 
TO THE TOP OF THE HOUR, 11 A.M. 
EASTERN, BECAUSE AT NOON 
EASTERN, ABOUT AN HOUR FROM NOW,
WE ARE EXPECTING A TECHNICAL 
BRIEFING HERE IN OTTAWA ON THE 
LATEST NATIONAL MODELLING 
NUMBERS.
THAT WILL BE DONE, OF COURSE, BY
THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER,
HER DEPUTY AND THE DEPUTY MENTAL
HEALTH MINISTER.
THOSE NUMBERS WILL GIVE US A 
SENSE OF HOW THE PANDEMIC IS 
PLAYING OUT IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO THAT 
THE FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY
GAVE ITS FIRST BRIEFING.
NOW THEY ARE UPDATING THE 
MODELLING BASED ON SOME OF THE 
NEW DATA THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED
FROM THE PROVINCES AND GIVE US A
BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT 
DR. THERESA TAM HAS SAID IS SOME
ENCOURAGING SIGNS OF US 
FLATTENING THE CURVE.
IT COMES ALSO AS MORE PROVINCES 
TALK MORE ABOUT DIFFERENT 
REOPENING STRATEGIES, INCLUDING 
QUEBEC.
LATER TODAY WE ARE EXPECTING 
QUEBEC TO OUTLINE HOW BUSINESSES
WILL REOPEN INSIDE THAT 
PROVINCE.
YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED ITS SCHOOLS 
WILL -- PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND 
DAYCARES WILL START TO OPEN, ALL
OF THEM, BY MAY 19.
IT WOULD BE THE FIRST PROVINCE 
TO REALLY DO THAT, AND THERE ARE
LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER 
THE TIMING IS RIGHT THERE.
WE HEARD YESTERDAY FROM ONTARIO,
THEIR PLANS TO SLOWLY REOPEN THE
ECONOMY.
NO DATES ATTACHED TO THAT.
IT WAS MORE OF A FRAMEWORK THAN 
A CALENDAR, SAID THE PREMIER, 
BUT IT DID GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE 
OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO UNFOLD.
WE ARE ALSO EXPECTING THE PRIME 
MINISTER TO TALK A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING.
AND THEN AT 12 EASTERN AS WELL 
WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN COVERING 
THE SO-CALLED VIRTUAL SITTING OF
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
IT IS ESSENTIALLY A SPECIAL 
COMMITTEE HEARING ON COVID-19.
THAT IS ALL THEY CAN TALK ABOUT 
INSIDE THAT VIRTUAL MEETING.
AND THE PRIME MINISTER WILL BE 
THERE AT 12:45 ADDRESSING THE 
HOUSE.
IT WILL NOT BE ALL MPs, ALTHOUGH
ALL MPs ARE PART OF THAT 
COMMITTEE, ALL 338 MPs.
IT WILL BE A SMALL SAMPLING OF 
MPs DIALLING IN, THE WAY MANY OF
YOU ARE DOING FOR YOUR JOBS 
RIGHT NOW, BY ZOOM, TO TAKE PART
IN THIS COMMITTEE THAT WILL 
HAPPEN.
REALLY A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE,
FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE 
GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO MANAGE 
THE PANDEMIC AND THEIR ECONOMIC 
RESPONSE.
WE KNOW MORE LEGISLATION 
EXPECTED THIS WEEK ON STUDENT 
AID, FOR INSTANCE.
AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER, THAT IS HIS FRONT 
DOOR, RIDEAU COTTAGE, I'LL BRING
IN MY COLLEAGUES, THE CBC'S 
DAVID COCHRANE AND THE HOST OF 
"POWER & POLITICS", VASSY 
KAPELOS, KNOWING, OF COURSE, 
THAT YOU MAY NOT GET MANY 
SECONDS TO TALK AT ALL.
I'LL ALSO JUST UPDATE PEOPLE ON 
THE PRIME MINISTER'S MOTHER, 
MARGARET TRUDEAU, BECAUSE THIS 
MORNING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT 
THERE HAD BEEN A FIRE AT HER 
APARTMENT BUILDING AND THAT SHE 
HAD BEEN TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR 
SMOKE INHALATION.
THE PRIME MINISTER DID CONFIRM 
THAT HE SPOKE TO HIS MOM TODAY 
AND THAT SHE IS DOING FINE.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU THAT SMALL 
PERSONAL UPDATE FROM THE TRUDEAU
FAMILY AS WELL.
VAS VASHY, I THINK WE'RE GOING 
TO HEAR MORE FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER AS WELL ABOUT THESE 
GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN 
ESTABLISHED ON A DAY WHEN QUEBEC
IS GOING TO PUT MORE INFORMATION
ON THE TABLE ABOUT HOW IT'S 
GOING TO OPEN UP.
>> Vassy: YEAH, FOLLOWING 
YESTERDAY THE ANNOUNCEMENT, 
ROSY, FROM PREMIER LEGAULT THAT 
SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF MONTREAL 
WOULD RESUME, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
IN TWO WEEKS.
CERTAINLY A LOT OF REACTION TO 
THAT DECISION.
NO OTHER PROVINCE IS BRINGING 
BACK KIDS THAT SOON, AT LEAST 
THAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE
INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER ON THOSE FEDERAL 
GUIDELINES AND HOW THAT WOULD 
APPLY, IF AT ALL, IN THOSE 
INSTANCES.
YESTERDAY HE WAS INCREDIBLY 
RETICENT TO SAY THEY WOULD BE 
IMPOSED ON PROVINCES.
RATHER THEY WOULD BE DONE IN 
COLLABORATION WITH PROVINCES, 
BUT ALSO SET AGAINST THE 
BACKDROP OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU 
OUTLINED THERE IN THAT WE'RE 
GOING TO GET MODELLING NUMBERS 
TODAY, UPDATED MODELLING 
NUMBERS, AN UPDATED SENSE, WE 
DON'T WANT TO STICK TO THE 
LETTER OF THE LAW OF EVERYTHING 
THAT COMES OUT BECAUSE THINGS 
CAN CHANGE, BUT IF YOU SORT OF 
POSE IT, THAT INFORMATION THAT 
WILL GIVE US A SENSE OF HOW THE 
COUNTRY IS DOING, WHERE THE 
PROVINCES ARE AT, WHERE WE ARE 
AT ON THE CURVE AGAINST THE 
INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO GET 
FROM VARIOUS PROVINCES ABOUT HOW
THEY PLAN TO REOPEN AND WHAT THE
PRIME MINISTER MIGHT SAY ABOUT 
THAT AS WELL.
I THINK THE SORT OF -- THE 
COMPLEMENTS OF ALL OF THAT IS 
GOING TO BE A REALLY INTERESTING
POINT.
WHERE ARE WE, HOW ADVANCED IS 
THIS VIRUS RIGHT NOW RIGHT HERE,
THE SPREAD OF IT, AND WHAT DOES 
THAT MEAN FOR REOPENING THE 
ECONOMY?
AND IN WHICH PROVINCES, YOU 
KNOW, DOES THAT MOST APPLY?
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY 
CURIOUS ABOUT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE AT HOME 
ARE WONDERING HOW FAST IS THIS 
REOPENING GOING, IS IT TOO FAST,
SHOULD IT BE HAPPENING FASTER.
THAT MODELLING IS REALLY GOING 
TO INFORM THOSE ANSWERS. 
>> Rosemary: I WAS JUST GENTLY 
CORRECTED THAT THE MODELLING 
CAME OUT 19 DAYS AGO, NOT ONE 
MONTH AGO.
>> Vassy: FEELS LIKE 25 YEARS 
AGO.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S RIGHT.
TO BE FAIR.
DAVID, I KNOW THAT -- VASSY IS 
RIGHT, THIS WILL GIVE US A GOOD 
PICTURE OF THE NATION, BUT WE 
KNOW THAT EACH PROVINCE IS 
DIFFERENT AND THAT'S WHY THEY 
ARE ALL TAKING THESE DIFFERENT 
APPROACHES AND QUEBEC I THINK IS
BEING LOOKED AT BECAUSE THERE 
ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS FROM 
PARENTS EVEN IN THAT PROVINCE 
ABOUT DO I REALLY WANT TO SEND 
MY KID BACK BECAUSE IT IS 
OPTIONAL FOR NOW.
>> OR IF YOU'RE A TEACHER AND 
YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE 
CLASSROOM WHEN MONTREAL IS THE 
EPICENTRE FOR THIS OUTBREAK IN 
CANADA.
THEY ARE NOT OPENING SCHOOLS IN 
MONTREAL UNTIL A FAIR BIT LATER,
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME 
ANXIETY OUT THERE ABOUT MAY 11 
AND WHETHER THAT IS TOO EARLY 
AND IS IT AN ASSUMPTION BUILT ON
HERD IMMUNITY.
MY PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, TWO 
BOYS, ONE IN SCHOOL, ONE IN 
PRESCHOOL, BUT THE ONE IN 
PRESCHOOL HAS ASTHMA.
WOULD I SEND MY 6-YEAR-OLD TO 
SCHOOL WHEN MY 3-YEAR-OLD IS 
POTENTIALLY AT RISK BECAUSE OF 
ALL OF THAT?
THE ANSWER FOR ME IS NO AND THIS
IS A CONVERSATION A LOT OF 
PARENTS IN QUEBEC ARE GOING TO 
HAVE TO HAVE AS THEY FIGURE OUT 
HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS.
OTHER THINGS WILL COME OUT 
TODAY, ROSY.
JUST ONE POINT ON THE MODELLING.
WE'LL GET THE BIG NATIONAL 
PICTURE, AND WHILE THAT IS VERY 
INTERESTING, THE PROVINCIAL 
PICTURES ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT,
IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE THERE'S 
NO NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM, 
RIGHT, THAT YOU CAN OVERLAY THE 
NATIONAL PROJECTIONS ON AND SEE 
HOW IT'S FARING OUT.
BUT YOU CAN TAKE THE ONTARIO 
MODELLING AND OVERLAY IT ON THE 
ONTARIO HEALTH SYSTEM, THE 
QUEBEC SYSTEM AND OVERLAY IT ON 
THE QUEBEC HEALTH SYSTEM TO SEE 
WHERE YOU ARE IN TERMS OF 
FLATTENING THE CURVE AND MEETING
THE NEEDS OF HOSPITAL CAPACITY 
AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
THE NATIONAL MODEL IS AN 
AGGREGATE BIG PICTURE, AND IT IS
INTERESTING TO SORT OF SEE THE 
TRAJECTORY AND DO THE NATIONAL 
LEVEL COMPARISONS OF CANADA 
VERSUS THE UNITED STATES, VERSUS
THE U.K., FRANCE, SPAIN, 
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
THAT LOCAL PROVINCIAL PICTURE IS
FAR MORE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF 
THE DECISIONS ON REOPENING AND 
IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT THE 
HEALTH SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING AT 
A WAY THAT WE NEED IT TO 
FUNCTION AT TO DEAL WITH THE 
COVID-19 OUTBREAK.
>> Rosemary: FOR SURE, AND THERE
WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICIALS AND THE 
GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE THE 
FEDERAL MODELLING EVEN THOUGH IT
WAS, AS YOU SAY, SOLELY 
DEPENDENT ON PROVINCIAL DATA.
SO THEY ARE UPDATING TODAY.
THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME MORE 
INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH US 
ABOUT HOW WE ARE DOING, BUT YES,
THE REGIONAL PICTURE, SO 
IMPORTANT, AS WE'VE LEARNED, 
THROUGH THE WEEKS.
HERE'S THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
CANADA, AND LET'S GO TO HIM NOW.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: GOOD 
MORNING, EVERYONE.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN 
REPORTS ABOUT MY MOM.
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'VE
SPOKEN WITH HER AND SHE'S DOING 
JUST FINE.
I'M THANKFUL TO EVERYONE WHO'S 
REACHED OUT AND WANT TO ALSO 
THANK THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO 
WERE THERE DOING AN 
EXTRAORDINARY JOB.
THIS MORNING OUR THOUGHTS GO OUT
TO THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN FORT
McMURRAY AS YOU DEAL WITH SPRING
FLOODING.
MINISTER BLAIR HAS SPOKEN WITH 
MAYOR SCOTT ABOUT THE SITUATION,
AND WE STAND READY TO HELP.
TO ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND 
VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE PLACING 
SANDBAGS, INCLUDING AROUND THE 
HOSPITAL, THANK YOU.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE 
OTHER COMMUNITIES DEALING WITH 
FLOODING RIGHT NOW TOO
SO TO EVERYONE, CONTINUE 
LISTENING TO OFFICIALS AS THEY 
WORK TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
SAFE.
THIS COMES DURING WHAT'S ALREADY
A TOUGH TIME, BUT I KNOW 
CANADIANS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
TOGETHER.
SHORTLY I'LL JOIN MEMBERS OF 
PARLIAMENT FROM ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY FOR A VIRTUAL MEETING OF
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF THIS 
PANDEMIC, OUR DEMOCRATIC 
INSTITUTIONS ARE INNOVATING AND 
FINDING WAYS TO KEEP SERVING 
PEOPLE.
PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE WORKING 
TOGETHER WITH THE SAME GOAL: 
SUPPORTING CANADIANS AND KEEPING
OUR COUNTRY STRONG.
AS PART OF THIS SITTING, AT NOON
MINISTER HAJDU WILL PROVIDE AN 
UPDATE ON THE NEW COVID-19 
MODELLING AND DR. TAM WILL ALSO 
DO THE SAME.
BASED ON THE BEST DATA 
AVAILABLE, THIS IS AN UPDATED 
PICTURE OF WHERE WE THINK WE ARE
RIGHT NOW AND WHERE WE THINK 
THINGS WILL GO FROM HERE.
THEY'LL PROVIDE MORE DETAILS, 
BUT HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
THE MEASURES WE'VE TAKEN SO FAR 
ARE WORKING.
IN FACT, IN MANY PARTS OF THE 
COUNTRY THE CURVE HAS FLATTENED,
BUT WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS 
YET.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOST 
SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY 
CANADA HAS EVER SEEN, AND IF WE 
LIFT MEASURES TOO QUICKLY, WE 
MIGHT LOSE THE PROGRESS WE'VE 
MADE.
SO WE ALL NEED TO BE VERY 
CAREFUL FOR OURSELVES AND 
ESPECIALLY FOR THE MOST 
VULNERABLE, LIKE OUR PARENTS, 
GRANDPARENTS AND ELDERS IN 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, WHEN WE 
RELEASED THE FIRST MODELLING, I 
SAID THAT THE PATH AHEAD WAS UP 
TO US.
THE SAME HOLDS TRUE TODAY.
HOW MANY NEW CASES THERE ARE, 
HOW MANY LOSSES WE HAVE TO 
MOURN, WHETHER OUR HOSPITALS CAN
CONTINUE TO COPE, IT'S ALL UP TO
ALL OF US.
YOU'VE ALREADY STEPPED UP TO 
HELP YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, 
NEIGHBOURS AND FRONT-LINE CARE 
WORKERS STAY SAFE, AND YOUR 
GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
ARE STEPPING UP AS WELL.
WE'RE A BIG COUNTRY, AND WE 
DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON 
EVERYTHING, BUT RIGHT NOW THE 
PREMIERS AND THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT ARE WORKING TOGETHER 
TO FIGHT THIS CRISIS.
WE NEED COMMON GUIDELINES TO 
MAKE SURE THAT THE DECISIONS 
BEING TAKEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
ARE GROUNDED IN A SHARED 
UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION 
OF WHAT SCIENCE AND EXPERTS ARE 
TELLING US.
SHORTLY WE'LL WILL RELEASING THE
SHARED PRINCIPLES ON RE-STARTING
THE ECONOMY, AGREED TO BY THE 
FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL AND 
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENTS.
LET ME BE CLEAR.
THESE ARE NOT THE SPECIFIC 
MEASURES WHEN YOU CAN GO BACK TO
WORK OR SCHOOL OR WHEN YOU CAN 
SEE YOUR NEIGHBOURS OR EXTENDED 
FAMILY OR FRIENDS.
THIS FRAMEWORK WILL LAY OUT THE 
THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN 
BEFORE WE TAKE ANY NEXT STEPS.
RE-STARTING OUR ECONOMY WILL BE 
GRADUAL AND CAREFUL AND WILL BE 
GUIDED BY SCIENCE.
HERE'S WHAT THE GUIDELINES MEAN 
FOR YOU.
CONTROLLING TRANSMISSION IS KEY.
YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT IF YOUR 
NEIGHBOURHOOD DOESN'T HAVE NEW 
CASES, IF YOUR PROVINCE IS 
FLATTENING THE CURVE, THIS IS A 
GOOD SIGN FOR BEING ABLE TO 
SLOWLY LOOK AT LIFTING SOME 
RESTRICTIONS.
SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THINGS 
STAND.
TO REOPEN THE ECONOMY, THERE 
MUST BE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO TEST 
AND TRACE COVID-19 TO CONTROL 
ANY NEW SPREAD.
FOR YOU, THAT MEANS KNOWING THAT
YOU'LL BE SAFE AT WORK WHEN YOU 
GO BACK.
YOU'LL SEE LOTS MORE TESTING, 
AND IF SOMEONE AROUND YOU DOES 
TEST POSITIVE, YOU'LL BE 
NOTIFIED QUICKLY SO YOU CAN 
ISOLATE.
AT WORK, THERE WILL ALSO NEED TO
BE SPECIFIC MEASURES AND MORE 
EQUIPMENT TO KEEP YOU SAFE.
AND FOR HOSPITALS, WE NEED TO 
MAKE SURE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO 
COPE NOT JUST FOR COVID-19 
PATIENTS, BUT FOR EVERYONE WHO 
NEEDS CARE.
AND FOR CERTAIN GROUPS WHO ARE 
VERY VULNERABLE, LIKE SENIORS 
AND THOSE IN LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES, STRONG MEASURES WILL
HAVE TO BE IN PLACE FOR LONGER.
THIS VIRUS IS TAKING A DIFFERENT
TOLL ON DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
WE MUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
WHETHER YOU'RE FACING DOMESTIC 
VIOLENCE OR LIVING IN A REMOTE 
COMMUNITY, OR A LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITY, WE'RE WORKING -- OR 
WORKING ON THE FRONT LINES, 
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
OUR PRIORITY IS KEEPING ALL 
CANADIANS SAFE WHILE GETTING 
BACK TO NORMAL AS MUCH AS WE 
CAN.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
TODAY WE ARE PRESENTING THE MOST
RECENT PREDICTIONS WITH RESPECT 
TO THE EVOLUTION OF COVID-19.
IN MANY REGIONS, COVID HAS 
SLOWED DOWN, BUT WE'RE NOT OUT 
OF THE WOODS.
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF ONE OF THE
MOST SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH 
EMERGENCIES IN OUR COUNTRY, AND 
IF WE LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS TOO 
SOON, WE COULD LOSE ALL THE 
PROGRESS WE'VE ALREADY MADE.
EVEN THOUGH THE TRENDS ARE 
ENCOURAGING, WE MUST REMAIN 
CAUTIOUS.
THERE ARE SOME PLACES, 
PARTICULARLY IN SENIORS HOMES, 
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO 
MORE, AND AS I'VE ALREADY SAID, 
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WILL 
DECIDE ON HOW THINGS PROCEED, 
HOW MANY NEW CASES WE'LL HAVE, 
HOW MANY FAMILIES WILL BE 
MOURNING, WHETHER OUR HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE TO 
COPE.
ALL OF THIS DEPENDS ON ALL OF 
US.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT PEOPLE ARE
TAKING THE PROPER ACTIONS TO 
PROTECT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS, 
BUT WE MUST CONTINUE.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO STAY HOME 
AND GO AND DO OUR GROCERIES ONCE
A WEEK AND KEEP A 2 METRE 
DISTANCE FROM OTHERS AND FOLLOW 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTIVES.
SOON WE WILL BE SHARING ALL THE 
COMMON PRINCIPLES WITH RESPECT 
TO RE-STARTING THE ECONOMY ON 
WHICH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL 
GOVERNMENTS AGREED.
