ABOUT NEW GOVERNMENT MEASURES 
TO SUPPORT SCIENTISTS AND 
RESEARCHERS IN THIS COUNTRY IN 
THE ONGOING GLOBAL RACE TO 
DEVELOP THE VACCINE AGAINST 
COVID-19.
WE'LL ALSO, OF COURSE, 
FOLLOWING ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS 
IN NOVA SCOTIA.
FOUR DAYS AFTER NOW THE 
MASSACRE THERE.
CBC NEWS HAS OBTAINED AUDIO 
RECORDINGS FROM FIRE AND 
AMBULANCE SCANNERS AND IN CASE 
YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THEM, THEY 
REVEAL A FRANTIC, CHAOTIC 
SITUATION AS EMERGENCY 
RESPONDERS WERE TRYING TO 
FIGURE OUT JUST WHAT WAS 
UNFOLDING.
BUT LET ME TURN NOW TO MY 
COLLEAGUES -- WELL, THAT IS NOT 
MY COLLEAGUE.
THERE YOU GO, THAT IS THE FRONT 
DOOR OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S 
HOUSE, RIDEAU COTTAGE, WHERE HE 
WILL EMERGE IN ABOUT 15 
MINUTES' TIME AND TO SET UP HIS 
DAILY BRIEFING AND WHAT WE 
MIGHT EXPECT, LET ME BRING IN 
THE HOST OF "POWER & POLITICS", 
VASSY KAPELOS AND CATHERINE 
CULLEN.
GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.
THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT 
ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY IN 
RELATION TO STUDENTS, $9 
BILLION TOTAL.
I KEEP ASKING PEOPLE INSIDE 
GOVERNMENT HAVE WE RUN OUT OF 
THINGS TO ANNOUNCE OR RUN OUT 
OF MONEY YET.
AND IT WOULD SEEM THE ANSWER IS 
NO.
BECAUSE THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE 
ANOTHER FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT 
ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, VASSY.
>> Vassy: YEAH.
ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT 
ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ANOTHER 
SIGNIFICANT PRICE TAG.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WILL 
FOCUS, AS YOU POINTEDED OUT, 
ROSEY, ON SCIENCE AND 
SPECIFICALLY RESEARCH BEHIND 
DEVELOPING SOME KIND OF 
TREATMENT AND/OR A VACCINE FOR 
COVID-19.
A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF CHANGE.
ALL TOGETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAS 
ALREADY ANNOUNCED ABOUT OVER 
$200 MILLION, I THINK $248 
MILLION TOWARDS THIS.
THEY WILL ADD $750 MILLION, 
BRINGING THE TOTAL AMOUNT 
INVESTED IN THIS KIND OF 
RESEARCH TO AROUND $1 BILLION.
THEY'LL ALSO DEVELOP WHAT I'M 
BEING TOLD IS A TASK FORCE 
FOCUSED ON IMMUNITY.
SO, THE IDEA OF SERALOGICAL 
TESTING AND THAT IT HAS BEEN 
APPROVED IN THE UNITED STATES, 
BUT IT HASN'T YET.
IT'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS 
HERE.
THAT IS THE ANTIBODY TESTING 
THAT WILL BE ABLE TO TELL US 
THROUGH A BLOOD TEST IF WE HAD 
IT OR NOT.
IT IS ALSO WHAT'S SO INCREDIBLY 
CENTRAL TO THE IDEA OF 
RE-OPENING THE ECONOMY OR 
LOOSENING RESTRICTIONS.
WE'VE HEARD FROM PREMIER SCOTT 
MOE AND I KNOW HE IS COMING UP 
LATER TODAY TO REVEAL EXACTLY 
WHAT HIS PLAN IS FOR 
SASKATCHEWAN.
WE JUST HEARD FROM OPPOSITION 
LEADER, CONSERVATIVE PARTY 
LEADER ANDREW SCHEER, WHO SAYS 
HE WANTS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
TO RELEASE A PLAN ON HOW TO 
RE-OPEN THE ECONOMY OR LOOSEN 
THOSE RESTRICTIONS BY NEXT WEEK.
GUIDELINES AT LEAST FOR THAT.
CENTRAL TO EVEN THE CONCEPT OR 
THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING THAT 
ALL IS TESTING.
AND WE HAVE BEEN TALK ABOUT 
THAT FOR WEEKS.
THAT KIND OF TESTING, FIGURING 
OUT WHO HAS IMMUNITY, WHO 
DOESN'T, WHAT COMMUNITIES HAVE 
IT, WHAT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS HAVE 
IT.
THAT IS WHAT I'M TOLD THE TASK 
FORCE WILL FOCUS ON AND IT WILL 
BE LED BY DR. DAVID NAYLOR, WHO 
HAD A LOT TO FIGURING OUT WHAT 
HAPPENED DURING SARS AND A 
SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL FIGURE IN 
THIS COUNTRY.
SO, AN ANNOUNCEMENT VERY MUCH 
GEARED TO DEVELOPING A PLAN TO 
RE-OPEN THINGS AND TO RESTART 
THINGS.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THROUGH SIGNS.
>> Marcy: RIGHT.
--
>> Rosemary: RIGHT.
AND DR. NAYLOR WROTE THAT 
FEDERAL RESPONSE WITH SARS AND 
HE WAS THE FIRST TO RECOMMEND 
THE CREATION OF THE PUBLIC 
AGENCY AND CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICER.
THAT WAS A TURNING NOINLT MANY 
WAYS FOR CANADA IN TERMS OF HOW 
IT'S DONE.
I'LL TURN TO CATHERINE WITH 
SOME OF WHAT VASSY TOUCHED ON 
THERE.
THAT IS THE RE-OPENING PIECE OF 
THIS AND WE'LL TAKE THAT PRESS 
CONFERENCE FROM PREMIER MOE 
LIVE ON CBC NEWS NETWORK.
IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT.
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING 
CONVERSATION BETWEEN OTTAWA AND 
THE PROVINCES, CATHERINE.
WHO WILL DO IT FIRST?
AND ALL THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO 
THINK ABOUT IN RELATION TO THAT
>> Reporter: AND YOU TALK ABOUT 
SASKATCHEWAN LEADING THE PACK 
ON THIS DISCUSSION.
AND I THINK PROBABLY IN PART 
THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE 
PICTURE IN SASKATCHEWAN, THE 
FACT THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AS 
HARD HIT AS QUEBEC, WHICH I'D 
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT.
BUT WE HAVE A BIT OF A SENSE OF 
WHAT PREMIER MOE IS GOING TO 
TALK ABOUT TODAY.
HE OUTLINED LAST NIGHT THIS IS 
GOING TO BE A FIVE-PHASE 
APPROACH.
WE KNOW THERE IS STILL GOING TO 
BE SOME MEASURES THAT HE SAYS 
HAVE TO REMAIN IN PLACE.
FOR INSTANCE, A BAN ON LARGE 
GATHERINGS, RESTRICTIONS ON 
TRAVEL.
CONCERNS ABOUT SENIORS HOMES.
BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT THIS WILL 
LOOK LIKE, PEOPLE ACROSS 
CANADA, OUTSIDE OF 
SASKATCHEWAN, WILL BE WATCHING 
WITH INTEREST.
AT THE SAME TIME, QUEBEC IS 
HAVING A VERY LIVE DISCUSSION 
ABOUT WHAT RE-OPENING THERE 
MIGHT LOOK LIKE, BUT IN TERMS 
OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK, VERY 
DIFFERENT.
IN PARTICULAR, THEY ARE DEALING 
WITH NOT ONLY A PROBLEM IN 
TERMS OF THE SCALE OF THE 
OUTBREAK, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN 
THEIR LONG-TERM CARE HOMES.
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 
FOR INSTANCINGSINGER, AND I 
KNOW IT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT 
IS BEING CRITIQUED BUT THEY 
HAVE PUT OUT SIX GUIDELINES FOR 
WHAT ANY SOCIETY OR 
JURISDICTION NEEDS TO IN ORDER 
TO RE-OPEN.
ANY OUTBREAK IN SPECIAL 
CIRCUMSTANCES, LIKE LONG-TERM 
CARE HOME, BE UNDER CONTROL.
WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT IS 
HAPPENING IN QUEBEC AND 
ONTARIO, I THINK THERE IS SOME 
VERY SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT 
THAT.
WE KNOW THAT YESTERDAY WE HEARD 
FROM PREMIERS OF BOTH OF THOSE 
PROVINCES, ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, 
ASKING FOR HELP FROM THE ARMED 
FORCES, JUST TO GET ENOUGH 
MANPOWER, PEOPLE POWER, IN 
ORDER TO KEEP THESE HOMES 
FUNCTIONING TO SERVE BASIC 
NEEDS.
QUEBEC HAS PUT A CALL OUT 
WITHIN THE PROVINCE ASKING 
PEOPLE FOR HELP.
THE PREMIER THERE HAD A HARD 
TIME MAKING THAT TWO-WEEK 
COMMITMENT TO ONE FACILITY.
ALL OF THAT FORMS THE PICTURE 
OF WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
SOME OF THE NEWS WE'RE GETTING 
TODAY ABOUT TESTING AND WORKING 
ON THAT, BUT ALSO QUESTIONS 
ABOUT DEALING WITH SOME OF 
THESE OUTBREAKS AS WELL.
>> Rosemary: I SHOULD SAY 
YESTERDAY DR. TAM WAS ASKED HOW 
MANY TESTS SHOULD WE BE AT?
WE'RE DOING ABOUT 20,000 A DAY 
RIGHT NOW.
AND NATIONALLY WE HAVE THE 
CAPACITY FOR 60,000 A DAY.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN 
TERMS OF REACHING THAT CAPACITY.
VASSY, BEFORE I GET TO AN 
INTERVIEW, I'LL QUICKLY ASK YOU 
YOUR TAKE ON THAT DYNAMIC 
BETWEEN OTTAWA AND THE 
PROVINCES AND PARTICULARLY 
GIVEN TODAY.
WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW AT 
LEAST ONE PROVINCE WANTS TO 
HANDLE THE RE-OPENING.
>> Vassy: YEAH, I THINK IT IS 
SOMETHING TO WATCH OVER THE 
COMING DAYS.
WE'VE SEEN SOUTH OF THE BORDER 
THERE IS ALREADY EMERGING A 
VERY PATCHWORK EFFECT T. 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THERE HAS 
RELEASED GUIDELINES, BUT IT 
SEEMS THAT STATES HAVE A LOT OF 
LEVERAGE, OBVIOUSLY GIVEN 
JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES ABOUT HOW 
FAST THEY WANT TO OPEN UP.
BUT THE RISK AND WHAT THE 
SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS HAVE 
CONTINUALLY POINTED OUT TO US 
IS THAT IF YOU DO RE-OPEN TOO 
QUICKLY, WE ARE EXPECTING 
SUBSEQUENT WAYS.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SMALLER 
BUT THERE IS NOTHING SAYING 
THAT THEY WON'T BE BIGGER AND 
WE'VE SEEN EVIDENCE OF THAT IN 
SOME OTHER COUNTRIES WHO, AT 
FIRSTHAND LD THINGS REALLY 
WELL, AND THEN SAW MINI BREAK 
OUTS AND INCREASES IN NUMBERS 
AND THINKING OF SOUTH KOREA OR 
SINGAPORE.
SO, IT IS A KIND OF WORRYING 
THING.
IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, OF COURSE, 
THAT PROVINCES THAT ARE SEEING 
SUCCESS AT THIS POINT WANT TO 
TALK ABOUT REVIVING THE ECONOMY.
PEOPLE ARE HURTING IN VERY REAL 
WAYS FINANCIALLY FOR SURE.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, 
THOUGH, WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC 
BETWEEN THE PROVINCES AND THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
COME UP WITH A SET OF 
GUIDELINES, A SET OF METRICS BY 
WHICH, YOU KNOW, EACH PROVINCE 
HAS TO MEET A CERTAIN NUMBER OF 
TESTS OR CERTAIN LEVEL OF 
IMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO 
OFFER SOME KIND OF PHASED 
APPROACH.
SO FAR WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BE TOO 
INTERVENTIONIST ON ANY OF THAT.
BUT ALSO WE'RE JUST STARTING TO 
SEE PROVINCES TALK ABOUT WHAT 
THAT MAY LOOK LIKE.
CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO WATCH 
FOR IN THE COMES DAYS AND I 
HAVE A FEELING, GIVEN THE 
NUMBER OF PROVINCES THAT ARE 
SEEING FEWER CASES, THE ISSUE 
WILL PERCOLATE AND BE THERE 
SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
OK.
WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER TO COME OUTSIDE OF HIS 
HOME AT RIDEAU COTTAGE, 
CATHERINE TALKED ABOUT THE 
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES.
THEY HAVE BECOME THE FRONTLINE 
OF THE PANDEMIC IN THIS 
PROVINCE AND IN QUEBEC.
THE PROVINCE IS ASKING FOR 
MILITARY SUPPORT.
MANY OF THE RESIDENTS IN THESE 
FACILITIES ARE OLDER CANADIANS.
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
JONATHAN MASCHON HAS MUSCULAR 
DISTROPHY AND LIVES IN A 
LONG-TERM RESIDENCE WHERE THERE 
AREN'T ANY COVID-19 CASES SO 
FAR.
HE IS PRESIDENT OF ASSIST, A 
NONPROFIT THAT ADVOCATES FOR 
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND HE 
JOIN ME NOW.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, JONATHAN.
>> Reporter: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> Rosemary: I KNOW YOU WERE ON 
"POWER & POLITICS" LAST WEEK, 
BUT I FOUND YOUR STORY AND WHAT 
YOU WERE SAYING VERY COMPELLING.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE 
SAW AND HEARD FROM YOU AT A 
TIME LIKE THIS.
TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE WORRIED 
ABOUT RIGHT NOW IF THERE ARE NO 
CASES OF COVID-19 WHERE YOU ARE 
CURRENTLY LIVING.
>> Caller: WELL, I FEAR FOR MY 
LIFE, TO BE HONEST.
BECAUSE HERE THE VIRUS IS A 
THREAT, BUT THE LACK OF 
[INAUDIBLE] IS A REAL THREAT.
ONCE THERE IS A BREAK OUT, 
THERE IS A BREAKDOWN IN ALL THE 
SERVICES AND  IT IS NOT A SAFE 
ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT I WANT IS TO GET OUT OF 
HERE WITH THE ASSISTANCE I NEED.
AND I WANT TO ENSURE MY OWN 
SAFETY.
>> Rosemary: WHAT IS PREVENTING 
THAT FROM HAPPENING?
I WOULD IMAGINE.
AND HAVING THE STAFF AND PEOPLE 
THAT YOU NEED TO DO THAT.
>> YEAH.
WELL, THE GOVERNMENT IS 
SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS 
OF DOLLARS TO KEEP ME HERE IN A 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY.
WHAT I'M ASKING IS PART OF THAT 
MONEY TO BE ABLE TO HIRE AND 
MANAGE THE CARE AND HOW I WANT 
TO LIVE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE 
DONE VERY QUICKLY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THROUGHOUT 
THE COUNTRY.
PRISON ARE ASKED TO RELEASE 
SOME INMATES.
SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES 
SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO GET 
UP WITH THEIR SUPPORT THAT THEY 
NEED.
>> Rosemary: THE MINISTER OF 
PUBLIC SAFETY, BILL BLAIR, HAS 
JUST TWEETED THAT HE WILL SEND 
IN THE ARMY, THE MILITARY, INTO 
ONTARIO TO LONG-TERM CARE.
THERE'S BEEN ABOUT 125 PEOPLE 
DEPLOYED INTO QUEBEC.
WHAT DOES IT TELL US, JONATHAN, 
ABOUT THE STATE OF LONG-TERM 
CARE INSIDE QUEBEC IF THAT IS 
WHERE WE'RE AT, THAT THAT'S THE 
KIND OF HELP THAT IS NEEDED?
>> WELL, IT IS A TOTAL FAILURE 
FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO DO 
ANYTHING, REALLY.
THEY HAVE MAYBE A MONTH TO DO 
THINGS.
ALL THEY DID WAS TO [INAUDIBLE] 
AND THEY WENT BACK ON THAT AS 
WELL, LIKE A WEEK AGO.
SO, TO ME, THE WHOLE IDEA THAT 
IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO FORCE 
PEOPLE TO LIVE IN LONG-TERM 
CARE FACILITIES IS A DANGEROUS 
PROPOSITION AND WE NEED TO HAVE 
THE CHOICE AND THE RIGHT TO 
LIVE IN A COMMUNITY IN CANADA.
OFTEN PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO LIVE 
IN THOSE PLACE.
>> Rosemary: YOU AND I ARE THE 
SAME AGE.
YOU'RE 43.
SO, YOU'RE A YOUNG GUY WITH 
MUSCULAR DISTROPHY.
HOW IS YOUR HELP IN TERMS OF 
MAKING YOU VULNERABLE, IN 
PARTICULAR, TO COVID-19, BEYOND 
THE FACT THAT YOU ARE IN THE 
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRE?
>> WELL T VIRUS -- I DON'T WANT 
TO CATCH IT.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO 
CATCH IT.
