AFTER HIS WIFE TESTED POSITIVE 
TO THE VIRUS.
WE'RE EXPECTING HIM TO SPEAK TO 
THE COUNTRY IN ABOUT 15 
MINUTES' TIME.
LET'S BRING IN MY TWO 
COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE BEEN 
HELPING ME WITH THESE SPECIALS 
THROUGH THE WEEK.
VASSY KAPELOS AND CBC'S DAVID 
COCHRANE ALSO JOINING ME NOW.
A COUPLE OF BIGGER THINGS 
HAPPENING TODAY.
LET'S SATER WITH THIS MEDICAL 
SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE, WHICH WE 
KNOW IS REAL AND THE GOVERNMENT 
IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FIND 
PEOPLE AND INDUSTRY AND 
COMPANIES THAT CAN HELP THEM 
RAMP UP PRODUCTION OF MUCH 
NEEDED SUPPLIES.
>> Vassy: THAT IS MY 
EXPECTATION AS TO THE CONTENT 
THAT WE'LL HEAR PRIMARILY FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER TODAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHAT 
HE SAYS WILL FUNNEL THROUGH THE 
DEPARTMENTS OF INDUSTRY AND 
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO TALK 
ABOUT IS THAT ALMOST EVERY 
INDUSTRIAL PROGRAMME THEY HAVE 
WILL NOW BE REFOCUSED ON 
FIGHTING COVID-19, SO THAT 
SUPPLY CHAIN THAT YOU 
MENTIONED, THE LEVEL OF 
PREPAREDNESS T EQUIPMENT 
NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROTECT 
OURSELVES AND FOR HEALTH CARE 
WORKERS, OF COURSE, MOST 
IMPORTANTLY TO PROTECT 
THEMSELVES.
ALL OF THAT WILL BE PART OF 
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
THEY'LL TRY TO GEAR EXISTING 
PROGRAMMES LIKE THE NATIONAL 
RESEARCH CENTRE, SUPERCLUSTERS, 
THE INNOVATION FUND, 
PROCUREMENT, ALL OF IT IS GOING 
TO HAVE TO BE REFOCUSED ON THIS 
ISSUE.
THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK 
ABOUT PERHAPS THE POSSIBILITY 
OF OTHER FIRMS RETOOLING THEIR 
EXISTING MANUFACTURING.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHICH 
FIRMS AT THIS POINT.
I THINK IT WILL BE MORE OF A 
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY.
BUT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE BIG 
ANNOUNCEMENT COMING FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER TODAY.
THE SECOND THING I'M TOLD IS 
THAT THERE WILL BE SOMETHING 
THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED 
ABOUT AND MOST CANADIANS 
EXPECT, BUT A FORMAL 
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER THAT THE BORDER 
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CANADA 
WILL OFFICIALLY ENACT THOSE 
RESTRICTIONS, LIMB, IT ONLY TO 
ESSENTIAL TRAVEL, NONESSENTIAL, 
A.K.A. IF YOU ARE GOING FOR 
TRAVEL OR LEISURE, THAT WILL 
COME INTO EFFECT AS OF MIDNIGHT 
TONIGHT.
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
DAVID, WE'LL PICK UP ON THAT 
POINT WITH YOU AND THAT IS THE 
BORDER BECAUSE THAT IS THE 
OTHER SIGNIFICANT SHIFT THAT 
THIS COUNTRY AND THE UNITED 
STATES HAVE MADE TO TRY TO 
CONTAIN THE VIRUS.
I WOULD NOTE THAT THEY ARE ALSO 
MOVING TO DO THE SAME THING 
WITH THEIR SOUTHERN BORDER 
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND MEXICO.
BUT DO WE KNOW MORE NOW ABOUT 
HOW PRACTICALLY THIS IS GOING 
TO WORK?
>> Reporter: WE'RE TRYING TO 
FIGURE OUT WHO IS GOING TO BE 
ALLOWED TO CROSS THE BORDER.
THE I WHAT WE NEED TO THINK 
ABOUT IT IS WHO WON'T BE 
ALLOWED TO CROSS THE BORDER.
THIS IS THE WAY THIS IS GOING 
TO BE DONE.
ESSENTIALLY A LIST OF ACTIVITIS 
THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE 
NONESSENTIAL AND IF YOU ARE ONE 
OF THOSE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE 
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE 
WATCHING THIS AND LISTENING TO 
THIS, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE 
ALLOWED TO CROSS THE BORDER.
IT COMES INTO EFFECT, I BELIEVE 
VASSY SAID, AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT 
OR CERTAINLY INTO TOMORROW.
NO TOURISM, NO SHOPPING, NO 
RANDOM CROSS-BORDERING AND 
THERE WILL BE EXEMPTIONS FOR 
HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND AS THE 
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SAID 
YESTERDAY, ESSENTIALLY, KEEP ON 
TRUCKIN'.
IF YOU ARE A TRUCKER AND 
DELIVERING SUPPLIES OF GOODS OR 
TRAINS AND THESE THINGS AND 
PEOPLE WITH CRITICAL VISAS, 
CORE, ESSENTIAL CROSS-BORDER 
WORK WILL CONTINUE TO BE DONE.
ESSENTIALLY IN SOME WAYS, 
ROSEY, WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY 
IS A SHIFT FROM CLAMPING DOWN 
TO RAMPING UP.
IN THAT THE INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY 
OF THE COUNTRY WILL BE TILTED 
TOWARDS THINGS LIKE GLOVES, 
MASKS, VENT LAYS TOER, FACE 
SHIELDS, BEDS IF THEY NEED THEM.
I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT EXTREME 
MEASURES BUT INNOVATIVE 
MEASURES ARE APPLIED TO PLACES 
LIKE QUEBEC WHERE THEY'RE 
ASKING FOR HOTEL SPACE.
PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE FOOD OR 
CARPETS IN THE ROOM OR CLOSE TO 
HOSPITALS WHERE THEY CAN PUT 
PEOPLE, NOT WITH COVID-19, BUT 
PEOPLE DISPLACED WHO NEED TO 
HAVE AN EYE KEPT ON THEM BUT 
AREN'T IN NEED OF CRITICAL, 
URGENT HOSPITAL CARE.
AND WHILE WE'RE GOING TO SEE 
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE 
EXPLANATION OF THE STEPS THAT 
WE'RE TAKING, WE WANT TO 
EXPLAIN THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN 
A RAMPING UP ALREADY GOING ON.
THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING.
IN FACT, DR. TERESA TAM, HER 
ENTIRE JOB AS HEAD OF THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA 
WAS CREATED AFTER SARS THE 
ALLOW FOR A NATIONAL COLLECTIVE 
RESPONSE AND TO BUILD THINGS 
LIKE STOCKPILES ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
SO, THEY HAVE SURGE CAPACITY 
SUPPLIES ALREADY IN PLACE.
THEY HAVE BEEN BACKSTOPPING 
THOSE WITH THE THINGS THEY NEED 
SPECIFICALLY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS 
THROUGH THE NORMAL MEANS OF 
PROCUREMENT AND BUYING THINGS.
THE STEP WE'RE TAKING TODAY, 
THOUGH, IS A REORIENTING OF 
INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY TO SUPPORT 
THAT ENTIRE NATIONAL EFFORT TO 
CONTAIN THIS VIRUS.
>> Rosemary: RIGHT.
AS PEOPLE CAN WELL IMAGINE, 
EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS IN THE 
MARKET FOR THE SAME PRODUCTS 
AND LET ME ALSO RE-ASSURE 
PEOPLE, PEOPLE MAY REMEMBER 
THAT WHEN THIS OUTBREAK FIRST 
STARTED IN CHINA, ONE OF THE 
THINGS THAT WE DID WHEN WE WERE 
REPATRIATING CANADIANS WAS WE 
SENT OVER A PLANE FULL OF 
SUPPLIES TO CHINA.
THIS IS ABOUT FINDING NEW WAYS 
TO CREATE OUR OWN SUPPLIES.
I THINK YOUR CHARACTERIZATION 
IS ACCURATE.
I THINK IT IS VIRTUALLY 
UNPRECEDENTED.
IT IS THE KIND OF THING THAT 
STARTS TO HAPPEN DURING 
WARTIME, RIGHT?
THAT YOU HAVE TO START CHANGING 
FACTORIES INTO DOING DIFFERENT 
THINGS.
WE'RE STANDING BY TO BRING YOU 
A PRESS CONFERENCE FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER.
I'LL JUST LEAVE VASSY AND DAVID 
FOR A MINUTES, IF I CAN, AND 
BRING IN A DOCTOR WHO MIGHT 
GIVE US MUCH NEEDED PERSPECTIVE 
ON THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT 
DOCTORS NEED RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO DR. 
CARLSTON IF WE CAN, HEAD OF 
MEDICINE AT THE U.B.C. 
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE.
DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING 
US.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> Caller: GOOD MORNING.
>> Rosemary: CAN YOU TELL ME 
WHAT YOUR SENSE IS OF THE 
EQUIPMENT, THE SUPPLIES WE HAVE 
THAT ARE NEEDED TO TREAT 
COVID-19 AND THERE I'M THINKING 
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT VENTILATORS.
WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING THAT 
CANADA HAS AROUND 6500 
VENTILATORS BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE 
IS A NEED FOR MORE.
>> RIGHT, ROSEY, YOU'RE RIGHT.
HOPEFULLY IT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN 
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND NOT 
MONTHS.
WE'RE OK AT LEAST IN VANCOUVER, 
BUT PREPARING FOR THE WORST AND 
THAT MEANS, A AS YOU SAID 
BEFORE, THAT EVERYONE AS A TEAM 
REALLY HAS TO CAREFULLY THINK 
OF ALL THE OPTIONS AND BE VERY 
NIMBLE ON THE GROUND.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE LOOKING AT 
OLDER VENTILATORS THAT WERE 
DECOMMISSIONED THAT ARE IN 
BASEMENTS AND LOOKING FOR TWO 
VENT LAYS TOER POTENTIALLY AND 
AN ENDLESS STREAM OF CONTACTS 
ALL AROUND THE WORLD FROM 
INNOVATORS WHO WANT TO BRING IN 
A NEW PRODUCT AND, OF COURSE, 
THAT COMES WITH SAFETY ISSUES.
AND WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYTHING 
OFF THE TAKE.
>> Rosemary: HOW IMPORTANT IS A 
VENTILATOR FOR THOSE DEFEATING 
COVID-19.
I'M SURE PEOPLE HAVE READ 
ACCOUNTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED 
FROM IT.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE A VENTILATOR 
IS REALLY YOUR ONLY COMMANDS S. 
THAT FAIR TO SAY?
>> AT THE EXTREME OF THE 
CONDITION, ABSOLUTELY.
THE CONDITION THAT IS 
ASSOCIATED WITH RESPIRATORY 
FAILURE AND THE UNFORTUNATE 
ONES THAT GET TO THAT POINT.
WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT 
WE HAVE OUR USUAL CASE LOAD.
SO OUR I.C.U. AT VANCOUVER 
GENERAL HOSPITAL, FOR EXAMPLE, 
IS TYPICALLY FULL, THAT'S 
WITHOUT COVID-19.
AS YOU SAID BEFORE, IT IS ALSO 
THE ISSUE OF WHO GETS DISPLACED 
AND USING ALTERNATIVE MODES TO 
TAKE CARE OF THOSE PATIENTS.
THEY HAVE TO BE CREATIVE AND 
QUICK ON THE GROUND AND WE HAVE 
TO BE MOBILIZED FOR THAT.
>> Rosemary: ANY OTHER CONCERNS?
>> FOR SURE, AS YOU SAID, THE 
VENTILATOR DOESN'T OPERATE ON 
ITS OWN.
IT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED AND 
TWEAKED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT IS DOING, CAN I MUCH 
APPRECIATE, IS LOOSENING THE 
RESTRICTIONS ON THE REGULATIONS 
FOR LICENSING.
AND PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT OF 
RETIREMENT.
THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN LICENSED 
YET, BUT SOON WOULD BE.
THAT IS BEING ACCELERATED.
SO QUITE APPROPRIATELY UNDER 
THIS EMERGENCY SITUATION, WE'RE 
LOOSENING THE CRITERIA A BIT TO 
GET THROUGH THIS.
>> Rosemary: I'LL LEAVE IT 
THERE FOR NOW.
I HOPE YOU STICK AROUND SO I 
CAN GET A SENSE OF YOUR TAKE ON 
WHERE -- ON WHAT THE GOVERNMENT 
ANNOUNCES SHORTLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR 
WEIGHING IN.
I'M GOING GO BACK TO DAVID 
COCHRANE FOR ONE MOMENT, IF I 
CAN.
HE HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE NEWS 
ONAWA WE'RE EXPECTING TO HEAR 
FROM THE PRIME MINISTER.
THERE ARE MANY CANADIANS 
STRANDED IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES 
AROUND THE WORLD AND THERE'S 
BEEN EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE 
CANADIANS GET HOME, DAVID.
>> Reporter: I'M BEING TOLD 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET NEWS OF 
THE FIRST FLIGHT TO HELP 
CANADIANS STRANDED ABROAD.
WE KNOW THERE WAS AN URGENT 
CALL TO GET PEOPLE HOME AS BEST 
THEY COULD.
THIS IS A FAR MORE COMPLEX 
SITUATION THAN OBVIOUSLY THE 
CANADIANS STRANDED IN WUHAN IN 
THE EARLY DAYS OF THIS IN 
JANUARY, WHICH FEELS ABOUT FIVE 
YEARS AGO NOW AT THIS POINT 
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SPRINKLED 
AROUND HUNDREDS IF NOT DOZENS 
OF COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
AND WE KNOW THEY WERE HAVING 
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE HEAD 
PEOPLE IN CANADA AND WESTJET ON 
WHAT MEASURES THEY CAN TAKE TO 
DO AIR LIFTS ESSENTIALLY TO GET 
PEOPLE BACK TO SAFETY IN THEIR 
HOMES.
I'M NOT SURE THIS NECESSARILY 
APPLIS TO PEOPLE WITH 
CITIZENSHIP.
THIS IS LARGELY FOR PEOPLE ON 
VACATION FOR A MATTER OF WEEKS 
AND FACE THE PROBABILITY OF IT 
GOING ON MUCH LONGER.
>> Rosemary: OK.
AND WE'VE HEARD OF CANADIANS 
STRANDED IN MOROCCO AND PERU, 
WHICH IS NOT LETTING ANYONE OR 
OUT.
I WILL SAY THAT THE U.S. STATE 
DEPARTMENT IS BEGINNING TO PUT 
TOGETHER SOME CHARTER FLIGHTS 
TO GET AMERICANS OUT OF 
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WHERE THEY 
HAVE BEEN STRANDED AND I'LL 
ALSO MENTION THAT SUNWING 
MANAGED TO REPATRIATE SOME 
CANADIANS I BELIEVE JUST 
YESTERDAY AND OFFERED SOME FREE 
SEATS ON REPATRIATION FLIGHTS.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN APPEALING TO 
AIRLINES TO HELP THEM WITH THIS 
AT A TIME WHEN AIRLINES ARE 
STRUGGLING.
AIR CANADA IS EXPECTED TO LAY 
OFF MORE THAN 5,000 FLIGHT 
ATTENDANTS.
PROBABLY IN THE COMING DAYS 
HERE.
OBVIOUSLY UNDER A LOT OF STRAIN.
THAT TRI.
-- THAT INDUSTRY.
AND WE KNOW THAT MINISTER 
GARNEAU HAS TALKED ABOUT THE 
NEED FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR THAT 
INDUSTRY MOVING FORWARD.
AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME 
MINISTER TO COME OUT OF HIS 
HOME, LET ME GO TO MY NEW 
FRIEND, CBC'S CHRIS ENSING IN 
WINDSOR.
BECAUSE TONIGHT WE ARE 
EXPECTING THE BORDER TO CLOSE 
OVERNIGHT.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE U.S. IS 
DISCUSSING SIMILAR MEASURES 
WITH MEXICO.
GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT YOU ARE 
HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE 
GOING TO BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED 
BY THIS.
>> Reporter: EVERYBODY'S 
DAY-TO-DAY LIFE DEPENDS ON THAT 
BORDER ESSENTIALLY.
WE'VE HEARD FROM PARENTS WHO 
HAVE FAMILIS WHO LIVE ON THIS 
SIDE OF THE BORDER IN WINDSOR 
AND THEIR KIDS LIVE IN 
MICHIGAN, INSIDE OF DETROIT.
SO, THAT CONNECTION THERE IS 
REALLY IMPORTANT AND HAVING 
THAT MENTAL BLOCK, THAT 
PHYSICAL BLOCK OF THAT BORDER 
NOT BEING ABLE TO CRISS-CROSS 
INTO NONESSENTIAL SERVICES IS 
WEIGHING HEAVY ON A LOT OF 
PEOPLE.
THAT ANXIETY, THAT ANXIOUS 
FEELING.
YOU'VE BEEN TALK ABOUT 
ESSENTIAL SERVICES BEING 
ALLOWED TO GO BACK AND FORTH.
TRUCKERS TOUGHING IT OUT.
I LOOKED UP NUMBERS HERE TO GET 
A SENSE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE 203,000 
TRUCKS THAT WENT ACROSS THE 
AMBASSADOR BRIDGE IN JANUARY 
ALONE.
CRISS-CROSSING THE BORDER.
OF THOSE, 340,000 PASSENGER 
VEHICLES.
WE EXPECT THE TRAFFIC TO DIM 
AND THE TRAFFIC FROM THE 
ESSENTIAL SERVICES GOING BACK 
AND FORTH TO KEEP THAT SUPPLY 
CHAIN GOING WILL BE HUGE DURING 
ALL OF THIS.
AGAIN A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO 
WORK IN MICHIGAN THAT ARE FROM 
WINDSOR IN THAT HEALTH CARE 
INDUSTRY, WE'VE BEEN TOLD TIME 
AND TIME AGAIN THAT THE 
FRONTLINE WORKERS THERE ARE 
DEPENDING ON CANADIANS IN 
WINDSOR TO BE ABLE TO CROSS 
THAT BORDER TO HELP AS THEY 
BATTLE THE CORONAVIRUS IN 
MICHIGAN WHERE THE NUMBER OF 
DEATHS ARE CONTINUING TO RISE.
WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN 
WATCHING CLOSELY HERE IN OUR 
COMMUNITY.
>> Rosemary: OK, CHRIS.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE.
WE'RE EXPECTING THE PRIME 
MINISTER IN A MINUTE'S TIME.
CHRIS ENSING IN WINDSOR.
LET ME TAKE YOU AGAIN TO THE 
PRIME MINISTER'S HOME THERE AT 
RIDEAU COTTAGE IN THE NATION'S 
CAPITAL.
JUST POINT OUT AS ONE OF OUR 
PRODUCERS NOTED, THE PODIUM HAS 
CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY NOW A BOARD 
AND SIGN IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM 
THAT MENTIONS 
CANADA.CA/CORONAVIRUS.
JUST TO HIT HOME TO PEOPLE THAT 
THERE IS A GOVERNMENT WEBSITE 
WHERE YOU CAN GO AND GET A LOT 
OF PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT 
THE THINGS THE GOVERNMENT IS 
DOING, AO *ETER FROM A PUBLIC 
HEALTH PERSPECTIVE OR TO HELP 
YOU IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMY AND 
IF YOU ARE FEELING LIKE YOU 
MIGHT BE LAID OFF AND HAVE 
CONCERNS AROUND THAT.
I'LL BRING IN VASSY FOR ANOTHER 
MINUTE.
WE'RE TOLD HE WILL BE ON TIME.
THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT 
FRONTS TO THIS STORY, WHETHER 
IT BE TO GET MANUFACTURERS 
INVOLVED AND REPATRIATED 
CANADIANSFUL A LOT OF MOVING 
PARTS.
>> Vassy: MOST CANADIANS ARE 
INTERESTED IN THE ABILITY TO 
GET THEM HOME.
LIKE YOU, I'VE BEEN HEARING 
FROM THEM NONSTOP.
IN PARTICULAR, MANY OF THEM WHO 
CAN'T FIND A WAY TO GET BACK SO 
I THINK THE PRIME MINISTER 
SIGNALED THIS WOULD BE COMING 
AND THEY WOULD BE VERY MUCH 
INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS FROM.
THE GOVERNMENT'S PERSPECTIVE, 
THE INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENT IS A 
BIG ONE AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT 
BECAUSE THAT WILL BECOME -- 
FULFILLING THOSE NEEDS WILL 
BECOME SOMETHING THAT IS VERY 
IMPORTANT ALONG THE SUPPLY 
CHAIN, THE LEVEL OF 
PREPAREDNESS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BUT WILL 
BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AS 
THE NUMBER OF CASES RISE.
THE BORDER RESTRICTIONS SO 
RELEVANT TO MANY MILLIONS OF 
CANADIANS AS WELL AS THE 
CAPACITY TO GO GET THEM, THE 
NUMBER OF CANADIANS WHO ARENED 
EXTRAED.