THESE PRINCIPLES WILL SET OUT 
THE CONDITIONS THAT MUST BE IN 
PLACE BEFORE WE CAN BEGIN TO 
LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ABILITY TO TEST
AND TRACE COVID-19 MUST BE 
SUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL
THE SPREAD, AND THAT'S WHY WE 
ARE INTENSIFYING TESTING AND 
PUTTING IN PLACE THE NECESSARY 
TOOLS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THERE MUST ALSO BE SPECIFIC 
MEASURES AND NEW EQUIPMENT TO 
PROTECT PEOPLE AT WORK, AND FOR 
CERTAIN, PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE
GROUPS, SUCH AS SENIORS AND 
PEOPLE LIVING IN LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES, MORE ROBUST MEASURES
WILL HAVE TO REMAIN IN PLACE 
LONGER.
OUR PRIORITY IS TO ENSURE THE 
SAFETY OF ALL CANADIANS AS WE 
START TO SEE NORMAL LIFE RETURN.
[ End of Translation ].
-- ON PERSONAL PROTECTIVE 
EQUIPMENT WHICH, ALONG WITH 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, IS KEY TO 
KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE.
EVERY FEW DAYS WE RECEIVE NEW 
DELIVERIES OF VITAL SUPPLIES FOR
OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS.
THIS WEEK WE WILL BE SHIPPING 
OVER 6 MILLION SURGICAL MASKS TO
THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES.
MORE THAN 100,000 FACE SHIELDS 
THAT WE ORDERED FROM BAUER AND 
TORONTO STAMP ARE ALSO READY AND
WILL BE SHIPPED OUT SOON WITH 
MORE ON THE WAY.
EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE SAFE ON 
THE JOB.
INDEED, ON THIS NATIONAL DAY OF 
MOURNING, WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO 
DIED, WERE INJURED OR FELL ILL 
BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK.
THIS YEAR WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE 
THOUSANDS OF FRONT-LINE WORKERS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO DESERVE 
NOT JUST OUR THANKS BUT OUR 
SUPPORT.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
TODAY I'D ALSO LIKE TO UPDATE 
YOU ON INDIVIDUAL PROTECTIVE 
EQUIPMENT THAT ENSURES THE 
SAFETY OF OUR FRONT-LINE 
WORKERS.
WE ARE RECEIVING SHIPMENTS OF 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SEVERAL TIMES 
A WEEK.
THIS WEEK WE WILL BE SENDING 
MORE THAN 6 MILLION SURGICAL 
MASKS TO THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES.
MORE THAN 100,000 FACE SHIELDS 
THAT WE ORDERED FROM BAUER AND 
TORONTO STAMP ARE ALSO READY AND
WILL BE SENT OUT VERY SOON.
EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE SAFE AT 
WORK.
ON THIS DAY OF NATIONAL 
MOURNING, WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO 
LOST THEIR LIVES, WHO WERE 
INJURED OR WHO FELL ILL AS THEY 
DID THEIR JOB, AND THIS YEAR WE 
ARE SALUTING OUR FRONT-LINE 
WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO 
DESERVE NOT ONLY OUR THANKS BUT 
ALSO OUR SUPPORT.
I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE 
THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT REQUIRE
A WAGE SUBSIDY CAN NOW APPLY 
ON-LINE.
SINCE YESTERDAY, MORE THAN 
44,000 BUSINESSES HAVE ALREADY 
APPLIED ON-LINE.
[ End of Translation ].
TO GET THROUGH THIS, WE MUST 
WORK TOGETHER AND WE MUST STAY 
UNITED.
NOW MORE THAN EVER WE HAVE TO 
STAND UP AGAINST DISCRIMINATION 
AND DIVISION.
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR RACISM 
AGAINST ASIAN CANADIANS IN OUR 
NEIGHBOURHOODS.
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR 
ANTI-SEMITISM, WHICH -- CANADA'S
REPORT FOUND TO BE ON THE RISE 
IN OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE 
HATRED OF ANY SORT HAS NO PLACE 
IN CANADA.
TODAY AND EVERY DAY WE ARE 
STRONGER TOGETHER.
MERCI.
>> THANK YOU, PRIME MINISTER.
WE WILL NOW TAKE QUESTIONS ON 
THE PHONE.
OVER TO YOU, OPERATOR.
>> Operator: THANK YOU, MERCI.
FIRST QUESTION, BLOOMBERG, LINE 
OPEN.
>> Reporter: HELLO, PRIME 
MINISTER.
I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE 
WAGE SUBSIDY.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME BUSINESSES
THAT IT WILL COST THEM MORE 
MONEY TO REHIRE EMPLOYEES 
THEY'VE ALREADY LAID OFF AND HAD
TO PAY OUT HOLIDAYS AND 
SEVERANCE PAY TO THAN TO BRING 
THEM BACK ON BOARD WITH THIS 
WAGE SUBSIDY.
SOME OF THEM WOULD RATHER LEAVE 
THEIR FORMER EMPLOYEES ON -- 
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
IDEALLY PEOPLE WILL KEEP THEIR 
CONNECTIONS WITH THEIR 
WORKPLACES SO THEY KNOW THEY 
HAVE A JOB TO RETURN TO WHEN 
THIS IS OVER AND WHEN THE 
ECONOMY COMES BACK IT WILL BE 
ALL THE QUICKER BECAUSE 
CANADIANS WILL HAVE STAYED 
CONNECTED TO THEIR JOBS.
WE WERE PLEASED THAT OVER 44,000
BUSINESSES HAVE APPLIED FOR THE 
WAGE SUBSIDY, BUT WE KNOW THAT 
THERE ARE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT 
SITUATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 
AND EMPLOYERS HAVE HAD TO TAKE 
SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS 
BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
WE'VE PUT IN PLACE MEASURES TO 
SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED 
SUPPORT MOST URGENTLY WITH THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
BENEFIT AND THE WAGE SUBSIDY.
AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT ALL 
THESE MEASURES TOGETHER WILL 
ENSURE THAT CANADIANS CAN 
CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO 
DO WHILE CARING FOR THEIR 
FAMILIES AND COME BACK AS 
STRONGLY AS POSSIBLE AT THE END.
>> FOLLOW-UP, KATE?
>> Reporter: AND NOW WE HAVE A 
LOT OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE 
EQUIPMENT FOR THE FRONT-LINE 
WORKERS.
DO YOU EXPECT BUSINESSES TO USE 
PPE AS WELL NOW THAT THE 
REOPENING OF THE ECONOMY IS 
BEGINNING TO BE CONSIDERED AND 
DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE 
ENOUGH MASKS AND GLOVES 
AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE BUSINESSES
THAT NEED THEM TO OPERATE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: OUR 
PRIORITY OVER THE PAST WEEK HAS 
BEEN TO ENSURE ENOUGH PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR OUR 
FRONT-LINE WORKERS WHO ARE DOING
EXTRAORDINARY WORK TO KEEP US 
ALL SAFE.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT AS 
DIFFERENT PROVINCES LOOK AT 
STARTING TO REOPEN CERTAIN 
SECTORS, CERTAIN INDUSTRIES, 
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE ECONOMY, 
THERE IS GOING TO BE AN 
INCREASED NEED FOR PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE CONTINUE TO 
PROCURE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PPE 
FROM OVERSEAS WHILE AT THE SAME 
TIME WATCHING THE CANADIAN 
PRODUCTION COME ON-LINE SO THAT 
WE CAN HAVE OUR DOMESTIC 
CAPACITY TO RELY ON AS WELL.
WE KNOW THAT HAVING THE RIGHT 
AMOUNTS OF PPE FOR INDUSTRIES 
THAT WANT TO REOPEN WILL BE 
ESSENTIAL BEFORE THEY REOPEN, 
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE 
ACCELERATING THE RATE AT WHICH 
WE ARE TAKING IN PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
WE KNOW THAT THE -- WE KNOW THAT
THE PRIORITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO 
ENSURE THERE IS ENOUGH PPE FOR 
OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS AND 
HEALTH CARE WORKERS, AND THAT'S 
WHY WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD
IN RECENT WEEKS.
BUT AS WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT THE
NEXT STEPS AND THE POSSIBLE 
REOPENING OF THE ECONOMY, WE 
KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A NEED 
FOR MORE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE 
EQUIPMENT, AND WE INTEND TO 
INCREASE THE RATE AT WHICH WE 
RECEIVE THAT EQUIPMENT, AND WE 
ALSO HAVE THE DOMESTIC 
PRODUCTION COMING ON-LINE THAT 
WE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH 
PEOPLE BEFORE WE BEGIN TO REOPEN
THE ECONOMY.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Operator: NEXT QUESTION, 
LAURA OSMOND, THE CANADIAN 
PRESS.
LINE OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME
MINISTER.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU AGAIN ABOUT 
VACCINES.
IF AND WHEN A VACCINE DOES 
BECOME AVAILABLE, DO YOU 
ENVISION IT BEING MANDATORY, AND
HAVE YOU HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS 
WITH THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES YET?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
ARE STILL, UNFORTUNATELY, A LONG
WAY FROM HAVING A VACCINE, AND 
JUST FINDING THE VACCINE IS THE 
FIRST STEP.
THE NEXT STEP WILL BE PRODUCING 
THE VACCINES IN SUFFICIENT 
NUMBER TO INOCULATE EVERYONE, OR
ALMOST EVERYONE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE 
PREPARING ALREADY IN TERMS OF 
MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION 
CAPACITY HERE IN CANADA, BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT COUNTRIES AROUND 
THE WORLD WILL BE PRODUCING FOR 
THEIR OWN CITIZENS FIRST, AND WE
NEED TO BE PART OF THAT AS WELL.
AS TO WHAT SORT OF VACCINATION 
PROTOCOLS WILL BE IN PLACE, WE 
STILL HAVE A FAIR BIT OF TIME TO
REFLECT ON THAT IN ORDER TO GET 
IT RIGHT.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
WITH RESPECT TO VACCINATIONS, WE
RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE STILL FAR 
FROM HAVING ONE.
COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE 
CURRENTLY SEEKING TO DEVELOP A 
VACCINE AGAINST COVID-19, BUT 
EVEN ONCE WE HAVE ONE, THAT 
COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR.
WE WILL HAVE TO PRODUCE THAT 
VACCINE IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES
TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT CITIZENS.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY PUTTING IN 
PLACE A PROPER PRODUCTION 
CAPACITY HERE IN CANADA SO THAT 
WE CAN RESPOND TO THE DEMAND IN 
CANADA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
NOW WHAT WILL THE PROTOCOLS BE, 
WHO WILL BE VACCINATED FIRST, 
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT STILL NEED
TO BE DECIDED, AND WE HAVE TIME 
TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RIGHT 
DECISIONS IN THAT REGARD.
[ End of Translation ].
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
WE HAVE HEARD OVER AND OVER HOW 
VITAL A VACCINE WILL BE BECAUSE 
YOU DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE 
IMMUNOLOGY OF THIS VIRUS.
HOW VITAL WILL IT BE TO MAKE 
SURE THAT AS CLOSE TO EVERYONE 
AS POSSIBLE ENDS UP GETTING IT 
IN THE END IF ONE DOES BECOME 
AVAILABLE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
KNOW VACCINES WILL BE EXTREMELY 
IMPORTANT -- A VACCINE WILL BE 
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO GETTING 
BACK TO NORMAL.
THERE ARE SITUATIONS, AND THERE 
ARE DISEASES FOR WHICH VACCINES 
VERY SEARCHED FOR A LONG TIME.
I THINK OF HIV/AIDS WHERE THERE 
IS STILL NO VACCINE EVEN AFTER 
DECADES OF RESEARCH INTO A 
VACCINE.
THERE ARE TREATMENTS TO MANAGE 
THE SPREAD OF HIV, AND THERE 
COULD BE TREATMENTS THAT AREN'T 
A VACCINE THAT COULD HELP US 
MANAGE AND GET BACK TO NORMAL 
WITHOUT A VACCINE.
BUT AROUND VACCINES, THERE ARE 
OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE EXTREMELY 
IMPORTANT DECISIONS AROUND HOW 
TO BEST GET TO THAT LEVEL OF 
VACCINATION THAT WILL PREVENT 
FURTHER SPREAD OF COVID-19.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUDY DONE ON 
THAT -- STUDIES DONE ON THAT 
OVER THE PAST YEARS IN TERMS OF 
WHAT THRESHOLD OF THE POPULATION
NEEDS TO BE VACCINATED IN ORDER 
TO PREVENT ANY SPREAD OF A 
DISEASE, AND THAT RESEARCH WILL 
OBVIOUSLY INFORM DECISIONS WE 
TAKE AROUND THE COVID-19 VACCINE
WHEN IT COMES.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
OF COURSE THERE'S A GREAT DEAL 
OF RESEARCH BEING DONE ON 
VACCINATION AND THE LEVEL OF 
VACCINATION THAT IS NECESSARY IN
ORDER TO PROTECT OUR POPULATION 
AND AVOID THE SPREAD OF THE 
DISEASE.
THAT WILL CERTAINLY INFORM OUR 
CHOICES WHEN IT COMES TO 
VACCINATION AGAINST COVID-19, 
BUT IT IS STILL QUITE POSSIBLE 
THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A 
VACCINE.
FOR OVER TEN YEARS THERE'S BEEN 
AGGRESSIVE RESEARCH ON A VACCINE
ON HIV, AND THERE ISN'T ONE YET.
BUT THERE ARE TREATMENTS THAT 
WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO MANAGE 
THAT DISEASE MUCH BETTER THAN 
BEFORE, AND WE ARE SEEKING 
TREATMENTS AS WELL THAT COULD 
HELP US TO MANAGE COVID-19 IF 
THE VACCINE TAKES LONGER TO BE 
DEVELOPED THAN WE HOPE.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON ALL THESE 
DIFFERENT OPTIONS SO THAT WE CAN
DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RETURN 
TO NORMALCY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
>> Operator: THANK YOU, THE NEXT
QUESTION PLEASE.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
WITH RESPECT TO THE SHARED 
PRINCIPLES AT THE NATIONAL 
LEVEL, YOU SAID THAT THE DETAILS
WILL BE COMING.
NOW CONCRETELY, DOES THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT INTEND TO PROHIBIT 
TRAVEL AND CERTAIN MOVEMENTS 
BETWEEN PROVINCES?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, 
MELANIE.
FIRST OF ALL, WITH RESPECT TO 
THIS COMMON APPROACH THAT WE'VE 
DEVELOPED AND THE SHARED 
PRINCIPLES WE AGREED ON BETWEEN 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES, WE 
SHOULD BE SHARING THAT WITH YOU 
IN THE NEXT HOUR.
BUT AS I SAY, THESE ARE NOT 
SPECIFIC MEASURES.
THESE ARE BASIC PRINCIPLES THAT 
WILL INFORM THE MEASURES TO BE 
TAKEN BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENTS 
BASED ON THEIR OWN 
CIRCUMSTANCES.
NOW WITH RESPECT TO CROSS-BORDER
MOVEMENT, THE PROVINCES WILL 
LOOK AT THEIR SITUATION, AND THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO 
REVIEW THE SITUATION, AND WILL 
CONSIDER THE PRINCIPLES AND 
FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF DECISION
HAS TO BE MADE TO ENSURE 
EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
SO THIS IS A PROCESS THAT WILL 
BE EVOLVING IN THE COMING DAYS 
AND WEEKS AS WE SEE AN EVOLUTION
IN THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
[ End of Translation ].
THIS FRAMEWORK IS ONE WHERE THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE 
PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL 
GOVERNMENTS ALL CAME TOGETHER TO
AGREE ON PRINCIPLES THAT WILL 
UNDERLIE PLANS FOR ECONOMIC 
RECOVERIES.
THOSE PLANS WILL BE DIFFERENT 
FROM ONE PROVINCE TO THE NEXT.
THE SPECIFIC MEASURES PUT IN 
WILL DEPEND VERY MUCH ON THE 
SITUATION ON THE GROUND, BUT WE 
NEED TO BE INFORMED BY A COMMON 
SET OF CRITERIA AND MEASURES TO 
BE IN PLACE BEFORE WE LOOK AT 
REOPENING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
ECONOMY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY, 
REALLY MATTERS, AND ALL OF US 
WILL BE INFORMED BY THESE 
PRINCIPLES AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON
CAREFULLY REOPENING THE ECONOMY 
IN GRADUAL WAYS.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: YES.
NOW ACCORDING TO POLLS, 60% OF 
CANADIANS THINK THAT A VACCINE 
AGAINST COVID-19 SHOULD BE 
MANDATORY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT IDEA?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: AS I 
SAID, WE'RE VERY FAR AWAY FROM 
THE TIME WHEN WE CAN MAKE THAT 
KIND OF DECISION OR WILL HAVE TO
MAKE THAT DECISION.
A VACCINE IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT, AND THERE ARE MANY 
STUDIES THAT HAVE TO BE CARRIED 
OUT ON THE NATURE OF COVID-19 
AND HOW WE CAN PROTECT THE 
POPULATION.
WE KNOW THAT WITH RESPECT TO 
OTHER VACCINES, IN SOME CASES 
THERE NEEDS TO BE 80% IMMUNITY 
IN THE POPULATION TO PREVENT THE
SPREAD OF A SPECIFIC DISEASE.
NOW WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT 
WILL BE THE SAME THRESHOLD FOR 
COVID-19.
THAT WILL BE BASED ON THE 
SCIENCE AND THE RESEARCH THAT'S 
UNDER WAY NOW, AS WELL AS BY THE
COVID-19 IMMUNITY TASK FORCE 
THAT WE'VE SET UP AND WHICH WILL
BE WORKING FROM MONTREAL FOR THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY.
AND THAT WILL INFORM ALL OF OUR 
DECISIONS AS TO WHAT THE NEXT 
STEPS SHOULD BE.
[ End of Translation ].
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION, OPERATOR.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
HEALTH CANADA YESTERDAY DECIDED 
TO LIFT CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS 
WITH RESPECT TO CLEANING 
PRODUCTS, AND THE OFFICIAL 
LANGUAGES COMMITTEE SAYS THAT 
THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE'S SAFETY.
WHY WAS THAT DECISION MADE AND 
WHY SHOULD THERE NOT BE PROPER 
INFORMATION ON PRODUCTS COMING 
IN FROM THE UNITED STATES?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
WE NEED TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF
CONSUMERS, AND PRODUCTS MUST BE 
LABELLED IN BOTH OFFICIAL 
LANGUAGES.
BUT IN AN EXTREME SITUATION, 
SUCH AS THE ONE WE'RE IN NOW, WE
ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE NEEDS 
TO BE A PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN 
SOME VULNERABILITIES, AND IN 
SOME SITUATIONS WE ARE READY TO 
PERMIT UNILINGUAL INFORMATION ON
PACKAGING.
BUT AS I SAY, COMPANIES ARE 
WORKING HARD TO TRY AND RECTIFY 
THAT.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT 
SHOULD BE ACCEPTED IN CANADA, 
AND IT'S REALLY JUST BECAUSE OF 
THE EXTREME SITUATION IN WHICH 
WE FIND OURSELVES.
WE DECIDED TO AUTHORIZE THIS, 
BUT WE WOULD CERTAINLY PREFER 
THAT THIS NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE OUR
LINGUISTIC DUALITY IS NOT JUST A
QUESTION OF OUR CANADIAN 
IDENTITY.
IT'S ALSO A QUESTION OF SAFETY 
FOR CONSUMERS.
>> Reporter: DOES THAT MEAN, 
MR. TRUDEAU, THAT THERE COULD BE
OTHER EXEMPTIONS IN THE COMING 
WEEKS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
WE HOPE WE WILL NOT HAVE TO 
AUTHORIZE OTHER EXEMPTIONS.
WE DO HOPE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE 
THE PROPER LABELLING IN FRENCH 
AND ENGLISH ON ALL PRODUCTS AS 
NECESSARY, BUT WE'RE NOW IN A 
SITUATION WHERE LABOUR AND 
LOGISTICS ARE NOT ALWAYS 
SUFFICIENT WITHIN THESE 
COMPANIES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, 
AND THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED THAT 
IN THIS CASE IT WAS BETTER TO 
ENSURE THAT THE PRODUCTS COULD 
COME IN AND WE'RE TRYING TO 
ENSURE THE SAFETY OF CONSUMERS 
AT THE SAME TIME.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Reporter: I WANT TO START 
WITH THE SITUATION IN ALBERTA.
FIRST WE HAVE THE COVID-19 
OUTBREAK OF THE MEAT PACKING 
FACILITY THERE, AND NOW THE 
FLOODING IN FORT MAC.
YOU SAID IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS
THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS READY TO
HELP.
