 
FLIGHTS THAT ADHERE TO STRICT 
HEALTH MEASURES ON AIRLINES THAT
ALREADY SERVE THESE COMMUNITIES.
ON APRIL 22, 45 NURSING 
PROFESSIONALS WERE FLOWN TO 
FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES IN 
MANITOBA AND ONTARIO.
ON APRIL 27, ANOTHER 22 NURSING 
PROFESSIONALS WERE FLOWN TO 13 
FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES AND 18
LEFT THE COMMUNITIES ON THEIR 
RETURN CHARTER FLIGHTS.
THESE CHARTERS ENSURE THAT 
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND 
SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT MAINTAIN 
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS
WATER-TREATMENT PLANTS, THAT CAN
SUPPLY THESE COMMUNITIES.
THERE IS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 
RESPONSES, FOOD SECURITY, 
MEDEVAC SERVICES THAT ARE BEING 
IMPLEMENTED.
THIS APPROACH ALSO PROVIDES A 
MUCH-NEEDED REVENUE STREAM TO 
AIRLINES IN INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITIES, HELPING TO SUPPORT 
THEIR ECONOMIC LONG-TERM AND 
SHORT-TERM VIABILITY.
NURSES WORKING IN INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO 
DEMONSTRATE THEIR SELFLESS 
DEDICATION TO ENSURE THE 
TESTING, CARE, AND TREATMENT.
ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE 
FIRST NATIONS, INUIT, AND METIS 
NURSES CARING FOR PATIENTS, 
WHILE WORKING TO PROVIDE AND 
PROMOTE SAFE HEALTHCARE.
[Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] ALTHOUGH THE 
NUMBERS ACROSS CANADA REMAIN 
POSITIVE OVERALL, I REITERATE 
THAT WE MUST ALL FOLLOW THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTIVES AND 
ADVICE, WASHING OUR HANDS AND 
AVOIDING LARGE GATHERINGS AND 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
THESE MEASURES ARE CRUCIAL.
OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO WORK 
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST 
NATIONS, INUIT, AND METIS.
AND AS PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES
AND CITIES BEGIN TO DISCUSS 
EASING RESTRICTIONS, WE WILL 
CONTINUE TO BE EXTREMELY 
VIGILANT AND DEFEND THE UNIQUE 
PERSPECTIVE AND POSITION IN 
WHICH INUIT, FIRST NATIONS, AND 
METIS COMMUNITIES FIND 
THEMSELVES.
I REMAIN ENCOURAGED BY MEASURES 
TAKEN BY INDIGENOUS LEADERS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I'M 
ASKING EVERYONE TO REMAIN 
VIGILANT, WHILE WE ALL WORK 
TOGETHER, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN 
BE HEALTHY AND SAFE.
THANK YOU.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH QUESTIONS 
NOW.
[end of translation]. 
>> ONE QUESTION AND ONE FOLLOW 
UP.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM 
MICHEL LAMAS.
>> Question: [Speaking French] 
[Voice of Interpreter] FIRST 
QUESTION FOR DR. TAM AND 
DR. NJOO.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR 
COMMENTS ON THE SITUATION THAT 
IS PERSISTING IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES.
THIS MORNING YOU TALKED ABOUT A 
NATIONAL TRAGEDY NO LESS.
ARE YOU PERPLEXED BY THE FACT 
THAT IT REMAINS SO PROBLEMATIC 
IN MANY OF THESE LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES IN WHICH -- WHERE 
AUTHORITIES DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE 
TAKEN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION 
WHATSOEVER?
>> Answer: THANK YOU FOR THE 
QUESTION.
THIS IS DR. NJOO.
IT CERTAINLY IS A NATIONAL 
TRAGEDY ACROSS THE WHOLE 
COUNTRY.
SINCE WE'RE SEEING IN ALL 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES THAT 
THERE ARE OUTBREAKS CURRENTLY IN
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES.
IT'S ALSO A PROBLEM IN QUÉBEC.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE 
CHALLENGES, EVEN STRUCTURAL 
CHALLENGES.
SOMETIMES IN INSTITUTIONS THERE 
ARE TWO, THREE, FOUR PEOPLE PER 
ROOM, AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO 
CONFINE PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL AND 
SEPARATE THEM FROM OTHERS WHO 
ARE NOT NECESSARILY INFECTED 
WITH THE VIRUS.
BUT WE KNOW THAT HEALTH 
AUTHORITIES ON THE GROUND ARE 
DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO 
TEST, IDENTIFY, ISOLATE, AND 
TREAT PEOPLE, PERHAPS SENDING 
PATIENTS TO HOSPITALS AS 
REQUIRED.
I THINK THIS IS A LESSON FOR 
EVERYONE TO LEARN AT ALL LEVELS 
OF GOVERNMENT.
AND FOLLOWING THIS PANDEMIC, 
PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE AN 
INQUIRY TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE 
TREATING OUR SENIORS, HOW WE'RE 
SUPPORTING THEM.
IN OTHER LANGUAGE, I'M NOT SURE 
HOW TO SAY IT, BUT HOW WE CAN DO
BETTER IN SUPPORTING THESE 
RESIDENCES AND LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES.
AS DR. TAM AND I HAVE SAID, EVEN
FOR THE STAFF TOO.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT 
RESIDENCES, BUT ALL OF THESE 
WORKERS WHO ARE DOING WORK AND 
DOING THEIR BEST UNDER VERY 
DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.
SO WE HAVEN'T FOUND ALL THE 
SOLUTIONS AND ANSWERS YET.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON
NOW.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE 
SITUATION, WE ARE PROVIDING OUR 
BEST EFFORTS AND I THINK MAYBE 
WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THE 
LIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 
TUNNEL.
THANK YOU.
[end of translation] WHAT IS 
HAPPENING IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS 
DR. TAM AND I HAVE SAID, REALLY 
IS A NATIONAL TRAGEDY.
MANY OF THE ISSUES ARE 
CHALLENGES IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES I THINK ARE EVIDENT.
THERE'S EVEN STRUCTURAL ONES IN 
TERMS OF SOMETIMES THERE'S TWO, 
THREE, FOUR INDIVIDUALS IN A 
ROOM.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE A 
COHORT OF SICK PEOPLE FROM THE 
WELL PEOPLE.
THERE'S ALSO CHALLENGES, AS WE 
ALL APPRECIATE, IN TERMS OF THE 
PERSONNEL WHO ARE DOING THEIR 
BEST, OBVIOUSLY WORKING IN THESE
FACILITIES THAT OBVIOUSLY, AS WE
KNOW, HAVE THE SUPPORTS THEY 
NEED, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE 
PAY, THE FACT THAT THEY 
SOMETIMES HAVE TO WORK BETWEEN 
SEVERAL DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
SO THERE'S LOTS THAT WE NEED TO 
LEARN FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING.
CERTAINLY I THINK AFTER ALL OF 
THIS IS DONE, EVEN AS OUR 
MINISTER HAS SAID, THERE NEEDS 
TO BE A NATIONAL CONVERSATION 
ABOUT HOW WE TREAT OUR ELDERS, 
HOUSE THEM, TAKE CARE OF THEM IN
THEIR LATER YEARS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS 
TO BE DONE.
BUT CERTAINLY AT THE PRESENT 
TIME EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR 
BEST AND I THINK WE ARE STARTING
TO SEE A BIT OF A LIGHT AT THE 
END OF THE TUNNEL.
AS THE MINISTER SAID, WE NEED A 
NATIONAL CONVERSATION.
WHAT THE FORM IS IS NOT FOR ME 
TO SAY.
IT'S A CONVERSATION AT DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, I THINK 
ALSO DIFFERENT SECTORS.
I THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION 
BEYOND PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'M STICKING TO THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH ASPECT.