THERE 
-- WHO ARE STRANDED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE KEENLY 
INTERESTED IN THOSE DETAILS AS 
WELL.
>> Rosemary: TO BRING PEOPLE UP 
TO SPEED ON WHERE THIS COUNTRY 
ZITS  -- COUNTRY SITS IN TERMS 
OF THE NUMBER OF CASES, OVER 
800, NEARING 900 CASES.
REMEMBER, WE DO EXPECT THESE 
NUMBERS TO GROW FAIRLY RAPIDLY.
BUT THAT IS BECAUSE THE TESTING 
IS ALSO GROWING AND RAMPING UP 
AT A VERY FAST SPEED.
25,000 TESTS THIS WEEK ALONE.
HERE IS THE PRIME MINISTER 
EMERGING FROM HIS HOME, RIDEAU 
COTTAGE, WHERE HE'LL SPEAK TO 
CANADIANS AND BRING US NEWS 
ABOUT GOVERNMENT MEASURES TODAY.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: BEFORE I BEGIN 
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT, I WANT TO 
SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT TRAVEL.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSION 
WITH CANADIAN AIRLINES TO HELP 
CANADIANS TO COME BACK HOME.
WE'LL HAVE MORE TO ANNOUNCE BUT 
THE FIRST FLIGHT WILL LEAVE 
MOROCCO OVER THE WEEKEND.
AS I ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY, 
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES 
HAVE CONCLUDED AN AGREEMENT TO 
PREVENT NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL, 
PARTICULARLY TOURISTS.
TRADE WILL, HOWEVER, CONTINUE.
THIS MEASURE WILL COME INTO 
EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
MINISTER BLAIR WILL PROVIDE 
MORE INFORMATION ON THIS LATER 
TODAY.
FURTHER MORE, CANADA AND UNITED 
STATES ARE ANNOUNCING A MUTUAL 
AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH WE WILL 
NOW SEND BACK IRREGULAR 
MIGRANTS TRYING TO CROSS THE 
BORDER.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
ARE IN DISCUSSION WITH CANADIAN 
AIRLINES TO HELP CANADIANS 
STRANDED ABROAD COME HOME.
WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS TO 
SHARE, BUT THE FIRST FLIGHT 
WILL BE PICKING UP CANADIANS 
FROM MOROCCO THIS WEEKEND.
AS I ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY, 
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES 
HAVE AGREED TO STOP 
NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL 
SPECIFICALLY WITH TOURISM AND 
RECREATION.
TRADE AND COMMERCE WILL 
CONTINUE.
THIS TAKES EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT 
TONIGHT AND MINISTER BLAIR WILL 
GIVE MORE DETAILS TODAY.
FURTHER, TODAY, CANADA AND THE 
UNITED STATES ARE ANNOUNCING A 
RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENT WHERE WE 
WILL NOW BE RETURNING IRREGULAR 
MIGRANTS WHO ATTEMPT TO CROSS 
ANYWHERE AT THE U.S.-CANADA 
BORDER.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: OVER THE LAST 
WEEK, THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HAS 
MOBILIZED TO SLOW DOWN THE 
SPREAD OF COVID-19.
DOCTORS AND NURSES IN 
RETIREMENT HAVE COME IN TO HELP 
IN THE HOSPITALS.
AND PEOPLE ADMINISTERING THE 
SCREENING TESTS AND RESEARCHERS 
LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION ALWAYS 
ARE WORKING LONGER HOURS.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT 
PEOPLE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS 
FROM OUR PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS.
FREQUENT HANDWASHING, WORKING 
FROM HOME, LIMITING TRAVEL IN 
ORDER TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH AND 
THE HEALTH OF OTHERS.
BUT IT IS NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALS 
WHO WANT TO HEM THEIR 
COMMUNITIES.
BUSINESSES AS WELL ARE STEPPING 
UP.
I THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, OF 
GROCERY STORES TWO ARE OPENING 
AN HOUR EARLIER TO SERVE THE 
MOST VULNERABLE CANADIANS OR 
MANUFACTURING COMPANIES THAT 
ARE ASKING WHAT THEY CAN DO TO 
HELP.
JUST LAST WEEK, A NUMBER OF 
COMPANIES RIGHT ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY CONTACTED OUR 
GOVERNMENT TO OFFER THEIR 
ASSISTANCE.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR 
SOLIDARITY AND THEIR GENEROSITY.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: THIS 
WEEK, MANY BUSINESSES PUT THEIR 
HAND UP AND ASKED US WHAT THEY 
CAN DO.
SO, TODAY WE'RE ANNOUNCING A 
NEW STRATEGY THAT WILL MAKE IT 
EASIER FOR COMPANIES TO HELP 
OUT DURING THIS CRITICAL TIME.
WE ARE LAUNCHING CANADA'S PLAN 
TO STOP COVID-19 TO ANNOUNCE 
THE THINGS WE NEED.
THIS INITIATIVE WILL HELP 
COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY 
MAKING THINGS LIKE MASKS, 
VENTILATORS AND HAND SANITIZER 
TO MASSIVELY SCALE UP 
PRODUCTION.
IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO 
THOSE WHO WANT TO RETOOL THEIR 
MANUFACTURING FACILITIES TO 
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FIGHT.
THEY REACHED OUT TO US ASKING 
HOW THEY COULD HELP.
OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS 
REALLY NEED SUPPORT.
SO, OUR GOVERNMENT WILL HELP 
THESE COMPANIES SHIFT 
PRODUCTION FROM AUTO PARTS TO 
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
WE'RE ALSO CLOSING TO REACH 
AGREEMENTS WITH SEVERAL OTHER 
COMPANIES INCLUDING THORNHILL 
MEDICAL, MEDICOM AND SPARTAN 
BIOSCIENCE.
THERE WILL BE MORE ON THIS 
LATER TODAY.
OUR GOVERNMENT IS ALSO CREATING 
NEW, INNOVATIVE PROCUREMENT 
STREAMS TO ALLOW MORE BUSINESSS 
TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS AND 
PRODUCTS CANADIANS NEED BECAUSE 
OF COVID-19.
THESE PRODUCTS WILL BE READY TO 
USE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
CANADA IS HOME TO SOME OF THE 
BEST INKNOW EVADE TOS IN THE 
WORLD AND WITH THIS NEW 
INITIATIVE, WE WILL HARNESS 
THEIR TALENT AND KNOW-HOW TO 
GET THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING 
TIMES.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE WILL RAPIDLY 
PRODUCE THE ARTICLES WE NEED IN 
CANADA.
THROUGH THIS PLAN, COMPANIES 
THAT ARE ALREADY PRODUCING 
RESPIRATORS AND MASKS AND HAND 
SANITIZER WILL BE ABLE TO 
CONSIDERABLY SCALE UP THEIR 
PRODUCTION.
WE WILL ALSO BE SUPPORTING 
THOSE THAT NEED TO BUY 
EQUIPMENT TO ALLOW THEIR PLANTS 
TO PRODUCE THE ARTICLES NOW IN 
DEMAND.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE AUTO PARTS 
MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION HAS 
REACHED OUT TO US TO SEE HOW IT 
CAN HELP.
OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS 
REALLY NEED OUR SUPPORT AND, 
THEREFORE, OUR GOVERNMENT WILL 
HELP THOSE COMPANIES TO PRODUCE 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RATHER THAN 
AUTO PARTS.
WE'RE ALSO REACHING AGREEMENTS 
WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER 
COMPANIES, INCLUDING THORNHILL 
MEDICAL, MEDICOM AND SPARTAN 
BIOSCIENCE.
WE'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT 
THAT LATER TODAY.
OUR GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO BE 
INTRODUCING NO INNOVATIVE 
PROCUREMENT STREAMS IN ORDER TO 
ALLOW A LARGER NUMBER OF 
BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS 
AND PRODUCTS THAT CANADIANS 
NEED BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
WE WILL QUICKLY BE EXPEDITING 
THIS NEW PROCESS SO THAT 
COMPANIS CAN GET DOWN TO WORK 
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
CANADIAN INNOVATORS ARE AMONG 
THE BEST IN THE WORLD AND WITH 
THIS NEW STRATEGY, WE ARE 
PUTTING IN PRACTICE AND USING 
THEIR TALENTS AND THEIR 
KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO HELP US 
COME THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT 
TIME TOGETHER.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: OVER 
THE PAST WEEK, SERVICE CANADA 
AND MANY GOVERNMENT AGENCIS 
HAVE RECEIVED A HISTORIC NUMBER 
OF CALLS FROM CONCERNED 
CANADIANS.
WE RECEIVED OVER 500,000 
APPLICATIONS SO FAR THIS WEEK 
COMPARED TO JUST UNDER 27,000 
APPLICATIONS FOR THE SAME WEEK 
LAST YEAR.
I KNOW PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS TO 
GET THE HELP THEY DESERVE AND 
OUR GOVERNMENT IS WORKING AS 
FAST AS POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT 
THEM.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, AN 
UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION AND 
IT'S PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE 
ON OUR SYSTEM, BUT WE'RE ON IT.
THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS 
ARE WORKING AROUND-THE-CLOCK TO 
HELP YOU.
I KNOW THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN 
HARD ON PEOPLE FOR MANY REASONS.
WORKING FROM HOME WHILE THE 
KIDS ARE RUNNING AROUND.
NOT BEING ABLE TO VISIT YOUR 
PARENTS AT THE NURSING HOME, 
NOT HANGING OUT WITH YOUR 
FRIENDS.
IT CAN TAKE ITS TOLL.
BUT IT IS IN THESE CHALLENGING 
TIMES THAT WE ALSO SEE WHAT 
WE'RE MADE OF.
THIS PAST WEEK, NO MATTER HOW 
DIFFICULT, WAS FURTHER PROOF 
THAT CANADIANS ARE GENEROUS, 
KIND AND COMPASSIONATE AND THAT 
SHOULD GIVE US ALL HOPE.
WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO 
DO THE RIGHT THING, WHETHER 
IT'S WORKING FROM HOME OR 
PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING TO 
PROTECT OUR NURSES, DOCTORS AND 
EVERYONE WHO WORKS IN OUR 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
TO DEAL WITH THIS CRISIS, WE 
NEED EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER 
AND DO THEIR PART.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN RIGHT 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE WORKERS 
WHO ARE STEPPING UP AND ALL THE 
COMPANIES WHO ARE MAKING THINGS 
OUR COUNTRY NEEDS.
IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS AND 
WONDERING WHAT YOU CAN DO, 
REACH OUT.
WE NEED YOUR HELP.
CANADIANS NEED YOUR HELP.
AND OUR GOVERNMENT IS READY TO 
WORK WITH YOU TO MAXIMIZE YOUR 
IMPACT.
I'LL END THIS MORNING BY 
ADDRESSING ALL THOSE 
CELEBRATING THIS PAST WEEK.
THIS IS USUALLY A TIME WHEN 
FRIENDS AND FAMILIES GATHER 
AROUND THE TABLE AND SHARE A 
FESTIVE MEAL.
BUT THIS YEAR IS A BIT 
DIFFERENT.
TO THE MANY FAMILIES SPENDING 
THEIR FIRST HOLIDAY WITHOUT 
LOVED ONES, YOU ARE IN OUR 
THOUGHTS.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAD TO 
POSTPONE FESTIVITIES BECAUSE OF 
COVID-19 AND I WANT TO THANK 
YOU FOR THAT AS WELL.
SOCIAL DISTANCING IS CRUCIAL IN 
LIMITING THE SPREAD OF THE 
VIRUS AND WE DO THIS NOW AND 
SOON WE WILL BE ABLE TO 
CELEBRATE TOGETHER.
IN THE MEANTIME, I WANT TO WISH 
YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND LOOK 
FORWARD TO MARKING THE OCCASION 
WITH YOU AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
>> Interpreter: ONCE AGAIN, 
THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: HOW FAST CAN A 
PRIVATE COMPANY ACTUALLY 
PRODUCE VENTILATORS, FOR 
EXAMPLE, UP TO STANDARD.
AND CAN THIS KEEP UP WITH THE 
RATE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
COMMUNICATIONS ALREADY IN 
ONTARIO TODAY.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
KNOW THAT CANADIAN COMPANIES 
ARE AMONG THE MOST INNOVATIVE  
AND AGILE IN THE WORLD AND 
WE'LL WORK WITH THEM TO RESPOND 
TO THE PRESSING NEEDS IN OUR 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE ARE 
CONFIDENT THAT THE -- OUR 
COMPANIES THAT ARE AMONG THE 
MOST INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE IN 
THE WORLD WILL BE ABLE TO 
RESPOND TO THIS REQUEST QUICKLY 
AND WE'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY 
ABOUT THIS AT NOON AT A PRESS 
CONFERENCE.
TO WHAT EXTENT THE EFFORTS THAT 
YOU'RE ASKING OF THESE 
COMPANIES LOOKS LIKE THE KINDS 
OF EFFORTS WE SAW DURING WORLD 
WAR II.
AND WITH RESPECT TO ROXHAM 
ROAD, EXACTLY HOW WILL THIS 
WORK?
WILL THERE BE A BARRIER.
WILL PEOPLE WITH SENT BACK.
WELL, THIS IS A MEASURE WHERE 
PEOPLE ARRIVING AT THE BORDER, 
IF THEY'RE IRREGULAR MIGRANTS 
WILL BE SENT BACK AND PUT BACK 
IN THE HANDS OF U.S. 
AUTHORITIES.
AND THIS IS A TEMPORARY MEASURE 
THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING AND IT 
WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AS LONG AS 
THIS CRISIS EXISTS.
IT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL MEASURE IN 
ORDER TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
TOGETHER.
AND WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE 
EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, 
UNPRECEDENTED CIRCUMSTANCES.
SOME PEOPLE ARE RELATING IT TO 
A WAR SITUATION OR OTHER 
ECONOMIC CRISES.
WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO 
DO.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
RECOGNIZE THAT THE EFFORTS 
WE'RE GOING THROUGH ARE 
UNPRECEDENTED.
THESE ARE HISTORIC TIMES IN 
WHICH WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING 
WE CAN TO SUPPORT CANADIANS AND 
MOBILIZE ALL OF OUR EFFORTS IN 
SPORT WAYS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 
HISTORICAL ECHOES, WHETHER IT 
IS WARTIME OR GREAT DEPRESSION.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON DOING WHAT WE 
NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW THAT CANADA HAS NEVER 
FACED A SITUATION LIKE THIS AND 
WE'LL FACE IT TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, 
PRIME MINISTER.
CALIFORNIA IS UNDER AN OFFICIAL 
STATE LOCKDOWN TO DEAL WITH 
COVID-19.
WHY ISN'T CANADA PUTTING 
STRICKER MEASURES IN PLACE TO 
ENSURE OR ENFORCE THAT PEOPLE 
PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND 
DO SELF-ISOLATION AND IS CANADA 
CONSIDERING FOLLOWING 
CALIFORNIA'S LEAD?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
ARE SEEING CANADIANS ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY TAKE ON SOCIAL 
DISTANCING, TAKE ON MEASURES 
THAT ARE PROTECTING CITIZENS.
WE KNOW THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO 
DO.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO 
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, TO STAY HOME, 
TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, 
NOT JUST TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, 
BUT OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND 
THE SYSTEM WORKING HARD TO KEEP 
SO MANY CANADIANS SAFE AND 
HEALTHY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING 
TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR.
WE'LL ALWAYS BE OPEN TO TAKING 
NEW MEASURES.
BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO 
IMPRESS UPON CANADIANS HOW 
IMPORTANT IT IS TO DO JUST THAT.
>> Reporter: IS CANADA 
CONSIDERING A LOCKDOWN?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE 
ARE LOOKING AT ALL POSSIBLE 
DIFFERENT MEASURES.
AS I SAID REPEATEDLY, NOTHING 
IS OFF THE TABLE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ANNOUNCE 
[INAUDIBLE] IF NECESSARY.
RIGHT NOW I WANT TO 
CONGRATULATE AND THANK THE 
MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF 
CANADIANS WHO ARE USING SOCIAL 
DISTANCING AND [INAUDIBLE] 
[AUDIO CUTTING OUT]
[NO AUDIO]
>> Rosemary: WE'RE HAVING A 
LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY 
HERE.
AS SOON AS WE GET BACK A STABLE 
SHOT AND WE'RE ABLE TO HEAR THE 
PRIME MINISTER CONTINUE TO TAKE 
SOME QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS, 
WE'LL BRING THAT TO YOU.
I'M SURE EVERYONE HAS FELT 
SYSTEMS BEING OVERWHELMED AS OF 
LATE AS MORE PEOPLE USE PHONES 
AND THE INTERNET AND THIS COULD 
BE RELATED TO THAT.
ANYWAY, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK 
TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN.
A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT 
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER THERE TODAY.
FIRST ON THAT ISSUE AS TO HOW 
INDUSTRY MIGHT HELP GOING 
FORWARD TO CREATE AND SECURE 
OUR MEDICAL SUPPLY CHAIN.
HE SAYS THAT BASICALLY THEY ARE 
GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY 
CAN, THAT THESE ARE HISTORIC 
TIMES AND THEY NEED COMPANIES 
TO MOBILIZE.
MAYBE I'LL GO TO VASSY QUICKLY 
WHILE WE WAIT TO SEE IF WE CAN 
GET BACK THE PRIME MINISTER 
JUST FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON 
WHAT WE HEARD IN FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER.
>> Vassy: YOU'RE RIGHT.
I WANT TO START WITH THE 
STATISTIC THAT HE GAVE THAT 
TOOK MY BREATH AWAY THAT'S 
ACTUALLY ONE OF THE SADDEST 
THINGS.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE EXPECTED IT.
>> Rosemary: SORRY.
WE GOT HIM BACK.
I'LL COME RIGHT BACK.
I PROMISE.
HERE'S THE PRIME MINISTER.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
PEOPLE WILL MAKE DECISIONS IN 
CONSEQUENCE BASED ON THEIR OWN 
CHOICES.
I THINK THAT IS THE IMPORTANT 
THING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO 
ADVISE PEOPLE ABOUT.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> THANK YOU, MERCI.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE 
TELEPHONE LINES.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: YES, THANK YOU, 
PRIME MINISTER.
DO YOU THINK CANADIAN ATHLETES 
SHOULD GO TO THE TOKYO 
OLYMPICS, EVEN IF THE GAMES ARE 
NOT CALLED OFF?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: ITY 
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION 
THAT MANY ATHLETES AND COACHES 
AND FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ASKING 
THEMSELVES.
[AUDIO CUTTING OUT]
I HAVE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM 
PRIME MINISTER ABE THAT HE IS 
INTENTS ON CONTINUING TO HOLD 
THESE OLYMPICS AND I 
CONGRATULATE HIM FOR THAT 
DECISION.
BUT OBVIOUSLY CANADIAN ATHLETES 
AND THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC TEAM 
WILL BE MAKING ITS DECISION AS 
WE GET A LITTLE CLOSER.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: EVERYTHING 
DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION IN 
JAPAN AND AROUND THE WORLD.
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[APPLAUSE]
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, 
MR. TRUDEAU.
THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF 
CONCERN ABOUT DIAGNOSTIC 
TESTING.
SOME PROVINCES ARE CONCERNED 
THAT NOT ENOUGH TESTING IS 
BEING DONE.
NOW THESE NEW EFFORTS WITH 
CANADIAN COMPANIES.
WILL THAT HELP?
WELL, YES.
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING TODAY 
WILL HELP.
BUT I CAN ALSO SAY THAT IN 
RECENT DAYS I'VE SEEN NEW 
APPROVALS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF 
TESTS AVAILABLE TO THE 
PROVINCES.
WE ARE CURRENTLY RAMPING UP THE 
NUMBER OF TESTS RIGHT ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY.
JUST IN RECENT DAYS, WE SAW A 
HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF 
TESTS BEING ADMINISTERED 
THROUGH NAY I CAN'T UNDERSTAND 
AND WE HEARD THAT THIS IS A 
VERY IMPORTANT PART OF 
PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF 
COVID-19 AND WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH 
TESTS FOR EVERYONE TO MEET 
NEEDS.
>> Reporter: HI, PRIME MINISTER.
THERE IS CONCERNS THAT PRISON 
FACILITIES ARE RISKY VECTORS 
FOR TRANSMITTING COVID-19.
SOME STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES 
HAVE DONE THINGS TO REDUCE THE 
PRISON POPULATION.
IS CANADA CONSIDERING THAT?
AND SECONDARILY, YESTERDAY YOUR 
PLAN WAS TO DETAIN MIGRANTS 
CROSSING INTO CANADA CROSSING 
FACILITIES AND NOW PLANNING TO 
SEND BACK TO THE U.S. WHERE 
THEY WILL TURN I.C.E. DETENTION 
FACILITIES AND DEPORTED BACK.
IS THAT WISE?