I'M JUST WONDERING: WILL THE 
MILITARY BE BROUGHT IN TO HELP 
IN THAT SITUATION?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTER BILL 
BLAIR HAS ALREADY BEEN IN DIRECT
CONTACT WITH MAYOR SCOTT IN FORT
McMURRAY AND SPOKEN WITH HIS 
COUNTERPARTS IN THE ALBERTA 
GOVERNMENT ON THE AGRICULTURE 
SIDE.
WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH THE CFIB
AND WITH THE RELEVANT MINISTERS 
IN ALBERTA.
WE STAND READY TO HELP IN ANY 
WAYS WE CAN, AND IN REGARDS TO 
MILITARY SUPPORT, WE'RE THERE 
FOR MILITARY SUPPORT IF WE 
RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM THE 
PROVINCE.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
WE WILL BE THERE TO PROVIDE 
SUPPORT TO THE PROVINCES IN 
THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
IN TERMS OF MILITARY 
INTERVENTION, WE'RE CERTAINLY 
OPEN TO THAT, BUT WE NEED TO 
RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM THE 
PROVINCE.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Reporter: -- REOPEN THE 
ECONOMY, THERE MUST BE ENOUGH 
CAPACITY TO TEST AND TRACE 
COVID-19 TO CONTROL ANY NEW 
SPREAD.
DR. DAVID NAILER OF THE COVID-19
IMMUNITY TASK FORCE SAYS HE'S 
REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT TESTING 
AND TRACING CAPACITY.
I'M WONDERING HOW IS YOUR 
GOVERNMENT PLANNING TO ADDRESS 
THOSE CONCERNS AS PROVINCES 
REOPEN?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
KNOW WE NEED TO DO MUCH MORE 
TESTING.
WE KNOW THAT TESTING IS AN 
IMPORTANT PART OF CAREFUL 
REOPENING OF THE ECONOMY, AND 
THAT'S WHY WE ARE INCREASING OUR
CAPACITY.
YESTERDAY THERE WERE 26,000 
TESTS, WHICH IS A NEW HIGH, AND 
WE'RE CONTINUING TO INCREASE THE
TESTING CAPACITY, WITH VARIOUS 
THINGS, LIKE MORE PROCUREMENT OF
NECESSARY SWABS AND DOMESTIC 
PRODUCTION, WITH A PRODUCTION OF
THE REAGENT, WHICH IS THE 
CHEMICAL NECESSARY TO ANALYZE 
THE TESTS, DONE IN NEW BRUNSWICK
RIGHT NOW TO A QUANTITY AND A 
SCALE THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR
LARGER-SCALE TESTING ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO 
SUPPORT THE TESTING PROTOCOLS 
AND CAPACITIES IN THE PROVINCES,
AND WE ALL NEED TO IMPROVE ON 
THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET TO A 
PLACE WHERE WE CAN OPEN UP 
CAREFULLY.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
MASSIVE TESTING WILL BE AN 
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF REOPENING
THE ECONOMY, AND THAT'S WHY THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW 
WORKING WITH THE PROVINCES TO 
INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY.
WE CONDUCTED MORE TESTS 
YESTERDAY THAN BEFORE, 26,000 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND OF 
COURSE WE MUST DO MORE.
AND WE ARE NOW ORDERING MORE 
TESTING EQUIPMENT.
WE ARE ALSO CREATING THE 
NECESSARY CHEMICAL REAGENTS SO 
THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY CAN 
CONDUCT MORE TESTING.
WE KNOW THAT WE ABSOLUTELY MUST 
DO THIS BEFORE WE START TO 
REOPEN THE ECONOMY.
>> Reporter: RADIO-CANADA.
A SPECIFIC QUESTION: HOW MANY 
TESTS WILL IT TAKE BEFORE WE CAN
REOPEN THE ECONOMY?
YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT COMMON 
PRINCIPLES, BUT WHAT ARE THOSE 
PRINCIPLES?
HOW MANY TESTS AND WHAT OTHER 
MEASURES WILL NEED TO BE IN 
PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THIS WORKS?
TRY TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS 
POSSIBLE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
TO BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE 
WOULD MEAN TELLING ME WHICH 
REGION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> Reporter: WELL, I MEAN RIGHT 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE 
DEALING WITH A SERIES OF 
DIFFERENT PANDEMIC RESPONSES AND
SITUATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, THERE 
WERE 20 CASES.
IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, WE KNOW 
THAT THE FIGURES ARE MUCH, MUCH 
HIGHER.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY 
DIFFERENT REALITIES RIGHT ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AND DIFFERENT 
REALITIES FROM ONE CITY TO THE 
NEXT.
SO FOR US, THE IMPORTANT THING 
IS TO ALLOW THE PROVINCES TO DO 
THE LEVEL OF TESTING THAT IS 
NECESSARY IN EACH REGION AND 
EACH COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO 
RESPOND TO NEEDS AND TO THE 
VULNERABILITIES ON THE GROUND.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE 
COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY MAY 
DECIDE TO TEST EVERYONE.
THERE MAY BE WORKPLACES WHERE 
THEY WANT TO TEST 50% OF THE 
PEOPLE THERE.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT 
PROTOCOLS, AND OUR 
RESPONSIBILITY AS A FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT IS TO ENSURE A MUCH 
INCREASED CAPACITY SO THAT THE 
PROVINCES CAN CONDUCT THE LEVEL 
OF TESTING THAT THEY BELIEVE TO 
BE NECESSARY BASED ON WHERE THEY
ARE AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES 
INVOLVED.
WE CANNOT SAY EXACTLY TOMORROW 
WE NEED THESE MANY TESTS DONE.
NO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN
ONGOING PROCESS, AND OUR 
RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE THERE 
FOR THE PROVINCES TO ENSURE THAT
CAN DO THAT TESTING. 
>> Reporter: NOW WITH RESPECT TO
THE PROVINCES, NOW IN YOUR 
MODELLING ARE YOU CONSIDERING 
REOPENING THE SCHOOLS IN QUEBEC?
CAN NEW BRUNSWICK SAY NO, 
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS CANNOT
COME INTO OUR PROVINCE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
THE DIFFERENT PROVINCES WILL 
HAVE THEIR OWN APPROACH, AND OUR
PAN-CANADIAN MODELLING TRIES TO 
REFLECT THOSE DIFFERENT 
REALITIES, BUT IT IS ONLY AN 
OVERVIEW OF THE COUNTRY.
THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS A 
DIFFERENT REALITY IN EVERY PLACE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IN TERMS
OF THE DIFFERENT MEASURES THE 
PROVINCES WILL BRING IN, WELL, 
THEY WILL MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES
WITHIN THEIR OWN JURISDICTION 
THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE THE BEST 
ONES FOR THEIR CITIZENS.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO HEALTH 
CANADA'S DECISION.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF 
FRANCOPHONES WHO ARE EXTREMELY 
OFFENDED BY THIS.
SENATOR CORMIER SAID NOTHING 
JUSTIFIES VIOLATING THE OFFICIAL
LANGUAGES ACT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK JUSTIFIES IT 
AND WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WELL,
WE ARE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED 
SITUATION WHERE ACCESS TO 
PRODUCTS, SUCH AS HAND 
SANITIZER, IS ABSOLUTELY 
CRITICAL.
IT'S AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT.
IT'S AN ESSENTIAL THING THAT 
CANADIANS HAVE TO DO TO STAY 
SAFE.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT
WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE
AT OTHER TIMES AND SAY THAT IN 
SOME CASES WE CAN ALLOW THOSE 
PRODUCTS TO COME IN WITH 
UNILINGUAL LABELLING, BUT OF 
COURSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT 
CERTAINLY IS NOT IDEAL EITHER 
FOR THE IDENTITY OF OUR COUNTRY 
OR FOR CONSUMER SAFETY.
SO WE DO HOPE THAT THIS WILL NOT
BECOME A REGULAR OCCURRENCE.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE NOW 
LOOKING AT WAYS TO AVOID USING 
ONLY UNILINGUAL LABELS.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Reporter: I WOULD LIKE TO ASK
YOU ABOUT QUEBEC'S MOVE TO 
REOPEN ITS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 
AND DAYCARES.
I KNOW IT'S A PROVINCIAL 
DECISION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO 
ASK YOU AS A PARENT IF YOU'D BE 
CONCERNED ABOUT SENDING YOUR 
KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL SO EARLY, 
AND AS A FORMER TEACHER, DO YOU 
HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE 
TEACHERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE 
CALLED BACK TO THE CLASSROOM?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
THINK MANY PEOPLE WANT TO SEE 
THE ECONOMY REOPENING AND 
GETTING BACK TO A SEMBLANCE OF 
NORMALITY IN THE COMING WEEKS.
IT IS NATURAL THAT AFTER A LONG 
TIME IN ISOLATION WE WOULD WANT 
TO SEE THINGS MOVE BACK TOWARDS 
NORMAL.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW WE 
HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL, 
AND THERE IS -- THERE ARE PLANS 
AND THERE ARE HOPES THAT WE'RE 
GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE CERTAIN 
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TAKE STEPS,
INCLUDING QUEBEC, AROUND 
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, BUT WE'RE 
NOT THERE YET.
THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE FOR A FEW 
WEEKS OFF, AND ONE HOPES THAT 
THE TREND LINES WILL BRING US TO
A PLACE WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO 
SEE THAT HAPPEN.
AND AT THAT MOMENT, AS THE 
PREMIER SAID, PARENTS WILL BE 
ABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS
ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR 
STUDENTS AND FOR THEIR KIDS.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
I THINK WE ALL WANT TO SEE 
SOLUTIONS IN THE SHORT TERM AND 
A RETURN TO NORMALCY AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT WILL 
TAKE SOME TIME.
EVEN WITH OUR PLANS TO TAKE 
ACTION IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE 
WILL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE 
CONTEXT OR THE SITUATION ON THE 
GROUND AT THAT TIME WILL ALLOW 
US TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, AND 
AT THAT POINT, THE SCHOOLS AND 
PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE 
THEIR OWN CHOICES AS TO WHAT 
SHOULD BE DONE TO PROTECT 
CHILDREN AND TO KEEP THEIR 
GRANDPARENTS SAFE AS WELL.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Reporter: I JUST WANT TO 
FOLLOW UP THERE, BECAUSE THERE 
WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT YOU 
WOULD DO IF YOU WERE A PARENT.
HAVE YOU GIVEN THAT SOME 
THOUGHT?
IN TWO WEEKS WOULD YOU SEND YOUR
KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL IF YOU WERE 
IN QUEBEC?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: I 
WOULD LOOK AT WHAT THE SITUATION
LOOKED LIKE IN TWO WEEKS.
WE KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE WEEK 
WE SEE CHANGES IN HOW WE'RE 
DOING, ON WHERE THERE ARE 
OUTBREAKS, ON EQUIPMENT AND 
SUPPORTS AVAILABLE.
I'D WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOL
WAS PLANNING ON DOING, WHETHER 
THE DESKS WERE GOING TO BE 
PROPERLY SPACED, WHETHER THERE 
WOULD BE PLANS AT RECESS IN 
TERMS OF KEEPING PEOPLE 
SEPARATED.
THESE ARE ALL DETAILS THAT NEED 
TO BE WORKED OUT TO THE 
SATISFACTION, NOT JUST OF 
GOVERNMENTS BUT OF THE SCHOOL 
BOARDS, OF TEACHERS, OF EVERYONE
WHO WORKS IN THE SCHOOLS, AND 
ESPECIALLY OF KIDS AND THEIR 
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
AS A PARENT, WHEN I MAKE A 
DECISION FOR MY OWN CHILDREN, I 
WILL WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE 
MEASURES ARE THAT ARE IN PLACE.
WILL THERE BE FEWER STUDENTS PER
CLASS?
WILL THE DESKS BE PROPERLY 
SPACED?
NOW IN THE PLAYGROUND, WILL 
THERE BE RULES IN PLACE TO 
ENSURE THAT KIDS KEEP THE PROPER
DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER?
WILL THERE BE MEASURES TO 
PROTECT THE TEACHERS AND TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY CAN WORK SAFELY 
IN THE SCHOOLS?
AND WILL THERE BE MEASURES THAT 
WILL ALLOW THEM TO RESPOND IN 
THE CASE OF A PROBLEM?
SO THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS WE'LL
HAVE TO HAVE ANSWERS TO BEFORE 
WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT 
REOPENING, AND THAT'S EXACTLY 
WHAT I'M EXPECTING TO HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE ALL LEVELS OF 
GOVERNMENT, ALL PARTNERS AND ALL
INSTITUTIONS ARE ASKING THESE 
QUESTIONS BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO 
RELAX THE RESTRICTIONS.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Reporter: -- FRAMEWORK THAT 
YOU DISCUSSED WITH THE PREMIERS 
AND THE MODELLING NUMBERS THAT 
ARE COMING OUT TODAY, THERE IS 
ANOTHER BREWING HEALTH CARE 
CRISIS AS WELL BECAUSE OF ALL 
THE NON -- THE ELECTIVE 
SURGERIES, RIGHT?
PEOPLE THAT ARE PERHAPS WAITING 
FOR IMPORTANT CANCER SURGERY NOW
ARE VERY UNCERTAIN AS TO WHEN 
THAT COULD HAPPEN.
SO WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING THIS 
WITH THE PROVINCES, YOU'RE 
LOOKING AT THE MODELLING 
NUMBERS, WHAT BENCHMARKS ARE 
THERE TO START TO REOPEN THOSE 
TYPE OF IMPORTANT MEDICAL 
PROCEDURES THAT ARE SORT OF 
SEPARATE FROM THIS COVID-19 
EPIDEMIC?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THAT 
IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 
ELEMENT OF ANY REOPENING, AND OF
OUR HEALTH CARE CAPACITY.
OF COURSE WHILE WE ARE DEALING 
WITH A MASSIVE COVID-19 CRISIS, 
THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO NEED 
SURGERIES, WHO ARE FACING 
DIFFICULT TREATMENTS, WHO NEED 
TO ACCESS OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
FOR OTHER REASONS.
AND THIS IS WHY PART OF THE 
FRAMEWORKS AGREED TO BY THE 
PROVINCES AND THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT INCLUDES HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM CAPACITY, NOT JUST TO 
HANDLE A POTENTIAL RESURGENCE OF
COVID-19 BUT HOW TO HANDLE THE 
REGULAR NEEDS OF PATIENTS WHO 
ARE DEALING WITH HEALTH ISSUES 
THAT ARE NOT COVID-19-RELATED.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
WE KNOW THAT EVEN IN THE MIDDLE 
OF COVID-19, WHERE WE'RE FACING 
HUGE CHALLENGES WITH RESPECT TO 
THE CAPACITY OF OUR HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM TO COPE, WE KNOW THAT 
THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO NEED 
SPECIAL TREATMENTS, THAT HAVE TO
GO TO HOSPITAL FOR EMERGENCY 
PROBLEMS, AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO MAINTAIN THE NECESSARY 
CAPACITY FOR THEM.
THAT'S WHY IN TERMS OF THE 
PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN AGREED
ON BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE PROVINCES WITH RESPECT TO 
REOPENING THE ECONOMY, WE HAVE 
TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HEALTH 
CARE SYSTEM ALSO HAS THE 
NECESSARY CAPACITIES TO RESPOND 
TO A RESURGENCE OF COVID-19 BUT 
ALSO RESPOND TO ANY MEDICAL 
EMERGENCIES AND PROVIDE MEDICAL 
TREATMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED BY 
THE POPULATION.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Rosemary: AND THAT IS THE 
PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA GIVING 
HIS DAILY UPDATE TO CANADIANS ON
HIS GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO 
FIGHT COVID-19 AND THE RESPONSE 
TODAY.
A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS AND THE 
COMMENTS FOR THE PRIME MINISTER 
FOCUSED ON WHAT HAPPENS NEXT 
BECAUSE SO MANY OF YOU, OF 
COURSE, ARE ALSO WONDERING THAT.
HE SAYS THAT WITHIN AN HOUR OR 
SO OF SPEAKING WE SHOULD BE ABLE
TO SEE SOME FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL 
GUIDELINES ON HOW THIS IS GOING 
TO HAPPEN.
THESE ARE AGREED UPON, IN 
PRINCIPLE, BY THE PROVINCES AND 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I'LL BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES, 
VASSY KAPELOS AND DAVID COCHRANE
TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO LOTS OF QUESTIONS THERE 
AROUND QUEBEC, AND I'LL JUST 
REMIND PEOPLE THAT QUEBEC LATER,
I THINK IT'S 1:30 EASTERN, IS 
GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW 
BUSINESSES MIGHT REOPEN IN THAT 
PROVINCE.
BUT YESTERDAY TALKED ABOUT PLANS
TO REOPEN SCHOOLS, A HANDFUL 
OUTSIDE OF MONTREAL, MOST 
OUTSIDE OF MONTREAL, WITHIN TWO 
WEEKS.
AND THEN EVEN WITHIN THE 
EPICENTRE, REALLY, OF THE 
COUNTRY BY MAY 19.
AND I THOUGHT THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S COMMENTS IN TERMS OF 
WHAT HE SAID, AND EVEN WHAT HE 
DIDN'T SAY, WERE PRETTY 
REVEALING THERE AROUND HIS 
THOUGHTS ON THAT.
I'LL GET BOTH OF YOU TO WEIGH IN
ON THAT, VASSY.
>> Vassy: SURE.
WELL, THE PRIME MINISTER 
BASICALLY SAID -- HE WAS ASKED 
ACTUALLY BY OUR COLLEAGUE, TOM 
PERRY, TO REFLECT ON THE 
DECISION BOTH AS A PARENT AND AS
A FORMER TEACHER, AND HE SORT OF
DID SO IN SAYING THAT, WELL, I'M
GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR THOSE 
TWO WEEKS TO PASS AND THEN 
BETTER ASSESS WHERE IS THE CASE 
COUNT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT 
MEASURES ARE THE SCHOOLS PUTTING
INTO PLACE.
HOW SAFE DO PEOPLE FEEL AT THE 
TIME.
I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY THE 
EXPERIENCE OF A NUMBER OF 
PARENTS WHO ARE SORT OF SITTING 
AND WAITING TO SEE HOW IT FEELS 
IN TWO WEEKS, BUT THERE ARE ALSO
A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AS YOU HAVE 
POINTED OUT, ROSY, COMING FROM 
PARENTS, FROM TEACHERS, AND 
WHILE IT'S VOLUNTARY FOR 
PARENTS, AS DAVID POINTED OUT, 
IT'S NOT VOLUNTARY FOR TEACHERS 
AND FOR STAFF AT THE SCHOOL WHO 
ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THERE STILL 
BEING A HIGH LEVEL OF CASES IN 
QUEBEC, AND WHETHER OR NOT -- I 
GUESS QUESTIONS AROUND WHETHER 
OR NOT THE SCIENCE SUPPORTS 
REOPENING SCHOOLS.
WE KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 
INCIDENTS OF THIS VIRUS IN KIDS 
APPEARS, AND I SAY APPEARS, 
BECAUSE THE DATA IS ALWAYS 
EVOLVING, TO BE LOWER.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE ALSO, AND WE 
KNOW ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC 
TRANSMISSION, THEY ARE ALSO 
CAPABLE OF BEING CARRIERS OF IT 
AND TRANSMITTING IT BACK TO 
PARENTS, AND SO THERE IS JUST A 
HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF CONCERN 
AROUND WHY THE NEED TO GO BACK 
THIS SOON CONSIDERING OTHER 
JURISDICTIONS AREN'T DOING IT.
I WAS ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN 
THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS POSED TO
THE PRIME MINISTER WHO SAYS I 
GUESS WITHIN THE HOUR WE'RE 
GOING TO BE GETTING THOSE 
FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING
THE ECONOMY IN VARIOUS 
PROVINCES, AND IT'S JUST 
GUIDELINES.
HE KEEPS ON STRESSING IT'S NOT 
GOING TO BE IMPOSED ON ANY OF 
THE PROVINCES, BUT I AM 
INTERESTED IN WHAT THOSE 
GUIDELINES SAY AROUND TESTING 
AND AROUND WHAT A PROVINCE HAS 
TO SHOW OR WHAT METRICS IT HAS 
TO MEET IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO 
START THE BALL ROLLING ON 
SOMETHING LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, 
REOPENING SCHOOLS OR SENDING 
KIDS BACK OR REOPENING STORES.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN 
KIND OF WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL 
WILL BE IN THESE.