WE CERTAINLY SHOW FROM THE 
EPIDEMIOLOGY THAT THOSE OLDER 
INDIVIDUALS IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES ARE AT GREATER RISK OF 
CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING DEATH, 
IF THEY DO BECOME INFECTED WITH 
THIS VIRUS.
HOW THAT TRANSLATES IN TERMS OF 
THE CONVERSATIONS TO MANY OTHER 
SECTORS AND LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
NEED TO HAVE AND HELP MANAGE AND
HOPEFULLY PREVENT AND NOT HAVE 
THIS TYPE OF SITUATION OCCUR, 
SHOULD THERE BE ANOTHER WAVE OR 
FUTURE PANDEMIC OF THE VIRUS, 
YES, THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
>> [Speaking French] [Voice of 
Interpreter] FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?
>> Question: PERHAPS A SECOND 
QUESTION FOR MINISTER MILLER.
MINISTER, I'D LIKE TO HEAR AS A 
MONTREAL M.P., DO YOU SHARE THE 
PRIME MINISTER'S CONCERNS, WHICH
IS WHAT HE SAID THIS MORNING, 
LOOKING AT THE OUTBREAKS IN ALL 
OF THESE COMMUNITIES IN 
MONTREAL.
AND AS MONTREAL CONSIDERS 
REOPENING, SHOULD WE BE 
CONSIDERING THE HEALTH AND 
SAFETY OF THE MOST VULNERABLE 
POPULATIONS?
WHY NOT SLOW DOWN IN THE GREATER
MONTREAL REGION?
>> Answer: THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
YES, ABSOLUTELY, I AM AN M.P. 
FOR DOWNTOWN MONTREAL.
THERE ARE LONG-TERM CARE HOMES 
THERE.
THE ARMY HAS BEEN DEPLOYED.
WE HAVE MADE SUPER-HUMAN 
EFFORTS, HUGE EFFORTS, AND ASKED
MONTREALERS TO MAKE HUGE EFFORTS
AS WELL TO STAY HOME SO IF WE 
WERE -- IF WE STARTED LOOSENING 
RESTRICTIONS TOO SOON, IT COULD 
ENDANGER CERTAIN POPULATIONS.
MY PARENTS ARE IN MONTREAL, IN 
FACT.
MY FATHER WILL BE 80 THIS YEAR.
HE'S A VERY VULNERABLE PERSON.
MY MOTHER IS 76, SO THIS IS OF 
COURSE PERSONAL BUT ALSO 
SCIENTIFIC.
WE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN 
SENIORS' RESIDENCES.
THESE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE 
POPULATIONS.
THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE 
VULNERABLE IN THE FIRST PLACE 
AND THEY WANT TO LIVE OUT THE 
REST OF THEIR LIVES IN DIGNITY 
AND THEY'RE DYING WITHOUT 
DIGNITY.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE SOME LONG-TERM
THINKING TO DO AFTER THIS 
PANDEMIC IS OVER.
WE'RE STILL NOT OUT OF THE WOODS
YET.
IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A BIT MORE
EFFORT FROM CANADIANS TO ENSURE 
THAT WE'RE NOT STRUCK WITH A 
SECOND AND THIRD WAVE.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
[end of translation] I'M AN M.P.
FROM DOWNTOWN MONTREAL AND THAT 
IS WHERE ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF 
OTHER M.P.s THAT ARE IN OUR 
CAUCUS AND OUR CABINET, THE 
PANDEMIC IS HITTING WORST THE 
PEOPLE DYING, AS DR. TAM SAID, 
THEY'RE VERY OLD AND BEEN PUT 
INTO LONG-TERM CARE HOMES TO 
SPEND THE REST OF THEIR DAYS IN 
DIGNITY.
THAT WILL CONTINUE IF THERE ARE 
MEASURES THAT ARE RELAXED TOO 
SOON.
THAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC 
CONCLUSION.
THE ARMY IS WORKING AS BEST IT 
CAN, PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO 
PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK, THAT IS
WHY THEY JOINED THE ARMED 
FORCES.
THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING THEY 
ARE NOT USED TO DO AND THEY ARE 
DOING IT WITH EXCEPTIONAL 
PROFESSIONALISM.
WE NEED TO LET THEM DO THEIR 
WORK.
WE NEED TO LET THE VIRUS RUN ITS
COURSE WITH ALL THE MEASURES 
WE'VE PUT IN PLACE.
WE'VE ASKED CANADIANS TO DO 
THINGS THEY'RE NOT USED TO 
DOING.
SO TO RELAX MEASURES IN A 
PREMATURE FASHION WOULD JUST 
RAISE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT 
ANOTHER WAVE OR A THIRD WAVE 
THAT WOULD COME HIT US HARDER 
THAN IT SHOULD IF WE WERE TO 
CONTINUE ALONG THE LINES AND 
ACCORDING TO ALL THE SACRIFICES 
WE'VE ASKED PEOPLE TO MAKE AND 
ALL THE HIT IT'S HAD ON THE 
ECONOMY.
SO THE ISSUE IS TO COME OUT 
STRONGER AND STRONG AND NOT 
WORRYING ABOUT A SECOND WAVE OR 
ADDITIONAL SHUTDOWN MEASURES.
WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO BE A 
LITTLE BIT MORE PATIENT.
WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS.
IF YOU ASK ANY OF OUR TOP 
SCIENTIFIC MINDS, I THINK THEY 
WOULD AGREE.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION.
>> Operator: THE NEXT QUESTION 
FROM THERESA WRIGHT FROM THE 
CANADIAN PRESS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question: I HAVE A QUESTION 
ABOUT MASKS.
I'LL POSE IT TO DR. TAM, BUT 
PERHAPS, MINISTER MILLER, YOU 
COULD WEIGH IN AS IT HAS TO DO 
WITH PROCUREMENT.
EARLIER THIS WEEK THE CHINESE 
EMBASSY SAID THAT THE 1 MILLION 
N95 MASKS THAT WERE REJECTED BY 
CANADA LAST MONTH WAS BECAUSE OF
A CONTRACTUAL ISSUE.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD CLEARLY WHAT 
HAPPENED THERE.
NOW THERE ARE 8 MILLION THAT 
HAVE BEEN REJECTED.
CAN YOU SAY WHY CANADA IS 
REJECTING THESE MASKS AND 
WHETHER WE WILL PURCHASE FURTHER
SUPPLIES FROM THESE COUNTRIES?
>> Answer: IT'S THERESA TAM 
HERE.
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE 
AGENCY, WE CONDUCT THE TESTING 
BASICALLY.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE FOUND THAT A 
SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THESE 
MASKS DID NOT MEET OUR 
STANDARDS.
JUST TO SAY THAT NONE OF THEM 
HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED FOR 
MEDICAL USE.
THAT IS OUR KEY RESPONSIBILITY.
I KNOW THAT THE TEAMS THAT ARE 
WORKING ON THE CONTRACTS OF 
COURSE AND THE SUPPLIES ARE 
LOOKING AT THIS VERY CAREFULLY.
I DON'T PERSONALLY KNOW WHAT THE
CONTRACTUAL ISSUE IS THAT 
SOMEONE HAS CITED, BUT I 
THINK -- OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE
WHATEVER GOES OUT MEETS A 
CERTAIN STANDARD.
OF COURSE WHEN THIS MUCH PRODUCT
DOES NOT MEET STANDARDS, WE HAVE
TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT 
ARRANGEMENT.
>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT, 
THERESA.
WHAT YOU'VE SEEN PUBLICLY IS 
CONCERNS OVER A NUMBER OF ISSUES
THAT, AMONG OTHER, MINISTER 
ANAND HAS MEASURED, WHICH IS IN 
ONE CASE THE STRAPS ARE 
ADEQUATE, THERE ARE CONCERNS 
OVER THE QUALITY OF THE 
FILTRATION.