IF I CATCH IT, THE -- THEY WILL 
PUT ME IN THE E.R., IN AN 
I.C.U. SOMEWHERE.
IT IS GOING TO BE VERY 
COMPLICATED BECAUSE I USE A 
TRACHEOTOMY AND [INAUDIBLE] ARE 
EXPOSED.
SO IT'S QUITE COMPLICATED.
AND AS I SAID, THE MAJOR THREAT 
IS THAT I NEED 24-HOUR 
ASSISTANCE.
I ALWAYS NEED SOMEONE NOT TOO 
FAR FROM ME.
SO IF THERE IS NO WORKERS, FOR 
EXAMPLE THAT IS A GREAT THREAT 
TO MY LIFE.
EVEN NOW, THEY CAN'T EVEN 
PROVIDE ME WITH THE ASSISTANCE 
I NEED.
I ALMOST DIED MANY TIMES IN THE 
LAST 10 YEARS.
AND THEY ARE DOING NOTHING.
WHAT I NEED IS PERSONAL 
ASSISTANCE.
AND IT EXISTS IN B.C., IN 
MANITOBA, IN U.S. AND EUROPE.
THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T 
HAVE ALTERNATIVES TO 
INSTITUTIONALIZATION.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
AND I KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING 
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING 
FOR A LONG TIME, LONG BEFORE 
THE PAN DEMOCRATIC.
-- PANDEMIC.
YOU'RE A STRONG PERSON.
BUT ARE YOU SCARED?
DO YOU HAVE MOMENTS THAT YOU'RE 
VERY FEARFUL IN A WAY YOU 
HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE?
>> YEAH.
YEAH.
LOTS OF HOPELESSNESS, I'D SAY.
AND I'VE GOT NOTHING TO LOOK 
FORWARD TO.
YOU KNOW?
WHAT'S THE PLAN?
IF I STAY HERE AND I RIDE THIS 
CRISIS AND I COME OUT ALIVE, 
THEN WHAT?
I'M CONDEMNED TO LIVE HERE THE 
REST OF MY LIFE?
I WANT A FUTURE.
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO 
CANADIAN SOCIETY.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH 
MY PARTNER.
BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE IN THIS 
PLACE.
SO I WANT TO GET OUT AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE.
>> Rosemary: HAVE YOU SEEN A 
SDMAING YOU  -- CHANGE?
HAVE YOU ALLUDED TO YOU HAVEN'T 
SEEN THE CARE YOU NEED NOW.
ARE THERE EMPLOYEES NOT SHOWING 
UP FOR WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE 
CONCERNED?
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT?
>> THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF STAFF.
IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT AND THAT IS 
VERY DANGEROUS FOR EVERYONE 
INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE WORKERS.
THAT IS WHY WE'RE CALLING ON 
THEM NOW.
I THINK IN THE MEDIUM AND 
LONG-TERM, WE NEED TO STOP 
PUTTING PEOPLE IN LONG-TERM 
CARE FACILITIES AND WE NEED TO 
BE ABLE TO GET OUT, YOU KNOW, 
WE CAN'T EXPECT TO DO THE SAME 
THING AND EXPECT DIFFERENT 
RESULTS.
WE NEED TO TRANSITION TO 
ANOTHER WAY OF DOING THINGS.
>> Rosemary: PEOPLE MOSTLY HAVE 
THEIR PARENTS, MUCH OLDER 
CANADIANS, INSIDE LONG-TERM 
CARE CENTRES.
I'M NOT SURE WE THINK OR TALK 
ENOUGH ABOUT PEOPLE OF A 
DIFFERENT AGE WHO HAVE A LOT OF 
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WHO ARE IN 
THE CENTRES.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE?
THE PRIME MINISTER 
, WHO WE'RE WAITING FOR RIGHT 
NOW, THE QUEBEC, NOT JUST 
PEOPLE NEARING TENDS OF THEIR 
LIVES.
THIS IS ALWAYS PEOPLE, YOUNGER 
PEOPLE WHO HAVE MUCH A LIFE 
LEFT TO LIVE NOW, TOO.
>> YEAH, IN QUEBEC, 
PARTICULARLY WE'RE INVISIBLE.
WE'RE NOW CONSIDERED AND DON'T 
TALK ABOUT US.
IT'S LIKE WE DON'T EXIST.
AT FIRST I ACKNOWLEDGE OUR 
EXISTENCE AND SECOND, RESPECT 
OUR HUMAN RIGHTS TO LIVE IN THE 
COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATE IN 
SOCIETY.
STOP EXCLUDING US.
AND IT MUST BECOME A RIGHT TO 
LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY IN CANADA 
AND TO BE INCLUDED IN CANADIAN 
SOCIETY.
>> Rosemary: AND SO FOR NOW, NO 
CASES IN THE PLACE THAT YOU'RE 
LIVING AND YOU ARE JUST GOING 
TO DO WHAT, WAIT AND SEE?
OR HOW IS THIS GOING TO PLAY 
OUT FOR YOU?
>> I WILL FIGHT TO GET OUT OF 
HERE AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY 
I'LL BE ABLE TO BE SAFE AND 
I'LL CONTINUE -- I'M GOING TO 
CONTINUE TO GIVE THE MEDIA 
INTERVIEWS AND ALL THE 
RESOURCES ARE ON THE TABLE.
I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I'M 
RELEASED, UNTIL I PROVE THAT 
THERE IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I 
[INAUDIBLE] TO GET OUT.
>> Rosemary: YOU CERTAINLY MAKE 
A GOOD CASE FOR IT, JONATHAN.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME 
AGAIN TO TALK WITH CBC AND, 
LISTEN, I WISH YOU THE BEST 
WITH THIS CASE THAT YOU ARE 
MAKING BUT ALSO I WISH YOU 
CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH INSIDE 
THE HOME AND I HOPE IT STAYS 
HEALTHY THERE FOR YOU AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Rosemary: MERCI BEAUCOUP.
OF COURSE, AS WE'VE BEEN 
TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION FOR 
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRES HAS 
BECOME REALLY AN EPICENTER 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT VERY 
PARTICULARLY IN QUEBEC AND IN 
ONTARIO.
YESTERDAY, WE SAW THE PREMIER 
OF QUEBEC, FRANÇOIS LEGAULT, 
MENTION THAT HE MAY NEED AS 
MANY AS 1,000 MILITARY SOLDIERS 
TO COME INTO THE PROVINCE TO 
HELP INSIDE THOSE CENTRES.
THE PREMIER OF ONTARIO, DOUG 
FORD, MADE A SIMILAR PLEA 
YESTERDAY AND THEN FOLLOWED 
THROUGH WITH AN OFFICIAL 
REQUEST WITH BILL BLAIR WHO 
SAYS, INDEED T FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND TO 
THOSE NEEDS.
IT USUALLY TAKES THEM A LITTLE 
BIT OF TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHERE 
THE NEEDS ARE AND WHERE THE 
PEOPLE NEED TO GO.
UNDOUBTEDLY, THAT REQUEST WILL 
ALSO COME FROM QUEBEC.
BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY 
STRUGGLING IN CONTAINING 
ANYTHING, IN HELPING FIGHT THE 
PANDEMIC INSIDE THESE PLACES.
AND IN FINDING ENOUGH EMPLOYEES 
TO LOOK AFTER PEOPLE LIKE 
JONATHAN AND OTHER OLDER 
CANADIANS WHO ARE INSIDE THESE 
FACILITIES, WHO NEED VARIOUS 
DEGREES OF CARE.
I'LL BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES 
AGAIN.
THE PRIME MINISTER PROBABLYING 
COMING OUT IN JUST A MOMENT.
I KNOW YOU TALKED TO JONATHAN 
LAST WEEK, VASSY.
IT'S A VERY MOVING STORY N PART 
BECAUSE HE -- IT IS A LONG-TERM 
FIGHT THAT HE'S HAVING, 
OBVIOUSLY.
IN QUEBEC, THE SITUATION IS 
MUCH DIFFERENT, BUT IT IS 
EXACERBATED BY COVID AND THE 
FACT THAT HE KNOWS THAT HE IS 
VERY VULNERABLE TO THE 
PANDEMIC, INSIDE THAT CENTRE IN 
PARTICULAR.
>> Vassy: HIS STORY REALLY 
STUCK WITH ME.
I'M GLAD YOU HIGHLIGHTED IT 
TODAY.
I THINK THE WORD THAT STAYED 
WITH ME WAS "POWLESS" -- 
"POWERLESS" AND I CAN'T IMAGINE 
HOW MUCH OF AN ADVOCATE HE IS 
TO FEEL POWERLESS IN THAT 
SITUATION AND FOR THAT SENSE TO 
BE EXACERBATED SO DRAMATICALLY 
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE 
SITUATION WITH COVID-19.
THAT FIRST QUESTION YOU ASKED 
HIM FOR ME UNDERSCORES THE 
NATION.
WE HAVE LONG-TERM CARE SYSTEMS 
WHICH HOUSE OUR MOST VULNERABLE 
CITIZENS.
SIT AND WE HAD TO CALL THE ARMY 
IN.
THE ARMY HAD TO BE CALLED IN IN 
ORDER TO DEAL WITH THIS 
SITUATION.
I THINK THAT IS A QUESTION, AS 
A SOCIETY AND DIFFERENT LEVELS 
OF GOVERNMENT WE WILL PROBABLY 
BE ASKING OURSELVES FOR WEEKS 
AND WEEKS AND WEEKS.
JUST QUICKLY AS WE WAIT FOR THE 
PRIME MINISTER WOULD ADD THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS OFFERED 
A SET OF VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.
THEY TALKED ABOUT TOPPING UP 
WAGES FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK IN 
THESE HOMES.
ONE OF BIG THINGS WE HEARD FROM 
JONATHAN AND OTHERS WHO LIVE 
THERE IS THEY ARE CHRONICALLY 
UNDERSTAFFED AND FOR THOSE WHO 
DO STAFF THEM, THEY ARE 
CHRONICALLY UNDERPAID.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID 
THEY'RE WORKING WITH PROVINCES 
IN ORDER TO TOP UP WAGES FOR 
PEOPLE WHO EARN LESS THAN $2500 
A MONTH.
THE MINISTER OF EMPLOYMENT SAID 
YESTERDAY THAT THOSE TALKS, 
ACCORDING TO THE FINANCE 
MINISTER, ARE GOING WELL.
SHE COULD NOT OFFER AT THIS 
POINT A TIMELINE FOR WHEN 
EXACTLY THAT TOP-UP WOULD DMIK 
OR HOW EXACTLY IT WOULD WORK 
DEPENDING ON THE PROVINCE IN 
WHICH YOU LIVE.
THAT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT 
INFORMATION.
I FEEL LIKE I KEEP SAYING IT, 
BUT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, 
RIGHT?
AS THIS CONTINUES TO ALMOST 
SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL, 
PARTICULARLY IN ONTARIO AND 
QUEBEC, STAFFING ISSUES AND THE 
ABILITY TO DEAL WITH IT INSIDE 
THE SETTING, ARE OF THE UTMOST 
IMPORTANCE.
>> Rosemary: AND THERE ARE 
NUMBERS ON LONG-TERM CARE.
132 FACILITIES HAVE REPORTED AT 
LEAST ONE CASE.
516 RESIDENTS HAVE DIED SO FAR 
DUE TO INFECTION AND MORE THAN 
2,000 RESIDENTS HAVE TESTED 
POSITIVE.
MORE THAN 1,000 STAFF POSITIVE.
THAT'S THE OTHER PART.
AS STAFF, OF COURSE, BECOME 
SICK, THEY CAN'T COME INTO THE 
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRE ANYMORE.
THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED, 
PRESUMABLY SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE 
CAN BE REPLACED BY SOME SORT OF 
BASIC HELP FROM THE MILITARY.
BUT NOT EVERYONE BECAUSE THESE 
ARE SPECIALIZED JOBS AS WELL.
CATHERINE, I'LL TURN TO YOU.
I KNOW THAT THE PRIME MINISTER 
WILL BE TALKING TO PREMIERS 
AGAIN TOMORROW.
GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 
INROADS BUT ISN'T THERE YET.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
THIS CONVERSATION DID MAKE ME 
THINK OF SOMETHING THAT I KNOW 
YOU SEIZED ON BEFORE IN THESE 
SPECIALS, WHICH IS SOMETHING 
THAT DR. TAM HAS SAID WHICH IS 
THAT SHE BELIEVES THAT ONE OF 
THE LEGACIES OF THIS OUTBREAK 
IS GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES TO 
HOW THINGS WORK IN OUR 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ALL 
CANADIANS HOPE OBVIOUSLY AND 
SEEMS TRITE TO SAY THIS, BUT IT 
IS TERRIBLE THAT IT'S TAKEN 
THIS TO PROVOKE THESE KINDS OF 
CHANGES.
IT WAS INTEREST BECAUSE THE 
LANGUAGE THE PRIME MINISTER WAS 
USING YESTERDAY AND I BELIEVE 
THE WORD HE USED WAS V*EM 
VULNERABILITY.
THE VULNERABILITY NOT JUST OF 
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE 
FACILITIES, BUT ALSO THE 
VULNERABILITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO 
WORK THERE.
THEIR ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY 
WHICH SPEAKS AGAIN TO THE 
PROSPECT OF THIS TOP-UP TO KEEP 
PEOPLE WORKING IN THOSE 
FACILITIES.
THIS IS A SITUATION GOING ON 
MANY DAYS NOW.
THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS 
ABOUT HOW IT WAS GOING TO WORK 
AND HOW IT WOULD BE 
DISTRIBUTED, WHETHER OR NOT 
THERE WOULD BE A FINANCIAL 
REQUIREMENT ON THE PART OF THE 
PROVINCES, WHETHER THEY HAD TO 
MATCH MONEY COMING FROM OTTAWA 
AND AS VASSY SAYS, THIS IS ALL 
BEING SORTED OUT RIGHT NOW.
MEANWHILE, WE SEE THE 
SITUATIONS CONTINUING TO 
DETERIORATE IN SOME OF THESE 
FACILITIES.
THEY NEED HELP FROM THE 
CANADIAN FORCES AND NOW 
MINISTER BLAIR SAYS THAT 
PARTICULAR REQUEST HAS BEEN 
APROVED.
>> Rosemary: RIGHT.
WE'LL SEE EXACTLY WHAT QUEBEC 
IS ASKING FOR AND HOW HE 
RESPONDS BUT RIGHT NOW HERE'S 
THE PRIME MINISTER.
LET'S LISTEN IN LIVE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: GOOD 
MORNING, EVERYONE.
TODAY AT SUNDOWN MARKS THE 
BEGINNING OF RAMADAN.
FOR MANY MUSLIM CANADIANS, THE 
COMING MONTHS WILL BE DIFFERENT 
THAN NORMAL WITH IFTAR ONLINE.
BUT THAT WON'T CHANGE WHAT IT'S 
ALL ABOUT.
GENEROSITY, COMPASSION AND 
SERVICE TO OTHERS.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MUSLIM 
CANADIANS ARE ON THE FRONTLINE 
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 
AS NURSES, DOCTORS AND 
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
SO, THANK YOU.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: TODAY, CANADIAN 
MUSLIMS WILL BE MARKING THE 
BEGINNING OF RAMADAN.
THE NEXT MONTH WILL NOT UNFOLD 
AS USUAL, BUT THE VALUES OF 
GENEROSITY AND COMPASSION THAT 
ARE AT THE HEART OF THIS 
TRADITION ARE MORE IMPORTANT 
THAN EVER.
RIGHT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, 
CANADIAN MUSLIMS ARE ON THE 
FRONTLINES OF THE FIGHT AGAINST 
COVID-19.
PHYSICIANS, NURSES AND 
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
THANK YOU.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THIS 
WILL BE A DAY FOR MANY FAMILIES 
AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT THOSE 
IN NOVA SCOTIA WHO ARE GRIEVING 
THE LOSS OF LOVED ONES, FRIENDS 
AND NEIGHBOURS.
YESTERDAY, I SPOKE WITH THE 
FAMILIES OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE 
WE LOST.
THEY SHARED STORIES ABOUT THEIR 
LOVED ONES AND THEIR DREAMS AND 
PLANS.
IN THE FACE OF SUCH TRAGEDY, 
THEIR STRENGTH IS REMARKABLE.
THEY SPOKE ALSO WITH RCMP 
MEMBERS FROM THE AREA AND ON 
BEHALF OF ALL CANADIANS, I 
THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE 
AND I SPOKE WITH SOME LOCAL 
MAYORS AS WELL TO EXPRESS MY 
CONDOLENCES.
FOR TORONTONIANS, I KNOW IT 
WILL BE A HARD DAY AS WELL.
AS WE REMEMBER THE VICTIMS OF 
THE VAN ATTACK ON YONGE STREET 
TWO YEARS AGO.
TOGETHER WE MOURN AND TOGETHER 
WE HEAL.
BECAUSE JUST AS CANADIANS WERE 
THERE FOR EACH OTHER TWO-YEAR 
AGO, WE'RE THERE FOR EACH OTHER 
TODAY.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PEOPLE ARE 
HANGING TARTAN, BLUE RIBBONS 
AND SKAFSHS FROM WINDOWS TO 
HONOUR THOSE WHO DIED.