IT DID SEEM PRETTY GENERAL. 
I WILL OFFER THIS ONE POINT THAT
SEEMS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO
TESTING.
THE KIND OF TESTING THE PRIME 
MINISTER IS TALKING ABOUT IS 
DIAGNOSTIC TESTING.
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT 
NOW, AND YES THE CAPACITY TO DO 
SO HAS DEFINITELY RAMPD UP, BUT 
THE PARAMETERS AROUND THAT 
TESTING VARY BY PROVINCE AND 
THEY STARTED OUT PRETTY NARROW.
WHO CAN GET A TEST, THAT STARTED
OUT PRETTY NARROW AND THAT'S WHY
IT'S BEEN HARD TO ASCERTAIN THE 
FULL BREADTH OF THE DISEASE OR 
THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE HERE.
WHAT WILL OFFER US A BETTER 
PICTURE OF THAT IS WHAT IS KNOWN
AS SEROLOGICAL TESTING OR 
TESTING FOR IMMUNITY.
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN GO BACK TO 
WORK IN THIS SECTOR BECAUSE 
THEY'VE ALREADY HAD IT AND WHO 
NEEDS TO STAY SEPARATED FROM 
THEM.
THAT IS VERY CRUCIAL TO DECIDING
WHEN AND HOW SOCIETY REOPENS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT TESTING IS 
NOT VERY RELIABLE AT THIS POINT.
ALTHOUGH IT'S BEEN APPROVED IN 
THE UNITED STATES, THERE'S MANY 
STUDIES THAT SHOW IT'S NOT 
WORKING THAT WELL OR IT'S NOT 
TOTALLY ACCURATE, AND SO THE -- 
IT'S UNDERGOING A PROCESS OF 
APPROVAL HERE IN CANADA BY 
HEALTH CANADA, BUT THERE'S STILL
NO REALLY SURE TIMELINE OR 
CERTAIN TIMELINE FOR WHEN THAT 
TESTING WILL BE AVAILABLE AND 
HOW RELIABLE IT WILL BE WHEN IT 
IS, AND THAT IS KEY TO REALLY 
THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF REOPENING 
THE ECONOMY, SO KIND OF BRINGS 
UP THE WHOLE IDEA OF TIMELINE 
AGAIN. 
>> Rosemary: YEAH, AND OF COURSE
DR. TAM YESTERDAY TALKED ABOUT 
IMMUNITY.
THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS AROUND
THAT AS WELL, WHETHER YOU CAN 
ACTUALLY GET THE VIRUS TWICE OR,
YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE SHOULD RELY
ON ANY OF THIS INFORMATION 
BECAUSE IT IS A NEW VIRUS, AS 
WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
I'LL JUST SAY, DAVID, BEFORE I 
GET YOU TO WEIGH IN, THAT 
ONTARIO PUT OUT SOME FAIRLY 
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES IN ITS WHAT 
IT'S CALLING A ROAD MAP, THAT 
THE PROVINCE HAS TO BE CAPABLE 
OF MORE CONTACT TRACING, THAT 
THEY SHOULDN'T SEE ANY NEW CASES
FOR TWO TO FOUR WEEKS, THAT 
THERE MUST BE -- HE SAID THERE 
MUST BE A STEADY DECLINE, 
RATHER, IN CASES FOR TWO TO FOUR
WEEKS, THAT THEY MUST BE ABLE TO
INCREASE TESTING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE HEARD THE
SAME THINGS FROM QUEBEC.
PERHAPS WE WILL HEAR THEM THIS 
AFTERNOON, BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY
HAVE BEEN THAT PRECISE AND I 
DON'T KNOW IF THOSE MEASURES 
ONTARIO IS TALKING ABOUT THERE 
ARE GOING TO BE REFLECTED IN THE
GUIDELINES THAT THE PRIME 
MINISTER IS TALKING ABOUT.
>> David: YEAH, ONTARIO SCHOOLS,
BECAUSE THAT IS THE LIVE ISSUE 
IN QUEBEC RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE 
CLOSED UNTIL THE END OF THE 
MONTH.
I WAS LOOKING AT PRINCE EDWARD 
ISLAND, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 
SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED UNTIL AT 
LEAST MAY 11 WITH THE DECISION 
TO BE REVISITED IN TWO DAYS.
I LOOK AT PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 
EVERY DAY, NO NEW CASES.
THEY STILL HAVEN'T MADE A 
DECISION TO REOPEN SCHOOLS, SO 
YOU HAVE QUEBEC, WHICH HAS MORE 
CASES THAN ANY OTHER PROVINCE, 
WHICH HAS MORE DEATHS THAN ANY 
OTHER PROVINCE.
NOW ADMITTEDLY THESE ARE LARGELY
IN LONG-TERM CARE HOMES, WHICH 
HAS BECOME THE NIGHTMARE IN THIS
COUNTRY, AND WHETHER THE BULK OF
THE DEATHS HAVE HAPPENED.
THESE ARE NOT HAPPENING WITH 
SCHOOL-AGE KIDS, BUT GOING BACK 
TO VASSY'S POINT, THERE'S STILL 
A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AS OF THE 
ABILITY OF CHILDREN TO BE 
CARRIERS AND TRANSMITTERS OF 
THIS DISORDER, AND I DO LOOK AT 
THE TEACHER ISSUE.
THE LABOUR MINISTER SAID VERY 
EARLY IN THIS THAT AT THE 
FEDERAL LEVEL THEY WOULD MAKE 
SURE THAT WORKERS HAD THE RIGHT 
TO REFUSE TO GO TO WORK IF THEY 
FELT THEIR WORKPLACE WAS NOT SO 
SAFE BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS 
HAPPENED IN THIS WHOLE THING.
I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE 
JURISDICTION OVER THAT IN 
QUEBEC.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE PROVINCIAL
LABOUR MINISTRIES, BUT I'D BE 
CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW THE TEACHERS
UNIONS THERE FEEL ABOUT THIS AND
THE SUPPORT STAFF UNIONS FEEL 
ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, LIKE THE PRIME MINISTER 
TALKED ABOUT, YOU COULD HAVE 
 
DESKS SEPARATED.
THAT'S FINE IN THE OLDER GRADES.
KINDERGARTEN IS PLAY-BASED 
LEARNING SO THERE AREN'T DESKS 
AND EVERYONE CONGREGATES 
TOGETHER AND SHARES LUNCH AND 
SNEEZES OVER EACH OTHER.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS IN THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS A REMARKABLE 
EXPERIMENT BY FRANÇOIS LEGAULT 
HERE TO MAKE THIS CHOICE, AND IF
YOU GO BACK TO THE ONTARIO 
EXAMPLE ON BUSINESSES REOPENING,
NEVER MIND SCHOOLS REOPENING, 
EVERYTHING -- EVERY STEP ALONG 
THE WAY CALLS FOR TWO TO FOUR 
WEEKS OF SUSTAINED DECREASES IN 
THE NUMBER OF CASES AND -- THERE
ARE VERY SPECIFIC SORT OF 
BENCHMARKS ON IMPROVEMENT IN 
SOCIETAL TRANSMISSION AND IN THE
HEALTH SYSTEM CAPACITY.
AND STEPHEN LECCE HAS SAID NO 
SCHOOLS UNTIL AT LEAST JUNE, SO 
QUEBEC IS VERY MUCH THE OUTLIER 
HERE WITH THE REST OF THE 
COUNTRY.
A LOT OF THE PROVINCES HAVE SAID
WE'RE CLOSED FOR THE REST OF THE
YEAR.
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR AND 
ALBERTA HAS DONE THAT.
JASON KENNEY SAID THERE'S A LOT 
OF EVIDENCE THAT SAYS SCHOOLS 
NEED TO BE CLOSED FOR 10 TO 12 
WEEKS BEFORE YOU COULD SEE A 
MEASURABLE IMPACT IN COMMUNITY 
TRANSMISSION.
SO I THINK WE ALL HOPE THE 
NUMBERS TREND IN THE DIRECTION 
THAT ALLOWS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN 
ON MAY 11, BUT IT WOULD BE 
INTERESTING TO HEAR MORE FROM 
THE PREMIER OF QUEBEC ON THIS 
TODAY.
>> Rosemary: A COUPLE OF POINTS.
AS YOU RIGHTLY POINT OUT, THE 
MAJORITY OF CASES AND DEATHS IN 
THAT PROVINCE ARE IN LONG-TERM 
CARE CENTRES.
YESTERDAY IT WAS 75 OF THE 84 
DEATHS REGISTERED WITHIN THE 
PAST 24 HOURS WERE ALL IN 
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRES.
AS YOU'VE BOTH POINTED OUT, 
CHILDREN CAN STILL BE VECTORS 
FOR THE VIRUS.
SO YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE PRIME 
MINISTER LAID OUT I THOUGHT IN A
PRETTY INTERESTING WAY WHAT HE 
WOULD BE LOOKING FOR AS A 
PARENT, SPACED APART DESKS AND 
THAT KIND OF THING.
IN DENMARK, FOR INSTANCE, ONLY 
TWO KIDS OUT FOR RECESS AT A 
TIME.
I'M NOT SURE HOW FEASIBLE THAT 
IS WHEN THE KIDS ARE LITTLE.
BUT I ALSO WOULD POINT OUT THE 
PRIME MINISTER SAID THERE'S A 
COUPLE WEEKS YET, AND PERHAPS --
PERHAPS THEY ARE HOPING NOT ONLY
THAT THE DATA CHANGES AND 
SUPPORTS THIS DECISION BUT 
PERHAPS THEY ARE ALSO HOPING 
THAT THE DECISION ITSELF 
CHANGES, GIVEN THAT FRANÇOIS 
LEGAULT LAST WEEK WAS TALKING 
PRETTY OPENLY ABOUT THE NOTION 
OF HERD IMMUNITY, AND THAT HAS 
VERY MUCH CHANGED.
HIS LANGUAGE AROUND THAT HAS 
CHANGED AFTER IT WAS SUGGESTED 
TO HIM BY OTHERS THAT THAT 
WASN'T SOMETHING TO BE BASING 
DECISIONS ON.
I'LL COME BACK TO BOTH OF YOU AS
WE WAIT FOR THIS FEDERAL 
BRIEFING FROM PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS ON NEW MODELLING.
WE DID, OF COURSE, GET OUR FIRST
VIEW OF THE NATIONAL PICTURE, 
ABOUT 19 DAYS AGO, AND THEY ARE 
GOING TO UPDATE THOSE NUMBERS 
FOR US TODAY.
BUT LET ME BRING IN THE CBC NEWS
MONTREAL HOST DEBRA ARBEK.
SHE IS IN MONTREAL AND CAN SPEAK
TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN SPECULATING 
ABOUT HERE.
DEBRA, LOTS OF QUESTIONS TO THE 
PRIME MINISTER AROUND THIS 
DECISION BY QUEBEC, AND WE ARE 
EXPECTING MORE DETAILS FROM THE 
PREMIER ABOUT BUSINESSES TODAY, 
AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME 
MORE DATES AND A SENSE OF HOW 
THIS WILL WORK.
>> YEAH, THERE'S A TON OF 
PRESSURE TO GET THE ECONOMY 
ROLLING AGAIN HERE IN QUEBEC, 
BUT WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS YOU 
CAN EXPECT A SLOW, PRUDENT 
APPROACH, AND A GRADUAL 
REOPENING, MUCH IN LINE WITH THE
PLAN ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY TO 
GRADUALLY REOPEN SCHOOLS IN THIS
PROVINCE.
THAT'S HAPPENING IN PHASES.
YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT IT 
JUST MOMENTS AGO, STARTING 
OUTSIDE MONTREAL, MAY 11, AND 
THEN ON THE ISLAND OF MONTREAL A
WEEK LATER, PROVIDED EVERYTHING 
GOES WELL AND WE DON'T SEE 
FURTHER OUTBREAKS.
WE CAN ONLY EXPECT A SIMILAR 
PLAN FOR THE REOPENING OF 
BUSINESSES, SO WE'RE HEARING THE
PROVINCE LOOKED AT HOW OTHER 
PROVINCES AND EVEN HOW OTHER 
COUNTRIES ARE GOING TO REOPEN 
THEIR ECONOMIES FOR INSPIRATION,
THEN CHERRY PICKED WHAT THEY 
THOUGHT COULD WORK HERE.
THE GREATER MONTREAL AREA STILL,
AS YOU MENTIONED, CONSIDERED A 
HOT ZONE WHERE MOST OF THE 
COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS HAVE 
BEEN CONCENTRATED.
IT'S LIKELY, LIKE SCHOOLS, 
BUSINESSES WILL REOPEN LATER IN 
MONTREAL AS WELL.
SO FIRST IN THE REGIONS AND THEN
EVENTUALLY HERE ON THE ISLAND.
MUCH LIKE IN THE SCHOOLS, SOCIAL
DISTANCING WILL HAVE TO BE 
MAINTAINED, SO THEY ARE GOING TO
PROBABLY BE INDUSTRIES LIKE 
CONSTRUCTION THAT OPENS FIRST, 
WHERE THEY HAVE STRICT PROTOCOLS
ALREADY IN PLACE FOR SAFETY AND 
THEY CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF 
WORKERS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES 
TOO.
CONSTRUCTION SITES WOULD HAVE TO
HAVE WATER, SOAP FOR WORKERS SO 
THEY CAN WASH THEIR HANDS, FOR 
EXAMPLE.
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, BY THE
WAY, STARTED UP AGAIN LAST WEEK,
AND THEIR UNION TELLS US TODAY 
THAT SO FAR THINGS ARE ACTUALLY 
GOING VERY WELL, EVEN BETTER 
THAN IT WAS GOING BEFORE 
COVID-19 BROKE OUT HERE.
AS FOR STORES, WELL, THEY ARE 
LIKELY GOING TO BEGIN OPENING UP
AS WELL, BUT ONLY THOSE WITH 
OUTSIDE ACCESS, SO NOT 
NECESSARILY MALLS IN THE 
REGIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE FROM 
QUEBEC'S ECONOMY MINISTER, PIER 
FITSGIBBON.
HE'LL JOIN THE PREMIER FOR HIS 
DAILY BRIEFING AT 1:00 TODAY.
THEY'LL LAY OUT THE PLANS THEN. 
>> Rosemary: OKAY, AND DEBRA, 
WHAT IS THE REACTION, I MEAN 
BROADLY, OF COURSE, ABOUT THE 
SCHOOL REOPENING?
BECAUSE IT IS -- QUEBEC DOES 
SEEM TO BE AN OUTLIER IN TERMS 
OF ITS APPROACH TO OPENING 
SCHOOLS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE 
RAISING THEIR EYEBROWS IN THE 
REST OF THE COUNTRY.
HOW ARE PEOPLE FEELING IN QUEBEC
ABOUT IT?
>> YEAH, MANY ARE RAISING THEIR 
EYEBROWS HERE TOO, BUT THERE ARE
MANY PARENTS WHO SAY, LOOK, IT'S
BEEN SIX WEEKS.
IT'S TIME TO GET BACK TO CLASS.
THIS IS ALL VOLUNTARY, SO THEY 
DON'T HAVE TO DO IT.
ANY CHILD WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS
OR FAMILY MEMBERS WITH A CHRONIC
ILLNESS SHOULD NOT SEND THEIR 
KIDS BACK.
THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS 
SAYING.
OBVIOUSLY ALL PARENTS WORRY 
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR 
CHILDREN, BUT SOME PARENTS SAY 
THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN 
BALANCING WORK AT HOME WITH THE 
KIDS.
THEY ARE BORED.
THEY MISS THEIR KIDS.
THEY NEED STRUCTURE AGAIN, AND 
THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE 
GOVERNMENT'S SAFETY PLANS, 
MAINLY THAT CLASSES, THE SIZES 
WILL HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO 15 
STUDENTS, AND KIDS WILL HAVE TO 
STAY TWO METRES APART, EVEN IN 
CLASSROOMS.
THEIR PARENTS ARE SAYING, 
THOUGH, THEY ARE WORRIED AND 
THEY ARE WONDERING WHY THE 
PROVINCE IS PUTTING KIDS THROUGH
THIS KIND OF THING AT THIS POINT
BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A MONTH AND
A HALF LEFT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR, 
ESPECIALLY ON THE ISLAND OF 
MONTREAL WHERE ALL OF THE 
DEATHS -- MOST OF THE DEATHS 
HAVE BEEN -- OR MANY OF THE 
DEATHS, I SHOULD SAY, HAVE BEEN 
CONCENTRATED.
THEY ALSO SAY IT'S NEARLY 
IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN SAFE 
SOCIAL DISTANCING WITH 5 TO 
12-YEAR-OLDS, AND TEACHERS 
UNIONS ARE ALSO CONCERNED.
YOU GUYS WERE TOUCHING ON THIS 
EARLIER.
THERE'S LESS RISK, OF COURSE, TO
CHILDREN WHO COME DOWN WITH 
COVID-19, BUT OLDER TEACHERS, 
THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT 
STORY.
THEY WORRY ABOUT THE HEALTH OF 
THOSE OLDER TEACHERS, AND ADDED 
PROBLEM TO ALL OF THAT IS IF 
THEY GET SICK, THEY STAY HOME.
SCHOOLS COULD END UP WITH A 
TEACHER SHORTAGE.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE BEING
WEIGHED AS, YOU KNOW, WE GET 
READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND 
BACK TO WORK.
>> Rosemary: AND S GEPS AND HIGH
SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES, OF 
COURSE, IN THAT PROVINCE NOT 
GOING TO REOPEN UNTIL THE FALL.
ALSO ANOTHER INTERESTING 
DECISION.
WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER AT 1:30 EASTERN, IF I'M
NOT MISTAKEN.
DEBRA, APPRECIATE YOU WEIGHING 
IN.
>> NO PROBLEM.
>> Rosemary: WE ARE STANDING BY 
TO BRING YOU THE LATEST DATA 
FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
THAT WILL HAPPEN HERE AT NOON, 
AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR.
ALSO AT NOON, PARLIAMENT WILL 
RECONVENE IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT.
EVERYONE IS INVITED, OF THE 338 
MPs.
ALL OF THEM MAKE UP THIS SPECIAL
COVID COMMITTEE, BUT NOT ALL OF 
THEM WILL BE THERE BECAUSE IT IS
BEING DONE BY ZOOM, AND WE ALL 
KNOW HOW CHALLENGING THAT CAN 
BE.
SO WE'LL SEE HOW THIS FIRST 
ROUND GOES HERE TODAY AT NOON, 
12:45 IS WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER
IS EXPECTED TO APPEAR.
THERE WILL BE AN IN-PERSON 
SITTING TOMORROW, AND ANOTHER 
VIRTUAL ONE ON THURSDAY.
I'LL BRING BACK MY COLLEAGUES, 
VASSY AND DAVID, AS WE WAIT FOR 
THE FEDERAL BRIEFING TO START.
MAYBE WE CAN JUST SORT OF GIVE A
PICTURE OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT 
BASED ON WHAT WE SAW 19 DAYS AGO
ON THAT MODELLING.
I'VE ONLY GOT ABOUT TWO MINUTES,
SO I'LL GET BOTH OF YOU TO BE 
BRIEF, BUT WHAT YOU WOULD BE 
LOOKING FOR BASED ON WHAT WE 
HAVE ALREADY SEEN.
>> Vassy: SO I'LL JUST QUICKLY 
JUMP IN, ROSY, AND SAY THAT IT 
SOUNDED LIKE FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S PREVIEW THAT IT WILL 
BE AN IMPROVED PICTURE FROM WHAT
WE SAW 19 DAYS AGO IN WHICH THEY
PRESENTED US WITH TWO BASIC 
SCENARIOS IN WHICH 2.5% OF THE 
POPULATION VERSUS 5% OF THE 
POPULATION GETS INFECTED, THE 
DEATH RANGE AT THAT POINT DUE TO
THE VIRUS WAS BETWEEN 11,000 AND
22,000.
ALTHOUGH EARLIER THIS MONTH IT 
LOOKED LIKE THE MODELLING WAS 
ALMOST UNDER-ASSUMING WHAT THE 
DEATHS WOULD BE, THAT IT WAS 
GROWING FASTER.
IT LOOKS LIKE DEPENDING ON THE 
PROVINCE THAT YOU'RE IN, THE 
CURVE HAS FLATTENED AND THE 
PRIME MINISTER EVEN SPECIFICALLY
ALLUDED TO THAT.