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK IN 
REAL TIME TO PREVENT THE ONSET 
OF A PANDEMIC, YOU MAKE 
DECISIONS QUICKLY.
WHEN YOU REALIZE YOU MIGHT NOT 
HAVE A SOURCE QUALITY THAT 
WORKS, THEN YOU NEED TO MOVE ON.
WE TEST VIGOROUSLY.
THAT IS SOMETHING PEOPLE SHOULD 
BE GLAD FOR RATHER THAN 
DEPLOYING THEM INTO THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH SYSTEM AND ENCOUNTERING 
OTHER HEADACHES.
SO RECOGNIZING THAT AND THAT 
IT'S POSSIBLE.
I WOULD DIRECT THOSE QUESTIONS 
DIRECTLY TO MINISTER ANAND.
I DON'T KNOW THE CONTRACTUAL 
TERMS BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND I 
CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT RECOGNIZING THAT WHAT 
DR. TAM SAID IS WE ARE TESTING 
AND WE ARE NOT DEPLOYING THINGS 
THAT WE BELIEVE ARE UNSAFE FOR 
THE PURPOSES THEY WERE PURCHASED
FOR AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT 
CONCLUSION.
>> Question: JUST ON SOME OF THE
COMMENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED IN 
OUR OPENING REMARKS, MINISTER 
MILLER, ABOUT A GAP IN DATA 
THAT'S NOT ALLOWING US TO GET A 
FULL PICTURE OF HOW COVID-19 IS 
AFFECTING INDIGENOUS 
POPULATIONS.
AS YOU SAID IN YOUR REMARKS, A 
LOT OF THIS IS BECAUSE THE DATA 
IS HELD BY PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES.
WHAT MEASURES CAN THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT TAKE TO TRY TO 
PERHAPS COMPEL PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES TO PROVIDE THIS 
DATA?
AND HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT 
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE DATA AND 
ARE CAPTURING THIS DATA AS THE 
PANDEMIC HAS BEEN SPREADING?
>> Answer: SO THAT'S TWO 
SEPARATE AND VERY IMPORTANT 
CONSIDERATIONS, THERESA.
FIRST, IF THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES HAVE THE DATA, 
THAT'S THE EASY PART AND IT'S A 
QUESTION OF REALLY COORDINATING 
AND BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING AT THE
RATE THAT WE ARE MOVING, IT'S A 
QUESTION OF GATHERING THAT AND 
COLLATING IT AND COMPARING IT 
AND HAVING OUR TOP SCIENTIFIC 
MINDS WORK ON IT AND DRAW 
CONCLUSIONS FOR REALLY TWO 
PURPOSES.
THE FIRST PURPOSE IS, AS 
EVERYONE KNOWS, WE'VE PUT 
FORWARD SOME VERY ROUGH 
APPROACHES TO TRYING TO CONTAIN 
THE PANDEMIC, ASKING PEOPLE TO 
ISOLATE, CLAMPING DOWN, ASKING 
PEOPLE TO QUARANTINE.
THAT DATA IS IMPORTANT ACROSS 
SECTORS AND NOT JUST WITH 
RESPECT TO INDIGENOUS 
POPULATIONS, BUT RACE-BASED 
DATA, ETHNO-CULTURAL DATA THAT'S
BEING COLLECTED.
AND IT ALLOWS YOU IN THE SHORT 
TERM TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MEASURES
THAT ARE MORE TARGETED, WHETHER 
YOU SURROUND OLD-AGE HOMES IF 
YOU HAVE AGE-BASED DATA, CERTAIN
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE VULNERABLE 
FOR WHATEVER REASONS, YOU CAN 
TARGET YOUR RESPONSE AS YOU TRY 
TO ADDRESS A PANDEMIC BEFORE YOU
GET A VACCINE.
AND THE SECOND MEASURE, AND IT 
IS AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT MEASURE 
IN THE LONG TERM, IS YOU CAN'T 
DO GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY 
WITHOUT THE DATA TO UNDERPIN IT.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU NEED TO
HAVE ACCURATE DATA AT THE 
SOURCE.
YOU CAN TEASE THIS TOGETHER AND 
A LOT OF SCIENTIFIC MODELLING 
HAS A LOT OF PROJECTIONS AND 
ASSUMPTIONS IN IT, BUT IT IS 
ALWAYS BASED ON A CORE SET OF 
ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON IMPORTANT 
DATA COLLECTION.
SO WHAT WE HAVE IS ACROSS THE 
JURISDICTIONS, ALL THE PROVINCES
AND TERRITORIES THAT WHEN THEY 
TEST SOMEONE HAVE A DIFFERENT 
SHEET WITH DIFFERENT SETS OF 
INFORMATION.
NOW, ASSUMING THOSE SHEETS HAVE 
DISAGGREGATED DATA IDENTIFIERS 
TO BEGIN WITH, WE NEED PEOPLE ON
THE GROUND FILLING THEM OUT AND 
COLLECTING THEM AS THEY TRY TO 
PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING 
PREVENTED.
IT'S A LOT ON FRONTLINE WORKERS 
TO ASK THEM TO DO.
THE IMPORTANCE I'M TRYING TO GET
OUT IS WE NEED THAT DATA TO GET 
REAL AND ACCURATE INFORMATION TO
COMMUNITIES, GET IT OUT, SO 
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE MEASURES 
THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS 
COVID-19 AND HOW IT'S PROFILING 
AND GIVE ACCURATE MODELS.
THE OTHER CONSIDERATION, WHICH 
IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION OF
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IS 
INDIGENOUS DATA LAYERED ONTO 
THAT IS A SUB-CONCERN DEALING 
WITH PRIVATE PATIENT 
CONFIDENTIALITY.
WE HAVE TO RESPECT -- THE WORST 
THING THAT COULD HAPPEN IS TO 
CREATE ANOTHER SET OF STIGMAS 
THAT WOULD FLY AROUND AND PEOPLE
WOULD JUDGE PEOPLE FOR NO 
PARTICULAR REASON.
BUT THAT DATA IS IMPORTANT TO 
COLLECT AND WE DO HAVE TO BE 
SENSITIVE TO FIRST NATIONS 
CONTROL OVER FIRST NATIONS DATA.
THE PREMISE TO THAT IS WE HAVE 
TO BE COLLECTING IT IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
WHILE INDIGENOUS SERVICES 
CANADA, FOR ITS PART, IS ABLE TO
TEASE OUT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE 
THAT ARE TESTING POSITIVE IN 
COMMUNITIES ON RESERVE OR IN THE
FAR NORTH, WHEN IT COMES TO 
PARTICULAR POPULATION, WHICH 
HALF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION 
OF CANADA IS OFF RESERVE, MOSTLY
IN THE MAIN URBAN CENTRES.
THAT REALLY IS THE 
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TESTING 
PROTOCOLS OF THE PROVINCE AND 
THAT DATA IS EITHER NOT 
COLLECTED OR IMPERFECT IN ITS 
COLLECTION BASIS.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE TEAMED UP WITH 
THE FOLKS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 
TORONTO AND ST. MICHAEL'S, TO 
MAKE SURE WE HAVE A CENTRE FOCAL
POINT WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT 
THEY'RE DOING SO WE CAN GET A 
BETTER SENSE OF MODELLING.
I WILL HIDE FROM NO ONE THE FACT
THAT ON THE GROUND THE TESTING 
AND THE COLLECTION OF THAT DATA 
RIGHT NOW IS FAR FROM PERFECT.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
>> Operator: THE NEXT QUESTION 
IS FROM ANTHEA RAJ.
>> Question: HELLO?
I'M HOPING YOU CAN HEAR ME.
OKAY.