WITH ACTS OF KINDNESS AND 
DONATIONS, PEOPLE ARE STANDING 
WITH FAMILIS WHO ARE GRIEVING 
AND TOMORROW WITH THE VIRTUAL 
VIGIL, WE WILL ALL HAVE THE 
CHANCE TO SHOW THE PEOPLE OF 
NOVA SCOTIA THAT THEY ARE NOT 
ALONE.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: FOR PEOPLE IN 
NOVA SCOTIA, TODAY WILL BE 
ANOTHER DIFFICULT DAY.
IN THE FACE OF SUCH A TRAGEDY, 
THEY ARE SHOWING INCREDIBLE 
STRENGTH.
AND THE CITIZENS OF TORONTO 
WILL ALSO HAVE A DIFFICULT DAY 
TODAY.
TODAY WE WILL REMEMBERING THE 
VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK ON YONGE 
STREET, TWO YEARS AGO.
TOGETHER WE ARE MOURNING AND 
TOGETHER WE WILL COME THROUGH 
THIS.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
THESE ARE TOUGH TIMES, BUT 
THERE IS REASON TO HOPE.
WHEN IT COMES TO COVID-19, WHAT 
WE'RE DOING IS WORKING.
AND TO CONTINUE ON THE RIGHT 
TRACK, WE NEED TO BE THINKING 
ABOUT NOT JUST THE NEXT WEEKS, 
BUT ABOUT THE NEXT MONTHS.
WE NEED MEDIUM TERM AND 
LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
AND I CAN ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT 
WE'RE TAKING ANOTHER STEP 
FORWARD.
WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE AN 
ADDITIONAL $1.1 BILLION FOR A 
NATIONAL MEDICAL AND RESEARCH 
STRATEGY TO ADDRESS COVID-19.
THIS PLAN HAS THREE PILLARS.
RESEARCH ON VACCINES AND OTHER 
TREATMENTS, SUPPORTS FOR 
CLINICAL TRIALS AND EXPANDING 
NATIONAL TESTING AND MODELING.
LET ME START WITH THE FIRST 
PILLAR ON RESEARCH.
UNDER THIS PLAN, WE'RE 
INVESTING CLOSE TO $115 MILLION 
FOR RESEARCH INTO VACCINES AND 
TREATMENTS BEING DEVELOPED IN 
HOSPITALS AND UNIVERSITIES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS ON TOP OF THE FUNDING 
WE'VE ALREADY PROVIDED TO 
SUPPORT VACCINE DEVELOPMENT IN 
CANADA.
THE SECOND PILLAR OF THE PLAN 
IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ONCE WE 
HAVE POTENTIAL VACCINES AND 
TREATMENTS, WE CAN TEST A WIDE 
RANGE OF OPTIONS.
UNDER THIS PLAN, WE WILL INVEST 
OVER $662 MILLION FOR CLINICAL 
TRIALS LED MY CANADA.
A VACCINE IS THE LONG-TERM 
SOLUTION TO THIS VIRUS.
FOR THESE DRUGS WILL TAKE 
MONTHS TO DEVELOP, TEST, 
FABRICATE, AND ROLL OUT.
SO UNTIL WE HAVE SOMETHING 
READY, WE NEED TO CONTROL THE 
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
AND THAT IS WHERE THE THIRD 
PILLAR OF THIS PLAN COMES IN.
WE'RE INVESTING $350 MILLION TO 
EXPAND NATIONAL TESTING AND 
MODELING OF COVID-19.
THIS INCLUDES CREATING THE 
COVID-19 IMMUNITY TASK FORCE.
THE TASK FORCE WILL OPERATE 
UNDER THE DRO*EX OF A 
LEADERSHIP GROUP WHICH WILL 
INCLUDE DR. DAVID 
NAYLOERSINGER, DR. TIM EVANS, 
DR. TERESA TAM AND DR. MONA 
NEERNER.
WE'RE BRINGING TOGETHER TOP 
HEALTH EXPERTS AND SCIENTISTS 
FROM LEADING INSTITUTIONS 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
CANADA'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST 
WILL BE WORKING ON SEROLOGY 
TESTING, BLOOD TESTING, TO 
TRACK AND UNDERSTAND IMMUNITY 
TO COVID-19.
THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT KEY 
QUESTIONS LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE 
BEYOND THOSE WE'VE ALREADY 
TESTED HAVE HAD COVID-19, 
WHETHER YOU'RE IMMUNE ONCE 
YOU'VE HAD IT AND, IF SO, HOW 
LONG IT LASTS.
OVER TWO YEARS, WE WILL BE 
TESTING ONE MILLION CANADIANS 
AS A PART OF THIS STUDY.
THE FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH 
WILL HELP WITH EVERYTHING FROM 
ROLL OUT OF A POTENTIAL VACCINE 
TO DETERMINING WHICH PUBLIC 
HEALTH MEASURES ARE MOST 
EFFECTIVE GOING FORWARD.
WE WILL GET VALUABLE DATA, 
INCLUDING DISAGGREGATED DATA TO 
UNDERSTANDS THE IMPACT ON 
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND 
WE'LL ALSO LEVERAGE NEW AND 
EXISTING LAB CAPACITY THROUGH 
RESEARCH.
THE BETTER WE UNDERSTAND THIS 
VIRUS, ITS SPREAD AND ITS 
IMPACT ON DIFFERENT PEOPLE, THE 
BETTER WE CAN FIGHT IT AND 
EVENTUALLY DEFEAT IT.
WHILE THIS VITAL RESEARCH IS 
HAPPENING, WE'RE ALSO STAYING 
FOCUSED ON WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT 
NOW TO CONTROL COVID-19 AND A 
GET BACK TO NORMAL AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE.
TESTING IS KEY.
WE'VE NOW REACHED 20,000 TESTS 
DAILY, ALMOST DOUBLE WHERE WE 
WERE EARLIER THIS MONTH.
BUT TESTING MUST INCREASE EVEN 
FURTHER BEFORE WE CAN REOHM AND 
RESTART OUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES 
AS A COUNTRY.
YOU'VE BEEN DOING YOUR PART BY 
STAYING HOME AND PRACTICING 
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
IT'S WORKING AND WE CAN'T 
AFFORD TO WASTE THIS PROGRESS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: TODAY I'M 
ANNOUNCING THAT WE ARE 
INTRODUCING A $1.1 BILLION 
STRATEGY TO FIGHT COVID-19.
THE FIRST PART OF THIS STRATEGY 
WILL DEAL WITH VACCINES AND 
TREATMENTS.
WE ARE INVESTING ALMOST $115 
MILLION IN RESEARCH ON 
VACCINES, IN HOSPITALS ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY.
THAT CAN BE ADDED TO THE MONEY 
WE ALREADY ALLOCATED TO DEVELOP 
VACCINES HERE IN CANADA.
THE SECOND PART OF OUR STRATEGY 
IS TO ENSURE THAT ONCE WE DO 
HAVE POTENTIAL VACCINES AND 
TREATMENTS, WE CAN TEST VARIOUS 
OPTIONS.
SO WE WILL BE INVESTING ALMOST 
$652 MILLION IN CLINICAL TRIALS.
AND THE THIRD PART INVOLVES 
INVESTING IN TESTS TO MODEL THE 
DISEASE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PUTTING IN 
PLACE THE COVID-19 IMMUNITY 
TASK FORCE.
THIS TASK FORCE WILL BE LED BY 
DR. DAVID NAYLOR, DR. CATHERINE 
HANKINS, DR. TIM EVANS, WITH 
THE SUPPORT OF DR. TAM AND DR. 
NEEMER.
THEY WILL BE COORDINATING BLOOD 
TESTS THAT WILL HELP US TO 
TRACE THE VIRUS AND BETTER 
UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN DEVELOP 
IMMUNITY FROM COVID-19.
THE FINDINGS OF THAT RESEARCH 
WILL HELP US TO DO A NUMBER OF 
THINGS, WHETHER IT IS MAKING A 
VACCINE ACCESSIBLE OR 
DETERMINING WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH 
MEASURES ARE AS EFFICIENT AS 
POSSIBLE.
WHILE WE'RE CARRYING OUT THAT 
VITAL RESEARCH, WE CONTINUE TO 
REFLECT ON WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT 
NOW TO CONTAIN COVID-19.
AND RETURN TO A NORMAL LIFE AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT TESTS ARE THE MOST 
IMPORTANT COMPONENT.
WE ARE NOW CONDUCTING ALMOST 
20,000 TESTS A DAY ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY AND WE CONTINUE TO 
INCREASE OUR TESTING CAPACITY.
BEFORE LIFE GOES BACK TO NORMAL.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
WE'VE SEEN TERRIBLE TRAGEDIS IN 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
IF YOU ARE ANGRY, FRUSTRATED, 
SCARED, YOU ARE RIGHT TO FEEL 
THIS WAY.
WE CAN DO BETTER.
WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
BECAUSE WE ARE FAILING OUR 
PARENTS, OUR GRANDPARENTS, OUR 
ELDERS, THE GREATEST GENERATION 
WHO BUILT THIS COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO CARE FOR THEM 
PROPERLY. 
CANADIANS NEED TO PULL TOGETHER.
THERE'S BEEN REQUESTS FOR 
MILITARY ASSISTANCE BY BOTH 
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC WHICH, OF 
COURSE, WE WILL BE ANSWERING.
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM 
WILL STEP UP WITH THE VALOR AND 
COURAGE THEY HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN.
IN THE SHORT TERM, WE WILL BE 
THERE WITH SUPPORT SO THAT 
PROVINCES CAN GET VOLUME OF 
THIS SITUATION.
BUT THIS IS NOT A LONG-TERM 
SOLUTION.
IN CANADA, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE 
SOLDIERS TAKING CARE OF SENIORS.
GOING FORWARD IN THE WEEKS AND 
MONTHS TO COME, WE WILL ALL 
HAVE TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS 
ABOUT HOW IT CAME TO THIS.
WE WILL ALL HAVE TO DO MORE.
TO GET THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE 
SITUATION.
>> Interpreter: RIGHT NOW WE 
ARE WITNESSING TERRIBLE 
TRAGEDIES IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
IF YOU ARE ANGRY, FRUSTRATED OR 
WORRIED, YOU HAVE EVERY REASON 
TO FEEL THAT WAY.
WE MUST DO BETTER.
BECAUSE WE ARE ABANDONING OUR 
PARENTS, OUR GRANDPARENTS AND 
OUR ELDERS.
MEMBERS OF THE GREATEST 
GENERATION THAT BUILT THIS 
COUNTRY.
WE MUST LOOK AFTER THEM AS THEY 
DESERVE.
QUEBEC HAS ASKED US FOR THE 
ASSISTANCE OF THE MILITARY AND 
THESE ARE REQUESTS WE WILL BE 
ANSWERING.
OUR MILITARY WILL BE PROVIDING 
ASSISTANCE AS THEY ALWAYS DO.
BUT THIS IS NOT A LONG-TERM 
SOLUTION.
IN CANADA, OUR SOLDIERS SHOULD 
NOT BE THE ONES LOOKING AFTER 
OUR SENIORS.
IN THE COMING WEEKS OR THE 
COMING MONTHS, WE WILL HAVE TO 
TAKE A LONG, HARD LOOK AT HOW 
WE CAME TO THIS.
WE WILL ALL HAVE TO DO MORE TO 
GET THROUGH THIS SITUATION.
WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.
EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR PART TO 
GET THROUGH THIS PERIOD.
WE'RE ALL PART OF THE SAME TEAM.
WHILE WE DO OUR PART, EVERYONE 
MUST DO THEIR PART.
TOGETHER, WE CAN GET THROUGH 
THIS.
AND TOGETHER WE'LL COME BACK IN 
FULL FORCE.
>> THANK YOU, PRIME MINISTER.
WE'LL NOW GO TO THE PHONE FOR 
QUESTIONS.
ONE QUESTION AND ONE FOLLOW-UP.
OPERATOR?
>> Operator: THANK YOU, MERCI.
FIRST QUESTION, HUFFINGTON POST.
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING.
YESTERDAY, YOU SAID YOU WERE 
GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH 
FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND BUSINESS 
ASSOCIATION TO ENSURE THAT 
SMALL BUSINESSES WOULD GET THE 
SUPPORT THEY NEED.
MANY SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS 
FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN 
FORGOTEN BUT CAN APPLY FOR 
INTEREST-FREE LOANS BECAUSE 
THEY HAVE NO PAYROLL AND MANY 
HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN 
FIXED COSTS EVERY MONTH SO THE 
CERB CHANGES DO NOTHING FOR 
THEM.
THEY FEEL THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT 
HAS BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON 
EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES AND 
MANY FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF 
LOSING THEIR BUSINESSES AND 
GOING BANKRUPT.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT CHANGES 
YOU ARE ENVISIONING FOR THEM?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: AS 
WE SAID, FROM THE VERY 
BEGINNING, WE WORKED ON 
MEASURES TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE 
AS POSSIBLE.
WE BROUGHT IN TARGETED MEASURES 
TO HELP PEOPLE WHO LOST A 
PAYCHEQUE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO 
WERE SELF-EMPLOYED.
WE MOVED FORWARD WITH A WAGE 
SUBSIDY THAT ENSURES THAT 
PEOPLE WHO CAN, CAN REMAO*IN 
CONNECTED TO THEIR JOBS WHILE 
RECEIVING 75% OF THEIR 
PAYCHEQUE UP TO $847 A WEEK.
WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE MEASURES 
THAT GOT OUT QUICKLY AND ARE 
BROAD AND ARE HELPING MILLIONS 
OF CANADIANS.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 
PEOPLE WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH 
THE CRABSING.
THAT IS WHY WE CONTINUE TO WORK 
WITH INDUSTRY GROUPS, WITH 
STAKEHOLDERS, WITH M.P.s AND 
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY WHO ARE GIVING US 
POSSIBLE SOLUTION AND OF COURSE 
WE'RE WORKING WITH AN 
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVICE TO 
DELIVER THOSE SOLUTIONS TO 
CANADIANS.
>> Reporter: OK.
THAT'S YOUR ANSWER.
DO YOU REGRET THIS PATCHWORK 
APPROACH REGARDING THE CERB?
IT'S CLEAR THAT THE NEED IS A 
LOT GREATER THAN THE GOVERNMENT 
ANTICIPATED IT DREW UP THE 
PROGRAMME WEEKS AGO AND I KNOW 
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN 
YOUR CAUCUS WHO FEEL IT WOULD 
HAVE BEEN FAR EASIER AND WOULD 
HAVE BEEN FAR EASIER TO GIVE 
EVERYONE WHO'S LOST INCOME TO 
OPPORTUNITY TO EARN INCOME THE 
ABILITY TO APPLY FOR HELP AND 
TAX IT BACK FROM THOSE WHO 
PERHAPS DIDN'T NEED IT AS MUCH 
NEXT YEAR.
DID YOU NATIONAL CONVENTION 
RIGHT CALL AND ARE YOU SO STUCK 
ON THIS CURRENT COURSE OF 
ACTION THAT YOU WILL NOT 
DEVIATE FROM IT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE 
KNEW FROM THE VERY BEGINNING 
THAT TARGETED SUPPORT TO PEOPLE 
WHO NEEDED IT WAS THE BEST WAY 
TO DO IT AND THAT IS WHY WE 
MOVED FORWARD WITH THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT.
BUT DELIVERED BENEFITS TO OVER 
EIGHT MILLION CANADIANS.
WHY WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE 
CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE SIX DID 
THAT IS ENSURING THAT PEOPLE 
CAN STAY CONNECTED TO THEIR 
WORKPLACE EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT 
ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK ANYMORE.
SO THAT WE CAN BOUNCE BACK 
QUICKLY.
BUT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, WE 
SAID WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FILL GAPS.
WE NEVER EXPECTED THAT WE'D GET 
IT PERFECT FROM DAY ONE.
INDEED, WE KNEW WE WOULDN'T.
BUT WE COULDN'T LET THE PERFECT 
BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.
WE NEEDED TO GET THING OUT AS 
BEST WE COULD, AS QUICKLY AS WE 
COULD TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS 
POSSIBLE AND THEN WE CONTINUE 
EVERY DAY TO MAKE FURTHER 
ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT FILL GAPS, 
THAT EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE GOING TO 
HELP THOSE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T 
HIT BY A BROAD MEASURE TO HELP.
AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT 
EVERYONE WHO NEEDS HELP GETS IT.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
NEXT QUESTION, OPERATOR.
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE 
ANNOUNCEMENT YOU MADE YESTERDAY 
ON STUDENTS.
RIGHT NOW THERE IS A LACK OF 
STAFF IN LONG-TERM CARE HOMES 
AND THEY'RE ALSO CONCERNED 
ABOUT THAT HAPPENING IN THE 
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AND SOME 
PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THIS 
WILL BE A DISINCENTIVE FOR 
YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO AND WORK IN 
SECTORS THAT ARE OPENING UP 
SOON, SUCH AS THE RETAIL 
SECTOR, WHICH DOESN'T OFFER 
VERY HIGH SALARIES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?
DO YOU THINK THE GENEROSITY OF 
YOUR MEASURES COULD LEAD TO A 
LACK OF APPROPRIATE NUMBERS OF 
STAFF?