SO I'M LOOKING TO SEE OVERALL 
BIG PICTURE WHERE ARE WE ON THAT
CURVE.
AND I KNOW AGAIN IT'S SORT OF 
REGION DEPENDENT, BUT I THINK WE
ARE ANXIOUS TO GET A SENSE OF 
HAVE THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN 
DOING, ARE THE THINGS THAT WE 
ARE DOING, THE LIMITS WE'RE 
PLACING ON OUR LIVES, HAVE THEY 
HAD A SALIENT EFFECT ON THE 
PROGRESSION OF THIS VIRUS, AND 
IT SOUNDS LIKE AT LEAST THERE IS
SOME EVIDENCE THAT IT HAS.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
30 SECONDS FOR YOU, DAVID.
SAME POINT.
>> David: ROSY, I'M GOING TO BE 
LOOKING FOR HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT 
AND PROGRESS.
I KNOW HE SAID EARLIER THE 
NATIONAL MODEL IS LESS IMPORTANT
THAN THE VARIOUS PROVINCIAL 
MODELS IN TERMS OF SEEING 
THINGS, BUT CANADIANS KIND OF 
ARE LOOKING FOR A PAT ON THE 
BACK, I THINK.
THAT WHAT THEY'VE DONE HAS BEEN 
WORKING, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO 
THAT IS IN RAW NUMBERS, AND LOOK
AT THE -- COMPARE 19 DAYS AGO TO
NOW AND TO SEE IF THIS REALLY 
HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY
THAT THEY ALL SAY.
BECAUSE THE NEW CASE NUMBERS AND
NEW DEATH NUMBERS EVERY DAY ARE 
HORRIFYING AND TRAGIC.
MAYBE THE BIG PICTURE CAN BE 
MORE POSITIVE THAN EACH OF THOSE
INDIVIDUAL CASES.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, SO WE'LL LOOK
FOR THOSE.
WE'LL LOOK FOR ALL -- WHAT YOU 
BOTH SAID THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL TALK IN A LITTLE BIT.
THANK YOU.
AS I SAID, WE ARE EXPECTING THAT
FEDERAL PICTURE TO BE PRESENTED.
IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND 
SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AGENCY ALWAYS SAYS, THAT THESE 
ARE PROJECTIONS.
IT IS NOT PRECISE, BUT IT WILL 
GIVE US A SENSE OF HOW WE ARE 
DOING AS A COUNTRY.
WE'LL LEAVE YOU NOW ON CBC.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP WATCHING, 
"CBC NEWS NETWORK", CBC.CA.
♪
♪
>>> HI, EVERYBODY, I'M ROSE MARE
AGAIN FROM OTTAWA, ROSEMARY 
BARTON.
I WANT TO TAKE YOU RIGHT TO 
OTTAWA RIGHT NOW, DR. THERESA 
TAM SPEAKING AT THIS HOUR ABOUT 
FEDERAL MODELLING, PROJECTIONS 
ON HOW THIS COUNTRY IS MANAGING 
TO FIGHT COVID-19.
LET'S LISTEN IN.
>> -- 40,000 PEOPLE FOR COVID-19
WITH ABOUT 7% OF THESE TESTING 
POSITIVE.
OVER 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
TESTED DAILY.
AS PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES 
CONTINUE TO INCREASE TESTING 
CAPACITY.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> GOOD MORNING.
LET'S START WITH THE LATEST 
FIGURES ACROSS CANADA.
TODAY THERE ARE 49,025 CASES, 
INCLUDING 2,766 DEATHS.
TO DATE, LABORATORIES THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY HAVE CARRIED OUT 
OVER 740,000 TESTS AND ABOUT 7% 
OF THESE HAVE TURNED OUT 
POSITIVE.
THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES 
CONTINUE TO INCREASE THEIR 
TESTING CAPACITY, AND OVER 
20,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GETTING 
TESTED EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST 
WEEK.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: EARLIER THIS
MONTH WE SHARED OUR FORWARD 
PROJECTIONS AND THE POTENTIAL 
IMPACTS ON THE HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM.
TODAY WE WILL PRESENT AN UPDATE 
ON OUR PREVIOUS PROJECTIONS AND 
DISCUSS THE IMPLICATIONS FOR 
MOVING FORWARD.
AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, MODELS 
ARE PLANNING TOOLS.
THEY ALLOW US TO FORECAST 
INFECTION AND ILLNESS RATES IN 
THE SHORT TERM AND TO EXPLORE 
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT 
COMBINATIONS AND TIMING OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO 
CONTROL THE EPIDEMIC.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE TWO.
EARLIER THIS MONTH WE SHARED OUR
PROJECTIONS AND THE POTENTIAL 
IMPACTS ON THE HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM.
TODAY WE WILL PRESENT AN UPDATE 
ON THE PROJECTIONS AND DISCUSS 
THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MOVING 
FORWARD.
AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE, MODELS ARE
PLANNING TOOLS.
THEY ALLOW US TO FORECAST 
INFECTION AND ILLNESS RATES IN 
THE SHORT TERM AND TO EXPLORE 
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT 
COMBINATIONS AND TIMING OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO 
CONTROL THE EPIDEMIC.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE THREE.
AS A REMINDER, OUR STRATEGY IS 
TWOFOLD, TO CONTROL THE EPIDEMIC
BY REDUCING TRANSMISSIONS 
THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES, 
PUSHING THAT BLUE CURVE DOWN.
AND TO PREPARE OUR HEALTH SYSTEM
TO MEET INCREASED DEMAND BY 
RAISING UP THE DOTTED RED LINE 
OF HEALTH CARE CAPACITY.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 3.
WE REMIND YOU THAT OUR STRATEGY 
IS TWOFOLD, TO CONTROL THE 
EPIDEMIC BY REDUCING 
TRANSMISSION THROUGH PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES, PUSHING THE 
BLUE CURVE DOWN AND SECONDLY TO 
PREPARE OUR HEALTH SYSTEM TO 
MEET INCREASED DEMAND RAISING UP
THE DOTTED RED LINE OF HEALTH 
CARE CAPACITY.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 
FOUR-IN ORDER FOR THE EPIDEMIC 
TO DIE OUT, WE NEED TO GET TO 
THE POINT WHERE EACH INFECTED 
INDIVIDUAL IS ONLY TRANSMITTING 
THE VIRUS TO LESS THAN ONE OTHER
PERSON, WHICH IS ONE OF THE 
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF ALL OF OUR
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES.
PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC 
HEALTH CONTROL MEASURES IN 
MARCH, WE ESTIMATED THAT EACH 
INFECTED PERSON PASSED THE VIRUS
ON TO AN AVERAGE OF JUST OVER 
TWO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
TODAY, STRONGER CONTROLS, 
INCLUDING PHYSICAL DISTANCING, 
INCREASED TESTING TO IDENTIFY 
AND ISOLATE CASES, AND TRACE AND
QUARANTINE CONTACTS ARE HELPING 
TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE 
INFECTED TO AN AVERAGE OF JUST 
ABOVE ONE.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE FOUR.
IN ORDER FOR THE EPIDEMIC TO DIE
OUT, WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT
WHERE EACH INFECTED INDIVIDUAL 
IS ONLY TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS 
TO LESS THAN ONE OTHER PERSON, 
WHICH IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY 
OBJECTIVES OF ALL OUR PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES.
PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC 
HEALTH CONTROL MEASURES IN 
MARCH, WE ESTIMATED THAT EACH 
INFECTED PERSON PASSED THE VIRUS
TO, ON AVERAGE, JUST OVER TWO 
ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
TODAY, STRONGER CONTROLS, 
INCLUDING PHYSICAL DISTANCING, 
INCREASED TESTING TO IDENTIFY 
AND ISOLATE CASES AND TRACE AND 
QUARANTINE CONTACTS ARE HELPING 
TO REDUCE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF 
PEOPLE.
EACH CASE INFECTS TO JUST ABOVE 
ONE.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE FIVE.
I WILL NOW PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON 
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 IN 
CANADA.
SLIDE SIX.
THE EPIDEMIOLOGIC PICTURE IN 
CANADA CONTINUES TO HIGHLIGHT 
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES.
WITH OUR TWO LARGEST PROVINCES, 
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, REPRESENTING
MORE THAN 80% OF ALL CONFIRMED 
CASES.
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALBERTA ARE
THE NEXT MOST AFFECTED 
PROVINCES, ACCOUNTING FOR 14% OF
CONFIRMED CASES.
ELSEWHERE, CASE COUNTS ARE 
LOWER, BUT ALL PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES, WITH THE EXCEPTION 
OF NUNAVUT, HAVE REPORTED CASES.
CONFIRMED CASE COUNTS ARE MORE 
THAN DOUBLED SINCE APRIL 9 
MODELLING BRIEFING.
THIS INCREASE IS LARGELY 
ATTRIBUTABLE TO INCREASES 
REPORTED IN QUEBEC, ONTARIO, 
ALBERTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND 
NOVA SCOTIA.
THE PROPORTION OF CASES WHO HAVE
DIED HAS INCREASED FROM 2.2% ON 
APRIL 9 TO 5.5% AS OF APRIL 27.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CASE 
FATALITY RATIO WILL CONTINUE TO 
CHANGE OVER TIME.
BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION, 
17% OF CASES HAVE REQUIRED 
HOSPITALIZATION, AND LESS THAN 
5% HAVE REQUIRED INTENSIVE CARE.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 5.
(NO TRANSLATION). 
DIFFERENCES WITH OUR TWO LARGEST
PROVINCES, ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, 
REPRESENTING MORE THAN 80% OF 
ALL CONFIRMED CASES.
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALBERTA ARE
THE NEXT MOST AFFECTED 
PROVINCES, ACCOUNTING FOR 14% OF
CONFIRMED CASES.
ELSEWHERE, CASE COUNTS ARE 
LOWER, BUT ALL PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES, WITH THE EXCEPTION 
OF NUNAVUT, HAVE REPORTED CASES.
CONFIRMED CASES COUNTS HAVE MORE
THAN DOUBLED SINCE THE APRIL 9 
MODELLING BRIEFING.
THIS INCREASE IS LARGELY 
ATTRIBUTABLE TO INCREASED 
REPORTED IN QUEBEC, ONTARIO, 
ALBERTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND 
NOVA SCOTIA.
THE PROPORTION OF CASES WHO HAVE
DIED HAS INCREASED FROM 2.2% ON 
APRIL 9 TO 5.5% AS OF APRIL 27.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CASE 
FATALITY RATIO WILL CONTINUE TO 
CHANGE OVER TIME.
BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION, 
17% OF CASES HAVE REQUIRED 
HOSPITALIZATION, AND LESS THAN 
5% HAVE REQUIRED INTENSIVE CARE.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE SEVEN.
BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION, 
SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE -- 
>> Rosemary: JUST WANT TO 
QUICKLY SHOW YOU WHAT ELSE IS 
HAPPENING IN OTTAWA THIS HOUR.
THIS IS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
OF COMMONS, ANTHONY RODA, 
APPEARING VIRTUALLY FOR THE 
FIRST TIME.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME 
PARLIAMENT HAS DONE THIS.
THEY ARE APPEARING IN A COVID 
COMMITTEE FORM RATHER THAN A 
TYPICAL SITTING YOU WOULD SEE 
FOR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, AND 
WE'LL LEAVE THAT UP ON YOUR 
SCREEN FOR A LITTLE BIT IN CASE 
WE CAN SEE OTHER MPs APPEARING 
OVER ZOOM.
THIS IS THE ONLY SHOT THAT WE'VE
SEEN SO FAR, BUT WE SHOULD SEE 
30 OR SO MPs DIALLING IN FROM 
WHEREVER THEY MIGHT BE ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN 
THIS FIRST VIRTUAL SITTING OF 
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
IT'S THE FIRST GO.
THEY DID DO A TEST RUN 
YESTERDAY.
WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES AND KEEP 
MONITORING IT AND BRING YOU 
LITTLE SNIPPETS THAT MAY BECOME 
INTERESTING.
AGAIN, ANTHONY RODA, SPEAKING OF
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
WE WILL GO BACK NOW TO THE 
FEDERAL BRIEFING.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, THE PRIME 
MINISTER, WILL APPEAR AT THAT 
VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE HOUSE OF 
COMMONS AT 12:45.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: ALMOST THREE
QUARTERS OF CASES OF INFORMATION
AVAILABLE REPORTED ONE OR MORE 
PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITION.
HOWEVER, NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO 
SEVERE OUTCOMES OF COVID-19.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 8.
CANADA HAS SEVERAL REGIONAL 
EPIDEMICS, AS SHOWN HERE.
MANY FACTORS, SUCH AS 
DIFFERENCES IN SUBPOPULATIONS 
AFFECTED AND LABORATORY TESTING 
CONTRIBUTE TO THESE REGIONAL 
TRENDS.
WE ARE OBSERVING SLOWED EPIDEMIC
GROWTH AND A LEVELLING OFF OF 
EPIDEMIC TRAJECTORIES ACROSS 
MOST JURISDICTIONS IN CANADA.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 8.
CANADA HAS SEVERAL REGIONAL 
EPIDEMICS AS SHOWN HERE.
MANY FACTORS, SUCH AS 
DIFFERENCES IN SUBPOPULATIONS 
AFFECTED AND LABORATORY TESTING 
CONTRIBUTE TO THESE REGIONAL 
TRENDS.
WE ARE OBSERVING SLOWED EPIDEMIC
GROWTH AND A LEVELLING OFF OF 
EPIDEMIC TRAJECTORIES ACROSS 
MOST JURISDICTIONS IN CANADA.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 9.
OUTBREAKS IN HIGH-RISK 
POPULATIONS ARE A DRIVING FORCE 
BEHIND THE REGIONAL EPIDEMICS.
IN PARTICULAR, OUTBREAKS IN 
LONG-TERM CARE AND SENIORS HOMES
ARE DRIVING EPIDEMIC GROWTH IN 
QUEBEC, ONTARIO AND NOVA SCOTIA 
CURRENTLY AND ARE RESPONSIBLE 
FOR THE MAJORITY OF ALL DEATHS 
IN CANADA.
OUTBREAKS IN OTHER CONGREGATE 
LIVING AND WORK SETTINGS ARE 
ALSO DRIVING CASE COUNTS IN SOME
PROVINCES.
THESE SETTINGS INCLUDE SHELTERS,
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND FOOD
AND AGRICULTURAL WORK SETTINGS 
WHERE CONGREGATE HOUSING FOR 
EMPLOYEES.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 9.
OUTBREAKS IN HIGH-RISK 
POPULATIONS ARE A DRIVING FORCE 
BEHIND THE REGIONAL EPIDEMICS, 
IN PARTICULAR OUTBREAKS IN 
LONG-TERM CARE AND SENIORS HOMES
ARE DRIVING EPIDEMIC GROWTH IN 
QUEBEC, ONTARIO AND NOVA SCOTIA 
CURRENTLY, AND ARE RESPONSIBLE 
FOR THE MAJORITY, THAT IS 79%, 
OF ALL DEATHS IN CANADA.
OUTBREAKS IN OTHER CONGREGATE 
LIVING AND WORK SETTINGS ARE 
ALSO DRIVING CASE COUNTS IN SOME
PROVINCES.
THESE SETTINGS INCLUDE SHELTERS,
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND FOOD
AND AGRICULTURAL WORK SETTINGS 
WITH CONGREGATE HOUSING FOR 
EMPLOYEES.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 10.
THIS SLIDE COMPARES HOW FAST THE
EPIDEMIC IS GROWING IN SEVERAL 
COUNTRIES.
FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES, COUNTRY
CURVES ARE ALIGNED AT DAY ZERO, 
THE DAY THE COUNTRY REACHED ITS 
FIRST 500 CASES.
COUNTRIES WHOSE EPIDEMICS BEGAN 
EARLIER WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS 
COMPARISON.
CANADA'S EPIDEMIC, THE RED 
CURVE, IS AT A SOMEWHAT EARLIER 
STAGE, HENCE THE CANADA LINE IS 
SHORTER.
CANADA'S EPIDEMIC SLOPE IS 
BENDING AS THE RATE OF GROWTH 
SLOWS DOWN IN RESPONSE TO OUR 
COLLECTIVE CONTROL EFFORTS.
CANADA'S TOTAL CASE COUNTS 
CONTINUE TO INCREASE MORE SLOWLY
THAN MOST COUNTRIES.
LAST TIME I PRESENTED THIS GRAPH
TO YOU, CANADA'S CONFIRMED CASE 
COUNT WAS DOUBLING EVERY THREE 
TO FIVE DAYS.
AT THIS TIME, THE DOUBLING -- 
THE NUMBER OF CASES IS DOUBLING 
AT A RATE OF EVERY 16 DAYS.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 10.
THIS SLIDE COMPARES HOW FAST THE
EPIDEMIC IS GROWING IN SEVERAL 
COUNTRIES.
FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES, COUNTRY
CURVES ARE ALIGNED AT DAY ZERO, 
THE DAY THE COUNTRY REACHED ITS 
FIRST 500 CASES.
COUNTRIES WHOSE EPIDEMICS BEGAN 
EARLIER WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS 
COMPARISON.
CANADA'S EPIDEMIC, THE RED 
CURVE, IS AT A SOMEWHAT EARLIER 
STAGE, HENCE THE CANADA LINE IS 
SHORTER.
CANADA'S EPIDEMIC SLOPE IS 
BENDING AS THE RATE OF GROWTH 
SLOWS DOWN IN RESPONSE TO OUR 
COLLECTIVE CONTROL EFFORTS.
CANADA'S TOTAL CASE COUNTS 
CONTINUE TO INCREASE MORE SLOWLY
THAN MOST OTHER COUNTRIES.
LAST TIME I PRESENTED THIS GRAPH
TO YOU, CANADA'S CONFIRMED CASE 
COUNT WAS DOUBLING EVERY THREE 
TO FIVE DAYS.
AT THIS TIME, THE NUMBER OF 
CASES IS DOUBLING AT EVERY 16 
DAYS.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 11.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME 
MODELLING SCENARIOS.
SLIDE 12.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE 
THAT MODELS ARE NOT CRYSTAL 
BALLS AND CANNOT PREDICT WHAT 
WILL HAPPEN.
WHAT MODELS PROVIDE IS A 
PREDICTION OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN 
UNDER VARIOUS HYPOTHETICAL 
SCENARIOS TO ALLOW US TO PREPARE
FOR A WORST-CASE SCENARIO AND TO
DRIVE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS 
TOWARDS A BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME.
NATIONALLY WE ARE USING TWO 
MODELLING APPROACHES, 
FORECASTING AND DYNAMIC MODELS.
FORECASTING MODELS USE ACTUAL 
DATA ON THE CASES BEING REPORTED
OVER TIME IN CANADA TO ESTIMATE 
FORWARD ON HOW MANY NEW CASES WE
MIGHT EXPECT IN THE COMING WEEK.
DYNAMIC MODELS DON'T USE REAL 
LIFE CASE DATA YET ARE USEFUL IN
THAT THEY PERMIT A LONGER-TERM 
VIEW BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF 
HOW THE VIRUS BEHAVES.
THIS HELPS US TO VISUALIZE 
POTENTIAL EPIDEMIC GROWTH 
SCENARIOS AND IMPACT OF CONTROL 
MEASURES THAT MITIGATE GROWTH 
OVER TIME.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 11.
MODELLING SCENARIOS.
SLIDE 12.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE 
THAT MODELS ARE NOT A CRYSTAL 
BALL AND CANNOT PREDICT WHAT 
WILL HAPPEN.
WHAT MODELS PROVIDE IS A 
PREDICTION OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN 
UNDER VARIOUS HYPOTHETICAL 
SCENARIOS TO ALLOW US TO PREPARE
FOR A WORST-CASE SCENARIO AND TO
DRIVE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS 
TOWARD A POSSIBLE BEST OUTCOME.
NATIONALLY WE ARE USING TWO 
MODELLING APPROACHES: 
FORECASTING AND DYNAMIC MODELS.
FORECASTING MODELS USE ACTUAL 
DATA ON THE CASES BEING REPORTED
OVER TIME IN CANADA TO ESTIMATE 
FORWARD ON HOW MANY NEW CASES WE
MIGHT EXPECT IN THE COMING WEEK.