GREAT.
MY QUESTION IS FOR DR. TAM AND 
DR. NJOO.
I GUESS I'M GOING TO TRY THIS 
AGAIN FROM YESTERDAY.
YOU'VE SAID THAT WE NEED TO TEST
MORE.
YESTERDAY YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE 
NOT HEARING ANYTHING SPECIFIC 
ABOUT THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES NOT HAVING ENOUGH 
SWABS OR REAGENTS.
SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO 
INCREASE TESTING?
>> Answer: SO I THINK AS I SAID 
YESTERDAY, THERE'S A CAPACITY --
IT'S THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
COMMUNITY, THE CHIEF MEDICAL 
OFFICERS FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TO 
TEST FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AT 
THE RIGHT PLACE.
SO JUST UPPING THE NUMBERS ISN'T
NECESSARILY THE APPROACH, BUT 
ALL OF THEM, LET'S JUST SAY, ARE
EXPANDING THEIR TESTING TO 
INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH A WHOLE 
RANGE OF SYMPTOMS.
THAT'S ONE WAY OF TRYING TO 
WIDEN THE NET TO SEE IF THERE'S 
ANY FURTHER CASES IN THE 
COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU WILL SEE THAT MANY 
JURISDICTIONS ARE NOW DOING 
QUITE A LOT OF -- WELL, THEY'RE 
ESSENTIALLY BEING VERY LOW 
THRESHOLD AND TESTING HIGH-RISK 
SETTINGS.
IF IT'S A LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES OR A CORRECTIONAL 
FACILITY, IF YOU HAVE AN INKLING
THAT ANYONE IS SICK, TEST THEM, 
BUT TO RAPIDLY DO TESTING IN ALL
OF THOSE HIGH-RISK SITUATIONS IS
A GOOD STRATEGY.
THE OTHER THING IS IT DEPENDS ON
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY.
EPIDEMIOLOGY IS CHANGING IN 
CANADA AND THOSE NUMBERS WILL GO
UP AND DOWN AS A RESULT.
YESTERDAY YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN 
QUÉBEC IN THE AREA MOST 
AFFECTED, THEY ARE INCREASING 
THE TESTING BY MOBILIZING 
CLINICS TO GO INTO THE HOT 
SPOTS.
THAT IS HOW THEY ARE INCREASING 
THEIR NUMBERS.
ALSO, ONTARIO, FOR EXAMPLE, IS 
DOING A SYSTEMATIC TESTING OF 
THEIR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
SO THOSE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH 
WHERE THESE OUTBREAKS AND CASES 
ARE OCCURRING, BUT ALSO TO WIDEN
THE NET IN THE COMMUNITY 
SETTING.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN THE 
SURVEILLANCE APPROACHES AND WE 
WILL BE EXAMINING MORE OF THESE 
STRATEGIES AS WE MOVE INTO THE 
NEXT PHASE WITH THE CHIEF 
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, BUT 
ALSO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH 
LABORATORY NETWORKS.
SO THE GUIDANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
THE NEXT PHASE IS UNDER 
DISCUSSION AT THE SPECIAL 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS TO WHERE 
ELSE WOULD YOU NEED TO TEST 
MORE.
BUT YOU CAN'T JUST 
INDISCRIMINATELY TEST AREAS 
WHERE THERE ARE NO CASES AND 
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NO SYMPTOMS.
OTHERWISE YOU GET AGAIN INTO 
THESE ISSUES OF TEST 
INTERPRETATION.
BUT IT IS AN AREA THAT WE ARE 
VERY SEIZED WITH IN HOW WE DO 
EXPAND INTO THAT.
THE OTHER CONCEPT IS SURGE 
CAPACITY BECAUSE THERE MAY BE 
OTHER WAVES AND THERE MAY BE 
WAVES INTO THE FUTURE.
WE ALL HAVE TO PREPARE FOR IT BY
UPPING THE CAPACITY ITSELF.
IF YOU EXPEND A LOT OF TESTS, 
REAGENTS, SWABS, RIGHT NOW IN 
AREAS WHERE IT'S NOT NEEDED, 
YOU'RE THEN DIMINISHING THE 
CAPACITY FOR WHEN YOU ACTUALLY 
NEED IT.
THIS IS A COMPLEX DISCUSSION 
WHERE WE ALL AGREE WITH 60,000, 
THAT'S A GOOD CAPACITY, BUT 
WE'RE NOT STOPPING OUR SUPPLIES,
RESOURCES, ET CETERA, TO EVEN 
BEYOND THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO 
PREPARE FOR RESURGENCES, 
ET CETERA.
EACH JURISDICTION MAY HAVE THEIR
OWN REASONS AS TO WHY THEY 
HAVE -- THEY'VE ALL SET 
DIFFERENT TARGETS AND THEIR 
ABILITIES AND THEIR REASONS FOR 
NOT YET REACHING THOSE TARGETS, 
FOR EXAMPLE, IS DIVERSE, I WOULD
SAY.
>> DOCTOR, MAYBE I CAN EXPAND ON
WHAT DR. TAM HAS BEEN SAYING.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY WHEN 
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS 
60,000 TESTS, THAT SPEAKS TO, 
FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, THE 
LABORATORY CAPACITY.
THE ABILITY OF THE LABORATORIES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PROCESS 
THE SAMPLES.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S A 
LOT OF STEPS IN BETWEEN FROM 
GETTING THE SAMPLES FROM THE 
PATIENTS WHO NEED TO BE TESTED 
TO GETTING TO THE LABORATORIES 
SO THEY CAN DO THE ANALYSIS.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE CITY OF
MONTREAL, IT'S NOT JUST A 
QUESTION OF HAVING THE 
LABORATORY CAPACITY TO ANALYZE, 
BUT ALSO HAVING ACCESSIBILITY 
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE 
TESTED TO THEN GET THE SAMPLES 
TAKEN AS APPROPRIATE TO BE SENT 
TO THE LABORATORY.
IN THAT REGARD WE'RE SEEING IN 
THE CITY OF MONTREAL GOOD STEPS 
IN TERMS OF INCREASING 
ACCESSIBILITY WITH MOBILE SITES,
ET CETERA, SO THE PATIENTS -- 
IT'S CLOSER AND EASIER FOR THE 
PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE TESTED TO 
GET TESTED.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE 
GROUND THAT OBVIOUSLY IS GETTING
BETTER AND BETTER.
THANK YOU.
>> A FOLLOW UP.
>> Question: THAT'S CLOSER TO 
THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR 
YESTERDAY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLAINING TO 
US WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO EXPAND 
CAPACITY IN TERMS OF WHO WE 
SHOULD BE TESTING.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 
ACCESSIBILITY, CAN YOU OUTLINE 
THOSE REASONS?
DR. TAM, YOU SAID THERE ARE MANY
REASONS.
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, HOW COULD 
THE PROVINCES BE TESTING MORE?
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO 
INCREASE PRACTICALLY?
>> Answer: SO I THINK THAT 
DEPENDS ON THE JURISDICTION 
ITSELF.
A LOT OF PROVINCES THAT HAVE HAD
NO CASES, THEY'VE HAD NO 
TRANSMISSION, THEY'RE IN A VERY 
DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN SOME OF
THE LARGER PROVINCES WHO DO HAVE
CASES AND ARE STILL DEALING WITH
SOME COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
SO IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU'RE 
TALKING ABOUT.
IT DOES HAVE TO BE TAILORED TO 
THE INDIVIDUAL SETTING.
SOME AREAS MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE 
HUMAN RESOURCE ISSUES.
YOU NEED ACTUALLY PEOPLE TO GO 
OUT TO TEST.
SO MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE 
NECESSARY TRAINED PEOPLE WHO CAN
DO THE TESTING IS ONE.