WELL, STUDENTS NEED HELP AND WE 
KNOW THAT COVID-19 IS HITTING 
EVERY GENERATION VERY HARD.
SO, WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO HELP.
WE INTRODUCE ED A PROGRAMME 
THAT WILL DEVELOP JOBS FOR 
YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
76,000 NEW JOBS IN TARGETED 
SECTORS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM 
THE HELP OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
I KNOW THE YOUTH OF THIS 
COUNTRY AND I KNOW THAT THEY 
WILL WANT TO BE PART OF THE 
SOLUTION.
I KNOW THAT THEY WILL WANT TO 
HELP AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE 
ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THEIR OWN 
WAY.
AND I THINK THAT ENSURING THAT 
THEY HAVE THE MONEY NECESSARY 
TO COVER THEIR RENT OR PAY FOR 
THEIR GROCERIES OR TO BE ABLE 
TO ENSURE THEY GO BACK TO 
SCHOOL IN THE FALL IS THE RIGHT 
THING TO DOAGE WE WILL BE 
WORKING TOGETHER TO BE SURE 
THAT WE ACHIEVE THE NECESSARY 
RECOVERY.
BUT I WON'T APOLOGIZE FOR 
SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS IN 
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
AND AS A SUBQUESTION, SOME 
OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN PROPOSING 
THAT OTTAWA CREATE A 
PROGRAMMESTOMY  -- PROGRAMMES 
SIMILAR TO THE AGRICULTURAL 
JOBS PROGRAMME.
WE KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE 
ENOUGH FOREIGN WORKERS AT THE 
POINT.
AND THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY 
WELL-PAID JOBS EITHER.
DO YOU THINK THAT IS AN 
INTERESTING JOB AND IF NOT, WHY?
EVERY YEAR WE SEE YOUNG PEOPLE 
WHO ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING 
IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY OR 
GOING BACK TO THE LAND AND 
THEY'RE A VERY GREEN GENERATION 
AND VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN 
EVERYTHING THAT IS ORGANIC OR 
AGRICULTURAL IN NATURE.
SO, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT 
OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL BE 
INTERESTED IN THAT AND I WILL 
BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM 
AND WE WILL BE CREATING NEW 
INCENTIVES TO  DIRECT THEM TO 
THESE INDUSTRIES.
I HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN OUR 
PROGRAMME AND I KNOW IT WILL BE 
A SOLUTION IN THE MIDST OF THIS 
CRISIS.
>> Operator: THANK YOU, MERCI.
NEXT QUESTION, THE "NATIONAL 
POST".
YOUR LINE IS OPEN.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
GOOD MORNING, PRIME MINISTER.
I'M WONDERING, THERE ARE A 
NUMBER OF U.S. STATES THAT ARE 
STARTING TO EASE RESTRICTIONS 
OPENING UP BUSINESSES AGAIN, 
STARTING AS EARLY AS TOMORROW.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU'RE 
CONCERNED ABOUT JURISDICTIONS 
THAT ARE SO CLOSE TO CANADA 
EASING THEIR RESTRICTIONS SO 
MUCH, EVEN WHILST IN SOME CASES 
THE VIRUS NUMBERS ARE STILL 
GOING UP?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
HAVE STRONG BORDER MAESHLGS IN 
PLACE.
THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE 
DWHAOG WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT 
CANADA.
AS PROVINCES LOOK AT THEIR OWN 
SITUATION AND HOW WE CAN MOVE 
FORWARD ON BEGINNING TO RE-OPEN 
OUR EXHIBITIONER I KNOW THAT 
THEIR DECISION AND OUR 
DECISIONS WILL BE INFORMED BY 
WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS 
PERHAPS NOT WORKING AS WELL 
ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: I KNOW THAT 
WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE MEASURES 
IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR 
BORDERS, TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN 
ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY 
OF ALL CANADIANS.
I KNOW THE PROVINCES AND THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE 
REFLECTING ON THE DIFFERENT 
STEPS IN TERMS OF RE-OPENING 
AND FIRING UP THE ECONOMY AGAIN.
SO WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT HAS 
WORKED AND WHAT HAS NOT WORKED 
IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN ORDER 
TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
I'M ALSO WONDERING ABOUT THE 
FEDERATION OF CANADIANS 
[INAUDIBLE] WAS OUT TODAY WITH 
A REQUEST FOR $10 BILLION IN 
EMERGENCY FUNDING BECAUSE THEIR 
REVENUES HAVE FALLEN SO STEEPLY 
DURING THIS CRISIS.
ARE YOU STARTING TO WORK WITH 
MUNICIPALITIES ON A PACKAGE FOR 
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE 
RECOGNIZE THAT LEVELS OF 
GOVERNMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
ARE FACING DISTINCT CHALLENGES.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF 
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE 
PROVINCES ON THEIR FINANCIAL 
CHALLENGES AND, AS WE KNOW, 
MUNICIPALITIS ARE GOVERNED BY 
THE PROVINCES.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE 
PROVINCE AND CONTINUE TO WORK 
WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE 
SURE THAT CANADIANS GET THE 
SERVICES THEY NEED AND SUPPORT 
THEY NEED.
REGARDLESS OF THE ORDERS OF 
GOVERNMENT.
WE ALL SERVE CANADIANS AND WE 
NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE 
THERE FOR THEM.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE WILL ALWAYSS 
BE THERE FOR CANADIANS WHO NEED 
SERVICES AND SUPPORT DURING 
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
WE RESPECT THE PROVINCE'S AREAS 
OF JURISDICTION WITH RESPECT TO 
THE MUNICIPALITIES AND WE WILL 
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE 
PROVINCES ON THE MUNICIPALITIES 
ISSUE AND IN SOME CASES 
DIRECTLY WITH THE 
MUNICIPALITIES WHEN IT IS 
APPROPRIATE.
>> OPERATOR?
>> Operator: THANK YOU.
MERCI.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
PRIME MINISTER.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE 
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO QUEBEC 
IN CARE HOMES.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT 1,000 
SOLDIERS BEING SENT IN AS WAS 
REQUESTED?
AND YOU ARE TALK ABOUT LESSONS 
TO BE DRAWN.
WITH REPRESENT TO QUEBEC, WHAT 
WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY IN THAT 
EHER BECAUSE, FOR YEARS, WE'VE 
BEEN TALK ABOUT PROBLEMS IN 
THESE LONG-TERM CARE HOMES.
FIRST OF ALL WITH RESPECT TO 
THE REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE, AS 
WE RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO THE 
FIRST THREE REQUESTS FROM 
QUEBEC, WE WILL, OF COURSE, BE 
RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO THIS 
ONE AS WELL AND WE ARE 
CURRENTLY WORKING WITH QUEBEC 
TO SIGH EXACTLY HOW WE CAN 
PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE 
SUPPORT.
WE RECEIVED THAT REQUEST LAST 
EVENING SO WE'RE WORKING WITH 
THEM NOW TO CO-ORDINATE THE 
BEST POSSIBLE RESPONSE IN TERMS 
OF NUMBERS AND LOCATIONS.
REGARDING THE LESSONS WE HAVE 
TO DRAW FROM THE CURRENT 
SITUATION THERE WILL BE MANY 
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO LOOK AT 
AND FIND ANSWERS TO IN THE 
COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
AS TO HOW WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT 
THE SENIORS OF THIS COUNTRY.
AND I THINK THAT THIS CRISIS 
HAS BROUGHT HOME THE FACT THERE 
ARE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE TO 
MEET ALL TOGETHER.
FOLLOW-UP?
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU 
HAVEN'T YET SET THE NUMBER OF 
SOLDIERS THAT WILL BE GOING IN?
AND A NUMBER OF DAYS AGO, YOU 
TALKED ABOUT SENDING IN 
VOLUNTEERS AND THE CONTRIBUTION 
OF THE RED CROSS.
HOW MANY ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS 
COULD COME FROM THOSE GROUPS?
WELL, I CAN TELL YOU WE WILL BE 
THERE TO HELP.
PEOPLE ARE FACING A TERRIBLE 
SITUATION AND WE WILL BE THERE 
TO HELP QUEBEC TAKE CONTROL OF 
THE SITUATION.
IT'S EXTREMELY TROUBLING AND 
TERRIBLY UNFORTUNATE AND WE 
WILL BE THERE WITH THE MILITARY.
WE ALREADY 350 MILITARY 
PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND IN 
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES ACROSS 
QUEBEC.
WE WILL BE SENDING MORE AND WE 
WILL BE WORKING WITH QUEBEC AND 
WILL HELPS WITH VOLUNTEERS, 
WITH THE RED CROSS.
WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN 
AND WE'LL BE THERE FOR EACH 
OTHER.
THAT IS WHAT WE DO AS CANADIANS.
WE'RE THERE FOR EACH OTHER IN A 
CRISIS.
SO, WE WILL BE THERE.
THIS TIME.
>> Reporter: MOLLY THOMAS, CTV 
NATIONAL NEWS.
THE RACE FOR PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE SUPPLIES ALLOWS FOR 
A WAY OUT OF CHINA.
ARE YOU ANY CLOSER TO GETTING 
MICHAEL SPAVOR AND MICHAEL 
KOVRIG RELEASED?
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY HAD 
A CHANCE TO MEET WITH CONSULAR 
OFFICIALS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE 
HAVE BEEN WORKING EXTREMELY 
DILIGENTLY ON THE ISSUE OF 
MICHAEL SPAVOV AND MICHAEL 
KOVIG WHO HAVE BEEN DETAINED 
FOR OVER 500 DAYS IN CHINA.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VES TAKEN 
SERIOUSLY FROM ARE THE VERY 
BEGINNING.
I CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT THE 
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
SPOKE TO HIS COUNTERPART, YOU 
KNOW, VERY RECENTLY.
TO EXPRESS OUR CONTINUED 
CONCERNS AND DESIRE TO SEE THEM 
RELEASED SOON.
THE COVID-19 CRISIS HAS THE 
CHINESE SYSTEM IN A POSITION OF 
NOT ALLOWING CONSULAR VISITS.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT 
THEY ARE IN A FACILITY AND 
REGION THAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY 
EFFECTIVE BY COVID-19.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE CONTINUING TO 
PRESS BOTH FOR MORE DETAILS AND 
FOR BETTER ACCESS.
>> Reporter: ALSO, WE'VE SEEN A 
SPIKE IN ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE IN 
DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY.
IN B.C., AN ELDERLY MAN WITH 
DEMENTIA WAS SHOVED OUT OF A 
STORE BY AN ASILL AREN'T -- 
ASILL  -- ASSAILANT WITH 
REMARKS TO COVID-19.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO 
CANADIANS AS THEY SEE THIS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s 
INTOLERANCE AND RACISM HAVE NO 
PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY.
CANADA HAS SUCCEEDED BECAUSE OF 
OUR DIVERSITY.
IT IS ONE OF OUR GREATEST 
STRENGTHS.
AND THE MILLIONS OF CANADIANS 
OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS 
WHO ARE WORKING TOGETHER, MANY, 
MANY OF THEM ON THE FRONT LINES 
TO HELP THEIR FELLOW CANADIANS 
DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS FROM 
ALL OF US.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE IN OUR 
RESOLVE TO BE AN OPEN, 
WELCOMING, RESPECTFUL COUNTRY 
AND I THINK ALL CANADIANS 
EXPECT THAT OF EVERY POLITICIAN.
>> Interpreter: INTOLERANCE AND 
RACISM HAVE NO PLACE IN CANADA 
AND CERTAINLY NOT IN OUR PUBLIC 
DISCOURSE.
OUR COUNTRY IS STRONG NOT IN 
SPITE OF THOSE DIFFERENCES, BUT 
THANKS TO THOSE DIFFERENCES.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT 
HISTORIES AND BACKGROUNDS AND 
ORIGINS WHO ARE WORKINGING TO, 
SIDE BY SIDE, TO FIGHT COVID-19.
AND TO HELP THEIR LOVED ONCE 
AND THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS.
SO DURING THESE TIMES, WE HAVE 
TO UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND 
NOT ACCEPT INTOLERANCE.
>> Reporter: WITH ONE MEAT 
PACKING PLANT ALREADY CLOSED IN 
ALBERTA, AND THE N.D.P. IN THAT 
PROVINCE CALLING ON TWO MORE TO 
BE SHUT DOWN, I'M JUST 
WONDERING WHAT IS THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT DOING TO PROTECT 
CANADA'S FOOD SUPPLY FROM THE 
EFFECTS OF COVID-19 AND ARE YOU 
WORRY WORRIED ABOUT FEDERAL 
INSPECTORS GOING INTO THESE 
PLANTS?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE 
ARE VERY ALERT TO THE ISSUE OF 
FOOD SUPPLY IN CANADA AND FOOD 
SECURITY FOR CANADIANS IS A 
CONTINUED ESSENTIAL PRIORITY.
WE WILL WORK WITH THE 
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.
WE ARE STRENGTHENING PROCESSES 
AROUND THE CFIB TO ENSURE BOTH 
PROTECTION FOR OUR INSPECTORS 
AND EFFECTIVENESS IN ASSURING 
THE SAFETY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY 
AND OF THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH 
WORKERS FIND THEMSELVES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH 
PROVINCES AND VARIOUS 
JURISDICTIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE 
ARE MAKING SURE THAT CANADIANS 
GO ET THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED.
>> Reporter: IN TERMS OF 
VACCINES, YOU ANNOUNCED FUNDS 
FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT.
I'M WONDERING IF YOUR PLAN IS 
TO HAVE VACCINES MANUFACTURED 
HERE IN CANADA FOR CANADIANS.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE 
KNOW THAT DEVELOPING VACCINES 
IS AN IMPORTANT STEP AND THAT 
IS WHY THERE ARE BRILLIANT 
RESEARCHERS WORKING ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY IN COORDINATION AND IN 
COLLABORATION WITH THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS WE 
ALL MAKE EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A 
VACCINE.
BUT ONCE WE DEVELOPED A 
VACCINE, WHETHER IT BE IN 
CANADA AND A ELSEWHERE AROUND 
THE WORLD, WE'LL NEED TO 
PRODUCE IT.
AND WE WILL SEE THE SAME KINDS 
OF PRESSURES THAT WE'RE SEEING 
AROUND OBTAINING P.P.E. AROUND 
THE WORLD TO OBTAIN VACCINES, 
WHICH IS WHY PART OF THE 
INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING TODAY 
IS TO ESTABLISH THE CAPACITY OF 
DEVELOPING VACCINES AND 
PRODUCING VACCINES.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter:
>> Interpreter: VACCINATION 
WILL BE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR 
ABILITY TO FIGHT COVID-19 AND 
THAT IS WHY WE'RE INVESTING IN 
RESEARCH SO THAT CANADIANS CAN 
BE PART OF THE RESEARCH EFFORT 
TO FIND A VACCINE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO 
ENSURE THAT WE CAN PRODUCE 
THOSE VACCINES HERE IN CANADA.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE 
INTEND TO DO.
MR. TRUDEAU, QUEBEC IS STARTING 
TO TALK ABOUT POSSIBLE 
RE-OPENING OF CERTAIN REGION 
AND I BELIEVE THAT SASKATCHEWAN 
WILL ALSO BE UNVEILING ITS OWN 
PLAN TO DO THE SAME.
SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT 
MID MAY TO RE-OPENING CERTAIN 
BUSINESSES.
DO YOU THINK IT'S TOO SOON?
DO YOU THINK THE PROVINCES ARE 
MOVING TOO QUICKLY?
WELL, I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO 
KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE 
ABLE TO LIFT CERTAIN 
RESTRICTIONS AND PERHAPS RETURN 
TO A SEMINORMAL LIFE.
BUT OBVIOUSLILY, UNTIL WE HAVE 
AN ACTUAL VACCINE, WE CANNOT 
TALK ABOUT A NORMAL LIFE.
WE CAN RELAX CERTAIN MEASURES, 
IF APPROPRIATE.
BUT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, 
REMAINING VIGILANT AND DOING A 
LOT OF TESTING.
VARIOUS PROVINCES ARE AT 
VARIOUS STAGES OF THE FIGHT 
AGAINST COVID-19.
AND THEY WILL BE MAKING 
APPROPRIATE DECISIONS AND AT 
THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ARE 
TRYING TO CO-ORDINATE AND 
ENSURE THAT WE ARE MOVING 
FORWARD BASED ON THE SAME 
SHARED PRINCIPLES SO THAT WE 
HAVE A COMMON APPROACH TO THE 
MEASURES THAT WILL BE BROUGHT 
INTO PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND THE TIME THAT THEY'RE GOING 
TO BE INTRODUCED.
OF COURSE, THAT WILL VARY FROM 
PROVINCE PROVINCE.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
KNOW THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO 
KNOW WHEN THIS IS GOING TO BE 
OVER, WHEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO 
GET BACK TO NORMAL LIFE.
UNTIL WE HAVE EITHER A VACCINE 
OR SIGNIFICANT TREATMENTS FOR 
COVID-19, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO 
TALK ABOUT GETTING BACK TO 
NORMAL.