REAL-LIFE CASE DATA, YET ARE 
USEFUL IN THAT THEY PERMIT A 
LONGER-TERM VIEW BASED ON OUR 
KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THE VIRUS 
BEHAVES.
THIS HELPS US TO VISUALIZE 
POTENTIAL EPIDEMIC GROWTH 
SCENARIOS AND IMPACT OF CONTROL 
MEASURES THAT MITIGATE GROWTH 
OVER TIME.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 13.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES POSSIBLE 
TRAJECTORIES GENERATED BY A 
FORECASTING MODEL THAT USES REAL
CANADIAN CASE DATA.
THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT SHOWS THE 
PREDICTED NUMBER OF COVID-19 
CASES COULD BE IN THE RANGE OF 
53,000 TO 67,000 CASES BY MAY 5.
THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT, WHICH IS
NEW, SHOWS THE PREDICTED NUMBER 
OF DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19 COULD 
BE IN THE RANGE OF 3,300 TO 
3,900 BY MAY 5.
DUE TO CHANGES IN THE 
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 IN 
CANADA, INCLUDING OUTBREAKS IN 
HIGH-RISK SETTINGS, THE INITIAL 
MODELLING PROJECTIONS ON APRIL 9
UNDER-PREDICTED THE NUMBER OF 
DEATHS.
THIS WAS BECAUSE A LOWER GENERAL
POPULATION CASE FATALITY RATIO 
WAS USED IN THE MODEL THAT WE 
HAD AT THE TIME.
BUT WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF 
OUTBREAKS OCCURRING IN LONG-TERM
CARE HOMES, THE ACTUAL CASE 
FATALITY RATES WAS HIGHER THAN 
THE MODELLING SCENARIO.
THE MODELS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED 
FOR THE HIGHER CASE FATALITY 
RATES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO 
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THESE 
FORECASTING MODELS OVER TIME 
BASED ON REAL DATA.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING THE 
TRAGIC PARADOX OF THE EPIDEMIC 
PLAYING OUT.
AS THE EPIDEMIC COMES UNDER 
CONTROL AND THE GROWTH OF CASES 
SLOWS, THE SEVERE OUTCOMES AND 
DEATHS CONTINUE TO ACCRUE AS 
COVID-19 TAKES A HEAVY TOLL 
AMONG HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE 
POPULATIONS.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 13.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES POSSIBLE 
TRAJECTORIES GENERATED BY A 
FORECASTING MODEL THAT USES REAL
CANADIAN CASE DATA.
THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT SHOWS THAT
THE PREDICTED NUMBER OF COVID-19
CASES COULD BE IN THE CHANGE OF 
53,000 TO 67,000 CASES BY MAY 5.
THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT SHOWS 
THAT THE PREDICTED NUMBER OF 
DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19 COULD BE 
IN THE RANGE OF 3,300 TO 3,900 
BY MAY 5.
DUE TO CHANGES IN THE 
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 IN 
CANADA, INCLUDING OUTBREAKS IN 
HIGH-RISK SETTINGS, THE INITIAL 
MODELLING PROJECTIONS ON APRIL 9
UNDER-PREDICTED THE NUMBER OF 
DEATHS.
THIS WAS BECAUSE A LOWER GENERAL
POPULATION CASE FATALITY RATE 
WAS USED IN THE MODEL THAT WE 
HAD AT THE TIME.
BUT, WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF 
OUTBREAKS OCCURRING IN LONG-TERM
CARE HOMES, THE ACTUAL CASE 
FATALITY RATE WAS HIGHER THAN 
THE MODELLING SCENARIO.
THE MODELS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED 
WITH THE HIGHER CASE FATALITY 
RATE AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE 
ADJUSTMENTS TO THESE FORECASTING
MODELS OVER TIME BASED ON REAL 
DATA.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING THE 
TRAGIC PARADOX OF THE EPIDEMIC 
PLAYING OUT.
AS THE EPIDEMIC COMES UNDER 
CONTROL AND THE GROWTH OF CASES 
SLOWS, THE SEVERE OUTCOMES AND 
DEATHS CONTINUE TO ACCRUE AS 
COVID-19 TAKES A HEAVY TOLL 
AMONG HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE 
POPULATIONS.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 14.
YOU ARE NOW FAMILIAR WITH THIS 
GRAPH AND CONCEPT SHOWING THE 
POTENTIAL IMPACT OF OUR PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES ON THE SIZE AND 
DURATION OF THE EPIDEMIC WAVE.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE THREE
POSSIBLE SCENARIOS WE USE FOR 
PLANNING.
THE RED CURVE WITH THE SHARP 
HIGH PEAK REPRESENTS THE NO 
CONTROL OR WORST-CASE SCENARIO 
WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE 
POPULATION COULD BE INFECTED 
OVER RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF 
TIME.
THE BLUE LINE CURVE SHOWS A 
SCENARIO WHERE WEAKER EPIDEMIC 
CONTROLS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED 
TO DELAY AND REDUCE THE HEIGHT 
OF THE PEAK.
THE GREEN SMALLER CURVE 
REPRESENTS A BEST-CASE SCENARIO 
IN WHICH WE IMPLEMENT STRONG 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO REACH 
OUR OBJECTIVE OF EPIDEMIC 
CONTROL.
THIS IS THE SCENARIO WE ARE 
CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS, WHERE
EACH INFECTED PERSON ONLY 
TRANSMITS TO LESS THAN ONE OTHER
PERSON.
TO STAY ON THIS GREEN BEST-CASE 
SCENARIO CURVE WE MUST ACHIEVE 
AND MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING WHILE ALSO 
MAINTAINING A HIGH RATE OF CASE 
DETECTION AND ISOLATION AND 
CONTACT TRACING AND QUARANTINE.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 14.
YOU ARE NOW FAMILIAR WITH THIS 
GRAPH AND CONCEPT SHOWING THE 
POTENTIAL IMPACT OF OUR PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES ON THE SIZE AND 
DURATION OF THE EPIDEMIC WAVE.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE THREE
POSSIBLE SCENARIOS WE USED FOR 
PLANNING.
THE RED CURVE WITH THE SHARP 
HIGH PEAK REPRESENTS THE NO 
CONTROLS OR WORST-CASE SCENARIO 
WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE 
POPULATION COULD BE INFECTED 
OVER A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD 
OF TIME.
THE BLUE LINE CURVE ILLUSTRATES 
A SCENARIO WHERE WEAKER EPIDEMIC
CONTROLS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED 
TO DELAY AND REDUCE THE HEIGHT 
OF THE PEAK.
THE GREEN, SMALLER CURVE, 
REPRESENTS A BEST-CASE SCENARIO 
IN WHICH WE IMPLEMENT STRONG 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO REACH 
OUR OBJECTIVES OF EPIDEMIC 
CONTROLS.
THIS IS THE SCENARIO WE ARE 
CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS, WHERE
EACH PERSON INFECTED ONLY 
TRANSMITS TO LESS THAN ONE OTHER
PERSON.
TO STAY ON THIS GREEN BEST-CASE 
SCENARIO CURVE, WE MUST ACHIEVE 
AND MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING WHILE ALSO 
MAINTAINING A HIGH RATE OF CASE 
DETECTION AND ISOLATION AND 
CONTACT TRACING AND QUARANTINE.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 15.
ALL JURISDICTIONS ARE WORKING 
TOWARDS EPIDEMIC CONTROL.
HOWEVER, IT IS CRITICAL TO 
REMEMBER THAT ONCE WE ARE ON THE
DOWNSIDE OF THE SLOPE, WE MUST 
ABSOLUTELY REMAIN VIGILANT AND 
CONTINUE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES.
BY ACHIEVING EPIDEMIC CONTROL, 
WE EXPECT THAT ONLY A SMALL 
PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION 
WILL BE IMMUNE.
SO UNTIL THE POPULATION HAS 
DEVELOPED A HIGH LEVEL OF 
IMMUNITY TO THE VIRUS OR WE HAVE
A VACCINE IN PLACE, WE HAVE TO 
PLAN TO LIVE WITH A MANAGEABLE 
LEVEL OF COVID-19 ACTIVITY.
THEREFORE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT 
SOME PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES WILL
NEED TO REMAIN IN PLACE TO 
PREVENT THE SPARKING AND GROWTH 
OF FUTURE EPIDEMIC WAVES.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: (NO 
TRANSLATION). 
WE EXPECT THAT ONLY A SMALL 
PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION 
WILL BE IMMUNE.
SO UNTIL THE POPULATION HAS 
DEVELOPED A HIGH LEVEL OF 
IMMUNITY TO THE VIRUS, OR WE 
HAVE A VACCINE IN PLACE, WE HAVE
TO PLAN TO LIVE WITH A 
MANAGEABLE LEVEL OF COVID-19 
ACTIVITY.
THEREFORE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT 
SOME PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES WILL
NEED TO REMAIN IN PLACE TO 
PREVENT THE SPARKING AND GROWTH 
OF FUTURE EPIDEMIC WAVES.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SLIDE 16.
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE 
SITUATION CLOSELY AND WILL 
EVALUATE, LEARN AND ADAPT AS WE 
GO.
WE ARE MAKING CLEAR PROGRESS TO 
SLOW THE SPREAD AND BRING THE 
EPIDEMIC UNDER CONTROL, THANKS 
TO THE COMMITMENT OF CANADIANS 
WHO ARE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH 
ADVICE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND
OTHERS.
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 IS 
NOT THE SAME IN ALL PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY, SO WHEN AND HOW CONTROL
MEASURES ARE READJUSTED AND ARE 
RELAXED WILL NEED TO BE DECIDED 
BASED ON THE LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 
SITUATION.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT 
WE MAINTAIN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES, INCLUDING PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING, UNTIL WE HAVE 
ACHIEVED EPIDEMIC CONTROL FOR 
THE FIRST WAVE.
RELAXING CONTROLS TOO QUICKLY 
WILL SQUANDER OUR COLLECTIVE 
EFFORTS TO DATE AND PUT US AT 
RISK OF FUTURE EPIDEMIC WAVES.
THANK YOU.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: SLIDE 16, 
SUMMARY.
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE 
SITUATION CLOSELY AND WILL 
EVALUATE, LEARN AND ADAPT AS WE 
GO.
WE ARE MAKING CLEAR PROGRESS TO 
SLOW THE SPREAD AND BRING THE 
EPIDEMIC UNDER CONTROL THANKS TO
THE COMMITMENT OF CANADIANS WHO 
ARE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH 
ADVICE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND
OTHERS.
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 IS 
NOT THE SAME IN ALL PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY.
SO WHEN AND HOW CONTROL MEASURES
ARE READJUSTED OR RELAXED WILL 
NEED TO BE DECIDED BASED ON THE 
LOCAL EPIDEMIC SITUATION.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT 
WE MAINTAIN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES, INCLUDING PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING, UNTIL WE HAVE 
ACHIEVED EPIDEMIC CONTROLS WITH 
THE FIRST WAVE.
RELAXING CONTROLS TOO QUICKLY 
COULD SQUANDER OUR COLLECTIVE 
EFFORTS TO DATE AND PUT US AT 
RISK OF FUTURE EPIDEMIC WAVES.
THANK YOU.
[ End of Translation ].
>> THANK YOU, DOCTORS.
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE LINE AND 
THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS.
AS USUAL, WE WILL START WITH 
THREE QUESTIONS FROM THE PHONE 
AND THEN THREE QUESTIONS FROM 
THE ROOM.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
YOU CAN PUT YOUR QUESTIONS IN 
EITHER OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.
[ End of Translation ].
ONE QUESTION AND ONE FOLLOW-UP.
FOR THOSE IN THE ROOM, WE ASK 
THAT YOU MAKE YOUR WAY OVER TO 
THE FREE STANDING MICS.
OPERATOR ERIC, OVER TO YOU.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE 
PRESS STAR 1 ON YOUR TELEPHONE 
KEY PAD.
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE 
PRESS STAR ON YOUR TOUCH TOEN 
KEYBOARD [ End of Translation ].
THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM . . .
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR). 
YOU HAVE THE MIC. 
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
I SEE IN THE ANNEXES THAT 
NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN THE 
LONG-TERM FORECAST AND THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF DEATHS AND THE TOTAL 
NUMBER OF CASES.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT WASN'T 
ADJUSTED IN THE SAME WAY THAT 
YOU ADJUSTED YOUR SHORT-TERM 
PREDICTIONS UNTIL MAY 5?
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: THIS IS 
DR. NJOO.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
ANSWER.
THE FIVE ARE STILL IN FORCE 
BECAUSE IN THE LAST SLIDE WE 
EVALUATED THE POSSIBILITIES IF 
THE INFECTION REACHED 1%, 2%, 
ET CETERA.
THAT HASN'T CHANGED BECAUSE WE 
CONTINUE WITH OUR BEST EFFORTS 
TO HAVE THE LOWEST INFECTION 
RATE POSSIBLE.
BUT IN THE SHORT TERM, GIVEN THE
DATA AND THE CASES WE HAVE 
ALREADY, WE CAN DO A SHORT-TERM 
PROJECTION, BUT LONG-TERM 
PROJECTIONS, THIS REMAINS IN 
PLACE.
>> Reporter: OKAY.
AM I TO UNDERSTAND, THEN, THAT 
RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN -- AT A 
MINIMUM, WE'RE AT THE 2.5% 
SCENARIO, 2.5% IS INFECTED?
AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS YOU 
SAID THAT IN THE FUTURE A PERSON
COULD INFECT AT MOST ONE PERSON.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN EXACTLY, 1.1, 
ONE THAT INFECTS 2 POINT 
SOMETHING COMPARED TO ONE WHO 
INFECTS 1 POINT SOMETHING?
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: YES, I THINK
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 
SLIDE ON PAGE 20, HERE IN CANADA
RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE GREEN 
ZONE.
WE CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT 
FIGURE ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF 
THE POPULATION THAT'S INFECTED 
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE 
AT THE END OF THE FIRST WAVE, 
AND PERHAPS FOR THE TOTAL 
EPIDEMIC IT'S DIFFERENT.
>> Reporter: BUT WE KNOW IT WILL
BE 1% BECAUSE IT'S 4,000 PEOPLE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 3,800.
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: YES.
BUT THIS IS ALWAYS EVOLVING.
WE CAN'T ALWAYS REACH 
CONCLUSIONS AFTER THE FIRST WAVE
IN TOTAL BECAUSE IT DEPENDS WHAT
WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW 
WAVES.
BUT CONCERNING YOUR QUESTION 
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT 
AN INFECTED PERSON CAN INFECT IN
TURN, AT THE BEGINNING, YES, IT 
WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO 
PEOPLE, TWO POINT SOMETHING.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BE MORE 
PRECISE.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S SLIGHTLY MORE 
THAN ONE PERSON.
THAT'S NOT GREAT, BUT IT'S 
BETTER.
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE ONE 
PERSON INFECTING LESS THAN ONE 
OTHER PERSON.
THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN FINALLY 
STOP THESE OUTBREAKS HERE IN 
CANADA.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Operator: THE NEXT QUESTION 
IS FROM LAURA OSMOND OF THE 
CANADIAN PRESS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CASE
FATALITY COUNT IN THE LONG-TERM 
DYNAMIC SCENARIOS.
SHOULD THOSE BE ADJUSTED LONG 
TERM?
CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE DEATHS
EVEN IN THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO 
BASED ON THE NEW CASE FATALITY 
RATE?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SO I THINK 
DR. NJOO SAID IN FRENCH, 
ACTUALLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
FINAL OUTCOME IS YET.
WE ARE STILL ON THAT FIRST WAVE,
AND THESE PROJECTIONS ARE 
ACTUALLY FOR ESSENTIALLY OVER 
THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC 
ITSELF.
UNTIL THE EPIDEMIC IS OVER, YOU 
ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW THE TRUE 
CASE FATALITY RATE AS SORT OF 
THE DENOMINATOR AND THE 
NUMERATOR CHANGES OVER TIME.
SO THESE ARE KIND OF DYNAMIC, 
UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY GET TO THE 
BOTTOM OF THE EPIDEMIC, YOU 
ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW.
SO RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE, WE 
THINK WE'RE IN THAT GREEN ZONE.
AS YOU JUST LOOKED AT THE 
DEATHS, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT TO 
THE FINAL OUTCOME, SO THAT'S WHY
I THINK DR. NJOO HAS JUST SAID 
THAT ALSO IN FRENCH AS WELL.
BUT THAT GREEN RANGE IS EXACTLY 
WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR, AND WE 
BELIEVE THAT WE'RE STAYING 
WITHIN THAT ZONE.
>> THANK YOU.
DOCTOR.
A FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: CAN WE EXPECT THAT 
THE SHAPE OF THAT GREEN CURVE TO
CHANGE DRAMATICALLY OVER THE 
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AS 
PROVINCES START TO TALK ABOUT 
CAREFULLY LIFTING THEIR 
RESTRICTIONS?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SO I THINK 
THIS IS THE PROJECTION AS OF 
NOW.
BUT I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT 
ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES, FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK ALL PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES ARE TRYING VERY HARD
TO BRING ANY OUTBREAKS UNDER 
CONTROL, TO PUT IN PLACE THESE 
PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
I THINK WHEN WE SEE THE VIRUS 
GOING INTO A SUSCEPTIBLE 
POPULATION, THEN -- AND THAT 
THEY ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF 
SEVERE OUTCOMES, THEN THE CASE 
FATALITY RATIO COULD STILL 
CHANGE.
IT COULD STILL GET HIGHER.
IT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT AGAIN, THESE CURVES -- IF 
YOU SEE THAT CURVE ITSELF, THE 
GRAPH ON THE RIGHT, ON SLIDE 13,
THE FURTHER OUT YOU GO IN TERMS 
OF FROM WHEN WE DID THE 
PROJECTION, THE CURVES WIDEN 
BECAUSE THE ACTUAL UNCERTAINTY 
AND THE SPREAD AND THE RANGE 
INCREASES OVER TIME, JUST 
BECAUSE EVERY DAY OUT FROM THE 
ESTIMATES YOUR LEVEL OF 
CERTAINTY DECREASES, AND THOSE 
CURVES START SPREADING WIDER 
APART.
BUT THAT'S THE RANGE THAT WE ARE
FORECASTING AT THIS POINT IN 
TIME.
>> THANK YOU, DR. TAM.
OPERATOR?
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION . . . 
(VOICE OF TRANSLATOR) YOU HAVE 
THE FLOOR.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[ End of Translation ].
>> Reporter: I'M CIRCLING BACK 
TO THE PREVIOUS PREVIOUS 
QUESTION.
IN TERMS OF THE SLIDE, THE LAST 
SLIDE, IN TERMS OF THE PROJECTED
LONG-TERM DEATHS DEPENDING ON 
THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION
THAT WOULD BE INFECTED, I'M 
HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING
WHY THE DEATH RATE ISN'T HIGHER 
GIVEN THAT YOU JUST SAID IN THE 
BEGINNING THAT YOUR SHORT-TERM 
DEATH PREDICTION HAD TO BE 
REVIEWED BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN MORE
DEATHS IN LONG-TERM CARE 
RESIDENCES.
SO IF WE'VE ALREADY HAD A HIGHER
DEATH RATE, HOW COME THE 
LONG-TERM DEATH RATE ISN'T 
INCREASED TO TAKE THAT INTO 
ACCOUNT?
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: YES.
>> Reporter: OKAY. 
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: I THINK FOR 
THE PURPOSES OF PLANNING, I 
THINK WE ARE STAYING WITHIN THAT
ZONE, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, MODELS 
DO HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED OVER 
TIME, SO SOME OF THESE 
ASSUMPTIONS CAN BE ADJUSTED OVER
TIME, BUT I THINK FOR OUR 
PLANNING PURPOSES THESE THREE 
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS ARE STILL 
USEFUL AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I THINK WE WILL ESSENTIALLY BE 
ADJUSTING AS WE GO AS WELL, EVEN
ON THE LONGER TERM.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS 
THE NATURE OF MODELS.
BUT I THINK FOR PLANNING 
PURPOSES, RIGHT NOW WE ARE JUST 
STICKING WITH THESE THREE 
SCENARIOS.
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: MAYBE I 
WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT LAST SLIDE
AND THE SCENARIOS, THE GREEN 
ZONE, THE BLUE ZONE AND SO ON, I
THINK A LOT OF IT IS ALSO BASED 
ON THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE 
SEEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITH 
SORT OF AN OVERALL SORT OF 
PROJECTED MORTALITY RATE.
CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW AS OF THE 
MOMENT OUR DEATH RATE IS HIGHER 
BECAUSE WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
BEEN HAPPENING IN LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES, ET CETERA.
BUT IF WE OBVIOUSLY COLLECTIVELY
DO A BETTER JOB DOWN THE ROAD, 
THEN YOU MIGHT SEE THAT OVERALL,
AS THE OVERALL PANDEMIC SORT OF 
UNFOLDS, AND AT THE VERY END OF 
THE DAY WHEN, AS DR. TAM SAID, 
YOU CAN MORE ACCURATELY 
CALCULATE A CASE FATALITY RATE, 
IT MAY BE CLOSER TO WHAT MAYBE 
THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING
IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND SO ON.
SO LIKE DR. TAM AND I HAVE SAID,
MODELS ARE USEFUL AS A TOOL FOR 
PLANNING PURPOSES, BUT THEY ARE 
CERTAINLY NOT THE CRYSTAL BALL 
THAT WILL EXACTLY TELL YOU HOW 
MANY PEOPLE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, 
HOSPITALIZED OR END UP DYING AT 
THE END OF THE DAY.
>> THANK YOU, DR. NJOO.
FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: YES, THANK YOU.
IF WE GO BACK TO THE SHORT-TERM,
THEN, I UNDERSTAND THE MORE YOU 
PROGRESS THE WIDER THE 
PROJECTIONS ARE, BUT IT IS ONLY 
IN A WEEK, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE
SITUATION RIGHT NOW, THE DEATH 
RATE THAT WE ARE SEEING FOR THE 
PAST FEW DAYS OVERALL IN THE 
COUNTRY, RIGHT NOW IS YOUR CURVE
CLOSER TO THE RED CURVE OF SLIDE
13 OR ARE WE TENDING CLOSER TO 
THE GREEN CURVE?
IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT NOW, WITH 
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PAST 
FEW DAYS IN TERMS OF DEATH RATES
PER DAY, OR CASES PER DAY, ARE 
WE -- WHERE DO YOU SEE THE CURVE
GOING MOST LIKELY?
OR IS IT THE BLACK CURVE IN THE 
MIDDLE?
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: I'LL START 
OFF AND HAND IT OVER TO DR. TAM.
AS WE'VE SAID, THE REASON WE 
ONLY WANT TO GIVE, LET'S SAY, 
SHORT-TERM PROJECTIONS IS 
BECAUSE OF THAT LEVEL OF 
UNCERTAINTY THAT THE FARTHER OUT
YOU GO.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, BASED ON 
THE MODELS -- SORRY, THE 
PROJECTIONS BY OUR EXPERTS, WHAT
WE TALK ABOUT USUALLY IN 
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND MODELLING IS 
WHAT WE CALL A 95% CONFIDENCE 
INTERVAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S WHY WE 
HAVE, QUOTE, THE UPPER AND LOWER
LIMIT.
AND SO IN THE MIDDLE IT'S SORT 
OF WHERE WE THINK WE'RE TRACKING
AND WE HAVE THAT QUOTE UPPER 
LIMIT AND LOWER LIMIT IN TERMS 
OF THE CONFIDENCE LIMITS, BUT 
YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAVE TO SEE 
WHAT UNFOLDS OVER THE COMING 
DAYS.
THE OTHER POINT WE'VE MADE 
REPEATEDLY, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT
DEATHS, ET CETERA, IT'S KIND OF 
HARD TO LOOK AT PREDICTIONS 
BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE THE 
RESULT IN MANY WAYS OF 
ACTIVITIES, WHAT THE GENERAL 
POPULATION, WHAT WAS HAPPENING 
AT LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, 
SORT OF, LIKE, TWO OR THREE 
WEEKS AGO OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE BY 
THE TIME THE INCUBATION PERIOD, 
YOU KNOW, UNFOLDS AND TESTING, 
ET CETERA, AND SO ON.
OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE DO TODAY WILL 
HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHAT WE 
SEE IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL DATA 
TWO TO THREE WEEKS OUT FROM NOW.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT 
POINT TO UNDERLINE.
DR. TAM?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: MAYBE I'LL 
JUST SUGGEST THOSE WITH BETTER 
EYES THAN ME ON A TINY PIECE OF 
PAPER RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOKED 
AT TODAY'S DATE, AND WE JUST 
INDICATED THAT WE HAD 2,766 
DEATHS, IT IS TRENDING WITHIN 
THE LINE OF PREDICTION, AND SO 
IF YOU WENT ACROSS THIS GRAPH A 
COUPLE OF DAYS FROM THE LAST 
TIME WE CHECKED IN ON THE DATA, 
IT IS TRENDING AS THIS 
PARTICULAR CURVE AND WITHIN THAT
RANGE.
SO WE WILL SEE IN THE NEXT FEW 
DAYS WHAT HAPPENS.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTORS.
NOW WE WILL GO IN THE ROOM.
STEVIE?
>> Reporter: HI, THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH FOR DOING THIS TODAY.
YOU'VE SAID THAT 79% OF DEATHS 
HAVE BEEN TIED TO LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES AND THE DEATHS HAVE 
ONLY GONE UP SINCE THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT RELEASED ITS PREVIOUS
MODELLING A FEW WEEKS AGO.
WHAT DO THE NEW MODELS SHOW 
ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE THE VARIOUS 
MEASURES HAVE BEEN TO TRY TO 
CONTROL OUTBREAKS IN LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES AND SENIORS HOMES, 
AND AS WELL, HOW MANY OF THE 
OVERALL DEATHS IN TODAY'S MODELS
WILL BE TIED TO LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: AGAIN, 
WHATEVER WE DO TODAY WILL RESULT
IN THE SORT OF FINAL PICTURE 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE, AND SO 
WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD IN 
GETTING OUTBREAKS UNDER CONTROL,
NOT JUST IN THE LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER 
SETTINGS THAT ALSO LAYS OUT IN 
THAT SLIDE INCLUDING THE PERSONS
WHO HAVE -- EXPERIENCING 
HOMELESSNESS, SOME OF OUR 
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTES AND 
OTHERS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT 
RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I THINK WHAT WE DO NOW TO
GET THOSE SETTINGS PREPARED WILL
EVENTUALLY INFLUENCE THE FINAL 
PICTURE FOR SURE.
I THINK, THOUGH, IF YOU LOOKED 
AT THE VARIOUS COMPOSITE AMOUNT 
OF INFORMATION WE GAVE YOU IS 
THAT IT IS REALLY SLOWING DOWN.
YOU KNOW, THE DOUBLING OF THE 
CASES WENT FROM ABOUT THREE TO 
FIVE DAYS THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE
TO NOW CLOSER TO EVERY 16.
AND THE EPIDEMIC IS SLOWING DOWN
IN THE DIFFERENT PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES. 
BUT THE DATA THAT WE'VE 
PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL,
I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION 
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT 
EFFECTIVE REPRODUCTION NUMBER IS
AT.
WHAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU IS A 
COMPOSITE PICTURE.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE THAT IN SOME 
JURISDICTIONS THEY ACTUALLY 
HAVEN'T HAD COMMUNITY 
TRANSMISSION.
THEIRS ARE GOING TO BE UNDER 1, 
AND OTHERS ARE STILL WORKING AT 
THIS, SOME OF THE OTHER BIGGER 
PROVINCES AS THEY ARE WORKING 
REALLY HARD AT GETTING SOME OF 
THE CLUSTERS UNDER CONTROL.
I THINK IN OUR DISCUSSION WITH 
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS, WE ARE 
ALSO TRYING TO LOOK AT THE 
EPIDEMIOLOGY ITSELF, BECAUSE THE
TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS INSIDE A 
RELATIVELY CONFINED CLUSTER IS 
DIFFERENT THAN LOOKING AT 
GENERAL COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION 
AS WELL.
SO THAT KIND OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, 
PROVINCES WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
AS THEY LOOK AT WHEN AND HOW 
THEY'RE GOING TO RELAX SOME OF 
THEIR MEASURES.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: YES.
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC REPRESENT 
ABOUT 80% OF CONFIRMED CASES, 
AND GIVEN THAT IT APPEARS 
THERE'S NO LEVELLING OFF RIGHT 
NOW IN EITHER PROVINCE, DO YOU 
BELIEVE IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THE 
PREMIERS AND THOSE GOVERNMENTS 
TO BE CONSIDERING LIFTING 
RESTRICTIONS AND EVEN 
CONSIDERING OPENING SCHOOLS AND 
INDUSTRIES?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: I THINK IN 
ALL JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING 
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, THINGS ARE 
SLOWING DOWN, DESPITE THE FACT, 
OF COURSE, WE'RE STILL SEEING 
CASES AND THEY ARE ALL WORKING 
REALLY HARD.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO 
COLLECTIVELY PLAN FORWARDS, AND 
SO WITH CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS 
OF HEALTH, WE COLLABORATED ON 
LOOKING AT THE COMMON CRITERIA, 
SOME OF WHICH ARE VERY MUCH 
REFLECTED IN WHAT THE PROVINCES 
ARE -- HAVE SPOKEN TO, LIKE 
ONTARIO, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT
GETTING THE EPIDEMIC UNDER 
CONTROL, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY IN 
PLACE FOR TESTING, AS WELL AS 
CONTACT TRACING AND CASE 
ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE, AS 
WELL AS ENSURING THAT YOUR 
HEALTH CARE SURGE CAPACITY IS 
STILL THERE.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE KIND OF 
FACTORS GO INTO THE WAY THAT 
THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS AS WELL.
SO WE ARE ALSO COLLECTIVELY 
LOOKING AT WHEN THE TIME IS 
RIGHT FOR EACH JURISDICTION, 
WHAT SOME OF THOSE INITIAL 
MEASURES COULD BE IN TERMS OF 
EASING BACK SOME OF THOSE PUBLIC
HEALTH MEASURES.
AND CERTAINLY EDUCATIONAL 
SETTINGS, INCLUDING SCHOOLS, ARE
VERY MUCH PART OF THAT 
DISCUSSION, INCLUDING THE FACT 
THAT EVEN WITH LIMITED EVIDENCE,
THE GRAPH THAT WE SHOW YOU SHOW 
THAT THE YOUNGER POPULATIONS 
DON'T EXPERIENCE THE SEVERE 
ILLNESS AS MUCH AS THE -- THOSE 
PERSONS OVER THE AGE OF 60.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE 
CONSIDERATIONS I THINK IN TERMS 
OF SAFE RETURN OF KIDS TO 
SCHOOL. 
I THINK WHAT WE ARE REALLY HAPPY
TO SEE IS THAT EVERY 
JURISDICTION HAVE SAID WE REALLY
NEED TO MOVE CAUTIOUSLY.
SO YOU MAY WANT TO START WITH 
SOME SCHOOLS IN AN AREA THAT 
ISN'T REALLY IN THE HOT ZONE, 
AND THEN YOU PROGRESSIVELY 
MONITOR WHAT HAPPENS, AND THEN 
YOU GRADUALLY EASE BACK CERTAIN 
OTHER SETTINGS AS WELL.
SO I SEE THAT ALL PROVINCES ARE 
REALLY SORT OF ALIGNED WITH SOME
OF THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH CRITERIA 
AND THAT THEY ARE MOVING 
CAUTIOUSLY THROUGH THOSE PLANS.
SO I THINK PLANNING IS ACTUALLY 
IMPORTANT FOR WORK SETTINGS AS 
WELL.
I THINK CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS 
HAVE SAID HERE ARE SOME PUBLIC 
HEALTH PARAMETERS, BUT WE NEED 
DIFFERENT WORK SETTINGS AND 
SECTORS WHO KNOW THEIR OWN 
WORKPLACE REALLY WELL, TO SEE IF
THEY CAN COME UP WITH THE KIND 
OF PLANS THAT ARE NEEDED IN 
PREPARATION FOR WHEN THE TIME IS
RIGHT.
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: MAYBE I CAN 
JUST ADD TO THAT.
CERTAINLY THE AUTHORITIES IN 
EACH OF THE PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES ARE CLOSER TO THE 
GROUND THAN OBVIOUSLY WE ARE AT 
THE FEDERAL LEVEL, SO THEY HAVE 
MORE DATA TO WORK WITH, AND THEY
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN 
HAPPENING IN THEIR 
JURISDICTIONS.
SO I'LL PICK THE PROVINCE OF 
QUEBEC AS AN EXAMPLE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE TRAGEDY 
THAT'S UNFOLDING IN THEIR 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
SO CERTAINLY THE EFFORTS THERE, 
THEY ARE DOUBLING AND REDOUBLING
IT, LOOKING AT TESTING RESIDENTS
AND STAFF AND SO ON AND SO 
FORTH.
SO THAT'S A SPECIAL SITUATION. 
BUT THEN IF YOU LOOK ATS, QUOTE,
THE REST OF THE GENERAL 
POPULATION, IT'S ALSO DEPENDING 
ON THE REGION.
SO CERTAINLY MONTREAL IS A 
HOTSPOT, AND SO WHAT THEY MAY 
WISH TO DO IN MONTREAL, EVEN IN 
TERMS OF OPENING SCHOOLS AND SO 
ON, MAYBE TO A DIFFERENT 
SCHEDULE OR RHYTHM THAN THEY MAY
CONSIDER IN OTHER PARTS OF THE 
PROVINCE.
ALSO TO ADD TO WHAT DR. TAM 
SAID, ALL OF US, INCLUDING 
OBVIOUSLY OUR COUNTERPARTS IN 
QUEBEC AND THE OTHER PROVINCES, 
ARE LOOKING AT THE SCIENTIFIC 
EVIDENCE AND SEEING HOW IT'S 
EVOLVING.
IN TERMS OF THE CHILDREN, IT'S 
VERY INTERESTING.
THERE IS LIMITED DATA OUT THERE,
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT 
CAREFULLY.
AS DR. TAM SAID, IT APPEARS THAT
CHILDREN IN GENERAL HAVE MILDER 
SYMPTOMS, OBVIOUSLY COMPARED TO 
OLDER ADULTS.
ANOTHER POINT THAT'S INTERESTING
IS BASED ON SOME OF THE EVIDENCE
WE LOOKED AT, THE CHILDREN ALSO 
DON'T SEEM TO BE SORT OF MAJOR 
TRANSMITTERS, OR RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE PROPAGATION.
SO ALL THOSE TYPES OF EVIDENCE 
AND WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE
DATA IS CERTAINLY I THINK BEING 
AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE 
CONSIDERATIONS THAT ALL PUBLIC 
HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN EACH OF 
THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES 
ARE LOOKING AT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
DR. TAM AND DR. NJOO.
"TORONTO STAR"?
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING.
DR. TAM, CAN YOU HELP ME 
UNDERSTAND?
SO A LOT OF THIS LOOKS A LOT 
LIKE WHAT YOU PRESENTED APRIL 9,
AND THE ASSUMPTION IN THE GRAPH 
ON THE -- PAGE 14 SUGGESTS THAT 
YOU SEE, AGAIN, 1 TO 10% OF THE 
POPULATION INFECTED WITH STRONG 
CONTROLS, WHICH WE HAVE NOW.
AND YOU SEE IT PEAKING IN THE 
SUMMER, AND THEN PETERING OUT BY
THE FALL.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU CAN HELP
ME UNDERSTAND, FIRST OF ALL, 
WHAT'S THE NUMBER OF POPULATION?
IS THAT THE 10% WE SEE ON PAGE 
21?
THAT YOU SEE THAT UP TO 10%, 3.7
MILLION, UNDER YOUR SCENARIO 
THAT WOULD PETER OUT BY THE FALL
WOULD BE INFECTED?
I'M CURIOUS IF THAT'S THEN WHAT 
YOU'RE PROJECTING, I DON'T 
UNDERSTAND HOW YOU SEE THE 
EPIDEMIC PETERING OUT WHEN YOU 
YOURSELF HAVE CAUTIONED AGAINST 
ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HERD 
IMMUNITY BY THEN AND WE WON'T 
HAVE A VACCINE BY THEN, WE WON'T
HAVE -- YOU KNOW.
SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT 
YOU'RE SAYING THERE.
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SO THESE ARE
JUST PLANNING SCENARIOS.
>> Reporter: BUT YOU MUST HAVE 
NUMBERS, RIGHT?
YOU HAVE ACTUAL NUMBERS?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: THESE ARE 
THE TABLES THAT YOU SEE IN -- I 
THINK IN THE ANNEX, AND THE 
GREEN, THE BLUE AND THE RED 
CORRESPOND TO THOSE NUMBERS.
AND THESE -- SO THE 1 TO 10% IN 
THE GREEN BARS AT THE BACK IS 
WHAT YOU WOULD SORT OF PROJECT 
AS BEING UNDER THAT GREEN CURVE,
AND THE BLUE ONE AND THE RED 
ONE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THE ATTACK RATES THAT HAVE 
BEEN, YOU KNOW, INDICATED ON 
SLIDE 14.
THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE 
BEING DISPLAYED IN THAT TABLE.
AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY REFER TO 
THAT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE NO CONTROL, SO
I THINK THAT CAN BE PUT ASIDE.
WE ARE TRYING TO, OF COURSE, 
WORKING VERY HARD AND I THINK WE
ARE STAYING IN THAT GREEN ZONE.
THIS IS FOR THE COURSE OF THE 
PANDEMIC, AND YOU'RE RIGHT IN 
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING 
SLIDESHOWS THAT THAT EPIDEMIC 
COULD RESULT IN SORT OF -- YOU 
KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S NO -- WE 
HAVE TO DO SOME OF THE SEROLOGIC
INVESTIGATIONS TO KNOW WHAT THE 
UNDERLYING PROPORTION OF THE 
POPULATION INFECTED IS, BUT IT'S
VERY LIKELY THAT WE DON'T HAVE 
THAT HIGH LEVEL OF IMMUNITY.
SO WHEN WE DISCUSS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY WITH THE CHIEF MEDICAL 
OFFICERS THAT THAT IS THE 
ASSUMPTION THAT WE HAVE TO 
MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES, HAVE TO 
BE REALLY CAREFUL, AND WE ARE 
ACTUALLY GOING TO BE LIVING WITH
COVID-19 FOR THE NEAR FUTURE AND
MONITORING VERY CAREFULLY SO 
THAT IF THERE'S ANY UPSWING, 
THAT ANY CASES AND CONTACTS HAVE
TO BE IDENTIFIED AND MANAGED SO 
THAT YOU DON'T GET THAT UPSWING 
AGAIN.
NOW SOME OF THE MODELLING WORK 
GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THE 
DYNAMIC MODELS, THEY ARE 
BASICALLY SHOWING WHAT WILL 
HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T ACHIEVE 
EPIDEMIC CONTROL AND DIDN'T HAVE
EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES
IN PLACE, WHEN WE BEGIN TO EASE 
SOME OF THESE MEASURES, IS THAT 
WE COULD SEE A SECOND WAVE THAT 
IS EVEN BIGGER THAN THE FIRST.
SO EVERYTHING IS DEPENDENT ON 
WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE 
ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND 
MAINTAINING AND EASING THROUGH 
THINGS REALLY SLOWLY AND 
CAUTIOUSLY, WE CAN GET TO THE 
BOTTOM OF THAT INITIAL WAVE.
BUT EVEN THEN YOU HAVE TO BE 
EXTREMELY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT IS 
GOING TO HAPPEN, AND SO -- AND 
DIFFERENT SHIFTS, AND IF YOU 
DON'T DETECT THOSE CASES AND 
MANAGE THEM REALLY FAST, THAT'S 
WHERE YOU COULD POTENTIALLY GET 
THAT SECOND WAVE.
SO I THINK CONCEPTUALLY THAT'S 
WHAT SLIDE 15 IS TRYING TO SAY, 
IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO KEEP GOING 
WITH OUR MEASURES.
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: I WOULD JUST
ADD TO THAT.
CERTAINLY DR. TAM AND MYSELF, 
WE'RE NOT THINKING, AS YOU SAID,
THE EPIDEMIC OR PANDEMIC IS 
GOING TO PETER OUT IN CANADA.
WITH ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE 
EFFORTS, WE'RE FLATTENING THE 
CURVE AND WE'RE CERTAINLY 
HOPEFUL THAT WE'RE CLOSE TO IF 
NOT GETTING TOWARD THE DOWNSIDE 
OF THAT FIRST WAVE.
BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS
THAT CERTAINLY WILL BE IN PLAY 
AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
CERTAINLY THE BASIC CORE 
PRINCIPLES IN TERMS OF GOOD 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, PEOPLE 
MAINTAINING THAT, THE 
HANDWASHING, THE COUGH 
ETIQUETTE, ALL THOSE BASIC 
THINGS WILL STILL BE IN PLACE.
AND OF COURSE, AS DR. TAM HAS 
ALSO MENTIONED, EACH OF THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES, IF 
THEY ARE CONSIDERING IN TERMS OF
WHAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO IN 
TERMS OF MAYBE LOOSENING OR 
RELAXING SOME OF THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES, YOU HAVE TO 
ASSURE YOU HAVE A GOOD 
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, LABORATORY,
PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IN PLACE TO
BE ABLE TO RAPIDLY DETECT, 
ISOLATE CASES AND SO ON SO 
YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE IF THE 
MEASURES ARE NOT HAVING THE 
INTENDED EFFECT.
AND THEN AS WELL YOU HAVE TO 
MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE 
HOSPITAL CAPACITY SHOULD THERE 
BE AN UPSWING IN CASES THAT YOU 
ARE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE PATIENTS
THAT COME IN.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS IN 
PLAY THAT ALL OF THE CHIEF MOHS 
ARE LOOKING AT, AND CERTAINLY 
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS NOT 
THAT AFTER THE FIRST WAVE WHERE 
WE'RE IN THE CLEAR.
WE'RE HELPING A SECOND, THIRD, 
WHO KNOWS HOW MANY WAVES, BUT 
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A 
MANAGEABLE LEVEL IN TERMS OF, AS
YOU SAY, OPENING UP THE ECONOMY,
RELAXING MEASURES SO PEOPLE CAN 
GO OUTDOORS, BUT WITH A 
MANAGEABLE LEVEL OF I GUESS 
CERTAIN COVID-19 ACTIVITY THAT 
WILL BE PERCOLATING I GUESS IN 
THE GENERAL POPULATION.
EACH PROVINCE AND TERRITORY IS 
DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THEIR OWN 
CONTEXT, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE IN 
TERMS OF HOW IT'S BEING 
TRANSMITTED WITHIN KEY 
SUBPOPULATIONS, LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES, ET CETERA.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE 
CONSIDERATIONS THAT OBVIOUSLY 
EACH OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL 
OFFICERS OF HEALTH, AS WELL AS 
OURSELVES, AND OUR SPECIAL 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ARE 
DISCUSSING ON A DAILY BASIS.
>> Reporter: CAN YOU CONFIRM, 
THEN, BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING 
HERE, IT LOOKS A LOTLIKE WHAT 
YOU RELEASED BEFORE, SO IT'S NOT
AN ACTUAL MODEL.
YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED YOUR INDUT 
DATA OR METHODOLOGY.
THAT IS A SYNOPSIS OF MODELLING 
THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE 
BASED ON A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT 
CANADIAN AND INTERNATIONAL 
EXPERTS YOU'VE CONSULTED.
IS THAT CORRECT?
AND IF IT IS, TO WHAT EXTENT DO 
YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN YOUR 
PLANNING SCENARIOS WHEN YOU'RE 
ONLY WORKING WITH LESS THAN 60% 
IT SEEMS OF CASE DATA TO WORK 
WITH TO MAKE YOUR NUMBERS ON 
HOSPITALIZATION AND ICU.
MAYBE YOU CAN CLARIFY SOME OF 
THAT.
I STILL DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND 
WHY YOU'RE NOT RELEASING ACTUAL 
MATHEMATICAL MODELS DONE BY YOUR
AGENCY.
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: YES, SO WE 
KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO USE A 
WHOLE SUITE OF MODELS DEPENDING 
ON THE QUESTION YOU'RE TRYING TO
ANSWER.
SO I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY REALLY
GREAT THAT WE'RE CONSULTING 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH MANY 
DIFFERENT ACADEMICS AND EXPERTS.
SOME OF THE METHODS THAT WE'RE 
USING HAVE ALREADY BEEN 
PUBLISHED, OF COURSE, AND IN THE
ANNEX SLIDE YOU SEE -- 
>> Rosemary: OKAY, I ALSO WANT 
TO SHOW YOU THE OTHER THING 
THAT'S HAPPENING IN OTTAWA AT 
THIS HOUR.
AND THAT IS A SITTING OF THE 
SPECIAL COVID-19 COMMITTEE.
SO IT IS NOT THE HOUSE OF 
COMMONS SITTING, JUST TO 
CLARIFY, WITH THE HELP OF SOME 
EXPERTS ON TWITTER.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS CAN ONLY 
MEET IN PERSON, AND THAT WILL 
HAPPEN TOMORROW.
BUT THIS IS THE VIRTUAL SITTING 
OF THE COVID-19 COMMITTEE.
THERE ARE, ALTHOUGH YOU CANNOT 
TELL FROM THAT SHOT OF THE 
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, ANTHONY 
RODA ON THE RIGHT, 297 MPs WHO 
HAVE DIALLED IN VIA ZOOM TO 
PARTICIPATE IN THIS SPECIAL 
COMMITTEE AT WHICH MINISTERS ARE
TAKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
AND THEY ARE EVEN TABLING 
PETITIONS, AS YOU WOULD INSIDE A
REGULAR SITTING OF THE HOUSE OF 
COMMONS.
BUT THIS IS A COMMITTEE SITTING,
JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF MPs 
REPRESENTED, WHICH WAS ONE OF 
THE PRIMARY CONCERNS FROM 
OPPOSITION PARTIES, PARTICULARLY
THE CONSERVATIVES.
297 OF THEM AT THIS MEETING.
THE PRIME MINISTER EXPECTED TO 
APPEAR SHORTLY, IF HE'S NOT 
ALREADY THERE.
AND AGAIN, THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 
ITSELF WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW 
FOR AN IN-PERSON SITTING, AND 
THURSDAY THEY WILL TRY THIS 
VIRTUAL TACK AGAIN.
APPARENTLY THE BIGGEST ISSUE HAS
BEEN THE MUTE AND UNMUTE, AS YOU
CAN EXPECT, AS YOU PROBABLY HAVE
EXPERIENCED YOURSELF.
THAT DOES SEEM TO BE THE MOST 
CHALLENGING THING WHEN THESE 
UNFOLD VIRTUALLY.
SO ANTHONY RODA THERE, THE 
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
MANAGING THE COMMITTEE.
ON YOUR RIGHT, AND ON YOUR LEFT,
THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER,
DR. THERESA TAM, TALKING MORE 
ABOUT THE MODELLING THAT THEY 
HAVE PRESENTED TODAY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE IF THE 
SPEAKER WILL ACTUALLY THROW TO 
AN MP SO YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE 
BIT MORE WHAT THAT'S GOING TO 
LOOK LIKE.
THERE YOU GO.
AND SO THAT'S CONSERVATIVE MP, 
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHO IT 
IS, GARNETT GENUIS, I BELIEVE.
THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO PLAY 
OUT.
WE WILL MONITOR IT THROUGH THE 
COUPLE OF HOURS THAT IT WILL 
SIT.
BUT IT DOES APPEAR TO BE 
WORKING, SO THAT'S GOOD FOR 
DEMOCRACY.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE FEDERAL 
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY BRIEFING.
WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, AND 
AS SOON AS WE SEE FRANÇOIS 
LEGAULT, THE PREMIER OF QUEBEC, 
POP UP IN QUEBEC CITY, WE'LL 
BRING THAT TO YOU.
HE IS ANNOUNCING PLANS TO REOPEN
BUSINESSES IN THAT PROVINCE.
HERE'S THE DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICER NOW.
>> Dr. Howard Njoo: I THINK 
OBVIOUSLY IT'S A GOOD 
REPRESENTATION.
WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER I 
THINK REALLY WELL, AND I THINK 
IN THE FUTURE, TO BE QUITE 
HONEST, THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED
TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF HOW DATA 
IS MANAGED, HOW DATA IS 
COLLECTED, TRANSFERRED EVEN AT 
LOCAL LEVEL TO PROVINCIAL LEVEL,
AND THEN TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED
TO LOOK AT IMPROVING IN THE 
FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU, ONE LAST QUESTION.
>> Reporter: I HAVE ONE QUESTION
AND ONE FOLLOW-UP.
YOU SAY WE'RE IN THE GREEN ZONE 
RIGHT NOW.
SO PRETTY LOW CASE RATES.
YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING 
REMARKS, DOES THAT MEAN THAT LOW
INFECTION MEANS THERE'S A HIGHER
PROPORTION OF PEOPLE STILL OPEN 
FOR INFECTION LATER.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE 
MEASURES?
DOES THAT MEAN THAT UNTIL WE 
HAVE BETTER TREATMENT OR A 
VACCINE WE WILL HAVE THIS 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN PLACE AT 
A CERTAIN LEVEL?
AND IF WE WILL MAINTAIN SOME 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING UNTIL THAT 
POINT, WHAT IS THAT PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING?
>> Dr. Theresa Tam: SO THAT'S I 
THINK -- YOU GRASPED THE CONCEPT
THAT, YOU KNOW, IS LIKELY, THAT 
A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF OUR 
POPULATION IS NOT IMMUNE.
IN THE IMMUNITY TASK FORCE THAT 
WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER THIS 
WEEK, SOME OF THE SEROLOGICAL 
STUDIES ARE GOING TO TRY AND 
ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS 
IN LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE POPULATION AND THE LEVEL OF 
IMMUNITY OR THE LEVEL OF 
INFECTION EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS.
WE STILL HAVE TO STUDY THE 
IMMUNOLOGICAL EXPOSURE TO THE 
VIRUS AND HOW THEY DEVELOP 
IMMUNITY AND HOW LONG IT LASTS 
OVER TIME.
THAT'S QUITE A DYNAMIC PIECE 
THAT HASN'T ACTUALLY BEEN 
ANSWERED YET.
SO THOSE QUESTIONS WILL REMAIN, 
WHICH MEANS YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT 
WE WILL NOT GO BACK TO WHAT LIFE
WILL BE LIKE BEFORE JANUARY OF 
THIS YEAR.
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES WILL 
BE EASING THINGS VERY GRADUALLY,
BUT WE TALK ABOUT SORT OF LIVING
WITH THE VIRUS FOR A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF MONTHS AND UNTIL 
THERE'S ENOUGH LEVEL OF 
IMMUNITY.
BUT BUYING SOME TIME HAS LOTS OF
ADVANTAGES, BECAUSE I THINK 
THERE WERE MANY CLINICAL TRIALS 
ARE  WITH TREATMENTS, NOT JUST 
THE VACCINE PIECE, BUT HOPEFULLY
TO MANAGE THE OUTCOMES OF 
SERIOUS ILLNESSES AND DEATHS AS 
WELL. 
[ Please Stand By ]
AND OTHER ASPECTS OF LIFE WHERE 
THESE BASIC FUNDAMENTAL 
HYGIENIC MEASURES BE POLICIES 
AND PROTOCOLS, AS WELL AS ALL 
THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITIES 
HAVE TO BE IN PLACE.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO 
DIAL SOME OF THEM UP AGAIN IF 
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME CASES.
SO, I THINK I WOULD LOVE TO GO 
BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN 
DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
BUT, NO, WE'RE GOING TO BE 
LIVING IN HAVING DIFFERENT 
ROUTINES, DIFFERENT DAILY 
ROUTINES.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BALANCE 
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEASURES, 
STUDY THEM.
BUT ALSO BALANCING WITH ANY 
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
WE KNOW THE IMPACTS TO MENTAL 
HEALTH, TO GENDER-BASED 
VIOLENCE, TO OTHER ASPECTS OF 
SOCIETY IN THE ECONOMY SO IT IS 
A VERY DELICATE BALANCE THAT WE 
ALL HAVE TO REALLY MANAGE VERY 
WELL.
BUT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT IF 
ACCELERATE RE-OPENING, IT WOULD 
BE AS MAIVE SETBACK TO THE 
GAINS WE'VE ALREADY HAD.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING AT IT.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS 
ABSOLUTELY STILL A MARATHON, I 
THINK.
>> Reporter: AND YOU'VE TALKED 
TO US OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS 
ABOUT HOW AS YOU GET MORE DATA, 
YOU GET BETTER DATA AND A 
BETTER PROJECTION OF IT.
AND THERE ARE CHANGES IN THE 
MODELING.
YET IN THE LONG-TERM MODELING 
WE DON'T SEE ANY CHANGES TODAY.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS THE DATA 
YOU ARE MISSING TODAY THAT YOU 
NEED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE 
MODELS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM 
MORE ACCURATE OR REFLECT BETTER 
WHAT CANADA'S EXPERIENCING.
>> WELL, I THINK THESE INITIAL 
MODELS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, 
YOU HAVE TO KIND OF PLAN FOR 
THE WORST.
EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO 
GET THERE.
BUT REALLY FUNCTION SO THAT YOU 
CAN ACHIEVE THE BEST.
SO, THAT IS THE CONCEPT OF THAT 
PARTICULAR TYPE OF MODEL.
SO I THINK ALL OF THOSE PUBLIC 
HEALTH MAESHLS STILL HOLD.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY MODELERS 
RIGHT NOW WORKING 24/7 ACROSS 
THE ACADEMIC SECTOR AND ALSO 
WITHIN THE AGENCY WORKING WITH 
THEM WHO ARE LOOKING AT THESE 
DYNAMIC MODELS, FEEDING IN ALL 
SORTS OF SCENARIOS OR WHAT 
HAPPENS WHEN YOU BEGIN TO RELAX 
DIFFERENT MEASURES AS TO WHAT 
THE OUTCOMES ARE.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE QUITE 
INTERESTING TO SEE.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE THEY'RE 
ALWAYS GOING TO SAY IS WHATEVER 
WE DO, AND IF WE EASED OFF 
THINGS TOO FAST, AND WE CAN'T 
MONITOR IT, YOU MIGHT SEE A 
RESURGENCE AND SECOND WAVE 
THAT'S BIGGER THAN THAT INITIAL 
ONE.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS THE 
MESSAGE THAT THEY WILL BE 
TRYING TO CONVEY.
AS THEY'RE DOING THE MODELING.
AND IT IS A MESSAGE THAT THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH ARENA REALLY TAKE 
TO HEART.
>> Interpreter: THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S PRESS 
CONFERENCE.
>> Rosemary: OK.
THAT IS THE FEDERAL BRIEFING 
FROM PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS 
THERE, GIVING US A SENSE OF THE 
NATIONAL PROJECTIONS, MODELING 
THAT THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER 
OVER THE PAST THREE WEEK, 19 
DAYS SO SINCE THE LAST TIME WE 
GOT THIS.
THE GOOD NEWS, IF YOU ARE 
LOOKING FOR SOME AND YOU MAY 
WELL BE THESE DAYS IS THAT THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES, THE 
VERY STRICT PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES ARE, IN FACT, WORKING.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF 
WHAT DR. TAM PRESENTED TO US 
WHEN SHE LAST GAVE THIS UPDATE 
NINE DAYS AGO.
CASES WERE DOUBLING EVERY THREE 
DAYS.
WE HAVE NOW MANAGED TO SLOW 
THAT TO A DOUBLING OF CASES 
EVERY 16 DAYS.
EVERY 16 DAYS.
SO, THAT IS PRETTY REMARKABLE.
SHE ALSO SAYS, THOUGH, THAT THE 
CENTRES THAT CONTINUE TO BE A 
HUGE CONCERN, LONG-TERM CARE 
CENTRES AND PLACES WHERE PEOPLE 
HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER.
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRES NOW MAKE 
UP 79% OF DEATHS IN THIS 
COUNTRY.
LET ME BRING YOU NOW LIVE TO 
SOME HISTORY BEING MADE.
THAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER 
SPEAKING FROM HIS HOME OFFICE 
IN THE FIRST VIRTUAL SITTING OF 
THE COVID COMMITTEE.
LET'S LISTEN IN TO THE P.M. 
RIGHT NOW.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: HUGE 
CHALLENGES WE MIGHT FACE, IF WE 
COULD HAVE AN UNDETECTED 
RESURGENCE OF COVID-19.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY PLEASED BY 
HOW MANY INNOVATIVE CANADIAN 
COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE 
PUT FORWARD NEW SOLUTIONS AND 
HEALTH CANADA IS PRIORITIZING 
AND RAPIDLY GOING THROUGH A 
PROCESS OF EVALUATING THESE 
TESTS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CANNOT 
COMPROMISE ON SUCH AS THE 
SAFETY OF INDIVIDUAL CANADIANS 
FOR THIS TEST, BUT THE SAFETY 
OF OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE APPROVED A NUMBER OF 
DIFFERENT TESTS THE.
WE WILL BE APPROVING MORE.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A 
SAFE WAY WITH THE REAL RECOVERY 
OF OUR COUNTRY AS THE CORE GOAL 
THAT WE'RE FACING.
>> MR. SCHEER?
>> Andrew Scheer: MR. SPEAKER, 
INFORMATION HAS COME OUT THAT A 
CANADIAN COMPANY CALLED BLUE 
DOT WAS ABLE TO TRACK INCIDENTS 
OF COVID-19 IN CHINA AS EARLY 
AS DECEMBER OF 2019.
BLUE DOT HAS INDICATED THAT, 
AMONG THEIR CLIENTS ARE 12 
COUNTRIES, INCLUDING FRONTLINE 
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS HERE IN 
CANADA.
CAN THE PRIME MINISTER INDICATE 
WHETHER OR NOT THE GOVERNMENT 
OF CANADA HAD ACCESS TO BLUE 
DOT'S INFORMATION BACK IN 
DECEMBER?
>> MR. PRIME MINISTER?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
WE WERE ADVISED IN EARLY 
JANUARY OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 
WHAT BECAME COVID-19 IN CHINA.
WE MADE SURE THAT WE WERE 
MONITORING INTELLIGENCE 
SOURCES, WORKING WITH OUR 5Is 
PARTNERS ON THAT.
AS YOU HIGH LIGHT, A CANADIAN 
COMPANY WAS INVOLVED IN 
TRACKING THE SPREAD EARLY ON.
BUT WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE THAT 
COMPANY WITH US NOW.
OUR INFORMATION AROUND WHAT WAS 
GOING ON IN CHINA CAME TO US -- 
INTO US THROUGH A RANGE OF 
INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, OF 
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING 
AS WELL AS 5Is AND OTHER ALLIES 
AROUND THE WORLD.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL OF 
THOSE ALLIES TO UNDERSTAND 
EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND 
THE WORLD AND HOW WE CAN BEST 
POSITION OURSELVES.
WE ARE WORKING WITH A RANGE OF 
TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES AND 
INNOVATORS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE 
ACTUALLY DOING EVERYTHING WE 
CAN TO MONITOR AND TRACK THE 
SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN CANADA.
THERE'S LOTS MORE TO DO.
BUT CANADIAN INNOVATION WILL 
CERTAINLY BE A PART OF THAT AS 
WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> Rosemary: IF YOU WANT TO 
CONTINUE WATCHING THIS, THE 
HOUSE OF COMMONS SITTING 
VIRTUALLY FOR THIS COVID 
COMMITTEE, THIS EXTRAORDINARY 
MEETING OF ALMOST 300M.P.s AND 
IN THIS CASE THE OFFICIAL 
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION 
QUESTIONING THE PRIME MINISTER.
YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, 
cbc.ca/POLITICS.
IN THE MEANTIME, LET'S GO TO 
QUEBEC CITY WHERE THE PREMIER 
AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ARE 
GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE PAN 
DEMOCRAT  -- PANDEMIC IN THAT 
PROVINCE AND EXPECTING THEM TO 
UNVEIL DETAILS ABOUT THE 
PROVINCE'S PLAN FOR RE-OPENING 
BUSINESSES.
ANDREW NICHOLS WILL PICK UP 
YOUR COVERAGE HERE.
LET'S LISTEN LIVE.
>> Interpreter: WHO SHOULD NO 
LONGER BE HOSPITALIZED.
THERE WERE 94 YESTERDAY.
SO THAT IS TO SAY THAT 94 
PEOPLE NO LONGER NEED ANY 
HOSPITAL CARE, BUT WE 
VOLUNTARILY KEPT THEM AT THE 
HOSPITAL RATHER THAN SENDING 
THEM BACK, FO