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
FIRST OF ALL, ON CORRECTIONS 
CANADA, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT 
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY 
IS TALK ABOUT KEEPING OUR 
INCARCERATED POPULATION SAFE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE 
UNDERSTAND.
IN REGARDS OF THE AGREEMENT, WE 
JUST WORKED OUT WITH THE 
AMERICANS, WE RECOGNIZE THESE 
ARE EXCEPTIONAL TIMES AND 
SOMEONE WHO COMES TO THE BORDER 
TO REQUEST ASYLUM WILL BE 
TURNED BACK TO AMERICAN 
AUTHORITIES.
AS HAPPENS RIGHT NOW WHEN 
SOMEONE COMES TO AN OFFICIAL 
BORDER CROSSING AND REQUESTS 
ASYLUM, WE TURN THEM OVER TO 
AMERICAN AUTHORITIES AT THE 
BORDER WHERE THEY ARE RELEASED 
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY INTO THE 
UNITED STATES.
THEY ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, 
PEOPLE WHO ARE LEGALLY IN THE 
UNITED STATES AND THAT IS 
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONFIDENT 
ABOUT.
WE ALSO HAVE INSURED THAT WE 
ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS 
PROCESS AS BEING IN LINE WITH 
CANADA'S VALUES ON THE 
TREATMENT OF REFUGEES AND 
VULNERABLE PEOPLE.
>> Interpreter: THIS IS A 
TEMPORARY MEASURE IN TERMS OF 
SENDING BACK MIGRANTS, TRYING 
TO CROSS THE BORDER IRREGULARLY.
AND THESE WOULD BE THE SAME 
THING FOR SOMEONE COMING TO THE 
BORDER BASED ON THE REGULAR 
PROCESS AND REQUESTING ASYLUM.
WE SEND THEM BACK TO THE U.S. 
AUTHORITIES AND WE ARE ENSURING 
THAT THE PROCESSES USE 
REASONABLE DOUBT IN KEEPING 
WITH CANADIAN VALUE.
>> THANK YOU.
MERCI.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: YES, I'D LIKE 
TO CONTINUE [INAUDIBLE].
YESTERDAY YOU ANNOUNCED WITH 
RESPECT TO ROXHAM ROAD, PEOPLE 
WOULD BE PLACED IN QUARANTINE.
WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE TONE 
SOME 24 HOURS LATER?
IS IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW 
WHERE TO PUT THEM?
ARE YOU LACKING RESOURCES?
OR DO YOU SUDDENLY HAVE MORE 
CONCERNS ABOUT POSSIBLE 
INFECTION?
NO, NOT AT ALL.
PEOPLE WHO CAME IN FOR THE 
BEGINNING OF THE WEEK ARE 
CURRENTLY IN ISOLATION AND THAT 
IS A STEP WE HAD ALREADY PUT IN 
PLACE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE BEEN 
WORKING WITH OUR U.S. 
COUNTERPARTS TO TRY AND FIND A 
WAY TO DEVELOP THESE PEOPLE 
SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY.
IF THINK EAR CROSSING THE 
BORDER AS IRREGULAR MIGRANTS.
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, WE'VE 
BEEN DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE 
U.S. TO TRY AND FIND OR DEVELOP 
A MEASURE LIKE THIS ONE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO WORK ON 
THIS PROCESS ON THE TEMPORARY 
BASIS BUT OF THE COVID-19 
CRISIS.
BUT YESTERDAY WE HAD NOT YET 
BEEN ABLE TO AGREE ON THIS WITH 
THE UNITED STATES.
NOW WE HAVE THAT AGREEMENT.
SO OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE 
CROSSED UP UNTIL NOW WILL BE IN 
ISOLATION.
AS I SAID YESTERDAY.
BUT IN FUTURE, PEOPLE TRYING TO 
CROSS THE BORDER WILL BE 
RETURNED TO THE U.S. 
AUTHORITIES.
AS I SAID, THIS IS A MUTUAL 
AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED 
STATES THAT WAS REACHED JUST A 
FEW HOURS AGO.
>> Prime Minister Trudeau: 
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
CANADA ADDRESSING CANADIAN NOW 
FOR THE FIFTH DAY FROM HIS 
HOME, RIDEAU COTTAGE, WHERE HE 
IS SELF-ISOLATING WITH HIS 
FAMILY.
LOTS OF NEWS TODAY.
AND LOTS OF IT REALLY IMPORTANT 
TO USE.
SO LET'S BRING IN BOTH VASSY 
KAPELOS AND DAVID COCHRANE.
I CUT YOU OFF, VASSY, SO I'LL 
LET YOU GO FIRST.
>> Vassy: UNDERSTANDABLY SO.
YEAH.
I WAS JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF 
SAYING THAT THERE IS A LOT OF 
NEWS OUT OF WHAT THE PRIME 
MINISTER SAID TODAY.
BUT PRIMARILY I WAS STRUCK BY 
THE STATISTIC THAT HE OFFERED 
ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATION 
FOR ASSISTANCE THIS WEEK, FOR 
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR E.I. 
500,000 THIS WEEK COMPARED TO 
27,000 LAST WEEK.
I KNOW THAT WE WERE 
ANTICIPATING THAT AND WE KNEW 
THAT SOMETHING ALONG THOSE 
LINES WAS COMING.
BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE 
STAGGERING AND I ANTICIPATE 
THAT THEY WILL ONLY INCREASE 
BECAUSE MORE PROGRAMMES ARE 
MADE AVAILABLE.
ON THE SECOND PART, THE SORT OF 
BIG, SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT 
CAME OUT OF THIS, WE HAD TALKED 
PRIOR.
DAVID HAD DELIVERED THE NEWS 
THAT THEY WOULD BE BEGINNING 
THE EFFORT TO REPATRIATE 
CANADIANS AND HE SAID THAT THE 
FIRST PLANE WOULD BE COMING 
FROM MOROCCO OVER THE WEEKEND.
AS WELL, THE INDUSTRY 
ANNOUNCEMENT T IDEA THEY'RE 
GOING TO RETOOL ALL THE 
PROGRAMMES THAT THEY HAVE TO 
FIGHT AND MOBILIZE THEM TO 
FIGHT COVID-19 AND TO BETTER 
PREPARE CANADIANS AS WELL AS 
HEALTH CARE WORKERS FOR WHAT IS 
COMING.
AS WELL, THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON 
THE AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED 
STATES FOR THE RESTRICTIONS AT 
THE BORDER.
THAT WILL COME INTO EFFECT AT 
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
I KNOW WE'LL HAVE A LOT TO TALK 
ABOUT THERE.
THE ONE THING I WASN'T 
EXPECTING THAT I'M GOING TO SAY 
DID TAKE ME BY SURPRISE IS THE 
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ANOTHER 
AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED WITH 
THE UNITED STATES TO TURN BACK 
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER 
ANYBODY WHO CROSSES IN BETWEEN 
OFFICIAL POINTS OF ENTRY AND 
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE 
COVERED FOR YEARS AND POLITICAL 
STORY, VERY HEATED POLITICAL 
ISSUE IN OTTAWA.
BUT THE IDEA OF PARTICULARLY AT 
ROXHAM ROAD OF PEOPLE WHO WERE 
CROSSING BY FOOT OVER THOSE 
OFFICIAL POINTS OF ENTRY.
THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE 
CRITICIZED THE GOVERNMENT FOR 
ALLOWING THAT OR FOR SAYING 
THAT I COULD GO ON.
THEY HAVE ALWAYS INSISTED THAT 
THEY WERE COMPLYING WITH 
INTERNATIONAL LAW.
THE PRIME MINISTER WAS ASKED 
REPEATEDLY ABOUT IT.
HE SAYS THAT THIS STILL DOES 
COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE 
THE REACTION TO THAT THROUGHOUT 
THE DAY.
HE SAYS THEY HAVE REACHED THIS 
AGREEMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF 
BORDER TO TURN THOSE PEOPLE 
BACK.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
THAT TO ME, ALSO STOOD OUT AS A 
HUGE NUMBER OF CANADIANS 
REACHING OUT FOR ASSISTANCE.
500,000 IF A WEEK.
I SUPPOSE WE SHOULDN'T BE 
SURPRISED WITH THAT NUMBER.
BUT THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO 
GROW.
JUST TODAY WE SEE AIR CANADA 
ABOUT TO LAY OFF 5,000 PEOPLE 
AND THE PRIME MINISTER TRYING 
TO RE-ASSURE CANADIANS THAT THE 
SYSTEMS, THE I.T. SYSTEMS IN 
PLACE, THAT THEY'RE WORKING 
HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN 
HANDLE THAT CAPACITY.
LET'S GO TO THE REGULAR BORDER 
ISSUE AND YOU COVERED THIS 
EXTENSIVELY AS WELL.
SINCE 2017, ABOUT 54,000 PEOPLE 
HAVE ENTEREDED AT IRREGULAR 
BORDER ENTRIES.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE 
DOING THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE 
WAY TO GET INTO CANADA WITHOUT 
THE SAFE THIRD COUNTRY 
AGREEMENT BEING IMPLEMENTED.
I WONDER, DAVID, I GUESS MY 
INITIAL QUESTION WOULD BE THIS 
IS TEMPORARY.
BUT GIVEN THERE WAS SO MUCH 
PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT IN 
THE FIRST PLACE TO TRY TO SHUT 
THIS DOWN, YOU HAVE TO WONDER 
HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK GOING 
FORWARD?
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT POLICY 
CHANGE.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
EVERYTHING THE GOVERNMENT IS 
ANNOUNCING IS TEMPORARY BUT HAS 
AN AIR OF PERMANENCE BECAUSE WE 
HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG ANY THIS 
IS GOING TO LAST.
I THINK I WAS THERE IN AUGUST 
OF 2016 WHEN THE SURGE OF 
HAITIAN MIGRANTS WAS COMING 
ACROSS THE BORDER AND WE WERE 
ONE OF THE LAST CAMERA CREWS TO 
GET UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THE 
BORDER.
AND NOW THERE IS PERMANENT 
INFRASTRUCTURE THERE THAT 
DIDN'T EXIST.
THAT IS A COMPONENT OF THE 
LARGER THEME OF WHAT WE'RE 
SEEING THROUGH THESE DAY BY DAY 
ANNOUNCEMENTS IS THE 
MARSHALLING AND FUNNELING OF 
CANADA'S INDUSTRIAL AND HUMAN 
CAPACITY TOWARDS A SINGLE, 
SOLITARY PURPOSE.
I THINK THAT IS SLOWING AND 
CONTAINING AND MITIGATING 
COVID-19 AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE IF YOU WERE TO ALLOW 
THE SAFE THIRD COUNTRY 
AGREEMENT MEASURES TO REMAIN IN 
TACT AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO 
COME ACROSS THE BORDER AT 
ROXHAM ROAD, AT THE LEVEL -- 
AND WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN 
WITH THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN 
THE UNITED STATES, WHETHER OR 
NOT THAT WOULD ACCELERATE -- 
YOU HAVE TO DIVERT BORDER 
AGENCIES, HEALTH CARE WORKERS, 
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUST SOCIAL 
CAPACITY TO DEALING WITH THAT 
PARTICULAR ISSUE.
SO, THIS TAKES A VARIABLE OFF 
THE TABLE SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON 
DEALING WITH YOUR DOMESTIC 
POPULATION AND WHAT IS 
HAPPENING THERE.
I THINK THAT IS A KEY PART OF 
WHAT IS GOING ON THERE.
>> Rosemary: CAN I INTERRUPT 
YOU FOR ONE SECOND ON THAT 
POINT.
I THINK IT'S SO INTERESTING, 
THOUGH.
HE SAID IT TOOK 24 HOURS TO 
REACH THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE 
UNITED STATES.
WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABOUT IT JUST 
YESTERDAY THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO 
BE ANY MOVEMENT OR FLEXIBILITY 
ON IT AT ALL.
SO, NOT THAT EITHER OF US KNOW 
THE ANSWER TO THIS RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WONDER HOW THIS CAME 
ABOUT SO QUICKLY AND WHY SUCH 
-- I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE 
SAYING MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF 
DO YOU WANT TO QUARANTINE A 
BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE 
GOING TO GO AND THERE WERE 
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE 
WOULD COME ACROSS.
>> Reporter: I HAVE A THEORY.
I HAVE --
>> Rosemary: GOOD.
BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY ASKING 
THE GOVERNMENT TO DO THIS JUST 
IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: IF YOU LOOK AT THE 
ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY, 
NORMALLY THE I WHAT IT WORKS 
SOMEONE CROSSES THE BORDER IN A 
REGULAR FASHION, SAY AT ROXHAM 
ROAD.
THEY'RE INTERCEPTED THERE BY 
THE RCMP AND PUT INTO ARREST 
AND BROUGHT TO A PROCESSING 
CENTRE, WHICH IS IN THE TOWN 
RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND THEN 
THEY'RE SENT INTO MONTREAL FOR 
TEMPORARY HOUSING.
QUEBEC HAD RAISED A CONCERN 
WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
SAYING WE CAN'T HANDLE THIS.
YOU NEED TO HANDLE THIS.
AND MARCO MENDOCINO, THE ROOKIE 
MINISTER, WAS PUT INTO CHARGE 
OF THIS AND SAID THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT WOULD FIND THE 
RESPONSIBILITY OF FINDING 
HOUSING AND SHELTER FOR PEOPLE 
WHO CAME ACROSS THIS WAY AND 
ENSURING THEY WERE PUTING IN 
QUARANTINE.
THEY TOOK IT OFF THE PROVINCIAL 
GOVERNMENT'S PLATE AND PUT IT 
ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S 
PLATE AND NOW PUTTING IT BACK 
ON THE AMERICAN PLATE AND 
SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP 
THESE PEOPLE.
THERE IS NO IRREGULAR MIGRATION 
REALLY FROM CANADA TO THE U.S..
IT IS A NORTHERN FLOW AND I 
THINK IT SIMPLY BECOMES A 
QUESTION OF CAPACITY, BEING 
OVERWHELMED BY SOMETHING THAT 
IS A VARIABLE OUTSIDE OF WHAT 
YOU'RE DEALING WITH IN TERMS 
OF--
>> Rosemary: I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE 
SAYING.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ENORMOUS 
PRESSURE FROM QUEBEC.
SORRY, DAVID.
YOU WANTED TO MAKE ANOTHER 
POINT AND THEN I'LL MOVE ON.
>> Reporter: NO.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF NEWS.
YOU TALK ABOUT -- THE PRIME 
MINISTER WAS ASKED QUESTIONS 
ABOUT MOVING FROM SORT OF THE 
MITIGATION MEASURES WE'RE 
DEALING WITH NOW TO SUPPRESSION 
MEASURES BASED ON THE 
EXTRAORDINARY NEWS OUT OF 
CALIFORNIA THAT THE FIFTH 
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD IS 
ON TOTAL SHUTDOWN WHILE THE 
GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK HAS NOW 
ORDERED ALL EMPLOYEES -- 
EMPLOYERS TO KEEP WORKERS AT 
HOME EXEMPT ESSENTIAL SERVICES 
AND BANNED GATHERINGS OF ANY 
SIZE.
NOT LESS THAN 50, OF ANY SIZE.
SO, A BORDER STATE HAS TAKEN 
THAT MEASURE AND, OF COURSE, 
NEW YORK IS WHERE A LOT OF 
PEOPLE WERE COMING ACROSS THE 
BOARD TORE GET INTO ROXHAM ROAD.
>> Rosemary: YEAH.
OK.
GOOD INFORMATION.
I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND VASSY 
IN A MOMENT'S TIME.
LET ME GO TO MY COLLEAGUE CHRIS 
ENSING IN WINDSOR BECAUSE THOSE 
BORDER RESTRICTIONS ARE GOING 
TO HAPPEN AS OF MIDNIGHT 
TONIGHT.
MEANING THAT NONESSENTIAL 
TRAVEL NO LONGER POSSIBLE 
BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED 
STATES.
CHRIS?
>> Reporter: YEAH.
NOT A LOT OF DETAILS TO FURTHER 
EXPLAIN ANY SPECIFIC MEASURES 
BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD PUBLIC SAFETY 
MINISTER BILL BLAIR WILL HAVE 
AN UPDATE LATER WHEN THE 
MINISTERS START BRIEFING.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE 
THE SPECIFICS AROUND THERE.
A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH 
ESSENTIAL WORKERS THAT ARE 
GOING BACK AND FORTH, THE 
HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY HERE IN 
CANADA.
THERE'S THAT DESIRE TO HAVE 
NURSES ON OUR FRONTLINES.
THE SAME FEELING IN DETROIT 
WHERE THERE IS ABOUT 2,000 
NURSES, HEALTH CARE WORKERS, 
PROFESSIONALS FROM WINDSOR 
CROSSING OVER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE THAT 
CONTINUE IN THE COMING DAYS.
JUST A PIVOT HERE FOR A SECOND.
WE HEAR ABOUT THE MANUFACTURERS 
AND THE RAMPING UP AND THE 
CHANGE AND DESIRE TO GO INTO 
HEALTH CARE MODE TO TRY AND 
BUILD SUPPLIES AND VENTILATORS, 
MASKS, GOWNS.
I WAS TALKING TO THE HEAD OF 
THE AUTOMOTIVE PARTS 
ASSOCIATION EARLIER THIS WEEK.
AND HE HAD TALKED ABOUT THERE'S 
A STRONG DESIRE HERE IN 
WINDSOR-ESSEX FOR THAT TO 
HAPPEN.
WE'RE AN AUTOMOTIVE TOWN AND WE 
HAVE THE MANUFACTURERS AND THE 
PLANTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WANT 
TO MAKE THAT SWITCH.
BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN 
IT IS GOING TO BE EASY.
WE WERE SPEAKING WITH ONE MOULD 
MAKER IN WINDSOR WHO ALREADY 
WORKS IN THE HEALTH CARE 
INDUSTRY, ALREADY CREATING 
PARTS.
HIS CONCERN, THOUGH, IS STAYING 
OPEN WITH SUPPLIS THAT HE NEEDS 
TO MAKE THOSE PARTS.
HE SAYS THAT IT LOOKS PRETTY 
THIN TWO WEEKS FROM NOW WHEN HE 
IS TRYING TO MODEL OUT WHAT 
HAPPENS NEXT.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN EVOLVING 
SITUATION WITH SO MANY 
DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING.
BUT THAT IS FROM SOMEBODY 
ALREADY MAKING PARTS FOR THE 
HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY IN 
WINDSOR-ESSEX.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT SWITCH 
AND DESIRE FOR THE AUTOPARTS 
MAKERS TO STEP UP TO THE TABLE, 
THERE IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGES 
WITH THAT AS WELL AS FAR AS 
WHERE YOU'RE SOURCING THE 
SUPPLY TO CREATE THOSE PRODUCTS 
TO THEN PUSH THEM FORWARD.
AND THEN THE CHANGEOVER ITSELF.
HOW QUICKLY AND RAPIDLY CAN ALL 
OF THIS HAPPEN AT A TIME WHEN 
WORKERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR 
SAFETY, MAKING SURE THAT 
THEY'RE GOING INTO THE PLACES 
THAT THEY CALL THEIR CAREERS.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO SHIFT INTO 
SOMETHING NEW, THEY WANT TO 
MAKE SURE THEY'RE FROEKD AND 
FOLLOWING THE PROPER SAFETY 
MEASURES WE'VE ALL BEEN TOLD.
SOCIAL DISTANCE AND STAY AWAY 
FROM OTHERS.
WE HEARD FROM EMPLOYEES WORRIED 
ABOUT THAT ON THE FRONTLINES OF 
THESE INDUSTRIES STARTING TO 
MAKE THAT SHIFT.
>> Rosemary: AND ONE THING THAT 
THE GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED 
ABOUT IS THE SANITIZIZATION OF 
PLANTS.
HOW DO YOU GET FROM ONE PLANT 
TO MOVE TO THE OTHER BECAUSE 
THESE ARE BIG CONCERNS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
CHRIS ENSING IN WINDSOR.
I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THE 
CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO 
HAS JUST TWEETED OUT AN URGENT 
MESSAGE THAT THERE ARE SEATS ON 
A U.S. REPATRIATION FLIGHT FOR 
CANADIANS FROM THE MARRAKECH 
AIRPORT.
THE FLIGHT LEAVING IN ONE HOUR.
IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU 
KNOW, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LOOK 
FOR STAFF IN BRIGHT GREEN VESTS 
AND INDEED WE HAVE SOMEONE IN 
MARRAKECH RIGHT NOW.
SIMON IS ABOUT TO GET ON A 
FLIGHT FROM MOROCCO TO THE U.K.
KEENAN, I THINK IT WAS YOUR MOM 
THAT ENDED UP GETTING YOU THAT 
FLIGHT.
MOMS ALWAYS COME THROUGH.
TELL US WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE 
FOR YOU.
>> YEAH.
SHE DID.
SHE WAS REALLY DILIGENT AND 
REFRESHING THE WEB PAGES TO GET 
THE FLIGHT, WHICH IS THE ONLY 
WAY TO GET A FLIGHT RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING, TO 
SAY THE LEAST.