BUT IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE 
WILL BE ABLE TO LAOTIAN AND 
NUMBER OF THE RESTRICTIONS AND 
RULES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ON 
PERSONAL ABILITIES, IN CERTAIN 
SECTORS, ON THE ECONOMY.
DIFFERENT PROVINCES ARE IN VERY 
DIFFERENT POSTURES RELATED TO 
COVID-19 AND WE'LL BE TAKING 
DECISIONS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE 
FOR THEM.
WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE FEDERAL 
LEVEL IS ATTEMPTING TO PULL 
TOGETHER AND CO-ORDINATE ALL 
DIFFERENT PROVINCES SO THAT WE 
ARE WORKING FROM A SIMILAR SET 
OF GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES TO 
ENSURE THAT CANADIANS RIGHT 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE BEING 
KEPT SAFE.
AS WE LOOK TO THOSE NEXT STEPS.
>> Interpreter: EARLIER, YOU 
SAID THAT WE'RE CONDUCTING 
APPROXIMATELY 20,000 TESTS A 
DAY NOW, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET SO WE CAN 
START TALKING ABOUT RE-OPENING 
THE ECONOMY, BASED ON TESTING?
WELL, DR. TAM HAS TALKED ABOUT 
50,000 TO 60,000 TESTS A DAY AS 
AN IMPORTANT TARGET.
OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT IT 
COULD GO -- COULD BE AS MUCH AS 
DOUBLE THAT NUMBER.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING MUCH 
MORE NOW AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE 
ALSO INCREASING OUR TESTING AND 
OUR TESTING CAPACITY AT THIS 
TIME.
>> Reporter: JULIE VAN DUSEN, 
CBC.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT IT IS 
UNACCEPTABLE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING 
ON AT SENIORS HOME AND 
DISCUSSED THE IDEA OF MAKING 
SURE THAT PEOPLE MAKE MORE 
MONEY IN THOSE HOMES.
OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE A 
SHORT TERM SOLUTION.
IN TERMS OF A LONG-TERM 
SOLUTION, WILL YOU BE TALKING 
TO THE PREMIERS ABOUT PUTTING 
SENIORS HOMES UNDER THE CANADA 
HEALTH ACT A, WHICH WOULD SET 
NATIONAL STANDARDS AND 
HOPEFULLY MAKE SURE THAT 
SENIORS DON'T GO THROUGH SUCH A 
TERRIBLE ORDEAL AGAIN.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
THERE ARE GOING TO BE AN AWFUL 
LOT OF CANADIANS ASKING 
QUESTIONS OF ALL THEIR 
POLITICIANS, ABOUT WHAT WE'RE 
GOING TO DO TO MAKE SURE A 
SITUATION LIKE THIS COULD NEVER 
HAPPEN AGAIN.
WHAT COVID-19 HAS DONE HAS 
HIGHLIGHTED AND BROUGHT FORWARD 
FEELINGS IN THE OUR SYSTEM, IN 
OUR COUNTRY WHERE, THE PEOPLE 
WHO TAKE CARE OF OUR MOST 
VULNERABLE ARE EXTREMELY 
VULNERABLE ECONOMICALLY.
WE NEED TO DO BETTER AND THERE 
WILL BE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS 
THAT CANADIANS WILL DEMAND AND 
THAT POLITICIANS WILL HAVE 
ABOUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO 
ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROPERLY 
PROTECTING OUR ELDERS.
>> Reporter: ON THE ISSUE OF A 
VACCINE, WHICH YOU SAID IN THE 
PAST COULD TAKE YEAR TO 18 
MONTHS, WILL WE HAVE TO WAIT 
FOR A VACCINE TO HUG OUR FAMILY 
AND FRIENDS WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF 
OUR BUBBLE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THE 
PROCESS OF RE-OPENING THE LEVEL 
OF FREEDOM WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT 
FRIENDS AND TO WORK AND TO GO 
OUTSIDE WILL DEPEND ON THE 
DECISIONS AND THE ADVICE THAT 
SCIENTISTS GIVE US AROUND HOW 
TO KEEP OURSELFS SAFE.
WE KNOW IT MAY BE A LONG WHILE 
BEFORE A VACCINE.
THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS AROUND 
TREATMENTS FOR COVID-19 THAT 
MIGHT WORK AS WELL AS A VACCINE.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AND 
LOOKING FOR AND SEARCHING FOR A 
VACCINE FOR AIDS FOR DECADES 
NOW AND STILL HASN'T COME.
BUT THERE ARE TREATMENTS THAT 
MEAN QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE 
WITH H.I.V. HAVE BEEN MASSIVELY 
IMPROVED.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF 
MOVING THROUGH.
WE WILL TAKE THE BEST WAYS WE 
POSSIBLY CAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
A VACCINE OBVIOUSLY ARRIVING 
SOON WOULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION 
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE 
EXPLORING ALL DIFFERENT WAYS OF 
ENSURING THAT CANADIANS' 
QUALITY OF LIFE AND SAFETY AND 
PROTECTION IS UPHELD IN THE 
BEST WAY WE POSSIBLY CAN GOING 
DOER WARD.
MERCI BEAUCOUP.
>> Rosemary: OK.
AND THAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER 
OF CANADA GIVING US HIS DAILY 
BRIEFING ON HOW HIS GOVERNMENT 
IS FIGHTING AND RESPONDING TO 
COVID-19.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, 
PRIMARILY ABOUT HOW THE 
GOVERNMENT PLANS TO INVEST1.1 
BILLION INTO SCIENCE AND 
RESEARCH.
SOME OF IT FOR RESEARCH, AS I 
SAID.
MORE THAN $600 MILLION FOR THE 
BEGINNING OF CLINICAL TRIALS.
AND NOR MONEY TO EXPAND TESTING 
AND MODELING BUT ALSO STRONG 
WORD THERE IS FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME 
REALLY ABOUT THE STATE OF 
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRES, NOW 
THAT THERE ARE MILITARY MEMBERS 
WHO HAVE TO GO INTO ONTARIO AND 
QUEBEC TO HELP.
THAT IS THE END OF OUR COVERAGE 
ON CBC TELEVISION.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE 
WATCHING, GO TO CBC NEWS 
NETWORK OR cbc.ca.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
[PLEASE STAND BY]
>> Vassy:  HE WAS ASKED WHAT
THAT MEANS IN THE LONG-TERM AND
WHAT ROLE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
IS PREPARED TO PLAY AND I THINK
THE SALIENT THING FOR OUR
AUDIENCE AND PEOPLE WATCHING TO
KNOW IS THAT LONG-TERM CARE IS
PROVISIONAL JURISDICTION.
PROVINCES, BASICALLY, REGULATE
IT AND MAINTAIN IT AND DEVELOP A
SYSTEM FOR IT AND IN MANY
PROVINCES THERE WAS A DICOTOMOUS
SYSTEM AND PRIVATELY-RUN HOMES,
AS WELL.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT
PLAYED A ROLE OTHER THAN
RELEASING VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.
I ASKED ABOUT IT AND IF YOU GIVE
THEM THE PROVINCE'S MONEY FOR
TOP-UPS, WILL THERE BE STRINGS
ATTACHED.
I THINK THE PRIME MINISTER IS
CORRECT IN ECHOING SENTIMENTSES
OF PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
RIGHT NOW AND I THINK THE NEXT
PHASE IS THAT THOSE PEOPLE WILL
LOOK NOW TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF
LEADERSHIP THEY WILL PLAY IN
ANSWERING SO MANY.
>> Question:  S.
>> Rosemary:  THERE ARE
CONDITIONED ATTACHED SOMETIMES
AND THE PROVINCES HAVE TO
PERFORM AT A LEVEL AND THAT
MIGHT GET THEM THROUGH A CERTAIN
PERIOD OF TIME THERE AND
CATHERINE, WHAT STOOD OUT FOR
YOU THERE?
>> I DON'T WE HEAR A LANGUAGE
LIKE THAT BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES IN
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE DYING, I I THINK IT IS
APPLICABLE AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT, THOUGH WON'T BE TO
TALK ABOUT THE MONEY ANNOUNCED,
$1.1 BILLION IN RESEARCH
STRATEGY, A LOT OF INTERESTING
THINGS IN THERE.
VACCINE RESEARCH, CLINICAL
TRIALS, AS WELL AS THIS NEW
TRAFFIC FORCE AROUND MODELING
AND WHATNOT.
I THOUGHT PARTICULARLY IN SOME
OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S LAST
ANSWERS, HE TOUCHED ON A
VACCINE, IF AND WHEN ONE WAS
DEVELOPED, THAT WOULD HAVE
IMPLICATIONS TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN
AND THAT WOULD WE NEED TO
PRODUCE IT IN CANADA.
I'M SURE OUR VIEWERS CAN CALL TO
MIND THE STORIES OF COMPETING
PLANES IN CHINA, TRYING TO GET
SHIPLOADS OF EQUIPMENT AND
TRYING TO PRODUCE A VACCINE IN
THIS COUNTRY IF ONE IS
DISCOVERED HERE OR ELSEWHERE
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE WHOLE
WORLD IS FACING THIS PROBLEM AND
MADE AN INTERESTING POINT AT THE
END.
SO MUCH INTERESTING
UNDERSTANDABLY IN DEVELOPING A
VACCINE THAT BEING SEEN IN MANY
WAYS AS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO
THIS NEW NORMAL UNTIL THEN, NOT
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL AND MADE
THE COMPARISON TO AIDS SAYING
DECADES AND DECADES HAVE GOING
INTO MAKING A VACCINE FOR THAT.
THERE IS NOT A VACCINE YET BUT
THERE IS A TREATMENT AND THAT
COULD BE PART OF THE PICTURE, AS
WELL.
IT'S A MULTIFACETED ISSUE.
THERE ARE THINGS TO TALK ABOUT
IN TERMS OF BLOOD TESTING.
THE U.S. IS IN SOME WAYS FURTHER
AHEAD SIGNING OFF ON TESTING
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN EFFECTIVE, SO
A LOT TO UNPACK THERE.
>> Rosemary:  I WANT TO SQUEEZE
IN A GUEST BEFORE THE CABINET
MINISTERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS COME OUT BECAUSE ONE
OF THE OTHER THINGS THE PRIME
MINISTER WAS ASKED ABOUT ARE THE
OUTBREAKS INSIDE THE PROCESSING
PLANTS, MEAT PROCESSING PLANTS
OF THE THREE BIGGEST PLANTS IN
THIS COUNTRY, TWO NOW HAVE
SEVERE OUTBREAKS AND THERE ARE
OTHER MEAT PROCESSING PLANTS IN
THE COUNTRY THAT ARE HIT WITH
THE SAME THING.
A VOLUNTEER WITH THE EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TASK FORCE IN CALGARY
JOINS ME NOW.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
AND THE REASON WE'RE SPEAKING TO
YOU IS BECAUSE MANY OF THE
WORKERS AT THE CARGO PLANT,
WHERE THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTBREAK
ARE PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY, THE
PHILIPPINO COMMUNITY.
HOW ARE PEOPLE DOING GIVEN THAT
THIS HAS SPREAD SO QUICKLY
AMONGST THE WORKERS AND THE
COMMUNITY?
>> WELL, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
WITH SOME OF THE WORKERS AND
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY
AND FEAR THAT THEY'RE FEELING.
THEY FEAR ABOUT WHETHER THEY'RE
WORKPLACE IS A SAFE PLACE TO
WORK AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE
CONFIDENCE RIGHT NOW THAT THAT'S
HAPPENING AND MANY OF THEM
ACTUALLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS
TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN IT WAS QUITE
SMALL AND THERE WERE NO
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS BASED ON THEIR
CONCERNS.
IT'S THEIR CONCERNS AND
PERSPECTIVES THAT THEY REALLY
WANT THE OFFICIALS AND LEADERS
TO TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AND THAT
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR
ECONOMIC WELL-BEING, OF COURSE,
BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS AND
THEIR STAY IN CANADA IS
CONNECTED TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT.
THEY ONLY WORK WITH ONE
EMPLOYEE, RIGHT?
BUT THERE ARE ALSO CONCERNS
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE AN
ESSENTIAL JOB TO DO, WHICH IS TO
PROVIDE FOOD TO CANADIANS AND
THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THERE, BUT
THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT WHETHER
THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE
SPREAD AND THEY'RE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AS WELL.
>> Rosemary:  SO IT IS
TEMPORARILY CLOSED, I SHOULD
POINT OUT, AND THERE IS NOW AN
INVESTIGATION IN TERMS OF HOW
THIS UNFOLDED, WHY IT WASN'T
CLOSED SOONER AND ALL THOSE
THINGS.
BUT I NOTICED THE PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER, DR. HINSHAW SAID ONE OF
THE OTHER PUBLIC CONCERNS WAS
THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WERE
CARPOOLING TO WORK AND THEY'RE
FRIENDS AND HANG OUT SOCIALLY.
AND SO IT WASN'T JUST A MATTER
OF WORKING TOGETHER.
IT WAS ALL THE OTHER PIECES OF
THIS.
SO I WONDER, WHAT HAVE THEY TOLD
YOU ABOUT THE CONCERN THAT THEY
MAY HAVE AS YOU'VE JUST SAID,
MAYBE SPREADING IT TO FAMILY
MEMBERS OR COMMUNITY AND WERE
THEY TOLD ANYTHING ABOUT THE
DANGERS, THE POTENTIAL DANGERS
OF THAT?
>> I THINK THEY'RE VERY AWARE
AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE ACTIVE
IN PROVIDING THIS ADVICE TO THE
COMPANY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT MANY
OF THEM COME AS INDIVIDUALS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ISOLATION
AND BEING IN ISOLATION AT HOME,
THEY ARE IN ISOLATION WITH THEIR
FAMILIES.
THEY LIVE IN MULTI--RESIDENT
DWELLINGS BECAUSE THAT'S THE
NATURE OF THEIR SITUATION AND
THEY SHARE RECORDINGSES LIKE
TRANSPORTATION.
IF AN ACTION OR SET OF ACTIONS
NEED TO BE DEVELOPED OR
ADDRESSED, THEN THE BIG PICTURE
NEEDS TO COME IN, RIGHT, BECAUSE
THAT'S THEIR WORLD, RIGHT AND
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS
THAT THEIR VOICES AND CONCERNS
NEED TO BE HEARD BECAUSE THEY
KNOW WHAT THEIR SITUATIONS ARE
AND WHAT KINDS OF SUPPORTS NEED
TO BE IN PLACE, RIGHT?
THIS IS NOT JUST LIFESTYLE
QUESTIONS.
THESE ARE SITUATIONS OF THEIR
LIVES.
AND THAT NEEDS TO BE A PART OF
THE DEAL.
>> Rosemary:  LET ME END ON
THIS, SO THE PLANT HAS BEEN
TEMPORARILY CLOSED AND THESE ARE
FOREIGN WORKERS, MANY OF THEM,
NOT ALL OF THEM.
WHAT HAVE PEOPLE BEEN TOLD ABOUT
EITHER THEIR SALARY OR STATUS IN
THE COUNTRY, DO YOU KNOW?
>> THAT'S PART OF SOME OF THE
CONFUSION AND NOT VERY CLEAR AND
SO THE COMPANY HAS SAID THE
PLANT IS BEING IDLED AND SO WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN?
AND SO WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT
TO THEM AND MAKING SURE OF THE
OPTIONS THEY HAVE, WHETHER
THAT'S EI, CERB.
BECAUSE MANY FEEL THEY
CONTRACTED THE INFECTION THROUGH
WORK AND THAT MEANS WCB LIKE
WORKERS' COMPENSATION, RIGHT.
I ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT
SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS SOME
VULNERABILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY FOR
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS.
IF THESE ARE ESSENTIAL SERVICES
AND COVID-19 SHOWS THAT OUR FOOD
SUPPLY IS ESSENTIAL, THEN WE
NEED TO THINK SERIOUSLY, THE
KINDS OF SUPPORTS AND THE KIND
OF RESPECT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF THE WORKERS WORKING IN THESE
SITUATIONS.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES SHOULDN'T
HAVE DISPENSABLE WORKERS.
>> Rosemary:  THAT'S A GOOD
POINT, CESAR CALA.
THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU
WEIGHING IN WITH WHAT SOME THE
WORKERS ARE GOING THROUGH AND
GIVE THEM OUR BEST.
CESAR IS WITH THE TASK FORCE IN
CALGARY.
I'LL GO BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES,
VASSY AND CATHERINE, AND WE WILL
TURN OUR ATTENTION TO
SASKATCHEWAN, BECAUSE THE
PREMIER, SCOTT MOE, WILL OUTLINE
THE FIVE STEPS THEY WANTS TO PUT
IN PLACE TO REOPEN THE PROVINCE
IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND
THAT WILL BE OF IMPORTANCE,
REALLY, TO ALL OF US AND THAT
MIGHT GIVE US A PICTURE OF WHAT
OTHER PROVINCES WILL DO ON THEIR
OWN TIMELINE.
INTERESTING TALKING TO
CESAR CALA THERE ABOUT THE MEAT
PLANT IN CALGARY, ONLY BECAUSE
IT, AGAIN, NOT UNLIKE THE
SENIORS IN THE LONG-TERM CARE
CENTRES EXPOSED THE FACT THAT,
PERHAPS, WE WERE NOT TREATING
WORKERS, ESSENTIAL WORKERS OR
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS IN THE
BEST WAY OR PROTECTING THEM IN
THE BEST WAY THROUGH THIS.