DR. NJOO HAS TALKED ABOUT 
ACCESSIBILITY.
MAYBE MAKING THOSE TESTING 
CLINICS CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE 
ARE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT 
OF CERTAIN MORE CLOSER TO 
PATIENT CARE TESTING TO THE MORE
REMOTE COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE CAN
INCREASE CAPACITY AS WELL SO 
THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT 
TURNAROUND TIME.
IN SASKATCHEWAN, FOR EXAMPLE, 
THAT WAS A GOOD SORT OF EXAMPLE 
OF HOW THEY ARE NOW 
SYSTEMATICALLY LOOKING AT THOSE 
COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE HAVE 
BEEN CASES IN THE NORTH AND THAT
INVOLVED THE DEPLOYMENT -- WHICH
THEY NOW HAVE ACCESS TO -- SOME 
OF THE POINT-OF-CARE TESTING 
CAPACITY.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THESE, 
I GUESS, CHALLENGES THAT EACH 
JURISDICTION HAS ON THE GO FROM,
AS DR. NJOO SAID, THE MOMENT THE
PATIENT NEEDS TO BE TESTED ALL 
THE WAY DOWN TO TRANSPORTATION 
AND LABORATORY TESTING 
CAPABILITIES.
A LOT OF THE STRATEGIES ARE 
DESIGNED TO TACKLE EACH ONE OF 
THESE COMPONENTS, BUT IT MIGHT 
QUITE WELL BE DIFFERENT FROM 
DOWNTOWN MONTREAL TO DOWNTOWN 
TORONTO TO SASKATCHEWAN.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
WE'LL NOW TURN TO THE ROOM.
>> Question: [Speaking French] 
[Voice of Interpreter] QUESTION 
FROM RADIO-CANADA.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MINISTER 
MILLER AND FOR DR. TAM AS WELL.
MINISTER MILLER, YOU SAID ABOUT 
MONTREAL, WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE 
WOODS.
PERHAPS WE'RE GOING TOO QUICKLY.
COULD YOU SPECIFY WHAT YOUR 
CONCERNS ARE FOR PEOPLE AND ALSO
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE IF 
WE'RE MOVING TOO QUICKLY?
AND FOR DR. NJOO AND DR. TAM, DO
YOU SHARE THAT CONCERN AND THAT 
OF THE QUÉBEC NATIONAL 
INSTITUTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, 
THAT WE HAVE OPENED UP TOO 
QUICKLY AND EASING RESTRICTIONS 
TOO QUICKLY WILL LEAD TO FURTHER
DEATHS AND ILLNESS?
>> Answer: I AM FIRSTLY AFRAID 
OF MORE PEOPLE DYING AND OF MORE
OUTBREAKS.
>> FOLLOW-UP ANSWER.
>> THIS IS DR. NJOO.
WE ARE CONTINUING OUR 
DISCUSSIONS.
WE ARE IN GOOD COMMUNICATION 
WITH OUR QUÉBEC COUNTERPARTS.
CERTAINLY IN MONTREAL, THE 
SITUATION IS MORE SERIOUS THAN 
THE REST OF QUÉBEC.
IT'S QUITE COMPLEX.
IN FACT, CURRENTLY WE HAVE A 
VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION IN 
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES, BUT IT'S 
ALSO RELATED TO WHAT'S GOING ON 
IN THE MONTREAL HOSPITALS 
BECAUSE BEFORE, PERHAPS WHEN 
SENIORS WERE QUITE ILL, THEY 
WERE TRANSFERRED FOR 
COMPASSIONATE CARE IN HOSPITALS.
BUT NOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE
INSTITUTIONS AND THE OUTBREAKS 
IS THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO 
TRANSFER THEM OR TRANSFER THEM 
BACK TO THE LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES.
SO THEY ARE SENT TO HOSPITAL.
THEY'RE IN BEDS WITH NOT MUCH 
FLEXIBILITY AND NOT MUCH WIGGLE 
ROOM IN THE HOSPITALS' CAPACITY,
ESPECIALLY EXPECTING A SECOND 
AND THIRD WAVE POTENTIALLY.
SO WE NEED TO CLOSELY LOOK AT 
THE MONTREAL SYSTEM AND 
SITUATION AND DO A LOT OF 
TESTING AND TRACING.
BECAUSE IF WE START LIFTING 
PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS, WE 
HAVE TO BE READY TO ADJUST AS WE
GO ALONG, AS THE SITUATION 
EVOLVES.
I'M NOT THERE ON THE GROUND, BUT
I CAN SEE WHAT THE OTHER QUÉBEC 
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE 
DOING.
SO MAYBE THERE IS A SCHEDULE FOR
ALL OF QUÉBEC, BUT IT MAY BE 
DIFFERENT FOR MONTREAL FOR 
STORES AND SHOPS, FOR EXAMPLE, 
BECAUSE THE SITUATION IS 
DIFFERENT IN MONTREAL COMPARED 
TO THE REST OF THE PROVINCE.
[end of translation] 
THE SITUATION IN MONTREAL IS 
OBVIOUSLY A -- EVERYONE 
RECOGNIZES IT'S SERIOUS AND IT 
IS COMPLEX, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE
OF THE SITUATION THAT WE KNOW IS
A PROBLEM IN THE LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES.
PERHAPS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO 
OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE PATIENTS 
THERE, RESIDENTS, WHO WERE SICK 
OR ILL AND TRANSFERRED TO 
HOSPITALS IN MONTREAL.
NOW WITH THE ONGOING SITUATION 
IN THOSE FACILITIES, IT'S NOT 
APPROPRIATE TO BE TRANSFERRING 
THOSE PATIENTS BACK.
NOW THEY'RE TAKING UP BEDS IN 
THE HOSPITALS OF MONTREAL.
THERE'S NOT EXCESS CAPACITY 
THERE OR SURGE CAPACITY IN CASE 
THERE MIGHT BE A SECOND WAVE OR 
ANOTHER UPTICK IN CASES.
THAT'S WHY THE AUTHORITIES IN 
MONTREAL ARE WATCHING THE 
SITUATION CAREFULLY.
IT'S FOR SURE IMPORTANT THAT YOU
NEED TO HAVE A GOOD SURVEILLANCE
AND TESTING SYSTEM.
SHOULD THE MEASURES OF A SLIGHT 
RELAXATION OF THE HEALTH 
MEASURES ARE TAKING PLACE AND 
THERE MIGHT BE OPENING OF 
SCHOOLS OR BUSINESSES, THAT YOU 
HAVE TO BE READY TO DETECT 
RAPIDLY, DEAL WITH THE 
SITUATION, AND MAYBE ADJUST AS 
IT GOES ALONG.
>> Question: AND THIS ONE IS FOR
DR. TAM AND MAYBE DR. NJOO AS 
WELL, BUT, DR. TAM, I WOULD LIKE
TO HEAR YOU FIRST.
IF QUÉBEC IS THE HARDEST-HIT 
AREAS AND THEY MAYBE SEEM TO BE 
PROGRESSING QUICKER THAN OTHER 
AREAS AND TESTING IS NOT UP TO 
PAR, DO YOU FEEL MONTREAL AND 
QUÉBEC IS FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL 
GUIDELINES FOR THE CONFINING AND
WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST THEY DO?
>> Answer: WELL, I THINK FROM 
ALL THAT THE CHIEF MEDICAL 
OFFICERS, WE LAID DOWN THE 
CRITERIA FOR RELAXING, IF YOU 
LIKE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES, WHICH INCLUDES THE 
TESTING, CONTACT TRACING, 
ISOLATION, QUARANTINE, 
ET CETERA, AND MAKING SURE THERE
IS CAPACITY.