RIGHT NOW CANADIANS ARE, UNTIL 
THIS NEWS YOU ANNOUNCED ABOUT 
THE AMBASSADOR, TALKING ABOUT 
THESE REPATRIATION FLIGHTS AS 
WELL AS AN E-MAIL SEND OUT 
ABOUT A FLIGHT THIS WEEKEND FOR 
CANADIAN CITIZENS.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING MORE 
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE EMBASSY TO 
THE U.K. AND FRANCE HERE AND 
GETTING ON THEIR REPATRIATION 
FLIGHT.
IN AN EFFORT TO GET OUT OF THE 
COUNTRY.
>> Rosemary: SO EVEN THOUGH 
YOUR MOM CAME THROUGH HERE TO 
GET YOU OUT OF MOROCCO TO THE 
UNITED KINGDOM, THE FACT THAT 
THERE ARE THESE REPATRIATION 
FLIGHTS, SEATS AVAILABLE FOR A 
FLIGHT IN ONE HOUR, OR A FLIGHT 
ON THE WEEKEND, DOES THAT MAKE 
YOU RECONSIDER WHAT YOU'RE 
ABOUT TO DO NOW OR JUST GOING 
TO GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, FUNNY YOU 
SHOULD ASK BECAUSE I WAS JUST 
PUT ON STANDBY FOR THIS FLIGHT.
EVEN THOUGH WE DID THE WEB 
CHECK-IN.
THERE HAS BEEN -- THERE HAS 
BEEN NOT A LOT OF RHYME OR 
REASON FOR A LOT OF THESE 
PROCEDURES AND THE COMMON 
DENOMINATOR SEEMS TO BE THAT 
IT'S A LOT OF COMING BY CHANCE.
AND THE FACT THAT THESE NEW 
FLIGHTS ARE ANNOUNCED THIS 
WEEKEND AND DOES OFFER ME 
REASSURANCE.
IF I CAN LEAVE IN THE NEXT 
COUPLE OF HOUR AND THEN GET ON 
A PLANE TO TORONTO TOMORROW, IT 
WILL GET ME HOME SOON.
SO THAT WOULD -- IF THAT IS A 
POSSIBILITY FOR ME, I'LL STILL 
GET ON THE PLANE.
>> Rosemary: HOW HAS IT BEEN 
FOR YOU IN TERMS OF HEARING 
THESE MESSAGES, COME HOME, COME 
HOME.
I'M SURE YOUR MOM IS SENDING 
YOU THE SAME MESSAGE AND 
STRUGGLING TO GET HOME.
HAVE YOU BEEN ANXIOUS?
GIVE ME A SENSE OF HOW YOU'VE 
BEEN COPING WITH THAT.
>> I'VE BEEN BACK AND FORTH.
MY SITUATION IS A LITTLE BIT 
BETTER.
I HIRED SOME GUIDES HERE FOR A 
TRIP AND THEY WERE PUTTING ME 
UP AND LOOKING AFTER ME THE 
PAST THREE OR FOUR DAYS, WHICH 
I CAN'T SAY THE SAME FOR A LOT 
OF OTHER CANADIANS.
BEING A PART OF THE CANADIANS 
IN MOROCCO Facebook GROUP WHERE 
WE'RE TRYING TO PULL TOGETHER 
RESOURCES TO GET OUT, IT HAS 
BEEN A LOT WORSE FOR A LOT OF 
PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF 
MISINFORMATION, A LOT OF 
HEARSAY SPREAD ABOUT HOW TO GET 
ON FLIGHTS AND WHAT FLIGHTS ARE 
AVAILABLE.
FLIGHTS DISAPPEARING BECAUSE -- 
OR NOT BECOMING AVAILABLE 
BECAUSE SOMEONE ENTERS THEIR 
CREDIT CARD INFORMATION TOO 
SLOW.
AND IT'S LIKE AND THAT IS WHAT 
THEY WERE UP AGAINST FOR DAYS.
THAT WE NEED TO GET HOME AS 
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND MOROCCO SEEMS TO BE T *EP 
CENTRE OF IMPOSSIBLE TRAVEL, OR 
ONE OF THEM IN THE WORLD, 
BECAUSE ALL OF OUR 
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS BACK TO 
CANADA WERE HALTED.
SO THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT WAS 
THROUGH A THIRD COUNTRY AND 
THAT IS WHAT THE EMBASSY WAS 
TELLING US.
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE OF MUCH 
HELP.
WE'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED BECAUSE 
WE'VE BEEN GETTING MORE 
RESPONSES FOR THE U.K. AND 
FRANCE IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY 
GETTING US ON THOSE FLIGHTS.
>> Rosemary: A REMINDER THAT IF 
YOU LOOK FOR A GREEN VEST, YOU 
MAY GET A FLIGHT OUT IN AN HOUR.
IF YOU DON'T MAKE YOUR OTHER 
ONE.
AND THERE IS AN AIR CANADA 
FLIGHT COMING YOUR WAY ON THE 
WEEKEND.
SO, YOU HAVE A FEW OPTIONS, 
WHICH I'M GLAD TO HEAR FOR YOU.
>> THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS.
I'M SURE MANY OF US WILL BE 
RELIEVED BECAUSE IN THE PAST 
THREE OR FOUR DAYS, IT HAS BEEN 
INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL AS WE NEED 
TO RELY ON BUDGET AIRLINES AND 
THIRD COUNTRIES IN ORDER TO 
EXIT THE COUNTRY.
>> Rosemary: THANK YOU FOR 
MAKING THE TIME.
I APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW THERE'S SO MANY 
CANADIANS IN YOUR POSITION AND 
WE HOPE YOU GET HOME SOON AND 
WE'LL TALK TO YOU ON THE OTHER 
SIDE AND I'M SURE YOUR MOM IS 
GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ON 
YOUR WAY ALMOST.
THANK YOU.
AS WE STAND BY AND WAIT FOR 
MINISTERS TO JOIN US, LET ME GO 
BACK TO DR. CHRISTOPHER 
KARLSTON IN VANCOUVER.
THE HEAD OF RESPIRATORY 
MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 
BRITISH COLUMBIA'S DEPARTMENT 
OF MEDICINE.
THANK YOU FOR STANDING BY THERE.
WE HEARD A LOT OF PIECES OF 
INFORMATION FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER, BUT OBVIOUSLY FROM 
YOUR PERSPECTIVE, THE NOTION 
THAT REALLY THEY'RE GOING TO 
THROW EVERYTHING THEY HAVE AT 
TRYING TO GET INDUSTRY AND 
COMPANIES TO MOVE OVER TO SHORE 
UP THE MEDICAL SUPPLY CHAIN.
WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> I THINK IT IS INSPIRING, 
REALLY.
I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR ALL OF THAT.
I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD 
REALISE, AT LEAST ON THE GROUND 
IN VANCOUVER AND FROM MY 
COLLEAGUES, THERE'S NO SENSE OF 
PANIC.
WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR 
WEEKS AND WHAT THE PRIME 
MINISTER SAID IS WELCOMED AND I 
THINK WILL HELP AND WE'RE DOING 
EVERYTHING WE CAN SO PEOPLE 
SHOULD BE RE-ASSURED THAT WE'RE 
GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
>> Rosemary: GIVEN THAT BRITISH 
COLUMBIA HAS BEEN DEALING WITH 
A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES, I 
THINK SECOND NOW TO ONTARIO, 
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT 
CAPACITY INSIDE HOSPITALS.
YOU SAID YOURISMC.U. IS ALWAYS 
FULL.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'LL HAVE 
ENOUGH ROOM IF THINGS DO GET 
WORSE?
>> HONESTLY, I'M VERY CONFIDENT 
THAT WE'LL MAKE WHATEVER 
ADJUSTMENTS WE NEED TO TAKE 
CARE OF THIS POPULATION.
I DON'T HAVE THE SENSE THAT WE 
ARE GOING TO HAVE ANY KIND OF 
CHAOS THAT PEOPLE FEAR, 
UNDERSTANDLY.
WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING 
POTENTIALLY 24/7 FOR THIS AND I 
WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE TEAM 
HERE IN VANCOUVER.
INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE 
DROPPED EVERYTHING FOR THIS AND 
I'M SURE IT'S TRUE AT OTHER 
PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> Rosemary: HAVE YOU TREATED 
ANYONE WITH COVID-19 SO FAR?
TESTED ANYONE?
>> THAT IS THE INTERESTING 
THING.
WE HAVE A DEEP SYSTEM OF 
COVERAGE AND PEOPLE LIKE ME, 
YOU CAN SEE THAT I'M AT HOME.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE CAREFULLY 
RESERVING OUR STAFF SO THAT 
WHEN OTHERS GET SICK AND WE 
HAVE HAD HEALTH CARE WORKERS 
SICK AND IT WILL HAPPEN, WE 
HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE HEALTHY 
AND READY TO STEP IN.
SO I'VE BEEN HERE AT HOME AND 
I'M ON THE SCHEDULE TO JUMP IN 
SHORTLY AND I DO EXPECT THAT 
WILL HAPPEN.
>> Rosemary: THAT IS 
INTERESTING THAT THEY'LL TRY TO 
KEEP YOU HEALTHY AS WELL.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
DR. CHRISTOPHER CARLSTEN, 
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK.
LET'S GO TO DEBRA ARBEC.
THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF 
INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS IN 
QUEBEC, MOST NOTABLY THE USE OF 
HOTELS AND THEIR CAPACITY.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
IT HAS BEEN A BIG CONCERN HERE 
IN QUEBEC.
YOU KNOW, AS THE NUMBERS GROW 
ACROSS THE PROVINCE, WHERE THE 
PROVINCE WILL STAND IN TERMS OF 
HOUSING ALL THE PATIENTS THAT 
WE MIGHT HAVE.
THE HEALTH MINISTER THIS WEEK 
SAID THAT WE HAVE 18,000 BEDS 
IN QUEBEC.
BUT OBVIOUSLY ALL THE COVID-19 
CASES CAN'T GO INTO THOSE BEDS.
THEY ARE SPECIALIZING ON WHERE 
TO PUT THOSE COVID-19 PATIENTS.
SO AS WE BEGIN TO TEST AND 
BEGIN TO SEE MORE CASES AND THE 
NUMBER OF CASES GO UP 
SIGNIFICANTLY, WHAT THEY'RE 
DOING IS TRYING TO FREE UP BEDS.
SO 6,000 BEDS IN THE HEALTH 
CARE NETWORK, THE HEALTH CARE 
MINISTER SAYS, WILL BE 
AVAILABLE.
3,000 OF THOSE, THEY SAY, 
THEY'VE COME UP WITH THIS 
CREATIVE WAY OF PROVIDING 
PERHAPS AS MANY AS A 3,000 BEDS 
IN HOTELS.
NOW WE'VE CONFIRMED THAT PUBLIC 
HEALTH IS ASKING HOTELS ACROSS 
THE PROVINCE TO CLEAR THOSE 
BEDS IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT.
WE SPOKE TO HOTELS ASSOCIATION 
HERE.
THEY SAY THEY WOULDN'T TAKE IN 
COVID-19 CASES, BUT RATHER 
NONAFFECTED SEMIAUTONOMOUS 
CASES AND THE ROOMS WOULD HAVE 
TO BE NEAR A HOSPITAL.
I WANT TO BRING UP ANOTHER BIG 
ISSUE THAT'S STILL GETTING THE 
MESSAGE THROUGH TO PEOPLE ABOUT 
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SOEFL 
ISOLATION HERE BECAUSE SO MANY 
SNOWBIRDS ARE COMING BACK AND 
ONE ISLAND HAS DECLARED A STATE 
OF EMERGENCY.
THERE WERE FOUR CASE OF 
COVID-19 THERE.
IT'S A COMMUNITY WITH A VERY 
LARGE JEWISH POPULATION AND 
THREE OF THOSE INFECTED HAD 
ATTENDED A JEWISH COMMUNITY 
CENTRE OR SYNAGOGUE AND THE 
FOURTH CASE LIVES IN ASSISTED 
LIVING IN COTE ST. LUC AND 
ATTENDED A WEDDING IN THE 
MONTREAL AREA NOT TOO LONG AGO.
OF COURSE, PUBLIC HEALTH IS 
SAYING NO BIG GATHERINGS.
STAY AWAY FROM COMMUNITISER AND 
SYNAGOGUES.
THE SYNAGOGUES ON THE ISLAND OF 
MONTREAL HAVE AGREED TO SHUT 
DOWN.
WE'RE HEARING TODAY, TOO, THAT 
THE LOCAL MALL HAS AGREED TO 
SHUT DOWN AS WELL.
>> Rosemary: I DIDN'T WANT TO 
LEAVE WITHOUT TALKING TO YOU 
ABOUT THAT HEART-FELT PLEA ON 
Facebook FROM QUEBEC'S FIRST 
VICTIM, AN OLDER WOMAN AND HER 
FAMILY DID SPEAK OUT ON 
Facebook OVERNIGHT.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
IT'S REALLY HITTING MONTREALERS 
AND QUEBECERS VERY HARD.
AN 82-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED 
IN A SENIORS HOME IN LANAUDIERE 
IN THE REGIONS JUST NORTH OF 
MONTREAL.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS FROM HER FAMILY 
THAT'S POSTING.
WHILE SHE DID HAVE SOME 
RESPIRATORY ISSUES.
SHE DID HAVE SOME HEALTH 
CONCERNS BUT WAS OTHERWISE VERY 
LUCID.
FULL OF LIFE.
THE FAMILY, YOU KNOW, REALLY 
THE PILLAR OF HER COMMUNITY K 
PILLAR OF HER FAMILY AND HER 
GRANDCHILDREN MADE THAT POST.
THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY 
SAID PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER 
DEATH IN VEIN.
THEY WANTED QUEBECERS TO 
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS 
SERIOUS, THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO 
SELF-ISOLATE.
ESPECIALLY THE VERY VULNERABLE 
AND HIGH RISK GROUP BEING THE 
ELDERLY AND THEY SAID, LOOK, 
THEY WANT HER DEATH TO SAVE 
OTHER LIVES.
VERY POIGNANT AND VERY TOUCHING.
CERTAINLY BEING SHARED RIGHT 
ACROSS THE PROVINCE.
>> Rosemary: OK.
DEBRA ARBEC, THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE THE QUEBEC 
PERSPECTIVE.
APPRECIATE IT.
AND TO RECAP WHAT WE HEARD FROM 
THE PRIME MINISTER EARLIER AS 
WE STAND BY NOW WAITING FOR THE 
MINISTERS TO COME OUT AND 
PROVIDE US MORE DETAILS.
BUT LET'S HIGHLIGHT FIRST OF 
ALL THE FIRST REPATRIATION 
FLIGHT FROM MOROCCO WILL BE 
COMING BACK ON AIR CANADA THIS 
WEEKEND AND WE HEARD FROM 
SOMEONE STUCK IN MARRAKECH.
THAT WILL BE WELCOMED NEWS FOR 
CANADIANS AND THE GOVERNMENT 
CONTINUES TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO 
BRING CANADIANS BACK.
ALSO, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE 
TRYING TO MAKE ENTRY ACROSS THE 
BORDER, REGULAR BORDER 
CROSSINGS, THAT WILL NO LONGER 
BE PERMITED.
THEY WILL BE SEND BACK TO THE 
EYE.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN 
POLICY FOR THIS GOVERNMENT AND 
FINALLY A CALL FOR INDUSTRY AND 
COMPANIES TO MAKE A SHIFT TO 
TRY TO SHORE UP THE MEDICAL 
SUPPLY CHAIN IN THIS COUNTRY, 
WHETHER IT BE VENT  -- 
VENTILATOR OR MASKS.
THE GOVERNMENT SUGGESTING THAT 
IT WILL HELP ANY COMPANY THAT 
WANTS TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS IT FOR US ON CBC 
TELEVISION.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING HERE.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE 
BOTH ON CBC NEWS NETWORK AND 
cbc.ca.
YOU CAN STREAM THAT AROUND THE 
WORLD, WHEREVER YOU ARE, IN 
CASE YOU ARE IN FACT STUCK AND 
WANT MORE INFORMATION, AN 
UPDATE FROM FEDERAL HEALTH 
MINISTERS -- MINISTERS, RATHER, 
AND THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICER COMING UP IN A FEW 
MOMENTS HERE ON CBC NEWS 
NETWORK.
AS WE LEAVE YOU WITH SCENES 
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY OF THE 
COVID-19 PANDEMIC CHANGE LIVES 
HERE.
>> Rosemary: HI, WELCOME BACK 
TO OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE ON 
CBC NEWS NETWORK OR ONLINE 
STREAMING IN THIS COUNTRY OR 
AROUND THE WORLD.
WE'RE STANDING BY TO BRING YOU 
FEDERAL MINISTERS WHO ARE GOING 
TO COME OUT AND TELL US MORE 
ABOUT SOME OF THE MEASURES THE 
PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED TODAY.
AS WELL AS THE CHIEF PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICER, DR. TAM.
SOME SIGNIFICANT MOVES AGAIN 
TODAY BY THE GOVERNMENT TO TRY 
AND HOPE CANADIANS, TO TRY AND 
RESTRICT AND CONTAIN THE SPREAD 
OF THE VIRUS AND TO MOVE 
INDUSTRY AND COMPANIES IN THIS 
COUNTRY TOWARDS SHORING UP HOW 
THEY CAN HELP.
I'LL BRING IN MY COLLEAGUE, 
VASSY KAPELOS AND DAVID 
COCHRANE.
THEY HAVE BEEN HELPING US 
THROUGH THESE SPECIALS, THROUGH 
THE WEEK, AS THE PRIME MINISTER 
SPEAKS TO CANADIANS ON A DAILY 
BASIS NOW.
PARTLY TO RE-ASSURE PEOPLE, BUT 
ALSO TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC 
INFORMATION AND WE'LL HEAR MORE 
DETAILS FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTERS.
>> Vassy: YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 
SHORING UP OF CAPACITY ON THE 
SUPPLY CHAIN WHERE ALL 
INDUSTRIES ARE CONCERNED.
EXPECT SOME DETAILS FROM HIM ON 
THAT.
I'M PRIMARILY LOOKING TO 
MINISTER BLAIR FOR DETAILS ON 
TWO THINGS THAT CAME EWWW OF 
THE PRESS CONFERENCE FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER.
THE FIRST THING IS THAT 
AGREEMENT WILL COME INTO EFFECT.
THE AGREEMENT ON BORDER 
RESTRICTIONS BETWEEN CANADA AND 
THE U.S. THIS EVENING, OR 
OVERNIGHT AT MIDNIGHT.
APPARENTLY PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS 
BEEN TALKING WHILE WE HAVE BEEN 
SAYING THAT THE MEXICAN BORDER 
WILL BE TREATED -- I KNOW HE 
TWEETED SOMETHING TO THAT 
EFFECT -- BUT WILL BE TWEETED 
EXACTLY THE SAME, INSISTING 
THAT HE DOES TREAT THOSE TWO 
BORDERS EQUALLY.
I'LL BE LOOKING FOR THE EXACT 
DETAILS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN 
GIVEN VERY SPECIFIC SIGNALS 
FROM THE GOVERNMENT, SUCH THAT, 
FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT THEY ARE 
LIMITING IS PEOPLE TRYING TO 
TRAVEL FOR LEISURE OR JUST 
TRAVEL, PERIOD.
BUT THAT OTHER ESSENTIAL 
SERVICES, WORKERS FOR EXAMPLE, 
TRUCK AND TRADE, ALL OF THAT 
STUFF WILL BE ABLE TO PASS.
LET'S GET THE FINE PRINT.
I'M ANTICIPATING THAT FROM 
MINISTER BLAIR.
THE SECOND THING I'M INTERESTED 
TO SEE FROM MINISTER BLAIR T 
MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY, IS 
AROUND THAT SORT OF SURPRISE 
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PRIME 
MINISTER THAT PEOPLE WHO 
ATTEMPT TO CROSS IRREGULARLY 
BETWEEN POINTS -- OFFICIAL 
POINTS OF ENTRY, WHICH HAS BEEN 
AN ISSUE FOR YEARS IN THIS 
COUNTRY, WILL BE TURNED BACK 
AND HE SAID THAT THAT AGREEMENT 
WAS REACHED WITH THE AMERICANS 
OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS.
HE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS 
GOVERNMENT, THE PRIME MINISTER 
I SHOULD SAY AND OTHER MEMBERS 
OF HIS GOVERNMENT HAVE INSISTED 
THAT INSTEAD THOSE PEOPLE WOULD 
BE QUARANTINED.
FOR YEARS THEY HAVE INSISTED 
THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT THEY MADE 
TODAY COULDN'T HAPPEN AND 
DIDN'T COMPLY WITH 
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL STANDARDS.
HOW IT UNFOLDED, WHAT EXACTLY 
IT MEANS, HOW LONG IT LASTS, 
WHAT DOES THAT WORD TEMPORARY 
THAT THEY ACTUALLY USED MEANS.