AND MAYBE THAT, TOO, WILL HAVE
TO BE SOMETHING WE REEXAMINE AS
A COUNTRY IF OUR SUPPLY CHAINS
ARE SO VITALLY IMPORTANT AND
FOOD SECURITY IS A PRIORITY AND
MAYBE WE NEED TO FIX THE WAY
WE'RE TREATING PEOPLE WHO ARE
DOING THAT ESSENTIAL WORK IN
MAKING SURE WE CAN ALL EAT,
VASSY.
>> Vassy:  TO BUILD ON THAT,
THERE ARE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET ANSWERS
TO TO THE LAYERS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY IN ALL OF THIS
AND I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY OF
THAT MEAT PLANT, THE HEAD OF THE
UNION THERE TOLD ME A FEW DAYS
AGO THE FIRST INSPECTION DONE ON
SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS WAS DONE
WITH A CELL PHONE, VIA
FACE-TIME.
I HAVE YET TO CONFIRM WHETHER
THAT'S THE ONLY INSPECTION DONE
BUT THAT OBVIOUSLY LEFT A LOT OF
THE WORKERS THERE FEELING A BIT
UNEASY ABOUT THE LEVEL OF
OVERSIGHT.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
UNION TO INTERVENE.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT
LEVELS AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
AND SAFETY AT THE PROVISIONAL
LEVEL AND THE FOOD INSPECTION
AGENCY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
BUT I THINK THAT YOU'RE RIGHT IN
THAT THIS ISN'T AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT IS ISOLATED IN A WAY, BUT
THEY DO A SERVICE THAT RIGHT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE RELY ON
INCREDIBLY HEAVY ON.
SO I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT TO POINT
TO IT AND I THINK THERE ARE
QUESTIONS FOR BOTH LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT.
>> Rosemary:  THANK YOU, VASSY.
WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU,
CATHERINE AFTER THIS BRIEFING,
IF I HAVE TIME.
HERE IT IS.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> SO TODAY WE WILL HEAR FROM
CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER, DR. TAM, DR. HOWARD
NJOO, PATTY HAJDU AND MINISTER
OF SCIENCE AND INNOVATION,
DR. BAINS, DR. MONONEME.
AND THE PRESIDENT OF TREASURY
BOARD.
DR. TAM.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'LL START
WITH THE LATEST NUMBERS ON
COVID-19 IN CANADA.
THERE ARE NOW 40,190 CONFIRMED
CASES, INCLUDING 1,974 DEATHS.
TO DATE, LABS ACROSS CANADA HAVE
TESTED OVER 620,000 PEOPLE WITH
OVER 6.5% OF THEM TESTING
POSITIVE.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STILL FACING
CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGES FROM A
NEED TO EXTINGUISH OUTBREAKS AND
RAMPING OUT TESTING AND TRACING
TO MANAGE PERSISTENT CHANGE IN
COMMUNITY SETTINGS, TODAY IS A
GREAT DAY TO CONSIDER THE
PROGRESS WE'VE MADE.
THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF
UNKNOWNS BUT THE PACE AND
EXPANSE AND SCIENCE INNOVATION
IS INSPIRING.
FROM DISCOVERING TO BUILDING OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF COVID-19
DISEASE, CHARACTERISTICS AND
SPREAD THROUGH TRIED AND THROUGH
SCIENCE, WE'VE GONE AHEAD IN
LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
WE CAN SEE SOME OF THE
ADVANTAGES OF A MORE VIRTUALLY
CONNECTED TECHNOLOGY-POWERED
SOCIETY.
BUT THIS IS MADE BETTER AND
FASTER AND MORE POWERFUL WHEN WE
WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS A SHARED
GOAL.
WE'RE SEEING THE POWER OF
SOLIDARITY WITH RESEARCHERS
COLLABORATING ACROSS BORDERS AND
BETA-TRACKERS SCRUBBING THE WEB
TO SHARE UP-TO-THE MINUTE CHARTS
FOR ALL OF THE WORD TO SEE AND
VIRTUAL COLLABORATION PLATFORMS
SHARING RESEARCH FINDINGS ON
VIRUS STRAIN INFORMATION AND
PREPUBLICATION SCIENTIFIC
STUDIES.
IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE WHERE WE
WOULD BE WITHOUT THIS RAPID AND
OPEN SHARING OF RESEARCH AND
SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT ON BIO
MEDICAL, SOCIAL AND POLICY
COUNTER MEASURES.
THERE IS THE EVER PRESENT RISK
OF EMERGING DISEASES THAT SPREAD
RAPIDLY AROUND THE WORLD AND
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENTS GIVE US
HOPE FOR OUR FUTURE IN A WORLD
THAT IS CONNECTED AND UNITED
TOWARDS A GOAL AND WITH BRAIN
POWER FUNDED, SUPPORTED AND
TRUSTED, WE CAN REACH A WHOLE
NEW LEVEL OF CAPACITY TO RESPOND
TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE THREATS
NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
GO SCIENCE!
THANK YOU.
[ Laughter ]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. TAM.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> AND NOW, DR. HOWARD NJOO.
THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE LATEST
NUMBERS ON COVID-19.
THERE ARE 41,991 CASES,
INCLUDING 1,974 DEATHS.
TO DATE, LABS ACROSS CANADA HAVE
TESTED OVER 620,000 PEOPLE WITH
OVER 6.5% OF THESE TESTING
POSITIVE.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STILL FACING
CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGES FROM THE
NEED TO DISTINGUISH OUTBREAKS
AND RAMPING UP TESTING TO ROOT
OUT AND MANAGE CHANGES IN
COMMUNITY SETTINGS, TODAY IS A
GREAT DAY.
 DAY TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE
PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE.
THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF
UNKNOWNS, BUT THE PACE AND
EXPANSE OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE
INNOVATION IS INSPIRING FROM
DISCOVERY AND GENETIC SEQUENCING
OF THE VIRUS IN TO BUILDING OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF COVID-19
CHARACTERISTICS AND SPREAD
THROUGH TRIED AND TRUE APPLIED
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION,
WE'VE PROGRESSED IN LEAPS AND
BOUNDS.
IF WE REST BACK ON PRIOR
PANDEMICS IN THE RECENT AND MORE
DISTANT PAST, WE CAN SEE SOME OF
THE ADVANTAGES OF A MORE
VIRTUALLY CONNECTED
TECHNOLOGY-POWERED SOCIETY.
BUT THIS, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE,
IS MADE BETTER, FASTER AND MORE
POWERFUL WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER
TOWARD A SHARED GOAL.
WE HAVE SEEN THE POWER OF
SOLIDARITY IN A CONNECTED WORLD.
WITH RESEARCHERS COLLABORATING
ACROSS BORDERS, DATA TRACKERS
SCRUBBING THE WEB TO SHARE
UP-TO-THE MINUTE STATS AND
CHARTS FOR ALL OF THE WORLD TO
SEE AND VIRTUAL COLLABORATION
PLATFORMS SHARING ACCELERATED
RESEARCH FINDINGS ON VIRUS
STRAIN INFORMATION AND
PREPUBLICATION SCIENTIFIC
STUDIES.
IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE WHERE WE
WOULD BE WITHOUT THIS RAPID AND
OPEN SHARING OF RESEARCH AND
SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT ON
BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL AND POLICY
COUNTERMEASURES.
WHILE ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES OF A
HIGHLY CONNECTED WORD IS THE
EVER-PRESENT RISK OF EMERGING
DISEASES, THE SPREAD RAPIDLY
AROUND THE WORLD, TODAY'S
ANNOUNCEMENTS GIVE US HOPE FOR
OUR FUTURE IN A WORLD THAT IS
CONNECTED AND UNITED TOWARDS A
GOAL WITH BRAIN POWER THAT IS
FUNDED, SUPPORTED AND TRUSTED,
WE CAN REACH A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
OF CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO
INFECTIOUS DISEASE STRESS NOW
AND INTO THE FUTURE.
GO SCIENCE!
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. NJOO.
Mr. HAJDU.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY, THE
QUESTION I HEAR NO MATTER WHO
I'M SPEAKING TO IS ESSENTIALLY
WHEN WILL THINGS GO BACK NORMAL
AND THIS IS A SIMPLE QUESTION
WITH A COMPLICATED ANSWER AND
ONE THAT WE SCIENCE TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THE SOLUTIONS FOR.
WHAT IS THE VIRUS ABOUT, HOW DO
WE CONTROL IT AND HOW CAN WE
DEFEAT IT AND THESE ARE ALL
PARTS OF THE ANSWER TO WHEN WILL
THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> WE KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE,
SOME CANADIANS WHO HAVE HAD
COVID-19, BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN
DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THEY HAD NO
SYMPTOMS OR ONLY MILD SYMPTOMS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT BLOOD TESTS
CAN DETECT ANTIBODIES TO THE
COVID-19 VIRUS AND TELL US WHO
IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN
INFECTED.
WE NEED DATA AND RESEARCH THAT
WILL HELP US TO UNDERSTAND THE
EXTENT OF THE COMMUNITY SPREAD
OF THE VIRUS.
WE ALSO NEED A BETTER SENSE OF
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE COMING
MONTHS DURING A POSSIBLE SECOND
WAVE OF INFECTION AND A BETTER
PICTURE TO HELP US GUIDE PUBLIC
HEALTH DECISIONS THAT WILL BE
NEEDED TO EASE RESTRICTIONS IN
PLACE RIGHT NOW.
THIS UNDERSTANDING OF CANADIAN
EXPOSURE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
TO TAKE THE RIGHT STEPS AT THE
RIGHT TIME AND THAT'S WHY THIS
MORNING THE PRIME MINISTER
ANNOUNCED AN IMPORTANT
CANADA-WIDE STUDY TO TRACK
COVID-19 INFECTIONS.
I WANT TO THANK DR. DAVID NAYLO
AND DR. EVANS FOR HELPING US TO
BETTER EQUIPMENT OVER THE NEXT
FEW MONTHS AND THIS WILL HELP US
TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COUNTRY'S
ABILITY TO MANAGE COVID-19 WELL
INTO THE FUTURE.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS THAT WE
ALSO ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING.
PART OF THE RESEARCH FUNDING
THROUGH THE CANADIAN INSTITUTES
OF HEALTH RESEARCH WILL HELP TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT CANADIANS
ARE FACING AS A RESULT OF LIVING
WITH COVID-19 AND HOW AND WHAT
MEASURES CAN HELP WITH THESE
PARTICULAR CHALLENGES.
OTHER PARTS OF THE FUNDING WILL
ACCELERATE THE TESTING OF
PROMISING VACCINES, DIAGNOSTICS
AND MEASURES TO CONTAIN THE
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.
THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT STEPS
THAT WE'RE TAKING TO HELP US
FULLY UNDERSTAND THE VIRUS AND
HOW CANADIANS CAN CONTINUE TO
LIVE WITH THE VIRUS IN THE
SAFEST AND HEALTHIEST WAYS
POSSIBLE.
THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND IT, THE
SOONER WE WILL REACH THE NEW
NORMAL.
I WANT TO THANK THE RESEARCH AND
ECONOMIC DATA ACROSS CANADA THAT
IS WORKING SO HARD IN SO MANY
WAYS TO HELP US GET THROUGH THIS
DIFFICULT TIME AND HAVE THE
SCIENCE AND EVIDENCE WE NEED TO
TAKE THOSE IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, AND NOW WE WILL
HEAR FROM OUR MINISTER OF
INNOVATION.
>> OVER THE PAST WEEKS WE'VE
BEEN WORKING HARD TO MOBILIZE
CANADA'S RESEARCH COMMUNITIES TO
TACKLE THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> I CANNOT THANK ENOUGH
EVERYONE INVOLVED.
TOGETHER, WE ARE ALL WORKING FOR
PROMISING RESEARCH TO DISCOVER A
VACCINE TO COUNTER THE VIRUS.
OUR GOVERNMENT INVESTED IN THE
LARGEST AMOUNT IN CANADA'S
HISTORY TOWARD FUNDAMENTAL
SCIENCE, UNLEASHING THE POWER OF
THE WORLD-CLASS RESEARCHERS AND
SCIENTISTS IN RESPONDING TO THIS
CRISIS.
I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE AN
INVESTMENT OF $40 MILLION THAT
WILL ALLOW GENUM CANADA AND
SIGEM FOR A COORDINATED EFFORT
ACROSS CANADA.
CANADIAN SCIENTISTS WILL
SEQUENCE 1,000 GENOMES TO TRACK
THE EVOLUTION OF THIS VIRUS AS
IT'S SPREADS.
CANADA IS AN ESTABLISHED LEADER
IN GENOMIC RESEARCH AND THIS
WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO
RESEARCHERS AROUND THE WORLD TO
MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS GLOBAL
FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.
THE FUNDING WILL PROVIDE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT TO PREPARE VIALS FOR
INDIVIDUAL DOSES AS SOON AS A
VACCINE BECOMES AVAILABLE.
WE'RE ANNOUNCING AN INVESTMENT
IN $300 MILLION IN
SASKATCHEWAN'S INTERNATIONAL
VACCINE CENTRE AND THIS FUNDING
WILL SUPPORT PRECLINICAL TESTING
AND CLINICAL TRIALS OF COVID-19
VACCINE CANDIDATES.
NEXT, WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING
$600 MILLION TOWARDS A STRATEGIC
INNOVATION FUND, THE COVID-19
STREAM, TO DELIVER DIRECT
SUPPORT TO CANADIAN COMPANIES
FOR LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS.
THIS WILL HELP COMPANIES WITH
PROMISING VACCINE TREATMENT FOR
CANDIDATES TO MOVE TO CLINICAL
TRIALS, AS WELL AS EXPAND
CANADIAN BIO MANUFACTURING
OPPORTUNITYING SO WE CAN
MANUFACTURE A VACCINE IN CANADA
WHEN ONE BECOMES AVAILABLE.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> THANKS TO THESE INVESTMENTS
AND THE MEASURE WE'VE TAKEN OVER
THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE WILL
ENSURE THAT CANADA CAN DEVELOP,
TEST AND MANUFACTURE VACCINES
AND THERAPEUTIC PRODUCTS
FORCANS.
CANADA HAS SOME OF THE BEST
SCIENTISTS IN THE WORLD AND I
CANNOT THANK THEM ENOUGH TO
ADDRESSING THIS MUTUAL CAUSE.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MERCI BEAUCOUP.
>> THANK YOU.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> SCIENCE HAS BEEN OUR BEST
WEAPON IN THIS PANDEMIC, BUT WE
NEED MORE SCIENCE ABOUT THIS NEW
VIRUS TO OVERCOME IT AND TO
ENSURE SOCIETAL WELL-BEING.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE DON'T KNOW HOW
MANY PEOPLE WERE INFECTED WITH
COVID-19 BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT
MANY INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE BEEN
INFECTED BUT SHOW NO SYMPTOMS.
THE CURRENT WIDE-SPREAD TESTING
OR PCR TEST AS YOU KNOW IT
CHECKS THE PRESENCE OF THE
VIRUS, SO IT PROVIDES IMPORTANT
DATA ON WHO IS INFECTED AT A
GIVEN TIME, WHICH IS NOW, WHEN
YOU DO THIS TEST.
SEROLOGY OR IMMUNITY
DEFINITELYING TELL US -- BEFORE
I SHOULD MAYBE EXPLAIN IT.
SO SEROLOGY TESTING CHECKS FOR
ANTIBODIES THAT ARE GENERATED IN
RESPONSE TO AN INFECTION.
SO THEY TELL US WHO HAS ALREADY
HAD EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS, WHO
WAS INFECTED BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT.
TOGETHER, THE TWO TESTS WILL
GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF THE
RATE OF INFECTION IN THE
POPULATION SEROLOGY TESTING WILL
ALSO TELL US HOW QUICKLY
IMMUNITY DEVELOPS AND ALSO FATE
AND THIS IS IMPORTANT IN GUIDING
OUR RECOVERY STRATEGY.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT
WE'RE STILL MISSING IS HOW
QUICKLY THE VIRUS CHANGES OR
MUTATES TO ESCAPE DETECTION AND
WHETHER CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ARE
MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO INFECTION OR
LESS ABLE TO OVERCOME IT.
THIS IS WHY THE GENOMIC IS
IMPORTANT.
IT DETERMINES THE D.N.A.
SEQUENCE OF INFECTED
INDIVIDUALS.
TOGETHER, THE IMMUNITY AND THE D
GENOMIC WILL PREVENT FUTURE
INFECTION.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
WHY CERTAIN GROUPS ARE MORE
VULNERABLE TO THE DISEASE THAN
OTHERS.
THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS
WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE WE NEED IN ORDER TO
BATTLE THIS DISEASE.
 AND BETTER
PLAN THE FUTURE.
THAT IS WHY TODAY'S INVESTMENT
THAT WERE ANNOUNCED WILL BENEFIT
ALL CANADIANS.