ALL OF THIS IS BEING EVALUATED 
BY THE JURISDICTION EVERY DAY.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE THE 
TARGET DATE ACCORDING TO THE 
SITUATION.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE 
TRYING TO DO EVERY DAY.
SO THERE HAS TO BE FLEXIBILITY 
AND I THINK THAT IS VERY CLEAR 
TO OUR COLLEAGUES THAT THE 
MONTREAL AREA IS DIFFERENT TO 
OTHER AREAS OF QUÉBEC.
THEY'RE BEING CAUTIOUS.
SO SOME OF THESE MEASURES ARE 
DONE OUTSIDE OF THAT AREA.
THEY'VE MOVED THESE MOBILE 
CLINICS INTO CERTAIN HOT SPOTS 
TO GET MORE TESTING.
SO THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TO BE 
VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THIS 
AND THEY HAVE TO EVALUATE THIS 
PROBABLY ON A DAILY BASIS IN 
TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> Question: [Indiscernible] -- 
>> Answer: [Speaking French] 
[Voice of Interpreter] NO, WE 
DIDN'T SAY THAT.
I THINK THAT THE QUÉBEC HEALTH 
AUTHORITIES AND NOT JUST OF 
QUÉBEC, BUT OF MONTREAL TOO ARE 
ANALYZING THE SITUATION AS WE GO
THROUGH IT.
THERE'S ALSO A SPECIAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE WHICH IS LOOKING AT 
ALL MEASURES, EVEN PREVENTIVE 
MEASURES AT THE PROVINCIAL 
LEVEL, WASHING ONE'S HANDS 
OFTEN, MAINTAINING A PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING OF 2 METRES MINIMUM.
THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT MEASURES
AND REMAIN SO.
I THINK IN MONTREAL IN PUBLIC 
TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED THAT PEOPLE WEAR 
NON-MEDICAL MASKS IF THEY ARE 
GOING TO USE PUBLIC 
TRANSPORTATION.
THE MONTREAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES 
HAVE DONE THAT.
THEY ARE TAKING OUR 
RECOMMENDATIONS SERIOUSLY, WHILE
ADAPTING THEM TO THEIR OWN 
CONTEXT IN MONTREAL.
[PLEASE STAND BY] 
THOSE IN LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES, ARE BEING BY VAST 
PROPORTION HEAVILY IMPACTED BY 
THIS.
IT'S A QUESTION AS A HUMAN BEING
I THINK EVERYONE IS ASKING 
OURSELVES HOW WE TREAT IN SOME 
CASES OUR GRANDPARENTS AND OUR 
ELDER SEGMENTS OF THE 
POPULATION.
THAT -- WHAT FORM THAT TAKES, 
WITHOUT ANY QUESTION I THINK 
EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE ASKING 
THEMSELVES THAT.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME 
SERIOUS LOOK INTO THE WAY THAT 
IS DONE ON AN INSTITUTIONAL 
BASIS.
IT'S PROBABLY PREMATURE TO 
SPECULATE AS TO WHAT FORM THAT 
LESSON TAKES.
I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY THE 
SMALLER CONSIDERATION TO THE 
BIGGER REFLECTION WE ALL NEED TO
HAVE, IS TO HOW WE FINANCE, 
RESOURCE, HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT
ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, IN THIS
CASE PERHAPS THE GREATEST 
GENERATION THAT -- ONE OF THE 
REASONS WHY WE LIVE IN A FREE 
AND DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY.
IT IS SCARY TO SEE PEOPLE FALL 
LIKE THAT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR, 
YOU'RE SEEING SOME PEOPLE THAT 
ARE LAST CARRIERS OF THEIR 
LANGUAGE AND YOU CAN SEE ENTIRE 
LANGUAGES DISAPPEAR.
THOSE ARE PARTICULAR 
VULNERABILITIES THAT I SEE IN MY
FILES.
I THINK TOM SEES THEM AS WELL, 
AND THAT RISK IS TOP OF MIND 
WHEN YOU LOOK AT INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITIES AND CANADA WRIT 
LARGE.
WE NEED TO BE ASKING OURSELVES 
THOSE SERIOUS QUESTIONS AND 
THERE NEEDS TO BE SERIOUS 
DISCUSSIONS AROUND FINANCING, 
AROUND FUNDS, AROUND SUPPORT, 
AROUND EVEN HOW WE OURSELVES 
TREAT SOME -- OUR OWN 
GRANDPARENTS.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STORIES 
COMING OUT OF THOSE LONG-TERM 
CARE FACILITIES, YOU SEE PEOPLE 
THAT ARE LOOKING FOR REFUGEE 
STATUS THAT ARE HELPING OUT.
YOU SEE PEOPLE FIRST-GENERATION 
CANADIANS.
YOU SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING 
FOR LOW-PAYING JOBS.
THAT'S ANOTHER REFLECTION I 
THINK WE ALL NEED TO HAVE.
BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE 
INSTITUTIONALIZED IN A FORM THAT
I THINK IS SECONDARY TO THE 
GREATER CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS 
HOW WE TREAT OUR ELDERS.
DR. TAM, IF YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> YEAH, AND AGAIN I'M NOT GOING
TO SPECULATE THE FORMAT THAT 
TAKES PLACE, BUT IT IS REALLY 
CRITICAL THAT, YOU KNOW, IN -- 
OUT OF ALL THE IMPACTS OF THIS 
PANDEMIC WE'VE GOT TO LEARN 
SOMETHING IN A HUGE WAY ABOUT 
HOW WE TREAT, AS INDIVIDUALS, 
SOCIETY, COMMUNITIES, 
GOVERNMENTS, ON OUR OLDER ADULTS
AND IN PARTICULAR THOSE WHO 
RESIDE IN LONG-TERM CARE HOMES 
AND ASSISTED LIVING, BUT THERE 
MAY BE OTHER AREAS WHERE SENIORS
RESIDE AS WELL THAT NEEDS TO BE 
IMPROVED.
SO I THINK IT'S A BIG SOCIETAL 
CONVERSATION.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT A SINGLE ONE.
IT'S GOING TO BE MANY DIFFERENT 
ONES COMING TOGETHER BECAUSE SO 
MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED.
SO ABSOLUTELY WE'VE GOT TO DO 
BETTER AS A NATION.
>> TO BE CLEAR FOR THE RECORD, 
I'M NOT ASKING FOR A PUBLIC 
INQUIRY.
I'M BASICALLY REFLECTING WHEN 
OUR HEALTH MINISTER, MINISTER 
HAJDU, HAS SAID PREVIOUSLY, THE 
NEED TO HAVE COORDINATION.
THE FACT AS MINISTER MILLER AND 
DR. TAM HAVE SAID, THE NATURE 
AND FORM NEED TO BE DETERMINED, 
BUT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW AND 
AFTERWARDS UPON REFLECTION THERE
ARE DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN HAVE 
THAT TYPE OF CONVERSATION IN 
DIFFERENT WAYS AND DO BETTER.
THANK YOU.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> ANSWER REPEATED IN FRENCH?
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: AS I SAID, I
THINK THAT'S WHAT'S CURRENTLY 
HAPPENING WITH OUR SENIORS IS A 
TRAGEDY IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES.
AS MINISTER HAJDU ALREADY 
STATED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO 
HAVE A NATIONAL CONVERSATION 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT ALL LEVELS
OF GOVERNMENT, AND ACROSS ALL 
SECTORS TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO 
BETTER.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> AND JUST ABOUT MASS, DR. TAM,
I'M HOPING TO FIND OUT WHAT 
YOU'RE HEARING FROM YOUR MEDICAL
OFFICERS OF HEALTH ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY ABOUT THE SUPPLY OF N-95
MASKS, ESPECIALLY AT LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES, AND THIS SHIPMENT, 
THIS MOST RECENT ONE OF 8 
MILLION MASKS THAT WERE REJECTED
BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T UP TO 
QUALITY, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT 
HAVE HAD ON LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES?