THOSE ARE THE SPECIFIC 
QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR 
MINISTER BLAIR.
>> Rosemary: SO PEOPLE 
UNDERSTAND.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO CROSS THE 
BORDER AT AN OFFICIAL POINT OF 
ENTRY BECAUSE OF THE SAFE FIRST 
COUNTRY AGREEMENT, YOU WILL BE 
TURNED BACK.
THAT IS HOW THAT GOES.
PEOPLE WENT TO THOSE IRREGULAR 
CROSSINGS, WHETHER IT BE IN 
QUEBEC AND MANITOBA.
THERE, THE ARGUMENT IS IF YOU 
ARE CLAIMING REFUGEE STATUS 
UNDER THAT, INTERNATIONAL 
TREATIES, VASSY, THEN 
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA DOES HAVE 
TO TAKE YOU IN AND OBVIOUSLY 
THIS HUGE FLUX OF PEOPLE DID 
COME AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE 
MEASURES THAT THE TRUMP 
ADMINISTRATION PUT IN PLACE.
I SHOULD SAY ONE OF MY 
COLLEAGUES HAS REACHED OUT TO 
THE CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR 
REFUGEES AND THEIR 
SPOKESPERSON, JANET DENCH, 
SAYS, QUOTE, WE'RE SHOCKED THAT 
THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS NOT 
PREPARED TO LIVE UP TO ITS 
COMMITMENT TO PROTECT THE 
RIGHTS OF REFUGEES AND 
VULNERABLE MIGRANT.
I WOULD REMIND PEOPLE THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT SAYS THIS IS A 
TEMPORARY MEASURE AND OBVIOUSLY 
UNUSUAL -- EXTREMELY UNUSUAL 
SITUATION AND THEY'RE TRYING TO 
CONTAIN A PUBLIC HEALTH 
OUTBREAK -- A PUBLIC HEALTH 
VIRUS.
BUT WE CAN ALREADY SEE SOME OF 
THE CRITICISM ABOUT THAT 
DECISION.
DAY, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT 
THAT AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT THE REPATRIATION OF 
CANADIANS?
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY 
INTERESTING TO TALK -- WE SPOKE 
EARLIER WITH A YOUNG MAN STUCK 
IN MARRAKECH SAYING THAT HE 
REALLY HADN'T HAD A LOT OF 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE EMBASSY 
THERE AND HE WAS FEELING A 
LITTLE BIT LEFT TO HIS OWN 
DEVICES.
>> Reporter: IT SOUNDS LIKE THE 
FLOOD OF DEMAND FOR 
COMMUNICATION AT EVERY LEVEL OF 
GOVERNMENT IS OVERWHELMING AT A 
TIME LIKE THIS AND SEEMS LIKE 
THEY AREN'T SAYING ANYTHING 
UNLESS THEY'RE READY TO DO SO 
SPECIFIC.
CLEARLY THERE IS A FLIGHT 
COMING BACK FROM MOROCCO AND 
THEY ARE TALKING TO WESTJET AND 
AIR CANADA TO DO MORE.
YOU SAID IT RIGHT.
THE PRIME MINISTER COMES OUT 
AND GIVES US THE MESSAGE AND 
THEN THE MINISTERS COME OUT AND 
GIVE US THE MECHANICS.
BUT I WANT TO SEE HOW QUICKLY 
THEY THINK THEY CAN FILL UP OUR 
MEDICAL STOCKPILES.
I'M GETTING YELLED AT A LITTLE 
BIT ON TWITTER FOR SOMETHING I 
SAID ON TWITTER.
I WANT TO CLARIFY.
WHEN I SAID THERE ARE STRATEGIC 
STOCKPILES WITH SOME SURGE 
CAPACITY AROUND THE COUNTRY, 
THAT IS TRUE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS SET 
UP ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY 
WAS CREATED.
THERES A WAREHOUSE HERE IN THE 
OTTAWA REGION WITH WAREHOUSES 
SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
WITH PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL 
GEAR THAT CAN DEAL WITH A 
CRISIS.
AND THEY DECIDED TO BACKSTOP 
THAT EVEN MORE AND NOW TILTING 
UP THE INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE 
FALSE IMPRESSION THERE IS A 
HUGE STOCKPILE OF GEAR THERE 
BECAUSE IT EXPIRESFUL YOU CAN'T 
DO IT.
BUT I ALSO DON'T MEAN TO GIVE 
YOU THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY 
HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING STEPS TO 
PREPARE AND NOW TAKING EXTREME 
STEPS TO EXTREMELY PREPARE 
BECAUSE THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT 
IS.
YOU GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT 
THE WHOLE WORLD IS LOOK FOR THE 
SAME GEAR.
YOU CAN'T STOCKPILE BECAUSE 
ITALY OR CHINA WOULD HAVE 
NEEDED IT.
>> Rosemary: I WOULD ALSO SAY 
THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY, 
DR. TAM SAID WE'RE ABOUT 75% OF 
THE SUPPLIES THAT WE KNEE.
>> Reporter: ON MASKS AND 
GLOVES.
THE NEED FOR SEVEN MILLION AND 
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER FIVE 
MILLION SECURED.
>> Rosemary: AND IF THERE ARE 
DOCTORS WHO DON'T HAVE WHAT 
THEY NEED IN HOSPITALS, THAT 
COULD BE A PROVINCIAL PROBLEM 
BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, 
SENT IT OUT TO WHERE I NEEDS TO 
BE.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE 
PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO 
AROUND THIS, DAVID, HAVE SAID 
THAT IF THEY DON'T KNOW, IF 
THEY'RE NOT SURE THEY HAVE 
ENOUGH, THEY WILL BUY 
EVERYTHING AND CREATE 
EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
THIS IS NOT A SITUATION THE 
GOVERNMENT SAYS WHERE IT'S 
GOING TO BE CHEAP, FOR LACK OF 
A BETTER PHRASE.
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE 
EVERYTHING.
>> Reporter: AND A KEY POINT 
YESTERDAY, TOO, WAS THAT DR. 
TAM SAID THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY 
RESERVE OF VENTILATORS, WHICH 
THEY'RE LOOKING TO BACKSTOP.
TO THIS POINT, THERE'S BEEN NO 
REQUEST FROM A PROVINCE FOR A 
VENTILATOR.
WHILE THAT IS A BIG PIECE OF 
EQUIPMENT, WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT 
AND TRACKING AND SAYING HOW 
MANY DO WE NEED, HOW MANY DO WE 
HAVE?
AT THIS POINT THEY LOOK TOWARD 
GETTING MORE AND MORE BUILT OR 
BOUGH OR REFURBISHED.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A DRAW-DOWN 
YET ON THE NATIONAL STOCKPILE 
AT THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL.
>> Rosemary: AND PROBABLY 
IMPORTANT TO REALISE THAT, 
AFTER SARS AND AS YOU SAY, DAY, 
WHEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY 
WAS CREATED AT THAT TIME 
PERIOD, THERE WAS, AGAIN, THE 
NEED TO START MAKING SURE THAT 
THERE WERE VENTILATORS 
AVAILABLE IN STOCKPILES.
SO, THAT WORK HAS BEEN 
HAPPENING PRESUMABLY FOR YEARS 
IN SOME WAYS.
I'M GOING LEAVE VASSY AND DAVID 
FOR ONE MINUTE AS WE STAND BY 
AND WAIT FOR THE MINISTERS AND 
TRY TO QUICKLY FIT IN TOM 
MURPHY, THE HOST OF CBC NOVA 
SCOTIA NEWS AND HE IS IN 
HALIFAX.
THOMAS, I CUT YOU OFF A.
YOU EEL UNDERSTAND WHY.
GIVE US A PICTURE OF HOW THINGS 
ARE GOING NOVA SCOTIA.
>> Reporter: IT'S INTERESTING 
TO WATCH THIS REPATRIATION OF 
CANADIANS HAPPEN IN REALTIME ON 
YOUR PROGRAMME LIKE SO MANY.
I'M RECEIVING E-MAILS FROM 
PEOPLE.
IN THIS CASE, A FAMILY HAS A 
LOVED ONE STUCK IN PERU.
THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, NOT 
MUCH HOPE.
BUT THIS MORNING, THEY ARE 
EXPRESSING SOME RELIEF.
HELP IS ON THE WAY.
THIS IS BEFORE THE PRIME 
MINISTER SPOKE AND THEY ARE 
CREDITING LOCAL POLITICIANS AND 
FEDERAL POLITICIANS FOR WORKING 
THE BACK CHANNELS AND MAKING 
THIS HAPPEN.
ALSO INTERESTING TO HEAR THE 
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MEDICAL 
SUPPLIES THING.
LIKE EVERY PROVINCE, NOVA 
SCOTIA HAS GONE THROUGH ITS 
COMPLETE INVENTORY.
IT KNOWS WHERE EVERY GLOVE, 
BAND-AID AND VENTILATOR IS.
WE HAVE 240 VENTILATORS IN THIS 
PROVINCE AND THE PREMIER HAS 
SAID THEY ARE ORDERING MORE TO 
A NATIONAL PROCUREMENT-TYPE 
PLAN IF I CAN PUT IT THAT WAY.
PROBABLY ANOTHER 140 THAT THEY 
NEED.
THERE ARE VENTILATORS THAT ARE 
-- HAD BEEN PILED UP SINCE THE 
H1N1 AND SARS DAYS SO I THAT 
HAD BEEN RESTOCKING.
THE QUESTION IS WHO DO THEY GET 
TO OPERATE THIS EQUIPMENT IF 
THEY NEED TO GET TO THAT POINT.
TO THAT END, THE NOVA SCOTIA 
NURSES UNION SAYS THEY HAVE 
BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PHONE 
CALLS FROM NURSES, RETIRED 
NURSES AND DOCTORS IN THE CASE 
OF MEDICAL DOCTORS WILLING TO 
COME BACK INTO THE SYSTEM TO 
WORK.
TO FILL IN.
MAYBE THEY DON'T SOME OF THE -- 
IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIRE OF 
COVID-19, BUT MAYBE THEY CAN 
HELP OUT AT NURSING HOMES AND 
FREE UP SOME OF THE STAFF THERE 
TO MOVE TO HOSPITALS AND THAT 
KIND OF THING.
SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE 
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE A LOT OF 
PEOPLE VERY DEDICATED TO THEIR 
CAREERS AND TO THE WORK OF 
MEDICAL INDUSTRY AND MEDICAL 
SYSTEM.
THAT KIND OF THING IS.
HAING AS WELL.
AND INTERESTING TO HEAR PEOPLE 
TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO 
HELP?
WE'VE SEEN THIS CROSS THE 
COUNTRY AND HAPPENING IN NOVA 
SCOTIA.
DISTILL RIS.
LET'S MAKE ALCOHOL WITH A 
HIGHER CONTENT THAT BECOMES 
LIKE A HAND SANITIZER AND THEY 
WILL DOING AND THAT LOTS OF 
ENCOURAGMENT FOR OTHER 
COMPANIES AS YOU HEARD FROM THE 
PRIME MINISTER TODAY TO DO 
THOSE SORTS OF THING AS WELL.
ON THE POINT ABOUT SOCIAL 
DISTANCING, THE HAND WARK AND 
PEOPLE IN SELF-ICE LACE, IN 
THIS PROVINCE AT LEAST T 
PREMIER HAS SAID WE BELIEVE 
THINGS ARE GOING PRETTY WELL.
ALTHOUGH THEY SEE INDICATIONS 
THAT MAYBE NOT EVERYONE IS 
FALLING AS MUCH AS THEY ARE 
BECAUSE THEY KEEP REPEATING 
THAT MESSAGE.
IN NEW BRUNSWICK, THEY HAVE 
DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY 
IN THAT PROVINCE BECAUSE THEY 
FELT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BECOME 
MORE AGGRESSIVE.
THAT IS SHUIING DOWN 
NONESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.
SHUTTING DOWN PHARMACIES AND 
THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THEY WERE REALLY TRYING TO, 
YOU KNOW, WRANGLE THIS IN, 
WRANGLE THE CROWD IN AND GET 
EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH 
THAT.
AND FINALLY THIS NOTION ABOUT 
THE BORDER, IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN 
ISSUE IN NEW BRUNSWICK, A 
BORDER COMMUNITY.
NEXT TO THE STATE OF MAINE.
SOME PEOPLE LIVE IN NEW 
BRUNSWICK, WORK IN MAINE, VICE 
VERSA SO LOTS OF ATTENTION AND 
INTEREST IN WHAT THE MINISTERS 
SAY ABOUT THAT COMING UP.
>> Rosemary: OK.
TOM MURPHY IN HALIFAX.
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
GOOD TO GET PERSPECTIVE FROM 
OUT EAST AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I SHOULD TELL PEOPLE, TOM 
MENTIONED THERE REPATRIATION OF 
CANADIANS.
I, TOO, HAVE RECEIVED ME MAILS 
FROM PEOPLE BEGGING, YOU KNOW, 
ME FOR HELP AND INFORMATION.
I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THE U.S. 
STATE DEPARTMENT IS STARTING TO 
PUT TOGETHER CHARTER FLIGHTS 
FOR AMERICANS STRANDED BOTH IN 
MOROCCO AND PERU AND WE KNOW 
THAT THAT FIRST FLIGHT WILL 
LEAVE FROM MOROCCO OVER THE 
WEEKEND.
SO, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE STUCK 
IN MOROCCO, MAKE SURE THEY 
REACH OUT.
IN FACT, THERE IS A FLIGHT 
LEAVING IN AN HOUR.
IF YOU ARE AT THE AIRPORT RIGHT 
NOW.
THIS IS THE DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER, CHRYSTIA FREELAND.
LET'S LISTEN IN NOW TO WHAT SHE 
AND HER COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY.
>> OK.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD AFTERNOON, 
EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: BEFORE I BEGIN, 
I WOULD SIMPLY LIKE TO THANK 
EVERYONE WHO IS WORKING SO HARD 
TO PROTECT CANADIANS AGAINST 
THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN 
HOSPITALS, PHYSICIANS, PEOPLE 
WHO ARE WORKING AT THE BORDERS, 
EVERYONE WORKING AT AIRPORTS TO 
HELP CANADIANS COME HOME.
AND AWOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK 
-- ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK ALL 
CANADIAN CHILDREN BECAUSE, AS A 
MOTHER, IIC THAT VERY 
PERSONALLY.
I KNOW THAT IT'S A DIFFICULT 
SITUATION FOR OUR CHILDREN.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL 
OF YOU.
>> I'D LIKE TO QUICKLY THANK 
ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN 
CANADA'S FRONT LINE FIGHTING 
AGAINST THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
I'D LIKE TO THANK NURSES, THE 
DOCTORS, ALL OF THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH WORKERS, ALL OF THE 
HEALTH WORKERS, THE BORDER 
SERVICE OFFICERS, AIRPORT 
WORKERS AND ESPECIALLY TODAY 
THE CABIN AND FLIGHT CREWS AND 
PILOTS WHO HAVE BEEN HELPING TO 
GET CANADIANS HOLE.
AND SPEAKING VERY PERSONALLY, I 
WOULD LIKE TO THANK CANADA'S 
CHILDREN AND SYMPATHIZE WITH 
THEMFUL AS A MOTOR, I HAVE SOME 
SENSE OF HOW HARD IT IS FOR ALL 
OF OUR CHILDREN TO BE HOME IN A 
TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.
HAVING A LONG SCHOOL HOLIDAY 
MAY HAVE SEEMED FUN WHEN IT WAS 
FIRST ANNOUNCED, BUT WHEN IT 
ALSO INCLUDES LEARNING THAT YOU 
CAN'T HAVE PLAY DATES AND CAN'T 
SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FRIENDS, 
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR OUR 
CHILDREN AND I JUST WANT TO SAY 
TO THEM THANK YOU VERY VERY 
MUCH.
OK.
SO, TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO HEAR 
FROM CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC 
HEALTH OFFICERDR. TAM.
WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR MINISTER 
OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY 
PREPARED
NESS, BILL BLAIR, WHO WILL TALK 
ABOUT THE CANADA -- U.S. BORDER.
HE WILL BE ASSISTED BY OUR 
MINISTER OF THE TREASURY BOARD.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: MY COLLEAGUE, 
THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE 
CABINET COMMITTEE ON COVID-19.
>> MINISTER OF INDUSTRY, 
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION, NAVDEEP 
BAINS WILL WILL TALK ABOUT 
BUILDING UP OUR INDUSTRIAL 
CAPACITY AND WE'LL HEAR FROM 
THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICES 
AND PROCUREMENT WHO WILL BE 
TALKING ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE 
DOING ON PROCUREMENT AND OUR 
MINISTER OF HEALTH, MINISTER 
PATTY HAJDU IS HERE AND DR. 
NJOO AS WELL AND THEY'RE HERE 
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
DR. TAM.
>> THANK YOU, AND HELLO, 
EVERYONE.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO 
EXPRESS MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES 
TO THE FAMILY OF THE CANADIAN 
WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY IN 
JAPAN.
THE FORMER PASSENGER ABOARD THE 
DIAMOND PRINCESS.
OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU AND 
MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE LOST A 
LOVED ONE TO THIS DISEASE.
BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD.
TODAY, GLOBALLY, THERE ARE OVER 
245,000 CASES OF COVID-19 IN 
OVER 179 COUNTRIES.
IN CANADA, AS OF THIS MOMENT, 
THERE ARE 925 CASES AND 12 
DEATHS.
THERE ARE NOW 12 CASES AT 
C.F.B. TRENTON.
WE HAVE TESTED CLOSE TO 66,000 
PEOPLE ACROSS CANADA.
THAT IS, AGAIN, OVER 10,000 
PERSONS TESTED SINCE YESTERDAY.
PUBLIC HEALTH COLLEAGUES 
CONTINUE TO INV *E GAIT UNLINKE 
CASES TO UNCOVER HIDDEN XHAINS 
OF TRANSMISSION IN THE 
COMMUNITY.
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS 
INTRODUCED INTO THE HIGH-RISK 
SETTING SUCH AS A LONG-TERM 
CARE FACILITY.
THESE SETTINGS ARE NOT ONLY A 
CONCERN DUE TO THE OLDER AND 
MEDICALLY VULNERABLE 
POPULATIONS THAT THEY SERVE BUT 
ALSO BECAUSE A SINGLE CASE 
ARISING IN THESE SETTINGS CAN 
QUICKLY RESULT IN AN OUTBREAK 
AND ACCELERATE THE RATE OF 
SPREAD.
IF WE ARE TO SLOW THE SPREAD 
AND LESSEN THE IMPACT OF 
COVID-19, WE MUST PROTECT THESE 
SETTINGS AT ALL COSTS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: ONE OF THE MAIN 
REASONS WE WANT TO DELAY AND 
FLATTEN THE EPIDEMIC CURVE IS 
TO GAIN TIME TO ALLOW FOR 
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION TO 
PROCEED.
WE HAVE AN URGENT NEED OF -- 
RATHER WE HAVE AN URGENT NEED 
FOR UNDER ENLT MEDICAL SUPPLIS 
IF WE WANT TO OPTIMIZE OUR 
CHANCES OF SAVING LIVES AND TO 
PUT AN END TO THIS EPIDEMIC.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT ONLY 
TWO AND A HALF MONTHS AGO, 
SCIENTISTS ISOLATED THE 
CORONAVIRUS STREAM AT AN 
UNBELIEVABLE SPEED.
AND THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT OF 
VACCINE AGAINST COVID-19 HAS 
BEGUN THIS WEEK.
IT IS STILL TOO SOON TO KNOW 
WHETHER OR HOW COVID-19 WILL 
DEVELOP OVER THE NEXT MONTHS 
BUT BY INCREASING OUR DOMESTIC 
CAPACITY DOMESTICALLY, THAT 
WILL BE A KEY ELEMENT FOR A 
FIGHT AGAINST THIS PANDEMIC AND 
THIS WILL SERVE US TO DATE AND 
IN FUTURE.
>> ONE OF THE KEY REASONS WE 
WANTED TO DELAY AND FLATTEN 
THIS EPIDEMIC CURVE IS TO BUY 
TIME BECAUSE WE DESPERATELY 
NEED EQUIPMENT AND VACCINES IF 
WE WANT A CHANCE TO SAVE LIVES 
AND BRING THIS EPIDEMIC TO AN 
END.
IT WAS ONLY TWO AND A HALF
MONTHS AGO THAT SCIENTISTS 
FIRST ISOLATED AND NOVELED THE 
SEQUENCE OF CORONAVIRUS WITH 
LIGHTNING SPEED.
THIS WEEK, THE FIRST CLINICAL 
TRIAL OF A COVID-19 VACCINE 
STARTED AND AN ARRAY OF 
TREATMENT ARE BEING TESTED.
IT IS TOO SOON TO KNOW WHAT 
WILL HAPPEN TO COVID-19 IN THE 
UPCOMING MONTHS, BUT MOBILIZING 
OUR DOMESTIC PRODUCTION 
CAPACITY AND INTEGRATING 
INGENUITY AS PART OF OUR 
RESPONSE WILL SERVE US WELL NOW 
AND INTO THE FUTURE.