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL ENABLE
IMMUNITY TESTING, GENOMIC
SEQUENCES AND VACCINE RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDE
MUCH-NEEDED SUPPORT FOR THE
RESEARCH THAT WILL HELP US WHEN
AGAINST THE WAR ON COVID-19 AND
TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL
ULTIMATELY BENEFIT US ALL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
(SPEAKING FRENCH).
>> AND NOW, THE PRESIDENT OF
TREASURY BOARD, JEAN DUCLOS HAS
THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU.
CLEARLY, WE ARE FACING AN
UNPRECEDENTED HEALTH CRISIS AND
ECONOMIC, TOO.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU
YOU ANUPDATE.
THIS IS THE EMERGENCY RELIEF
BENEFIT, THE CANADIAN SMALL
BUSINESS LOAN, AS WELL AS THE
OTHER EMERGENCY BENEFITS.
8.9 MILLION APPLICATIONS WERE
RECEIVED AND PROCESSED FOR THE
CERB BENEFIT FOR A TOTAL OF 6.8
APPLICANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AS FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS
EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, 351 SMALL
BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED THEIR
APPROVAL FOR THIS LOAN AND A
REMINDER FOR THE WAY THE
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY SINCE
TUESDAY, CANADA REVENUE AGENCY Y
HAS PROVIDED A WEBSITE FOR
BUSINESSES.
>> Rosemary:  WE'LL PULL AWAY
FROM THIS FEDERAL BRIEFING AND
I'LL END ON THE TWO IMPORTANT
NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
TREASURY BOARD.
NOW 8.9 MILLION CANADIANS HAVE
APPLIED FOR THAT CANADA
EMERGENCY RELIEF BENEFIT, THE
$2,000 A MONTH THAT YOU CAN TAP
INTO IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB
BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND SMALL
BUSINESSES ARE ALSO TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THAT SMALL BUSINESS
LOAN OF $40,000 THAT IS NOW
AVAILABLE.
350,000 SMALL BUSINESSES IN THIS
COUNTRY HAVE RECEIVED APPROVAL
FOR THAT, A REMINDER THAT ON
NEXT MONDAY, THE WAGE SUBSIDY
PROGRAMME OPENS UP FOR APPROVALS
ON THE GOVERNMENT'S WEBSITE.
BUT WE WANT TO TAKE YOU NOW TO
SASKATCHEWAN WHERE THE PREMIER,
SCOTT MOE, AND THE CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER ARE OUTLINING
SASKATCHEWAN'S PLAN TO REOPEN
ITS ECONOMY.
SASKATCHEWAN CURRENTLY HAS 326
CASES OF COVID-19, JUST 61 OF
THEM ARE ACTIVE AND HERE IS THE
PREMIER NOW.
>> THIS IS A PLAN THAT WILL BE
CONDUCTED IN PHASES.
AND WE WILL CAREFULLY MONITOR
TRANSMISSION AND OTHER FACTORS
DURING EACH OF THOSE PHASES AND
WE WILL ADJUST THE PLAN, IF
REQUIRED.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS
REOPENING PROCESS, WE WILL
CONTINUE TESTING AND CONTINUE
CONTACT AND KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON
THE NUMBERS, WHILE ALWAYS
REMEMBERING THESE ARE NOT JUST
NUMBERS.
THEY ARE PEOPLE.
AND THEY ARE SASKATCHEWAN
PEOPLE.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE ECONOMY IS
ALSO NOT JUST NUMBERS.
IT'S NOT JUST SOME ABSTRACT
CONCEPT.
THE ECONOMY IS A JOB THAT ALLOWS
YOU TO SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR
FAMILY AND TODAY, THAT JOB MAY
BE GONE.
THE ECONOMY IS THE SMALL
BUSINESS YOU SPENT YOUR LIFE AND
YOUR LIFE SAVINGS BUILDING AND
TODAY, THAT BUSINESS MAY NOT BE
OPEN.
THEY ARE ALSO SASKATCHEWAN
PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT
PATHS.
WE HAVE TO FIND THE MIDDLE
GROUND THAT CONTINUES TO KEEP
OUR CASE NUMBERS LOW AND KEEP
SASKATCHEWAN PEOPLE SAFE WHILE
AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWING FOR
BUSINESSES TO REOPEN AND
SASKATCHEWAN PEOPLE TO GET BACK
TO WORK.
SO WITH THAT GOAL IN MIND, HERE
IS OUR PLAN.
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS,
RESTRICTIONS WILL BE GRADUALLY
LIFTED ADDING MORE BUSINESSES TO
THE BUSINESS' LIST, MEANING THEY
CAN REOPEN IF THEY CHOOSE.
ALL BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC VENUES
WILL BE REQUIRED TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING GOOD PHYSICAL
DISTANCING AND CLEANLINESS
PRACTISES TO PROTECT BOTH THEIR
EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS THEIR
CUSTOMERS AND CUSTOMERS WILL BE
EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING RULES AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY TO STAY HOME IF
YOU'RE FEELING UNWELL AT ALL.
ALL OF THE SAFE PHYSICAL
DISTANCING RULES AND
RESTRICTIONS THAT BUSINESSES
WILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW HAVE
BEEN COMPILED IN ONE
COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT CALLED
THE REOPEN SASKATCHEWAN PLAN.
AND THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE FOUND
ON THE PROVINCE'S COVID-19
WEBSITE AND PROVIDED AS A PART
OF THE MEDIA PACKAGE HERE TODAY.
THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE
LIFTED IN PHASES AND THOSE
PHASES AND THE BUSINESSES
INCLUDED IN EACH OF THOSE PHASES
ARE ALSO OUTLINED IN THAT REOPEN
SASKATCHEWAN PLAN ON THE
GOVERNMENT WEBSITE AND IN THE
MEDIA PACKAGE.
AS ALWAYS, IF ANYONE HAS ANY
QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL OUR
BUSINESS RESPONSE TEAM SUPPORT
LINE AT (844)800-8688.
SO PHASE ONE WILL BEGIN ON
MONDAY, MAY 4th.
AND ON THAT DATE, MEDICAL
SERVICES SUCH AS DENTISTS,
OPTOMETRISTS, CHIROPRACTORS,
PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS WILL BE
ALLOWED TO OPEN.
ALL MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
WILL HAVE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY
MEASURES SUCH AS GLOVES AND FACE
MASKS WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING MAY
NOT BE POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE OF THIS, WE RECOGNISED
SOME OF THE PROVIDERS MAY NOT BE
IMMEDIATELY ABLE TO DELIVER ALL
OF THE SERVICES THEY NORMALLY
WOULD.
AS DR. SHAHAB SAID THE OTHER
DAY, WITH THE WEATHER WARMING UP
AND WE ARE SEEING THAT, PEOPLE
ARE WANTING TO SPEND MORE TIME
OUTDOORS AND THAT'S A GOOD
THING, AS LONG IT'S DONE SAFELY.
SO AS A PART OF PHASE ONE, SOME
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WILL ALSO BE
ALLOWED TO OPEN WITH
RESTRICTIONS OVER THE COURSE OF
THE NEXT NUMBER OF WEEKS.
FOR EXAMPLE, PARKS WILL BE OPEN
FOR BOATING AND FISHING ON
MAY 4th.
WHILE OVERNIGHT CAMPING CAN
BEGIN ON JUNE 1st.
CAMPING AREAS WILLING CURRENTLY
BE OPERATING AT 50% CAPACITY SO
THAT EVERY OTHER CAMPING SPOT
WILL BE ABLE TO BE EMPTY.
AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE,
SASKATCHEWAN'S PARKS WILL BE
RESTRICTED FOR OVERNIGHT CAMPING
TO SASKATCHEWAN RESIDENTS ONLY.
THE ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM
FOR PARKS WILL OPEN MAY 4th.
GOLF COURSES CAN OPEN ON 
MAY 15th, JUST IN TIME FOR THE
LONG M WEEKEND.
GOLF COURSES WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW
DISTANCING RULES, SUCH AS ONE
PERSON ON A GOLF CART AND
ELEVATED COMES IN THE HOLE SO
THAT YOU DON'T PUTT YOUR BALL
INTO THE HOLE AND HAVE TO PLACE
YOUR HAND INTO THE HOLE TO
RETRIEVE THE BALL.
PHASE TWO OF OUR PLAN WILL BEGIN
TUESDAY, MAY 19th, JUST AFTER
THE MAY-LONG WEEKEND.
IN PHASE TWO, CURRENTLY
RESTRICTED RETAIL STORES AND
SOME THE PERSONAL SERVICES WILL
BE ALLOWED TO OPEN.
RETAIL STORES INCLUDING CLOTHING
STORES, SHOE STORES, FLOWER
SHOPS, SPORTING GOOD STORES AND
ELECTRONIC STORES.
PERSONAL SERVICES ALLOWED IN
PHASE TWO WILL INCLUDE
HAIRDRESSERS AND BARBER SHOPS,
ACCUPUNCTURISTS AND MASSAGE
THERAPISTS.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE BUSINESSES
WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW PRACTISES TO
PROTECT THEIR EMPLOYEES AND TO
PROTECT THEIR CUSTOMERS.
AND THOSE GUIDELINES, AGAIN, ARE
AVAILABLE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE
DOCUMENT THAT IS PROVIDED ON THE
GOVERNMENT WEBSITE.
AT THIS DATE, WE DO NOT HAVE
DATES SET FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT
PHASES.
THOSE DATES WILL BE DECIDED IN
THE WEEKS AHEAD AFTER CAREFUL
MONITORING AND THE IMPACT OF
THESE FIRST TWO PHASES.
PHASE THREE WILL SEE RESTAURANTS
AND BARS REOPEN AT 50% CAPACITY.
OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES THAT MAY
NOT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN PHASE
ONE OR TWO WILL BE ALLOWED TO
OPEN IN PHASE THREE.
PHASE FOUR WILL SEE RECREATION
AND ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES
BEGIN TO REOPEN.
AND THOSE WOULD INCLUDE
FACILITIES SUCH AS GYMS,
SWIMMING POOLS, THEATRES,
CASINOS AND MUSEUMS.
AND FINALLY, PHASE FIVE WOULD BE
THE CONSIDERATION OF LIFTING
SOME OF THE BROADER AND THE
LONGER-TERM RESTRICTS IN PLACE
BUT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED
MANY WEEKS DOWN THE ROAD.
NOW I KNOW SOME WILL BE
CONCERNED THAT THIS IS FAR TOO
SOON, THAT REOPENING BUSINESSES
IN THE COMING WEEKS COULD
INCREASE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
US TO REMEMBER THAT OVER THE
LAST NUMBER OF WEEKS, THERE HAS
BEEN MANY RETAIL STORES IN
SASKATCHEWAN THAT HAVE REMAINED
OPEN.
GROCERY STORES, FOR EXAMPLE,
HARDWARE STORES, PHARMACIES,
BANKS AND LIQUOR STORES HAVE ALL
ALLOWED TO BE OPEN AND THESE
STORES HAVE IMPLEMENTED NEW
PRACTISES, LIMITING THE NUMBER
OF PRACTISES IN THEIR STORES,
FOR EXAMPLE, ENSURING PHYSICAL
DISTANCING FOR THE SAFETY OF
EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS.
,
INCREASED THE DISINFECTING OF
ALL SURFACES AND AS A RESULT, WE
HAVE NOT SEEN MAJOR OUTBREAKS
THAT HAVE STARTED AT
SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE FLATTENED THE CURVE,
EVEN AS THESE BUSINESSES HAVE
REMAINED OPEN OVER THE COURSE OF
THE LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS.
THIS GIVES US CONFIDENCE THAT
SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESS CAN REOPEN
FOR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR
EMPLOYEES BY MAINTAINING SIMILAR
PRACTISES ACROSS THE SECTOR.
THAT SAID, WE WILL CAREFULLY
MONITOR THE CASE NUMBERS EACH
AND EVERYDAY AND WE WILL ADJUST
OR PLAN ACCORDINGLY IF REQUIRED.
SO LET ME BE CLEAR, THAT MANY OF
THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING
RESTRICTIONS AND RULES ARE GOING
TO REMAIN IN PLACE.
RESTRICTIONS DESIGNED TO PREVENT
SOME OF THE HIGHEST RISK
ACTIVITIES.
AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE, WE KNOW
THAT TRAVEL WAS THE SOURCE OF
MANY OF THE EARLY CASES OF
COVID-19 IN SASKATCHEWAN AND WE
CONTINUE TO STRONGLY DISCOURAGE
ALL NONESSENTIAL
INTERPROVISIONAL TRAVEL AND
ANYONE WHO RETURNS TO
SASKATCHEWAN FROM ANY OTHER
COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE UNITED
STATES, MUST SELF-ISOLATE FOR
TWO WEEKS.
WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE LARGEST
OUTBREAKS IN SASKATCHEWAN WERE
ALSO DUE TO LARGE SOCIAL
GATHERING, LIKE SNOWMOBILE
RALLIES.
THE RESTRICTS ON PUBLIC
GATHERINGS REMAINS IN PLACE AT
THIS TIME.
OTHER THAN ALLOWABLE BUSINESSES,
PUBLIC GATHERINGS REMAIN LIMITED
TO NO MORE THAN TEN PEOPLE.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE LARGEST
RISK AND THE DEADLIEST OUTBREAKS
IN OUR NATION HAVE OCCURRED IN
OUR SENIOR'S LONG-TERM CARE
HOMES.
SO ALL CURRENT RULES AND
RESTRICTIONS FOR LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES WILL REMAIN IN PLACE
FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND
THIS IS TO KEEP OUR FAMILY
MEMBERS IN THOSE FACILITIES
SAFE.
BY PROCEEDING WITH CAUTION, BY
MAINTAINING RESTRICTIONS IN
THOSE MOST HIGH-RISK AREAS AND
ACTIVITIES, AND BY CONTINUING
WITH GOOD PHYSICAL DISTANCING
AND CLEANLINESS PRACTISES, I
BELIEVE SASKATCHEWAN CAN FIND
THE RIGHT PATH.
I BELIEVE WE CAN CAREFULLY AND
CAUTIOUSLY BEGIN TO REOPEN OUR
PROVINCE WHILE STILL PROTECTING
SASKATCHEWAN RESIDENTS FROM THE
SPREAD OF COVID-19.
SO NOW AT THIS POINT, DR. SHAHAB
AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER
MY QUESTIONS.
>> WE'LL TAKE OUR FIRST QUESTION
FROM THE FLOOR.
>> Question:  DR. SHAHAB, DO YOU
ANTICIPATE THAT WHEN THESE
RESTRICTIONS ARE OPENING, START
LIFTING NEXT MONTH, THAT WE WILL
SEE AN INCREASE IN COVID-19
CASES AND IF SO, WHAT KIND OF
INCREASE CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE?
>> I WILL BEGIN BY SAYING THAT
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE
LAST SIX WEEKS, WE'VE LEARNED
YOU CAN GO SHOPPING SAFELY, AS
LONG EVERYONE FOLLOWS THE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT MEANS THAT BUSINESS
OWNERS HAVE TO SET UP THE
BUSINESS SO THAT PHYSICAL
DISTANCING IS MAINTAINED AND
PEOPLE WHO GO SHOPPING SHOULD
ONLY GO SHOPPING IF THEY'RE
WELL.
SO BASED ON THAT, WE WOULD LIKE
TO SEE NO INCREASE WHEN PEOPLE
ARE ENGAGING IN OTHER ACTIVITIES
AS IT RELATED TO COMMERCIAL
ACTIVITY.
WE HAVE LEARNED THAT WHEN PEOPLE
GO TO WORK IN ESSENTIAL
WORKPLACES, FOR THE MOST PART,
WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY
TRANSMISSION.
BUT AS LONG PEOPLE ARE OBSERVING
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING
PHYSICAL DISTANCING, HAND
HYGIENE, NOT SHARING FOOD, EVEN
IF THERE'S A CASE, YOU MAY GET
LIMITED SECONDARY TRANSMISSION
BUT THAT IS CONTROLLED QUICKLY.
SO IT THINK IT WILL BE ESSENTIAL
THAT IF WE SEE TRANSMISSION OF
THOSE SETTINGS, WE ARE ABLE TO
CONTROL THAT QUICKLY SO THAT IT
MEANS THAT AS SOON AS SOMEONE IS
SYMPTOMATIC THEY'LL CALL THE
HEALTH LANE FOR TESTING.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE
WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE
EACH CASE IN DETAIL.
WE HAVE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN
SAFELY CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH
COVID-19 AND PREVENT FURTHER
TRANSMISSION WITH HEALTHCARE
WORKERS OR OTHER PATIENTS AND
THOSE LESSONS HAVE TO BE APPLIED
IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS OUTSIDE
OF HOSPITALS SO A LOT OF THE
MEDICAL SERVICES, WHICH ARE IN
PHASE ONE, AND HAVE TO BE
APPLIED IN OTHER SERVICES THAT
WILL BE ALLOWED IN PHASE TWO,
WHERE THROUGH PROPER USE OF
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
AND OTHER MEASURES, YOU CAN
SAFELY PROVIDE SERVICES WHICH
ARE LESS THAN TWO METRES WHERE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING IS NOT
MAINTAINED.