>> I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS ON
IMPACTS ON LONG-TERM CARE HOMES.
WE DO HAVE DAILY LINKAGES WITH 
ALL PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES AS
TO WHAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE, 
AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S SORT 
OF A DISTRIBUTION FRAMEWORK THAT
IS AT PLAY, BUT I'M SURE THAT 
ANY SHIPMENT THAT HAS BEEN 
REJECTED WILL HAVE SOME PRESSURE
ON THE HEALTH SYSTEM IN TERMS OF
N-95 CAPACITY, BUT I DO KNOW 
THAT ALL THE REQUESTS FOR 
ASSISTANCE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED I
THINK OVER 40, THE MAJORITY OF 
THEM HAVE EITHER BEEN MET OR ARE
IN THE PROCESS OF BEING MET.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS.
I'M ACTUALLY VERY HEARTENED TO 
SEE SOME OF THE DOMESTIC 
SUPPLIES BEING ONE OF THE 
INNOVATIONS IN THIS SPACE AS 
WELL.
I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE GOING 
TO BE WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT, 
BUT YES, I MEAN, EVERY DAY, THIS
IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST I THINK 
CHALLENGES THAT WE FEEL EVERY 
SINGLE DAY.
ALL THE SUPPLIES BEING SORT OF 
UTILIZED AND THEN STUFF COMING 
OUT IS A BIG SORT OF PROCESS IN 
ENSURING THAT JURISDICTIONS HAVE
WHAT THEY NEED.
BUT SO FAR, AS FAR AS I KNOW, 
ALL THE REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE 
THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED HAVE BEEN 
MET.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
IAN?
>> Reporter: IAN WOOD, CTV NEWS.
DR. TAM, THE PICTURES FROM 
VANCOUVER THIS WEEK SHOW PACKED 
BEACHES FULL OF PEOPLE AGAIN.
THAT PROVINCE HAS MOVED FORWARD 
WITH SOME VERY GUNG-HO OPENINGS.
YET NOW IN SOUTH KOREA, A 
COUNTRY THAT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED 
AS HAVING THIS MORE UNDER 
CONTROL, OR GETTING IT UNDER 
CONTROL, IS PUTTING RESTRICTIONS
BACK INTO PLACE AND LOCKING 
CERTAIN BUSINESSES DOWN.
DO YOU FORESEE US HAVING TO DO 
THAT AS WELL?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: I THINK, AS 
YOU KNOW, THE CHIEF MEDICAL 
OFFICERS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND
EVERYWHERE ELSE IN CANADA ARE 
BEING VERY CAUTIOUS.
NOW THE PUBLIC HAVING 
CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO OUR 
EFFORTS MUST BE REMINDED THAT 
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BACK TO 
COMPLETELY NORMAL, TO THE 
PRE-JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND 
THAT IF THERE ARE GATHERINGS OF 
THAT NATURE, OF COURSE IT'S UP 
TO US TO CONSTANTLY REMIND 
PEOPLE THAT THAT IS NOT THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE.
I THINK WE -- THE ADVICE IS TO 
GO OUTDOORS, BUT YOU CAN'T BE --
YOU'VE GOT TO OBSERVE SOCIAL 
DISTANCING MEASURES.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, 
I THINK, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE 
HEARD THESE MESSAGES FOR A VERY 
LONG TIME, BUT WE STILL GOT TO 
SORT OF ENSURE THAT THESE HABITS
THAT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTILLED 
CONTINUES.
SO THAT IS STILL GONNA BE A KEY 
PART OF THE RESPONSE.
IF THERE WERE ANY UPTICK IN 
CASES THAT MAY HAVE LOOSENED THE
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES MAY HAVE 
TO BE SORT OF REINSTATED.
WE DO NOT WANT THAT TO ACTUALLY 
HAPPEN, SO I THINK EVERYBODY 
CONTINUES TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO 
THEIR PROVINCIAL OR LOCAL PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICERS, BECAUSE THIS IS
SERIOUS.
THE VIRUS HAS NOT DISAPPEARED 
FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
IT'S STILL CIRCULATING IN SOME 
PARTS OF CANADA, SO IT IS 
SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA HAVE TO 
BE A SORT OF ONGOING BEHAVIOURAL
SHIFT, WHICH IS NOT AN EASY 
THING TO DO.
>> AND CANADIANS NOW ARE STILL 
ALLOWED TO TRAVEL BETWEEN 
CITIES, BETWEEN PROVINCES.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT 
REOPENING?
IF ONE AREA REOPENS CERTAIN 
BUSINESSES, SECTORS, 
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND 
ANOTHER DOESN'T BUT PEOPLE CAN 
STILL TRAVEL FREELY, IS DOMESTIC
TRAVEL NOT A RISK TO THOSE AREAS
THAT ARE REOPENING?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SO THIS IS 
WHY YOU NEED THE NATIONAL 
LINKAGES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO 
SHARE INFORMATION TO KNOW WHERE 
CASES ARE, BUT THAT IS TRUE, 
THAT IF THERE ARE OUTBREAKS IN 
CERTAIN AREAS, OTHER PARTS OF 
CANADA IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
WHETHER THERE'S ANY 
TRAVEL-RELATED CASES.
AND RE-EVALUATE THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS 
ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE 
HAVE TO WATCH FOR IN THE NEXT 
PHASE.
IN TERMS OF DOMESTIC 
TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORT 
CANADA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS 
INSTITUTED CERTAIN MEASURES, 
INCLUDING THE WEARING OF MASKS.
SOME JURISDICTIONS STILL HAVE 
MEASURES IN PLACE FOR ANYONE 
TRAVELLING OUTSIDE OF THEIR 
PROVINCIAL JURISDICTION, SO THEY
HAVE -- PARTICULARLY PROVINCES 
THAT HAVEN'T SEEN CASES OR 
HAVEN'T SEEN TRANSMISSION BUT 
ALSO IF THEY HAVE A SMALLER 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM OF SERVICE, 
THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTING 
THOSE AREAS, INCLUDING PEOPLE 
COMING FROM OTHER PARTS OF 
CANADA THROUGH DOMESTIC TRAVEL.
SO A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS 
STILL HAVE THAT IN PLACE GIVEN 
THEIR OWN EPIDEMIOLOGIC 
SITUATION.
BUT THAT WILL, AGAIN, HAVE TO BE
REVIEWED AS IN THE COMING WEEKS 
AND MONTHS.
[Speaking French]
[Voice of Interpreter]
>> THIS BRINGS THIS PRESS 
CONFERENCE TO A CLOSE.
THANK YOU.
[ End of Interpretation ]
>> Rosemary: OKAY, THAT IS THE 
END OF THE FEDERAL BRIEFING ON 
THE PANDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY.
ACTUALLY, A FAIR BIT OF 
INFORMATION THERE TODAY FROM 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AND FROM
MINISTER MILLER.
I WILL SAY THAT THERE WERE 
REALLY ALMOST PLEAS FROM 
MINISTER MILLER AND DR. THERESA 
TAM AROUND THE ONGOING TRAGEDY 
HAPPENING IN CANADA'S LONG-TERM 
CARE CENTRES.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A STATISTIC 
THAT STRUCK ME, AND WE'LL BRING 
IN CATHERINE CULLEN AS WELL TO 
TALK ABOUT THIS, DR. TAM MADE 
THE POINT THAT 20% OF OVERALL 
CASES IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE 
HAPPENED IN LONG-TERM CARE 
CENTRES, BUT THOSE CASES ACCOUNT
FOR NOW MORE THAN 80% OF THE 
DEATHS, IN LONG-TERM CARE 
CENTRES, WHICH IS JUST SUCH A 
STAGGERING NUMBER, AND I'VE SAID
IT BEFORE, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S 
GOING TO HAVE TO LEAD TO SOME 
KIND OF CHANGE BECAUSE THAT 
CAN'T CONTINUE NOW OR ANY TIME 
IN THE FUTURE.