WE DON'T JUST NEED TO FLATTEN 
THE CURVE AS ASAID.
WE NEED TO PLANK IT AND 
CANADIANS ARE LISTENING.
EVERYONE WHO IS PRACTICING 
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND 
SELF-ISOLATION IS  IS GIVING A 
CHANCE TO OUR SCIENTISTS, 
MANUFACTURERS AND GOVERNMENTS 
TO WORK TOGETHER ON NOVEL 
SOLUTIONS.
THIS IS OUR CHANCE RIGHT HERE, 
RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. TAM.
NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM MINISTER 
BILL BLAIR ABOUT THE BORDER 
MEASURES.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, 
CHRYSTIA.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN AS WELL AS 
THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DID 
BY ACKNOWLEDGING AND THANKING 
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING 
ON THE FRONT LINES.
POLICE OFFICERS, E.M.S., 
FIREFIGHTERS, NURSES, BORDER 
OFFICERS, CORRECTIONS 
OFFICIALS, DOCTORS, CAREGIVERS, 
EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE OUR 
GOODS TO THE SHELVES AND THOSE 
WORKING IN STORES HAVE STAYED 
ON THE FRONTLINE AND CONTINUED 
TO SERVE CANADIANS AND WE'RE 
ENDEBTED TO THEM AND IT IS 
IMPORTANT TO EXPRESS OUR 
GRATITUDE FOR THE INCREDIBLE 
WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING IN 
DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO 
ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK CANADIANS 
WHO HAVE TAKEN, I THINK, SUCH 
CARE IN HEEDING THE ADVICE OF 
OUR CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICERS SO SERIOUSLY.
I KNOW THAT IS ALSO BRINGING 
CHALLENGES TO FAMILIES AND TO 
PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT 
THEY ARE WORKING HARD AND DOING 
THE RIGHT THINGS.
BY STAYING HOME AND 
PARTICIPATING IN SOCIAL 
DISTANCING, THEY ARE NOT ONLY 
KEEPING TH *EMGS AND LOVED ONES 
SAFE, BUT HELPING KEEP THE 
COUNTRY SAFE.
FOR THAT, WE ARE GRATEFUL.
WE HAVE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS 
ANNOUNCED PROGRESSIVE AND 
SIGNIFICANT MEASURES TO 
RESTRICT TRAVEL ACROSS OUR 
BORDERS AND THESE DECISIONS, I 
WANT TO  ARE ASSURE EVERYONE, 
HAVE NOT BEEN MADE LIGHTLY.
WE KNOW THIS HAS BEEN MADE 
CHALLENGING FOR CANADIANS BUT 
WE BELIEVE IT IS PART OF A 
LARGER GROUP OF MEASURES AS 
ADVISED AND DIRECTED BY OUR 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS IN 
ORDER TO KEEP CANADIANS SAFE.
IN RESPONSE TO THE ONGOING 
PANDEMIC, WE TOOK THE STEPS 
NECESSARY TO RESTRICT 
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL FOR 
NONCANADIANS.
WE HAVE ENTERED INTO AN 
AGREEMENT WITH OUR MOST 
IMPORTANT ALLY AND PARTNER, THE 
UNITED STATES, A RECIPROCAL 
AGREEMENT TO TEMPORARILY 
RESTRICT ALL NONESSENTIAL 
TRAVEL ACROSS THE CANADA-U.S. 
BORDER.
THIS AGREEMENT WILL TAKE EFFECT 
AT 11:59 TONIGHT.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, 
SINCE WE ANNOUNCED THESE 
MEASURES AND OFFICIALS HAVE 
WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PUT THEM 
INTO EFFECT, CANADIANS AND 
AMERICANS HAVE BEEN LISTENING 
AND WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT 
DECLINE OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS 
IN NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL AT THAT 
BORDER.
AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE BEEN 
VERY, VERY ENCOURAGED TO SEE 
THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF TRUCK 
DRIVERS, TRAIN OPERATORS, 
MARINE OPERATORS AND OTHERS WHO 
HAVE CONTINUED THE IMPORTANT 
WORK OF DELIVERING GOODS AND 
SERVICES ACROSS THAT BORDER AND 
THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE 
UNIMPEDED.
I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE THAT 
WE ACKNOWLEDGE INDIGENOUS 
COMMUNITY, WHICH OFTEN EXIST ON 
BOTH SIDES OF THE CANADA-U.S. 
BORDER.
I WANT TO OFFER THEM 
REASSURANCE THAT WE RECOGNIZE 
AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR RIGHT TO 
TRAVEL AND IT IS ESSENTIAL AND 
WILL CONTINUE UNIMPEDED DURING 
THIS RESTRICTION.
CANADIANS AND AMERICANS CROSS 
THE BORDER EACH AND EVERY DAY 
TO DO ESSENTIAL WORK.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE 
OF THAT WORK AND WE'LL MAKE 
SURE WE FACILITATE THE CROSSING 
OF BORDER SO THEY CAN CONTINUE 
TO DO THE JOB THAT SERVED AND 
KEEP HEALTHY AND SAFE.
CANADIANS AND AMERICANS.
AS I INDICATED, TRADE AND 
SUPPLY WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE 
IT'S CRITICAL TO OUR HEALTH AND 
SAFETY AND WILL FACILITATE OUR 
ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
TODAY THE PRIME MINISTER MADE A 
SIGNIFICANT ANNOUNCEMENT AS A 
RESULT OF THE CONTINUING WORK 
WE'RE DOING IN WORKING WITH OUR 
ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE 
UNITED STATES TO KEEP OUR 
CITIZENS SAFE.
THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED 
THAT WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A 
RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE 
U.S. TO DIRECT BACK INDIVIDUALS 
WHO COME TO OUR BORDERS WITH 
THE PURPOSE OF MAKING AN ASYLUM 
CLAIM.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT 
INDIVIDUALS CROSSING AT AN 
IRREGULAR POINT OF ENTRY, NOT 
AT A REGULAR POINT OF ENTRY AS 
THEY EXIST, BUT IN ANY OTHER 
PLACE, WILL NOW BE DIRECTED 
BACK TO THE UNITE.
THEY WILL NOT BE REFERRED TO 
THE IMMIGRATION BOARD AND INTO 
OUR IMMIGRATION BOARD SYSTEM, 
BUT THEY WILL BE RETURNED 
DIRECTLY BACK TO THE UNITE.
THERE WILL BE NECESSARY AND 
LIMITED EXCEPTIONS PUT IN PLACE 
BUT I ALSO WANT TO BE VERY 
CLEAR.
WE ARE TAKING THIS MEASURE TO 
MAINTAIN SAFETY AND ORDER AT 
OUR BORDER AND, AT THE SAME 
TIME, THESE MEASURES WILL ONLY 
BE IN PLACE TEMPORARILY, AS 
LONG AS THE AGREEMENT OF THE 
RESTRICTIONS ON NONESSENTIAL 
REMAIN IN PLACE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THESE MEASURES 
ARE APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY.
THEY WILL BE RECIPROCAL SO 
INDIVIDUALS CROSSING FROM 
CANADA INTO THE U.S. OR THE 
U.S. INTO CANADA WILL BE 
TREATED THE SAME.
THEY WILL BE RETURNED, DIRECTED 
BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND 
FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 
ALREADY ACROSS THE BORDER AND 
HAVE ALREADY ENTERED INTO OUR 
SYSTEM, WE HAVE MADE THE 
APPROPRIATE ARRANGEMENTS SO 
THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL 
CONTINUE THROUGH THE PROCESS, 
BUT THEY WILL BE ACCOMMODATED 
IN TEMPORARY SHELTER, WHICH IS 
APPROPRIATE TO ENFORCE THE 
14-DAY PERIOD OF ISOLATION, 
WHICH IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE 
THAT THEY ARE SAFE AND THAT 
CANADIANS ARE SAFE FROM THEIR 
CROSSING.
THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND 
WILL CONTINUE TO BE DONE AND WE 
WILL MONITOR THAT ISSUE VERY 
CAREFULLY AS WE PROCEED FORWARD 
AND AS I INDICATED IT WILL BE 
IN PLACE EFFECTIVE AT 11:59 
THIS EVENING AND WILL CONTINUE 
FROM THE 30-DAY PERIOD SUBJECT 
TO RENEWAL AS LONG AS IT IS 
NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE 
TEMPORARY RESTRICTION ON 
NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL BETWEEN OUR 
TWO COUNTRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRYSTIA.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BILL.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: THESE MEASURES 
ARE IMPORTANT FOR ALL CANADIANS 
AND HAVE PARTICULAR 
SIGNIFICANCE FOR QUEBEC.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT?
>> YES.
THANK YOU, CHRYSTIA.
AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I WOULD 
LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR 
FRONTLINE WORKERS DOING 
EXTRAORDINARY WORK AND I ALSO 
HAVE A THOUGHT FOR CHILDREN WHO 
ARE VERY ANXIOUS AS WELL.
THEY ARE ALSO ISOLATED AND I 
SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE 
THREE AT HOME.
AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY TROUBLED 
BY THE SITUATION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT TO 
ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND TO 
RE-ASSURE THEM THAT WE MUST TRY 
TO HELP EACH OTHER IN THESE 
DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE 
ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY 
TO THANK MINISTER BLAIR FOR HIS 
EXTRAORDINARY WORK IN THESE 
EXTRAORDINARY TIMES.
AS WE SAID, THESE EXTRAORDINARY 
TIMES CALL FOR EXTRAORDINARY 
MEASURES AND AS MINISTER BLAIR 
HAS INDICATED, EVERYTHING THAT 
IS BEING DONE HAS BEEN DONE 
OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS IS BEING 
EXPEDITED, THE CLOWING OF THE 
BORDER IN THE UNITED STATES.
THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE 
HIT TOYER OF OUR COUNTRY.
THESE RESTRICTIONS ON THE ENTRY 
OF THE FOREIGNERS HAS BEEN DONE 
VERY QUICKLY AND AYE LIKE TO 
THANK MINISTER BLAIR ONCE AGAIN 
AND JUST TO POINT OUT ONCE 
AGAIN THAT ALL ASYLUM SEEKERS, 
REGARDLESS WHERE THEY COME 
ACROSS, IF IT IS A REGULAR 
POINT OF ENTRY, THEY WILL BE 
DIRECTED BACK TO THE UNITED 
STATES.
THIS IS A RECIPROCAL 
ARRANGEMENT THAT HAS BEEN 
SIGNED WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR TO 
THE SOUTH.
AND WILL COME INTO FORCE AT 
11:59.
AND MINISTER BLAIR HAS ALSO 
INDICATED THAT FOR ALL REGULAR 
ASYLUM SEEKERS AS WE HAVE 
ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK, 
THEY WILL BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY 
BY CANADIAN AUTHORITIES SO 
THERE IS NO JURISDICTIONTAL 
QUIBBLE AND OUR FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT IS TAKING 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE 
REGULAR ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO ARE 
READY.
THEY WILL BE PLACED IN 
ISOLATION FOR 14 DAYS JUST LIKE 
ALL OVER TRAVELERS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
AND NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM NAV 
ABOUT HOW CANADIAN SCIENCE AND 
INDUSTRY ARE STEPPING UP TO THE 
CHALLENGE AND THE WORK NAV HAS 
BEEN DOING THERE.
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
HAVE, CHRYSTIA.
I WANT TO  BEGIN, AS MY 
COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, TAKING A 
MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE 
INCREDIBLE WORK OF OUR NURSES, 
DOCTORS, TECHNICIANS, 
PARAMEDICS AND OTHER HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS.
THEY ARE ON THE FRONTLINES OF 
THIS AND THEY'RE DOING A 
REMARKABLE JOB.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: I WOULD ALSO 
LIKE TO THANK PEOPLE WHO DON'T 
JUST WORK IN THE HEALTH CARE 
SYSTEM, BUT WORKING HARD TO 
ENSURE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL 
GOODS AND SERVICES.
FOR EXAMPLE, TRUCK DRIVERS, 
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN GROCERY 
STORES AND TELECOM WORKERS WHO 
ARE SUPPORTING THE TELEWORK 
ECONOMY.
AMONG OTHERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE 
SUPPORT THAT YOU ARE PROVIDEING 
TOING TO OTHER CANADIANS.
>> WE'RE COMMITED TO PROTECTING 
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL 
CANADIANS AND THE EFFORT 
INCLUDES THE IMPRESSIVE AND 
INNOVATIVE POWER OF CANADIAN 
BUSINESSES.
SINCE THE OUTSET OF THIS 
CRISIS, MY TEAM HAS CONNECTED 
WITH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF 
BUSINESSES ACROSS ALL SECTORS 
IN CANADA.
COMPANIES ARE ALREADY STEPPING 
UP LIKE DYLAN'S, IN THE SPIRIT 
OF THEIR DISTILLERIES WHO HAVE 
SHIFTED THEIR PRODUCTION TO 
HAND SANITIZERS.
AS THE PRIME MINISTER SAID, IN 
TIMES OF CRISIS, CANADIANS COME 
TOGETHER AND EVERY DAY I'VE 
BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CANADIAN 
BUSINESSES.
MANY OF WHOM ARE TELLING ME 
THEY WANT TO HELP.
AS WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN, WE HAVE 
A WORLD-CLASS INDUSTRIAL BASE 
IN CANADA.
AND TODAY I'M ASKING THEM TO 
COME FORWARD AND LET US KNOW 
WHERE THEY CAN HELP.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO INCREASE 
DOMESTIC SUPPLY SO THAT WE HAVE 
CANADIAN SOLUTIONS READY TO 
PROTECT AND SUPPORT CANADIANS.
SO TODAY, WE'RE ANNOUNCING 
CANADA'S PLAN TO MOBILIZE 
INDUSTRY TO FIGHT COVID-19.
WHICH WILL SWIFTLY CREATE 
PATHWAYS TO DEPLOY RESOURCES TO 
CANADIAN BUSINESSES TWO WANT TO 
HELP IN THIS CRISIS.
THIS IS A COORDINATED STRATEGY 
THAT WILL LEVERAGE OUR 
INDUSTRIAL BASE TO RAPIDLY 
SCALE TWARS MORE CANADIAN 
PRODUCTION IN THE PRODUCTS THAT 
WE NEED TO FIGHT COVID-19.
I WORK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION 
WITH THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND 
MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND 
PROCUREMENT TO MOBILIZE OUR 
INDUSTRIAL RESPONSE AND I WANT 
TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND 
THEIR TEAM FOR DOING A 
WONDERFUL JOB.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: THIS PLAN WILL 
MOBILIZE OUR INNOVATION 
PROGRAMMES TO SUPPORT PROJECTS, 
PROJECTS THAT WILL FOSTER THE 
PROTECTION OF ALL CANADIANS.
>> FOR THE TIME BEING TO 
PRIORITIZE THE FIGHT AGAINST 
COVID-19.
THIS INCLUDES THE EXTRA EDGE 
TOOIC INNOVATION FUND TO 
DELIVER DIRECT SUPPORT TO 
LARGER COMPANIES AS WELL AS 
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS.
CANADA'S NATIONAL RESEARCH 
COUNCIL TO EXPEDITE RESEARCH 
AND DEVELOPMENT FOR SMALL AND 
MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES AND 
SUPERCLUSTERS TO TAP INTO THE 
NATIONAL NETWORK OF 1800 
MEMBERS.
AND INKNOW EVADE TIFF SOLUTIONS 
CANADA TO HELP CANADIAN 
COMPANIES COMMERCIALIZE FASTER.
FUNDS WILL BE DEPLOYED ON AN 
ACCELERATED BASIS WITH WIDER 
FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO 
TACKLE COVID-19 RELATED 
PROBLEMS THROUGH SHORTENED 
APPLICATIONS AND FASTER 
APPROVALS.
WE ARE PUTTING THE FULL WEIGH 
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
BEHIND THIS PLAN.
WE WILL ALSO LEVERAGE THE 
PURCHASING POWER FOR THE 
GOVERNMENT TO BOOST THE NEED OF 
CAPACITY AND MAKE SURE THAT 
CANADIAN INNOVATIONS GET TO THE 
MARKET FASTER.
AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE WILL 
SPEAK TO THAT MOMENTARILY.
COMPANIES RESPONDING TO THE 
CALL TO ACTION WILL BE ABLE TO 
DIRECTLY LET US KNOW OF THEIR 
CAPABLES VIA PORTAL ON MY 
DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, WHICH 
WILL GO LIVE TODAY.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE WANT 
RESEARCHERS, INDUSTRY AND 
BUSINESS PEOPLE TO GET DOWN TO 
WORK RIGHT AWAY.
THEIR WORK WILL PROGRESS AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> WE'VE SIGNED LETTERS OF 
INTENT WITH THREE COMPANIES 
THAT WE BELIEVE ARE 
WELL-PENTAGONED TO ASSIST.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: FIRST OF ALL, 
THE MEDICOM, A MONTREAL 
BUSINESS, WHICH MANUFACTURERS 
AND DISTRIBUTES PROTECTIVE 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THAT IS FOR 
INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS MASKS AND 
LAB COATS.
THEY HAVE AGREED TO MANUFACTURE 
N-95 MASKS.
>> MEDICINE, DIAGNOSTIC 
EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURE 
HEADQUARTERS IN OTTAWA WHICH IS 
DEVELOPING A VERSION OF ITS 
PORT CAL DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE TO 
PROVIDE RAPID RESULTS FOR 
COVID-19.
IF SUCCESSFUL, ITS DIAGNOSTIC 
PLATFORM COULD BE USED IN 
AIRPORTS AND IN CLINICS.
THE DEVICE COULD READ WITH A 
TEST RESULT IN POTENTIALLY 30 
MINUTE AND WE'RE WORK TO SECURE 
SUPPLY OF THIS  EQUIPMENT.
AND THORNHILL MEDICAL.
A VENTILATOR MANUFACTURER IN 
TORONTO THAT HAS STEPPED UP AND 
IS MOVING FORWARD TO SAY THEY 
WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO 
RAPIDLY SCALE UP THEIR 
PRODUCTION AND HELP CANADIANS' 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS SUCCEED 
GOING FORWARD.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING CLOSELY 
WITH THE AUTO PARTS 
MANUFACTURER ASSOCIATION OF 
CANADA.
AND I WANT TO PARTICULARLY 
ACKNOWLEDGE FLAVIO VOLPE IN HIS 
ENDEAVOUR.
TO HAVE THE AUTO SECTOR 
TEMPORARILY RETOOL THEIR 
FACILITIES TO BUILD A RANGE OF 
PRODUCTS THAT COULD HELP US IN 
THE FIGHT OF COVID-19.
THERE ARE SKILLED WORKERS OUT 
THERE THAT WANT TO HELP AND 
COMPANIES OFFERING THEIR 
FACILITIES AND THIS IS WHAT OUR 
PLAN IS ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT ALIGNING THOSE 
EMPLOYEES, THOSE INDIVIDUALS 
WHO WANT TO HELP AND THOSE 
COMPANIES THAT HAVE THE 
PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES.
THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY TIMES 
AND WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, 
CANADIANS ARE CAPABLE OF 
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
SO LET ME SUM IT UP.
WE WANT OUR HEALTH CARE 
PROFESSIONALS TO FOCUS ON DOING 
LIFE-SAVING WORK WITHOUT 
WORRYING ABOUT THE SUPPLY OF 
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND OUR PLAN 
WILL ENSURE THAT WE DO EXACTLY 
THAT.
WE WANT CANADIANS TO KNOW THAT, 
AS SOLUTIONS ARE OFFERED, WE 
WILL INVEST TO MAKE SURE THAT 
MORE DOMESTIC CAPACITY IS 
ONLINE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: THE GOVERNMENT 
IS ACTING SWIFTLY, RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE USING ALL THE TOOLS 
AVAILABLE TO PROTECT CANADIANS' 
HEALTH AND SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY 
AND BUSINESSES.
WE WILL ADAPT OUR RESPONSE TO 
THE SITUATION WHICH CONTINUES 
TO EVOLVE.
>> WE ARE ACTING IN A 
CO-ORDINATED AND MEANINGFUL WAY 
TO ADDRESS SHORT-TERM NEEDS AND 
ALSO SET UP THE FOUNDATION FOR 
LONG-TERM DOMESTIC CAPABILITY.
AND I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE 
THAT, IN WORKING TOGETHER, WITH 
THE CANADIAN BUSINESS 
COMMUNITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO 
DELIVER BREAKTHROUGH SOLUTIONS, 
RETOOL WHERE WE CAN AND SCALE 
UP TO MEET THE NEEDS DURING 
THIS CRISIS AND FOR THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MERCI.
>> OK.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NAV.
AND I THINK IT PROVIDES REAL 
HOPE TO ALL OF US TO SEE 
CANADIAN SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY 
STEPPING UP IN THESE 
CHALLENGING TIMES.
OK.