BUT AGAIN, IF TRANSMISSION WAS
TO HAPPEN, WE WOULD INVESTIGATE
IN DETAIL, UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS
THERE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
IMPROVED AND PROVIDE THAT
FEEDBACK TO THE PROVIDERS AND TO
THE PUBLIC.
SO WE WILL SEE ONGOING
TRANSMISSION.
WE HOPE THAT WILL REMAIN AS LOW
AS POSSIBLE.
WE WANT TO SEE THE CURVE REMAIN
FLAT DURING THE REOPENING PHASE
AND WE WANT TO LEARN FROM THAT
AND PROVIDE CONTINUOUS FEEDBACK.
>> I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR
PEOPLE TO GET THEIR TEETH
CLEANED AND THEIR HAIR TO GET
CUT, BUT THESE LIKE RELATIVELY
HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES BECAUSE YOU
CAN CAN'T MAINTAIN PHYSICAL
DISTANCING PERFORMING THOSE
SERVICES.
SO WHY THOSE IN THE EARLY PHASES
OF THIS PLAN AND NOT LATER?
>> THE ENTIRE PLAN, INCLUDING
THE PHASE ONE, PERSONAL
SERVICES, HAS BEEN WORKED ON IN
CONSULTATION NOT ONLY WITH
DR. SHAHAB AND THE HEALTH
ASSOCIATION AND IN PHASE ONE,
THE NUMBER OF SERVICES ARE
PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES, IF YOU
WILL.
THESE ARE ALSO SERVICES THAT, TO
A LARGE DEGREE, PRACTICING WITH
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
AND PROVIDING THEIR SERVICE IS
WITH THE PROPER STANDARDS IN
PLACE WITH RESPECT TO
CLEANLINESS AND THIS INFECTION
IS NOT FOREIGN TO THESE
SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE AT A
DENTIST'S OFFICE OR MANY OF THE
SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDE.
SO THIS IS AN EXTENSION, REALLY,
OF SOME OF THE HEALTHCARE
SERVICES THAT ARE ALREADY BEING
PROVIDED ACROSS THE PROVINCE AND
SOME OF THESE SERVICES HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED EVEN THROUGHOUT THE
LAST NUMBER OF WEEKS ON
EMERGENCY BASES, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE FELT
COLLECTIVELY IS A GOOD PLACE TO
START REOPEN SOME OF THE
SERVICES THAT THE SASKATCHEWAN
PEOPLE REQUIRE AND THEN A SECOND
WAVE OF THOSE PERSONAL SERVICES
WILL BE COMING IN PHASE TWO.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR
US TO UNDERSTAND THAT BETWEEN
THESE PHASES, AND WE HAVE PUT
DATES ON PHASE ONE AND PHASE
TWO, BUT NOT ON PHASE THREE,
FOUR AND FIVE, AND THOSE DATES
WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE
RESULTS THAT WE SEE, AS WE STEP
INTO THIS AREA OF REOPENING
BUSINESSES AND SERVICES IN THE
PROVINCE.
>> Operator:  WE HAVE THE LEADER
POST.
>> Question:  GOOD MORNING.
GIVEN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A DATE
FOR PHASE FIVE, WHICH IS THE BIG
CROWDS, ISN'T THAT, IN ESSENCE,
SAYING THAT WE CANNOT PLAN FOR
WIDER GAMES OF CFL SEASON,
COUNTRY THUNDER JAMBOREE AND IT
SEEM TO BE THAT ANYONE OF THIS
WILL BE PERMISSIBLE BY A
REALISTIC TIME ANYTHING WILL
START?
>> WITHOUT HAVING DATES ON
PHASES THREE, FOUR AND FIVE, I
THINK WHAT THAT SPEAKS TO ARE
THOSE DATES WOULD BE DETERMINED
AS PER THE RESULTS THAT WE SEE
WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PHASE
ONE AND TWO.
IF WE START TO SEE A SMALL
INCREASE IN ACTIVE CASES HERE IN
THE PROVINCE, WHICH I DON'T
THINK WOULD BE UNEXPECTED, BUT A
MANAGEABLE INCREASE HERE IN THE
PROVINCE, WE WOULD HAVE A LOOK
AT THE NEXT PHASE.
I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE A LOOK
AT THE NEXT PHASE OVER THE
COURSE OF THE MONTH.
THIS NEEDS TO BE ABOUT KEEPING
SASKATCHEWAN RESIDENTS SAFE BUT
FOCUSED WITH FINDING THAT RIGHT
PATH, FINDING THE PATH OF HOW WE
CAN OPEN UP SOME SECTORS OF THE
ECONOMY THAT HAVE NOT BEEN
ALLOWED TO BE OPENED UP OVER THE
COURSE OF THE LAST NUMBER OF
WEEKS AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET
BACK TO WORK AND SO THE RESULTS
DURING PHASE ONE AND TWO WILL
DETERMINE THE THE DATES FOR
FUTURE PHASES.
I DON'T THINK IT'S TIME YES FOR
US TO MAKE COMMENT ON LARGE
PUBLIC GATHERINGS.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE
INFORMATION AT THIS POINT.
>> Operator:  IS THERE A
FOLLOWUP?
>> Question:  GIVEN THIS PHASE
TWO STARTS ON MAY 19th AND
GIVEN ONLY A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD
ONE WOULD THINK TO CALCULATE THE
RESULTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT
PROBABLY JUNE OR JULY THAT WE'RE
INTO PHASE THREE, SO PHASE FOUR
AND PHASE FIVE DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN THIS
SUMMER.
>> THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
WITH ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT
CONVERSATION, WHETHER IT BE THE
CFL OR OTHER SPORTING LEAGUES,
WHETHER IT BE MINOR BALL, MINOR
SPORTING LEAGUES WHERE OUR YOUTH
ARE PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS
RIGHT ACROSS THIS PROVINCE.
I KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY I LIVE,
THERE'S YOUTH DANCE, THERE'S
YOUTH BALL, THERE'S SOFTBALL AND
KIDS THAT WANT TO PLAY LACROSSE.
THAT'S JUST AT THE MINOR LEVEL,
NEVER MIND THE PUBLIC GATHERINGS
THAT WE WOULD HAVE WITH
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AND OTHER
EVENTS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE,
COUNTRY THUNDER, THAT WE KNOW
MANY PEOPLE ATTEND, BUT IT'S TOO
EARLY FOR US TO MAKE ANY
DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT
WHETHER OR NOT THOSE TYPES OF
GATHERINGS WITH THAT NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO CARRY
ON.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD FROM
YOUR PERSPECTIVE, DR. SHAHAB,
BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY
THIS ISN'T A CONVERSATION WE'VE
BEEN FOCUSED ON EXCLUSIVELY AS
OF YET, AS WE'RE TRYING TO
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS IN
PLACE IN THE WAY OF TESTING
CAPABILITY, CONTACT TRACING AND
MOBILITY TO ISOLATE FLARE-UPS
TODAY.
>> SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD,
LIKE THE PREMIER SAID, IT'S
POSSIBLE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
REOPEN IN AN ORGANIZED WAY.
AND THE REASON WE CAN DO THAT,
AGAIN, AS THE PREMIER SAID LAST
EVENING IS BECAUSE WE'VE ALL
BEEN PRACTICING PHYSICAL
DISTANCING AND OTHER MEASURES TO
KEEP THE CURVE FLAT.
AS WE GO FORWARD, IT'S NOT BACK
TO BUSINESS AS USUAL, BUT BACK
TO BUSINESS IN THE NEW NORMAL
AND WE CONTINUE CONTINUE TO
TO LEARN FROMTHAT.
WE KNOW WHERE THERE'S SHOUTING,
SINGING, LAUGHING, CRYING AND
HUGGING OR OTHER CLOSE CONTACT,
WE ALREADY KNOW TRANSMISSION
HAPPENS VERY QUICKLY.
WE HAVE A REPRODUCTIVE RATE OF
LESS THAN ONE, WHICH MEANS THAT
EACH CASE TRANSLATES TO LESS
THAN ONE PERSON AND THAT IS
ESSENTIAL TO KEEP THE CURVE
FLAT.
WE KNOW IN GATHERINGS IN
SASKATCHEWAN, WE'VE HAD
SITUATIONS WHERE ONE PERSON, AN
INFECTIOUS RATE AND IN LARGE
GATHERINGS, THOSE ARE NOT BEING
ALLOWED, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE
TO LEARN FROM WHAT WE SEE AND
SEE WHAT WOULD BE THE
POSSIBILITIES IN THE FUTURE TO
MAYBE ALLOW SOME EVENTS.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SAFELY
ALLOW SOME BUSINESSES, SOME
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES WHERE
THE RISK IS ALREADY LOW AND
LEARN FROM THAT AND MOVE FORWARD
IN A WAY SYSTEMATICALLY.
>> Operator:  WE HAVE BONNIE
ALLEN.
>> Question:  YOU'VE NOTICED THE
AGGRESSIVE TESTING IS KEY TO
THIS STRATEGY, BUT WE'VE SEEN
THE DEMANDS FOR TESTING
DECREASE, DESPITE YOUR CAPACITY.
SO WHEN WILL YOU START DOING
DEFENCIVE TESTING AND START
DOING OFFENSIVE TESTING, NOT
JUST IN RESPONSE TO PEOPLE AND
SYMPTOMS?
>> I THINK DR. SHAHAB WOULD BE
BEST TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WHEN WE HAVE ACCESS TO TESTING
CAPABILITY THAT MAY BE ABLE TO
TEST ANTIBODIES, FOR EXAMPLE, WE
MAY LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT OF
DIFFERENT TESTING PARAMETERS AND
DR. SHAHAB MAY SPEAK MORE IN
DEPTH TO THAT.
BUT AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE ONE OF
THE MOST ACCESSIBLE TESTS, IF
YOU WILL, FOR RESIDENTS IN
CANADA, RIGHT HERE IN
SASKATCHEWAN.
AND WE DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
GO BEYOND THE TESTING NUMBERS
THAT WE HAVE TODAY AND WE ARE
FULLY PREPARED, IF NEEDED, TO
PROVIDE THOSE TESTS, IF
REQUIRED, DR. SHAHAB.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST A BIT OF DETAILS ON THE
TESTING CAPACI CAPACITY AS IT SS
TODAY.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO 1,000 TESTS A
DAY, TARGETED 1500 AND TESTING
HAS GONE DOWN DUE TO LESS COUGHS
AND COLDS, LESS PEOPLE GETTING
FEVERS.
AND YES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT ANYONE WITH ANY SYMPTOMS,
EVEN DURING FLU SEASON NOW DOES
CONSIDER TESTING IF THEIR
SYMPTOMS ARE UNUSUAL.
CALL THE HEALTH LINE AND THAT'S
ONE WAY OF MAINTAINING AND
ENHANCING TESTING ONCE THE COUGH
AND COLD SEASON AND FLU SEASON
ENDS.
WE ARE VERY REASSURED THAT
OVERALL, OUR TESTING NUMBERS
HAVE BEEN 23,000 PLUS, TESTING
POSITIVE RATE AT 3% TEARILY LOW,
FAIRLY LOW.IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEE
WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING MORE.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUR NUMBERS
FROM LAST WEEK, TO 13th TO
18th OF APRIL, WE DID A
MAXIMUM OF 4,000 TESTS AND NOW
AS MUCH AS MORE THAN A THOUSAND
TESTS, BUT LESS THAN THAT.
BUT EVEN THE TEST POSITIVE RATE
WAS .4%,
THIS IS ALL ESSENTIAL AS PART OF
A STRATEGY.
>> ANY FOLLOWUP.
>> Question:  YOU NOTED THE
RECOMMENDATION THAT
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL NOT BE DONE
UNLESS IT'S ESSENTIAL BUT WHAT
CONSIDERATION HAVE YOU GIVEN TO
BEEFING THAT UP, SOMETHING WITH
A BIT MORE TEETH, FURTHER
RESTRICTIONS, HIGHWAY PATROLS OR
ANYTHING THAT WOULD CLAMP DOWN
ON PEOPLE GOING TO AND FROM
ALBERTA, FOR EXAMPLE?
>> YOU WANT TO START THAT AND
I'LL MAYBE END.
>> INDIVIDUALS NEED TO DO A RISK
ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED TO TRAVEL
AND I THINK SO FAR, THE FEEDBACK
WE'VE BEEN GETTING IS THAT
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT IN A
VERY CONSCIENCE MATTER.
NOT A LOT OF TRAVEL EVEN WITHIN
THE PROVINCE THAT'S FAR FROM
YOUR OWN HOME.
SO FOR THE MOST PART, PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN CONSCIENCE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING
THAT RISK ASSESSMENT AND KEEPING
TRAVEL AS LOW AS FEASIBLE.
AND EVEN INFORMATION FROM GOOGLE
AND OTHER THIRD-PARTY
DEMONSTRATES THAT FOR THE MOST
PARTY PEOPLE ARE STAYING AT HOME
OR CLOSE TO HOME WHICH NEEDS TO
CONTINUE.
>> Operator:  THE NEXT QUESTION
FROM THE FLOOR.
ARTHUR.
>> Question:  THERE'S A FEW
THINGS I DON'T SEE IN THAT PLAN
AND THAT INCLUDES WHEN SCHOOLS
AND ALSO UNIVERSITIES OPEN.
>> Rosemary:  WE'LL PULL AWAY
FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE
WATCHING, YOU CAN GO TO OUR
WEBSITE.
LET ME BRING IN MY COLLEAGUES TO
GO OVER SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE
HEARD IN THE PAST COUPLE OF
HOURS.
I FOUND THAT PRETTY FASCINATING,
BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A REAL
PICTURE INTO HOW THINGS MIGHT
START TO RELAX IN A VERY
RESTRICTED WAY WITH TWO DATES
MENTIONED, MAY 4th BEING THE
FIRST PHASE AND MAY 15th THE
SECOND ONE.
VASSY, I'LL LET YOU START.
>> Vassy:  I WAS CLINGING TO
EVERY WORD TO SEE HOW THEY'LL
ROLL THIS OUT.
SO OVERALL, IT'S A MULTI--PHASED
APPROACH, BUT THE ONLY DATES
DEDAMAGED SO FAR ARE TO THE
FIRST PHASE KICKING OFF ON
MAY 4th AND THE SECOND PHASE
ON THE 19th.
SO PARKS, GOLF, AND YOU WON'T BE
DIGGING IN THE HOLE IF YOU'RE
LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET THE BALL IN
AND SOMETHING THAT ELEVATES IT,
AS WELL AS MEDICAL SERVICES THAT
WERE CLOSED DOWN IN LIGHT OF
COVID-19.
THINK OF DENTISTS AND
OPTOMETRISTS AND STORES AND
BUSINESSES THAT WERE FORCED TO
CLOSE, FLOWER SHOPS, HAIR SALONS
AS WELL AS MASSAGE THERAPY.
DAYCARE, RESTAURANTS, THAT'S ALL
IN THE LATER PHASES AND AS I
MENTION, NO SPECIFIC DATE ON
THAT.
STILL, A NUMBER OF RESTRICTS IN
RESTRICTIONSIN PLACE.
IF YOU PARTAKE IN ACTIVITIES
WE'RE ALLOWING, STICK TO HOME
AND GATHERINGS LIMITED TO TEN
PEOPLE, AS WELL.
>> Rosemary:  I HAVE ABOUT A
MINUTE, CATHERINE.
I NOTICED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
CAN I GO TO A RIDER'S GAME AND
THE QUESTION WAS NO.
DEEPLY CANADIAN.
I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO
HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THE DYNAMICS
IN SASKATCHEWAN ARE PARTICULAR.
I THINK IT'S 326 CASES, FOUR
DEATHS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS
AND THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE ARE
PARTICULAR TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THAT PROVINCE, WHEN DECISIONS
LIKE THIS ARE MADE, IT PUTS
APPROACH ON THEM IN THEIR OWN
PROVINCE TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS,
BUT PEOPLE WILL BE WATCHING THIS
AS A TEST CASE TO SEE HOW IT
GOES, NOT ONLY HOW THE MEASURES
WORK BUT HOW WILL PEOPLE RESPOND
TO THIS?
WILL THEY BE FLOODING THE GOLF
COURSES.
>> Rosemary:  SO JUST SUMMING UP
WHAT WE HEARD THERE, NOT ONLY
SASKATCHEWAN'S PLAN TO REOPEN,
WHICH EVERYONE IN THE COUNTRY
WILL BE WATCHING VERY, VERY
CLOSELY AND OTHER PROVINCES WILL
SLOWLY START TO FOLLOW, BUT ALSO
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S
ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, WHICH IS
REALLY ANOTHER WAY START FINDING
A WAY TO HAVE THOSE RESTRICTIONS
LIFTED, A BILLION DOLLARS IN
FUNDING FOR SCIENCE RESEARCH,
VACCINES, TO GET A BETTER SENSE
OF HOW WE CAN STOP THIS
PANDEMIC, CONTROL IT AND STOP IT
FROM SPREADING FURTHER.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON AND THANK
YOU FOR WATCHING HERE.
LET ME TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE WHO HAS COVERAGE OF
ANOTHER TOP STORY WE'VE BEEN
TRACKING THROUGH THE DAY.
(PLEASE STAND BY).