LOTS OF -- YEAH, GO AHEAD, 
CATHERINE.
>> AND THOSE STATISTICS, 
ROSEMARY, I REALLY THINK SPEAK 
TO THE HEART WRENCHING 
VULNERABILITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO 
LIVE IN HEALTH CARE HOMES, WHO 
ARE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE 
BECAUSE THEY NEED THIS SUPPORT 
BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO VERY 
MUCH IN NEED OF THAT HELP 
BECAUSE THEIR HEALTH IS 
POTENTIALLY FRAGILE.
THEY ARE PARTICULARLY 
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VIRUS, AND 
YOU KNOW, EVEN AT THE BEGINNING 
OF THAT, WHEN DR. TAM WAS 
TALKING ABOUT THE STATISTICS FOR
THE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, 
AND WE HAVE BEEN HEARING EARLIER
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER, WE 
HEARD FROM THE DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER ABOUT MOTHER'S DAY.
VERY CUTE MESSAGES ABOUT, YOU 
KNOW, MAKING MOM BREAKFAST, 
CLEANING THE ROOM.
YOU JUST CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF
ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT 
GOING TO HAVE THEIR MOTHER 
TOMORROW TO CELEBRATE MOTHER'S 
DAY AND THAT WE ARE THINKING OF 
THEM AS WELL.
IN TERMS OF THE REFLECTION AND 
THE FORM THAT THAT IS GOING TO 
TAKE, ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, VERY 
INTERESTING MOMENT THERE WHERE 
DR. NJOO SAID IN FRENCH THAT 
PERHAPS A PUBLIC INQUIRY COULD 
BE NEEDED, BUT WHEN PRESSED ON 
IT IN ENGLISH SAID ID NEEDS TON 
A NATIONAL CONVERSATION AND 
NOBODY WAS WILLING TO ADVANCE ON
WHAT THAT NATIONAL CONVERSATION 
SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
MINISTER MILLER SAID SPECULATING
ON WHAT FORM THAT WOULD TAKE IS 
PREMATURE RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU SAY, THE WORDS FROM 
DR. TAM IN PARTICULAR, TALKING 
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE NEEDS 
TO BE A HUGE REFLECTION ABOUT 
WHAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER SUPPORT
ABOUT PEOPLE, TALK ABOUT NOT 
ONLY THE MONEY BUT ALSO THE 
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PEOPLE 
PHYSICALLY FIND THEMSELVES IN.
WHEN DR. NJOO RAISED THIS ISSUE,
HE TALKED ABOUT TWO, THREE, FOUR
PEOPLE TO A ROOM.
HOW DO YOU SEPARATE AND PROTECT 
THEM, THE WORKERS AS WELL, 
WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE BEING 
ADEQUATELY PAID, MAY FIND 
THEMSELVES NEEDING TO WORK IN 
NUMEROUS FACILITIES.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A SITUATION WE
WANT TO RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE 
CURRENT OUTBREAK, BUT SOMETHING 
THAT NEEDS ATTENTION WELL BEYOND
THIS EVERYONE AGREES.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT DOES IT 
LOOK LIKE AND WHEN DOES IT 
HAPPEN.
>> Rosemary: THERE WAS ALSO SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SITUATION IN
MONTREAL WHICH HAVE BECOME A 
REAL OUTLIER IN TERMS OF THE 
SEVERITY OF THE PANDEMIC, AND 
AGAIN, MINISTER MILLER, WHO IS 
AN MP FOR DOWNTOWN MONTREAL, 
SAID THAT WE CANNOT MOVE -- WE 
CANNOT MOVE FORWARD TOO QUICKLY.
THE SCIENCE IS SHOWING US THAT 
THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
SO THAT, AGAIN, SOMETHING TO 
KEEP OUR EYES ON.
BUT BEFORE I LET YOU GO, I DO 
ALSO WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE
INDIGENOUS DATA GAP THAT 
MINISTER MILLER TALKED ABOUT, 
VERY FRANKLY THERE, BECAUSE IT 
IS -- WHILE THERE ARE 165 
REPORTED CASES ON RESERVE, THAT 
DOES NOT -- MINISTER MILLER, 
VERY HONEST ABOUT THE FACT THAT 
THAT DOES NOT PAINT AN ACCURATE 
PORTRAIT OF WHAT INDIGENOUS 
PEOPLES IN THIS COUNTRY ARE 
EXPERIENCING.
>> YEAH, QUITE A FEW ISSUES 
TODAY THAT REALLY REQUIRE SOME 
VERY SOBER REFLECTION.
HE TALKED ABOUT -- HE SAID I'M 
NOT GOING TO HIDE THE FACT THAT 
THE DATA COLLECTION IS FAR FROM 
PERFECT, AND HE ALSO POINTED TO 
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN TRYING
TO COLLECT BETTER DATA.
I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO 
HEAR HIM TALK ABOUT THE 
IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS -- 
CONTROLLED INDIGENOUS DATA, THE 
CONCERNS ABOUT FURTHER 
STIGMATIZING PEOPLE AND THE WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT OF 
COURSE -- AND THIS IS SOMETHING 
WE'RE SEEING CERTAINLY BEYOND 
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES BUT IS 
PERHAPS PARTICULARLY OF CONCERN 
GIVEN THEIR VULNERABILITY AND A 
VARIETY OF OTHER ISSUES, BUT A 
BROADER COLLECTION -- 
DISCUSSION, RATHER, ABOUT 
RACE-BASED DATA AND HOW THAT CAN
FEED INTO BEST UNDERSTANDING 
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS 
OUTBREAK AND THUS BEST 
ADDRESSING IT.
HE TALKED ABOUT NEW EFFORTS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE MADE TO BETTER 
COLLECT THAT DATA, BUT ALSO THAT
THERE ARE CHALLENGES.
HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CHALLENGES 
FRONT-LINE WORKERS ARE ALREADY 
FACING AND ASKING THEM TO DO 
MORE, BUT ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE 
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THIS 
INFORMATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE 
TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION 
PROPERLY.
>> Rosemary: YEAH, AND JUST TO 
GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE, THAT 
OUTBREAK IN NORTHERN 
SASKATCHEWAN THAT I WAS TALKING 
ABOUT THAT THEY ARE WATCHING 
VERY, VERY CLOSELY, THERE ARE 16
ON-RESERVE CASES OF COVID-19, 
BUT MINISTER MILLER SAYING 
THERE'S 170 IN THE COMMUNITY OF 
LA LOCHE, AND GIVEN THE NUMBER 
OF METIS AND DENE AND OTHER 
GROUPS IN THAT COMMUNITY, IT'S 
LIKELY THAT MOST OF THOSE CASES 
ARE ALSO INDIGENOUS.
SO THE NUMBER THAT THEY HAVE, 
165, IS IN NO WAY ACCURATE, AND 
HE CERTAINLY DOESN'T THINK THAT 
EITHER.
ALL RIGHT, CATHERINE CULLEN, 
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR
HELP THROUGH YOUR COVERAGE 
TODAY.
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> Rosemary: AND THANKS TO ALL 
OF YOU AS WELL FOR WATCHING, 
BOTH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE 
FEDERAL BRIEFING.
THEY ARE TAKING THE DAY OFF 
TOMORROW, SO SO WILL I.
MICHAEL SERAPIO CONTINUES OUR 
COVERAGE ON "CBC NEWS NETWORK" 
RIGHT NOW.
TAKE CARE.
♪
♪
>> Michael: HELLO, EVERYONE.