ANITA, MAUB YOU CAN TALK TO US 
ABOUT THE WORK YOU ARE DOING ON 
PROCUREMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRYSTIA AND 
NAV.
BONJOUR.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
I WANT TO RE-ASSURE CANADIANS 
THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD TO 
ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF THIS 
EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION.
WE ARE ALL HANDS ON DECK TO 
SUPPORT A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT 
RESPONSE.
I, TOO, WOULD LIKE TO THANK 
CANADIANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY 
FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING 
TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE, 
ESPECIALLY FRONTLINE WORKERS.
I'M GOING TO, TODAY, PROVIDE A 
BRIEF OHIO VALLEY OVERVIEW OF 
HOW PUBLIC SERVICES AND 
PROCUREMENT CANADA IS WORKING 
IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER 
DEPARTMENTS, SOME OF THE STEPS 
THAT WE HAVE TAKEN AND HOW WE 
ARE MOVING FORWARD TO HELP 
SECURE THE GOODS AND SERVICES 
THAT CANADIANS NEED.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: OVER THE PAST 
WEEKS, HEALTH CANADA AND THE 
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY HAVE 
CO-ORDINATED REQUESTS FOR 
SUPPLIES COMING FROM PROVINCES 
AND TERRITORIES AS WELL AS 
FEDERAL ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS 
THE RCMP.
>> THEY ARE LEADING THE 
CONSOLIDATED PROCUREMENTS OF 
GOODS AND SERVICES.
WE HAVE STOOD UP A DEDICATED 
TEAM OF PROCUREMENT SPECIALISTS 
WHO WORK INCREDIBLY HARD EACH 
AND EVERY DAY AND I WANT TO SAY 
THANK YOU TO THEM.
WITH COUNTERPARTS AT HEALTH 
CANADA AND PUBLIC HEALTH WHO 
ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO SOURCE 
SUPPLIERS, WORK UP CONTRACTING 
AND DELIVERY SCHEDULES AND 
EXPEDITE DECISION MAKING IN 
THESE TIMES.
WE ARE TAKING A WHOLE OF 
GOVERNMENT APPROACH AND TEAM 
CANADA APPROACH TO BEST MEET 
CANADA'S NEEDS DURING THIS 
EXTRAORDINARY TIME.
NOW TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE LEFT 
NO STONE UNTURNED, WE PUBLISHED 
A CALL TO ACTION FOR SUPPLIERS 
ON BUY AND SELL.GC.CA LAST 
THURSDAY.
WE ARE INVITING COMPANIES TO 
FILL OUT A SIMPLE FORM TO 
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THEIR 
GOODS OR SERVICES, INCLUDING 
THE QUANTITIES THAT THEY HAVE 
IN STOCK.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: WE HAVE 
PROMOTED THIS TO INDUSTRY 
ASSOCIATIONS AND ALL 
PARLIAMENTARIANS AND WE ARE -- 
SO THAT THEY CAN COMMUNICATE 
THIS TO SUPPLIERS IN THEIR 
COMMUNITIES.
>> AND CIRCULATE IT TO ALL 
PARLIAMENTARIANS AND TOGETHER 
WE HAVE HAD 5800 SUBMISSIONS 
FROM COMPANIES OFFERING GOODS 
OR SERVICES TO COMBAT COVID-19 
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY 
HARD TO TRIAGE THESE.
HOWEVER, THE SITUATION IS FLUID 
AND EVOLVING RAPIDLY.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE OVERPREPARED.
WE ARE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE 
BY CONSIDERING BOTH CURRENT AND 
ANTICIPATED NEEDS AS MUCH AS 
POSSIBLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE 
TO SECURE 11.3 MILLION N-95 
MASKS WHICH IS OVER AND ABOVE 
THE ORDER THAT WE RECEIVED FOR 
7.3 MILLION.
WITH DELIVERIES BEGINNING 
IMMEDIATELY.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: THANK YOU TO 
THE SUCCESS OF THIS CALL FOR 
TENDER AND OUR CURRENT 
RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUSPECT 
PLAYERS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO 
PURCHASE A WIDE RANGE OF 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND 
SUPPLIES.
INCLUDING GLOVES, MASKS, LAB 
COATS, HAND SANITIZER AND 
VENTILATORS AS WELL AS 
THERMOMETERS.
AMONG OTHER THINGS.
SOME SUPPLIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN 
DELIVERED, WHEREAS THE REST 
WILL SOON FOLLOW.
>> THROUGH THE SUCCESS OF THE 
CALL-OUT AND OUR EXISTING 
RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPPLIERS, 
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE A 
BROAD RANGE OF PERSONAL 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND 
SUPPLIES, INCLUDING GLOVES, 
MASKS, GOWNS, HAND SANITIZERS, 
WIPES, VENTILATORS ANTHER MOMER 
THES AMONGST MANY OTHERS.
CERTAIN SUPPLIES HAVE ALREADY 
BEEN DELIVERED WHILE OTHERS 
WILL FOLLOW.
IN MANY CASES, WE ARE SECURING 
ANY AVAILABLE SUPPLY, INCLUDING 
SMALLER QUANTITY PURCHASES TO 
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE 
NEED.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
FRENCH
>> Interpreter: WE HAVE MADE 
CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS, BUT WE 
KNOW THAT THE GLOBAL DEMAND FOR 
THESE PRODUCTS WILL CONTINUE TO 
CLIMB.
AND MATTERS SUCH AS BORDER 
RESTRICTIONS AROUND THE WORLD 
MAY AFFECT THE SUPPLY CHAIN AS 
WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE 
SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO 
EVOLVE AND WE WILL ADAPT TO IT, 
ACCORDINGLY.
>> PSPC WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
WITH INDUSTRY TO EXPLORE 
FLEXIBLE AND INNOVATIVE 
PROCUREMENT APPROACHES IN OTHER 
-- IN ORDER TO MEET 
REQUIREMENTS.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW TO 
STRENGTHEN AND SECURE OUR OWN 
STOCKPILE AND DOMESTIC SUPPLY 
OF ESSENTIAL GOODS.
IN TIMES OF CRISIS, WE ALL COME 
TOGETHER AND THAT IS EXACTLY 
WHAT WE ARE DOING.
MERCI BEAUCOUP.
THANK YOU.
>> OK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANITA.
WE'RE NOW READY TO ANSWER 
QUESTIONS.
>> Reporter: JULIE VAN DUSEN, 
CBC.
MR. BLAIR ON MS. FREELAND, WITH 
THE BORDER OPEN TO TRUCKERS AND 
ESSENTIAL WORKERS, WHAT ARE YOU 
DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT, AS 
THEY GO BACK AND FORTH, THEY'RE 
NOT BRINGING THE VIRUS WITH 
THEM.
WHAT ARE THE SCREENING MEASURES?
>> ACTUALLY, WE HAVE GIVEN 
ADVICE TO THOSE TRUCKERS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY PRACTICE THE 
RECOMMENDED AND APPROPRIATE 
HYGIENE MEASURES OF WASHING 
THEIR HANDS FREQUENTLY AND 
ENGAGING IN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WE ARE ALSO GIVING THEM ADVICE 
ON WHAT TO DO, SHOULD THEY 
BECOME SYMPTOMATIC AND THEY ARE 
ROUTINELY BEING CHECKED AS THEY 
CROSS THE BORDER TO DETERMINE 
IF THEY ARE, IN FACT, 
SYMPTOMATIC.
WE'RE MONITORING THAT SITUATION 
VERY, VERY CAREFULLY, BUT WE 
KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 
MOVEMENT OF THAT TRADE AND SO 
WE ARE FACILITATING ESSENTIAL 
WORKERS GOING BACK AND FORTH 
ACROSS THE BORDER, ASKING THAT 
THEY SELF-MONITOR FOR ANY 
SYMPTOMS WHICH WOULD BE 
CONCERNING AND THEN REFERENCE 
THEM IMMEDIATELY TO HEALTH 
OFFICIALS SHOULD THEY BECOME 
SYMPTOMATIC AND PRACTICE THE 
APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO MAKE IT 
FAR LESS LIKELY THAT THEY WOULD 
BE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.
>>  WE ARE ALSO HEARING ABOUT 
CANADIANS HEADING BACK ON 
AIRPLANES WHO, I GUESS WE 
THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE MORE 
RANGER RIGHT NOWLY SCREENED 
BEFORE THEY GOT ON FLIGHTS BUT 
WE'RE HEARING NUMEROUS EXAMPLES 
OF PEOPLE WHO BOARD FLIGHTS 
COMING BACK TO CANADA THAT 
AREN'T BEING SCREENED.
SHOULD WE BE WORRY ABOUT THAT?
OR IS SOMETHING GOING TO CHANGE?
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD.
>> LET ME BE CLEAR.
THE AIRLINES HAVE A DUTY TO 
CARE TO ALL OF THEIR 
PASSENGERS, NOT TO BOARD PEOPLE 
WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY SYMPTOMATIC 
AND POSSIBLY ILL.
AND WE ARE ASSURED THAT THAT 
WORK IS HAPPENING.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING THEM TO MAKE 
OBSERVATIONS DURING FLIGHT AND 
TO THE PERSON PRESENT AS 
SYMPTOMATIC, THAT INFORMATION?
CONVEYED TO OUR AGENTS ON THE 
GROUND.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE MET 
ON THE PLANE, IMMEDIATE 
SEGREGATED FROM THE OTHER 
PASSENGERS ON THAT PLANE AND I 
CAN ASSURE YOU AS WELL WHEN 
EACH AND EVERY PERSON ARRIVES 
IN CANADA FROM ANY PLACE IN THE 
WORLD NOW, THEY ARE SCREENED TO 
DETERMINE IF THEY ARE 
SYMPTOMATIC AND ASKED VERY 
SPECIFICALLY IF THEY ARE 
EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OR IF 
THEY HAVE BEEN IN A REGION 
WHERE THE ILLNESS IS 
PARTICULARLY PREVALENT AND, IN 
EVERY CASE, THEY'RE ASKED -- 
THERE'S NOW SIGNAGE UP AT EVERY 
AIRPORT.
THE OFFICERS ARE ASKING THE 
QUESTION, THEY'RE ALL -- ALL 
RETURNING PASSENGERS ARE 
REQUIRED TO FILL OUT A FORM AND 
INDICATE THAT THEY ARE NOT 
SYMPTOMATIC AND THAT THEY HAVE 
BEEN ADVISED OF THE NEED TO 
SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS.
WE ALSO HAVE AGENTS WANDERING 
IN PASSENGER PROCESSING AREAS, 
MAKING OBSERVATIONS OF 
INDIVIDUALS, PASSING OUT PUBLIC 
HEALTH INFORMATION AND TAKING 
SUCH OBSERVATIONS SUCH AS TO 
SCREEN IN THEIR OWN 
OBSERVATIONS ANYONE WHO MAY BE 
SYMPTOMATIC.
I WILL TELL YOU THE MEASURES 
THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
THEY ARE VERY VIGOROUS.
I'VE HEARD FROM COUNTLESS 
CANADIANS WHO HAVE TOLD ME 
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCING, 
RETURNING SNOWBIRDS THAT WHEN 
THEY CROSS THE BORDER, THEY'RE 
DEALT WITH PROFESSIONALLY AND 
THEY'RE ASKED THE QUESTIONS 
THAT WE HAVE DIRECTED OUR 
AGENTS TO ASK AND, YOU KNOW, 
THE WORK IS BEING DONE AND IS 
TAKING PLACE.
>> [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Reporter: MY FIRST QUESTION 
IS FOR MR. BAI INTERSECTIONS.
HOW QUICKLY CAN THESE COMPANIES 
GET TO HOSPITALS AND CLINICKS 
TO DEAL WITH THE EXPECTED SURGE.
HAVE YOU GIVEN THESE COMPANIS A 
TIMELINE OF WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE 
OUT THERE?
>> AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IS A 
SHORT ANSWER.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ISN'T 
THE ONLY MEASURE WE HAVE IN 
PLACE.
AS MY COLLEAGUE ANITA 
MENTIONED, SHE IS IDENTIFYING 
THE UNIQUE NEEDS AND 
REQUIREMENTS WORKING IN CLOSE 
CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA.
WE'RE COORDINATING WITH THE 
PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL 
COUNTERPARTS TO UNDERSTAND THE 
NEEDS AND THESE NEEDS ARE 
EVOLVING AND CHANGING RAPIDLY 
AS YOU CAN FULLY APPRECIATE.
WHAT I'M FOCUSED ON IS TO SAY 
THAT WE WANT TO BE OVERPREPARED.
WE WANT TO TAKE ALL THE 
ADDITIONAL MEASURES THAT WE 
POSSIBLY CAN AND ONE OF THE 
WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO BUILD 
DOMESTIC CAPACITY AND 
MOBILIZING OUR INDUSTRY TO DO 
SO.
A LETTER OF INTENT WITH THE 
THREE COMPANIES THAT ARE 
HIGHLIGHTED TODAY DEMONSTRATE 
THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO SCALE 
IN SOME CASES AND ALSO START 
PRODUCTION AS WELL.
AND IN SOME CASES A MATTER OF 
WEEKS AND MONTHS AND THESE TRNL 
ONLY COMPANIES.
I CAN ASSURE YOU.
THERE'S MANY, MANY COMPANIES 
THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE LAUNCHING THE 
WEBSITE IN THAT PORTAL TODAY TO 
DEAL WITH OTHER COMPANIS SO 
THEY CAN ALSO PROVIDE US WITH 
INFORMATION AND THEIR ABILITIES 
TO MOVE FORWARD SO WE CAN 
ASSIST THEM BY SCALING THEM UP, 
BY HELPING THEM START 
PRODUCTION, IF REQUIRED.
AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS 
WE ALSO OPENED UP ALL OF OUR 
INDUSTRIAL PROGRAMMING, THE 
STRATEGIC INNOVATION FUND, FOR 
EXAMPLE, INNOVATION CANADA, SO 
WE HAVE THE PROGRAMMING AND 
MONEY IN PLACE.
WE HAVE INDUSTRY THAT'S WILLING 
TO STEP UP AND THIS IS GOING TO 
COMPLEMENT THE WORK DONE BY MR. 
AND WHICH IS WORKING CLOSELY 
WITH THE MINISTER OF HEALTH.
>> Reporter: AND WE'RE HEARING 
OBVIOUSLY FROM THE OTHER 
MINISTERS THAT THERE IS NO 
SHORTAGE RIGHT NOW OF EQUIPMENT 
OR OF TESTS.
SO ARE WE GOING TO BE EXPANDING 
THE CRITERIA OF THE TESTS.
WE'RE HEARING PEOPLE SHOWING 
SYMPTOMS BUT STILL REFUSED 
ACCESS TO A CURVE.
HOW CAN WE FLATTEN THE CURVE IF 
WE'RE NOT TESTING EVERYBODY.
>> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, I 
WANT TO THANK THE MINISTER OF 
PROCUREMENT AND THE MINISTER OF 
INNOVATION FOR THEIR HARD WORK 
ON THIS.
THIS IS A MASSIVE PIECE OF WORK 
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY 
FOR SURGES THAT ARE COMING AND 
TO CONTINUALLY REPLENISH OUR 
ABILITY TO PROVIDE THOSE 
SERVICES TO PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES.
SO AND THE PIECE THAT MINISTER 
BAINS HAS TALKED ABOUT IS THE 
ABILITY TO MEET ANTICIPATED 
NEEDS.
THIS IS A GLOBAL CRISIS.
I'LL REMIND PEOPLE THAT THINGS 
WE'RE SEARCHING FOR AND 
PURCHASING, IT IS TAKING AN 
ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND 
EFFORT TO GET THOSE ITEMS 
BECAUSE EVERY OTHER COUNTRY IN 
THE WORLD THAT IS PREPARING 
LIKE OURS TRYING TO GET THOSE 
ITEMS, TOO.
I THINK TWO OF THE TESTING 
STRATEGY, THAT IS ALSO EVOLVING 
BASED ON OUR OWN EPIDEMIOLOGY, 
BASED ON OUR OWN SCIENCE AND 
RESEARCH AND BASED ON OUR OWN 
CAPACITY TO ACCESS TESTS SO 
I'LL TURN IT TO DR. TAM TO 
SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW 
WE'RE DOING NOW IN TERMS OF OUR 
TESTING STRATEGY AND HOW WE'RE 
PERCEIVING THAT MIGHT EVOLVE 
INTO THE FUTURE.
>> YES.
I THINK WE CAN APPRECIATE A LOT 
OF PEOPLE OF VARIOUS MILD 
SYMPTOMS AND I THINK THE KEY 
ASPECT OF THE STRATEGY, ACROSS 
CANADA ANDER THES AND EXPERTS 
IS FIRST OF ALL [INAUDIBLE] 
DON'T NEED TO BE TESTED.
BUT ALL THE MILDLY SYMPTOMATIC 
PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE 
THE KEY INDIVIDUALS THAT MUST 
BE TESTED AND THESE ARE LAID 
OUT IN SPECIFIC LABORATORY 
TESTING STRATEGIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A 
SYMPTOMATIC HEALTH CARE WORKER 
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF 
THEY'RE TRAVELED OR NOT 
TRAVELED, THEY HAVE TO BE 
TESTED BECAUSE THE FIRST THING 
YOU HAVE TO AVOID IS THIS VIRUS 
GETTING INTO [INAUDIBLE] 
SETTINGS.
YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE 
LIVING IN ASSISTED LIVING OR 
NURSING HOMES AND PRIORITIZE 
HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WHETHER 
THEY'VE TRAVELED OR NOT.
THAT IS A KEY ASPECT BECAUSE 
THAT WHERE YOU'LL DETECT IF YOU 
HAVE SPREAD THAT IS NOT RELATED 
TO TRAVEL, FOR INSTANCE.
THAT IS YOUR BIGGEST STRATEGY 
TO DEFINE ONE OF THOSE CASES.
AND CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE 
SYMPTOMATIC WHO LIVE IN CERTAIN 
COMMUNITIS THAT MAY HAVE A MORE 
SPECIFIC NEED FOR THE TEST, 
SUCH AS PEOPLE LIVING IN THE 
NORTH OR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN 
CERTAIN FIRST NATIONS INUIT OR 
MÉTIS COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU 
ABSOLUTELY WANT TO BE CERTAIN 
THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING IMPACTED 
BY THE VIRUS OR THAT YOU NEED 
TO CONTAIN IT REALLY, REALLY 
FAST.
SO PUBLIC HEALTH, THIS IS 
NORMAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
YOU DON'T JUST GO AND TEST 
EVERYBODY WITH EVERYTHING.
YOU HAVE TO BE ACTUALLY 
STRATEGIC ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU 
NEED PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES TO 
INVESTIGATE PEOPLE AS WELL.
IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF A 
TEST.
ALSO, I THINK EVOLVING IS OUR 
PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE.
IF WE'RE ASKING EVERYBODY TO 
STAY AT HOME FOR 14 DAYS, THAT 
IS THE ACTUAL PUBLIC HEALTH 
ACTION.
FURTHER, LABORATORY TESTING 
DOES NOT RESULT IN A CHANGE IN 
THEIR STRATEGY.
YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE 
STAYING PUT AT HOME FOR 14 
DAYS, REGARDLESS.
BUT WE ARE ALSO REVIEWING THE 
SCIENCE OF THAT STRATEGY.
SO, RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IF 
YOU HAVE AN ONSET OF SYMPTOMS, 
THERE'S INTERNATIONAL STUDIES 
REVIEWING WHEN CAN THAT PERSON 
GO OUT IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A 
TEST, RIGHT?
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF 
STRATEGIES WE'RE LOOKING AT 
RIGHT NOW.
>> AND AJUST MIGHT ADD THAT, AS 
WE PROCEED IN THE -- IN 
CANADA'S EPIDEMIC, WE'RE DOING 
TWO THINGS AT ONCE, WHICH IS 
CHALLENGING BECAUSE THE SCIENCE 
IS REALLY NOT THERE YET.
BUT ONE THING WE'RE DOING, 
OBLY, IS PREPARING OUR 
POPULATION FOR A POTENTIAL 
SURGE AND TRYING TO FLATTEN THE 
CURVE SO THE IMMEDIATE ACTIONS.
AND THE SECOND THING IS 
CAREFULLY REVIEWING THE SCIENCE 
AND THE EVIDENCE TO FIGURE OUT 
HOW WE GET OUT OF THIS 
SITUATION.
AND THAT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT 
ONLY CANADA IS DOING.
THAT IS WHAT THE ENTIRE WORLD 
IS DOING.
THIS MORNING IN ANOTHER 
INTERVIEW, I EXPLAINED THAT, 
YOU KNOW, SOCIAL DISTANCING IS 
THE BEST THING WE HAVE SO FAR.
BUT THERE IS A TON OF WORK 
HAPPENING WITH CANADIAN 
RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTIST AS 
WELL AS INTERNATION RESEARCHERS 
AND SCIENTISTS TO FIGURE OUT 
WHAT STRATEGY, WHETHER IT'S 
TESTING OR MANY PEOPLE ARE 
ONLINE READING ABOUT THIS RIGHT 
NOW, WHETHER IT'S BLOOD 
TESTING, WHETHER IT'S A 
COMBINATION OF SOCIAL 
DISTANCING AND FURTHER ANALYSIS 
OF PEOPLE'S, YOU KNOW, 
SITUATION -- HEALTH SITUATION.
WHETHER IT IS A.I., BUT WE HAVE 
OUR EYE ON HOW WE GET OUT OF 
THIS SITUATION.
BUT THE SCIENCE IS NOT CLEAR 
YET.
AS I EVOLVES, WE'LL HAVE MORE 
AND MORE ANSWERS FOR CANADIANS.
>> Reporter: [SPEAKING FRENCH].
>> Interpreter: GOOD AFTERNOON.
WITH WHAT'S BEING ANNOUNCED 
TODAY FOR INDUSTRY, ARE WE 
TALKING ABOUT A WAR EFFORT?
WELL, TODAY THERE'S BEEN AN 
EXCELLENT INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND 
SUPPLY POLICY PUT IN PLACE THAT 
HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON PREVENTION 
OF CORONAVIRUS.
THE PRIMARY AIM IS TO INCREASE 
STOCKS OF MEDICAL AND PROEKE 
THIVE EQUIPMENT THAT WE WILL 
LIKELY NEED OVER THE NEXT FEW 
WEEKS TO SUPPORT PROVINCES.
THE SECOND ADVANTAGE IS TO 
SCALE UP INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY 
HERE AT HOME AND THE THIRD IS 
TO ENSURE THAT THE PROCUREMENT 
CAPACITY ON THE PART OF THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FIRMLY IN 
PLACE TO HELP PROVINCES ANDER 
THES MANAGE THIS CRISIS AND I 
WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT 
THREE OF THE BUSINESSES HAVE 
BEEN ASSIGNED TO THAT AGREEMENT 
WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT 
AND ONE OF THEM IS MEDICOM 
LOCATED IN MONTREAL.
IT'S RED CROSS NIGHED ITS 
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT PRODUCTION 
CAPACITY AND DISINFECTANT AND 
ALSO DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS AND 
FOLLOW-UPLE TOOS, MONITORING 
TOOLS FOR THE CITY.
SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO 
THESE CANADIAN BUSINESSES THAT 
WILL BE FOCUSING ALL THE 
INDUSTRIAL [INAUDIBLE] THE 
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT ON THIS 
VIRUS AND ESPECIALLY THE 
EFFORTS IN QUEBEC AND MONTREAL.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD IS 
THAT WE'RE FORTUNATE IN CANADA 
BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY STRONG 
MANUFACTURING SECTOR THAT IS 
VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN OUR 
NATIONAL RESPONSE AND I'M VERY 
PROUD OF OUR SCIENTISTS, OUR 
RESEARCHERS OUR BUSINESS PEOPLE 
WHO HAVE REALLY REALLY STEPPED 
UP.
THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK 
TOGETHER IN THIS NATIONAL 
EFFORT AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO 
ALSO SAY THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT 
THIS ISSUE ON WEDNESDAY DURING 
MY CALL WITH ALL THE PREMIERS 
AND ALL OF THEM ARE VERY, VERY 
COMMITTED TO THIS EFFORT.
IT IS REALLY A CANADA WIDE 
EFFORT, THANK YOU.
IS THERE A FOCUS TO LOOK AT 
MASKS OR --
>> YES, IT RESEMBLES A WAR 
EFFORT BECAUSE THE CANADIAN 
GOVERNMENT IS FOCUSING ITS 
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION EFFORTS 
AND SUPPLY EFFORTS ON THE VIRUS 
AND THAT BEING SAID THE 
EQUIPMENT THAT IS GOING TO BE 
ROLLED OUT MORE QUICKLY IS -- 
WILL FOLLOW THE DIRECTIVES OF 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY 
OBVIOUSLY IN COLLABORATION WITH 
THER THES.
THERE IS A LEVEL OF COOPERATION 
THAT IS EXTRAORDINARY BETWEEN 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES AND 
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WITH THE 
SCALED UP FOCUS ON INDUSTRIAL 
PRODUCTION CAPACITY, THEN 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES WILL 
BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR 
OWN.
NAV, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD 
SOMETHING?
YES, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A 
STRATEGY ACROSS THE SECTOR AND 
THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO 
ANNOUNCE THE STRATEGY.
AND IT WILL HELP THE HEALTH 
CARE SECTOR.
THAT IS OUR PRIORITY AND THAT 
IS WHY WE AER GOING TO CONTINUE 
TO WORK WITH ALL BUSINESSES 
ACROSS CANADA AND WE WILL AMASS 
THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS NECESSARY.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A VERY 
SERIOUS AND COMPLICATED 
SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
BUT A GREAT MANY BUSINESSES 
WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
THEY WANT TO ESPECIALLY THE UP.
AND THAT IS WHY WE ANNOUNCED 
THIS VERY CLEAR STRATEGY FOR 
ALL SECTORS, FOR ALL BUSINESSS 
WITH A SINGLE GOAL TO HELP THE 
HEALTH CARE SECTOR.
THANK YOU.
TELEPHONE, TELEPHONE.
IN FRENCH.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MERCI.
PLEASE PRESS STAR ONE IF YOU 
HAVE A QUESTION.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
FIRST QUESTION IS FROM THE 
"TORONTO STAR".
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[SPEAKING FRENCH].
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: CAN YOU HEAR ME?
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, I CAN.
>> Reporter: OK.
YEAH.
JUST GOING BACK TO THAT 
QUESTION ON WHAT SUPPLIES WE 
NEED.
CAN YOU TELL US, BASED ON WHAT 
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AND THIS NEW 
INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY, WHAT 
PRODUCTS OR WHAT ITEMS ARE IN 
MOST URGENT NEED RIGHT NOW?
>> NAV, DO YOU WANT TO START?
>> SUREMENT .
I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT WAS 
SAID BEFORE.
TO SAY THAT WE ARE TAKING EVERY 
MEASURE POSSIBLE TO BE 
PREPARED, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE 
ARE OVERPREPARED AS MY 
COLLEAGUE SAID.
AND TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THE 
IMPORTANCE OF TAKING ADVANTAGE 
OF OUR STRONG INDUSTRIAL BASE.
THERE'S MANY, MANY COMPANIES 
THAT HAVE PUT UP THEIR HANDS, 
THAT HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY 
WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE, THAT 
WANT TO RETOOL THEIR PRODUCTION 
FACILITIES.
AND SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING 
CLEARLY THE NEEDS AROUND MASKS 
AND VENTILATORS AND GOWNS, HAND 
SANITIZERS, ETC.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'D 
RATHER BE IN A POSITION WHERE 
WE HAVE THE ABILITY, BECAUSE AS 
MY COLLEAGUE PATTY HAJ, THE U  
-- HAJDU SAID THAT THERE IS 
GLOBAL DEMAND AND PRESSURE TO 
RAMP UP HERE IN CANADA.
THAT IS DESIGNED WITH ONE CLEAR 
PURPOSE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE 
PROTECT CANADIANS AND WE 
PROTECT FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE 
WORKERS.
THAT IS WHAT THIS STRATEGY IS 
ABOUT TO COMPLEMENT AND BUILD 
ON THE WORK THAT IS DONE BY 
PROCUREMENT CANADA AND IT'S 
BASED ON THE NEED THAT ARE 
BEING PUT FORWARD BY THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES IN 
CONJUNCTION WITH THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA.
>> I THINK ANITA HAS SOMETHING 
TO ADD, TOO.
>> EXACTLY, NAV.
THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT THERE 
IS THAT THESE ARE COMPLIMENTARY 
STRATEGIES.
WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO 
ENSURE THAT WE ARE LEVERAGING 
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EXISTING 
SUPPLIERS AND WE'RE ALSO 
WORKING ADDITIONAL SUPPLY 
CHAINS AND DEVELOPING NEW 
SUPPLY CHAINS.
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THIS IS AN 
ERA OF GLOBAL DEMAND AND WE 
WANT TO BE READY.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING FUTURE 
NEEDS AND WE ARE WORKING VERY 
HARD TO ENSURE THAT CANADIANS 
ARE SAFE.
>> AND JUST AS A FOLLOW-UP ON 
THAT, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT 
OF TALK ABOUT VENTILATORS.
CAN YOU GUYS TELL US HOW MANY 
VENTILATORS WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN 
ALL THE PROVINCES ANDER  
TERRITORIES AND HOW MANY 
ADDITIONAL ONES HAVE BEEN 
ORDERED?
>> ACTUALLY, WE CAN'T GIVE YOU 
THAT LEVEL OF PRECISION RIGHT 
NOW.
WE CAN TELL YOU THAT THE 
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIS ARE 
WORKING VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY 
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE 
WHAT THEY NEED AND CONTINUELY 
COMMUNICATE WITH US WHAT THEIR 
CURRENT CAPACITY IS AND WHAT 
THEIR CURRENT NEED MIGHT BE, 
BASED ON ANY SURGE ACTIVITY.
THIS IS A COMPLICATED QUESTION 
WITH A COMPLICATED ANSWER.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE STATISTICAL 
AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MODELERS 
BASED ON THE CURRENT EXPRESSION 
OF ILLNESS IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE 
WE MIGHT ANTICIPATE SURGE AND 
HOW WE MIGHT FLATEN THE CURVE 
IN THAT AREA.
WHAT ADDITIONAL MAEFSHES WE 
MIGHT TAKE TO FLATEN THAT CURVE.
SO THE QUESTION SEEMS SIMILARLE 
.
IN FACT, I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT 
AS SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED 
FOR THE CURRENT SITUATION BASED 
ON THE MODELING AS WE GO 
FORWARD.
THERE IS ALSO AN AGREEMENT 
AMONGST PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIS THAT ARE HARDER TO 
PRODUCE OR QUITE SUBSTANTIAL 
LIKE VENTILATORS IN A WAY THAT 
MEETS THE SURGE, DEPENDING ON 
WHERE IT IS IN THE COUNTRY.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE WHAT 
REAFFIRM FOR ME THAT WE ARE IN 
A GOOD POSITION AS A COUNTRY, 
TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE 
ANTICIPATED SURGES.
[PLEASE STAND BY]
-- WE PLACE AN ORDER FOR 550
VENTILATORS AND THAT MIGHT
CHANGE AND EVOLVE AND WE'RE
TRYING TO GET SECURE CONTRACTS
AS WE SPEAK.
THAT'S WITHOUT WAITING FOR THE
SPECIFIC NUMBERS THAT PROVINCES
ARE CURRENTLY NEEDING RIGHT NOW.
BUT THAT'S JUST AS A PREEMPTIVE.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A
MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES.
WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED AN
OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR MUTUAL
AID.
SO IF IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY
THEY'RE IMPACTED MORE THAN
OTHERS, AND YOU DON'T JUST NEED
THE VENTILATORS BUT YOU MAY NEED
THE PEOPLE WHO OPERATE THEM.
SO THERE ARE MECHANISMS THAT
EXIST IS THIS THAT BE NEEDED.
>> AND NAVDEEP HAS SOMETHING TO
ADD.
>> TO BUILD ON WHAT DR. TAM SAID
AND THE WORK BY OUR PROCUREMENT
TEAM, ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT
WE IDENTIFIED TODAY IS ACTUALLY
IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING
VENTILATORS.
AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO
SCALE UP.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE
COMPANIES LIKE THIS THAT HAVE
THE ABILITY TO SCALE UP ON A
GOING FORWARD BASIS TO DEAL WITH
FUTURE NEEDS AS DESCRIBED BY MY
COLLEAGUES.
SO IT IS AS MENTIONED BEFORE A
STRATEGY THAT SPEAKS TO STRONG
PROCUREMENT PRACTICES BASED ON
THE CURRENT NEEDS AND THE
POTENTIAL FUTURE NEEDS.
AND ALSO TO BUILD UP OUR
CAPACITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING
TODAY.
THIS SITUATION IS FLUID.
AND THE NUMBERS WILL EVOLVE AND
CHANGE.
BUT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT
WE POSSIBLE WE CAN TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE MORE AND NOT LESS.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION [Speaking
French]
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[Speaking French]
>> Question: [Speaking
French]
(Voice of Translator): GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR. DUCLOS, FIRST
QUESTION TO YOU.
CAN YOU CONFIRM WHAT MINISTER
BLAIR SAID THAT THE CLOSING OF
THE ROXHAM ROAD FOR MIGRANTS IS
ONLY TEMPORARY AND WILL GO BACK
TO BUSINESS AS USUAL ONCE THE
BORDER HAS REOPENED?
AND YOU ALSO SAID THAT YOU ARE
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
MIGRANTS.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE ALREADY IN CANADA WHO HAVE
BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY
OTTAWA AND WHERE ARE THEY?
>> [Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): THANK
YOU.
I'M JUST GOING TO SUM UP THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF MINISTER BLAIR
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM
ONCE AGAIN FOR HIS HARD WORK ON
THIS ISSUE.
AND SO SINCE THIS MORNING, A
RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENT IS
REACHED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
WHICH MEANS THAT ASYLUM SEEKERS
WHO COME TO IRREGULAR POINTS OF
ENTRY ARE REDIRECTED BACK TO THE
UNITED STATES.
AND THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE
TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT.
JUST LIKE THE OTHER MEASURES
THAT WE ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS
WEEK REGARDING THE TRAVEL OF
PASSENGERS ACROSS THE BORDER FOR
NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL.
THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE ALSO
ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT
THIS IS A CRISIS WITH NO TIME TO
DISCUSS JURISDICTIONAL MATTERS.
THIS RESPONSE TO THIS CRISIS
CALLS FOR EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES
AND THAT IS WHY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS ASSUMING
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ISOLATING ALL
ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO HAVE COME
THROUGH IRREGULAR CHANNELS AND
WHO HAVE NOT RESPECTED THE 14
DAYS OF ISOLATION.
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE ANNOUNCED
TODAY.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): I'D LIKE TO ADD A
SMALL DETAIL FROM THE DEPUTY
PRIME MINISTER.
>> MINISTER BLAIR HELPED US WITH
THE DETAILS ON THIS AND THE
ANNOUNCEMENT MADE YESTERDAY, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN
RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINDING A
PLACE FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS TO BE
PLACED IN ISOLATION AND SO
CANADA HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THAT.
FOR FINDING A PLACE FOR THEM.
THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU, BILL.
>> (Voice of Translator): LAST
QUESTION ON THE TELEPHONE.
>> Question: THANK YOU.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS TO MINISTER
BLAIR AND DR. TAM.
I'M WONDERING ON THE MIGRANT --
ON THE REFUSAL -- NOT MIGRANT
WORKERS.
ON THE REFUSAL TO ALLOW
IRREGULAR ASYLUM SEEKERS INTO
CANADA, WHAT CHANGED?
AND WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE TO
SUGGEST THAT THIS POPULATION IS
A HIGHER HEALTH RISK?
>> THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT
THEY'RE A HIGHER HEALTH RISK BUT
WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT
NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVELLER COMING
ACROSS THE BORDER DO REPRESENT A
RISK.
WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS THAT WE PUT
IN PLACE ACROSS THE ENTIRE
BORDER TO RESTRICT NON-ESSENTIAL
TRAVELLER COMING IN.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF ENSURING THAT SHOULD THEY
COME ACROSS, IF PEOPLE DO COME
ACROSS THAT BORDER, THAT THEY
ARE SUBJECT TO A PERIOD OF 14
DAYS OF SELF-ISOLATION.
ACCOMMODATING AND MANAGING THAT
IS A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE,
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE QUEÉBEC
GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUE WHO
NORMALLY ACCOMMODATES THESE.
AND AS A RESULT, AS PART OF A
LARGE GROUP OF INITIATIVES AND
MEASURES THAT WE HAVE PUT IN
PLACE WITH OUR ALLIES IN THE
UNITED STATES, WE HAVE AGREED
RECIPROCALLY, THAT ANY PERSON
COMING ACROSS THE BORDER WILL BE
DIRECTED BACK TO THE COUNTRY
FROM WHICH THEY ORIGINATED.
SO COMING INTO CANADA FROM THE
UNITED STATES OR FROM THE UNITED
STATES INTO CANADA WE'LL SIMPLY
DIRECT THEM BACK TO CURTAIL THAT
IRREGULAR MIGRATION, THAT IS
DIFFICULT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY
OF CANADIANS.
IT'S A LARGER SWEEP OF MEASURES
THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE TO HAVE
BETTER CONTROL OF NON-ESSENTIAL
PASSAGE OF THAT BORDER.
AND THIS IS A CHALLENGE TO
MANAGE AND REGULATE.
AND TO ADDRESS THAT CHALLENGE IN
THESE EXTRAORDINARY
CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE AGREED
THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE MEASURE
TO PUT IN PLACE.
>> Question: OKAY, AND MY SECOND
QUESTION IS ALSO TO DR. TAM AND
TO MINISTER FREELAND.
SHOULD CANADIAN ATHLETES TRAVEL
TO JAPAN FOR THE OLYMPICS?
EVEN IF THE OLYMPICS GO AHEAD.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
DR. TAM DO YOU WANT TO START?
>> I THINK THAT OUR
RECOMMENDATION IS TO AVOID ALL
NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
AND WE BELIEVE IN FOLLOWING THE
ADVICE OF OUR EXPERTS HERE IN
CANADA AND SO LET ME JUST ECHO
DR. TAM AND SAY THAT CANADIANS
SHOULD AVOID ALL NON-ESSENTIAL
TRAVEL.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT
THAT.
AND THAT IS FOR THE HEALTH OF
THE POTENTIAL TRAVELLERS AND FOR
THE HEALTH OF ALL CANADIANS WHEN
YOU COME BACK HOME.
>> I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT GIVEN
THE GLOBAL SITUATION AND HOW
QUICKLY THINGS EVOLVE THERE'S
DISRUPTION IN AIR TRAVEL AND
WITH BORDER MEASURES SO IT'S
VERY HARD TO PREDICT WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW
GLOBALLY FROM A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT PROSPECTIVES.
AND THE SAFEST THING FOR
CANADIANS TO DO RIGHT NOW IN
TERMS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL IS
TO STAY HOME.
>> OKAY, WE'LL GO BACK ON THE
PHONE.
>> FROM LORNE GARDNER, POLITICO.
>> Question: THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
SO THERE'S NO SPECIFIC MENTION
IN THE U.S. GUIDANCE ON THE
PARTIAL BORDER CLOSURE ABOUT
THINGS LIKE COMPASSIONATE
TRAVEL, WHICH HAS BEEN A TERM
THAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT IN THE
LAST COUPLE DAYS.
THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
OF WHO IS ALLOWED TO CROSS FOR
WORK, BUT IT LEAVES A QUESTION
AS TO HOW MUCH WILL THIS BE LEFT
TO THE BORDER AGENTS' DISCRETION
TO DETERMINE IF SOMEONE'S
BUSINESS REASON IS ACTUALLY,
QUOTE/UNQUOTE, REASONABLE?
>> I'LL BEGIN THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION.
OUR OFFICIALS ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE BORDER HAVE BEEN WORKING
CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S A CONSISTENCY IN THE WAY
IN WHICH THESE MEASURES WILL BE
IMPLEMENTED, BUT, AT THE SAME
TIME, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S
EXCEPTIONAL AND EXTRAORDINARY
CIRCUMSTANCES AND THERE'S AN
EXPECTATION THAT BORDER OFFICERS
WILL HAVE THE APPROPRIATE
DISCRETION IN DETERMINING IN
THOSE EXCEPTIONAL EXTRAORDINARY
CIRCUMSTANCES IF THE TRAVEL IS,
IN FACT, ESSENTIAL.
WHAT WE ARE ALL UNITED IN IN
ATTEMPTING TO DO WHICH IS TO
DISCOURAGE THAT TRAVEL THAT IS
NOT ESSENTIAL.
TOURIST ACTIVITIES OR
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
WORKERS GETTING TO IMPORTANT
JOBS AND ENSURING THAT WE
MAINTAIN THE SUPPLY OF GOODS
THAT COMPROMISE THE VITAL TRADE
AND SUPPLY CHAINS THAT CROSS OUR
BORDERS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME WE
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WILL BE
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND SO OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT
EXTRAORDINARY MATTERS WILL BE
DEALT WITH IN EXTRAORDINARY 
WAYS.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
AND I WOULD ADD TO USE THE TRADE
METAPHOR THAT THIS IS ABOUT A
NEGATIVE LIST APPROACH RATHER
THAN A POSITIVE LIST APPROACH.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE MADE A REAL
POINT IN SAYING ACTUALLY WHAT WE
ARE RESTRICTING IS NON-ESSENTIAL
TRAVEL.
AND WE SPECIFIED FOR TOURISTS OR
RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.
AND THAT IS CLEAR AND SPECIFIC
BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE
CANADA-U.S. BORDER RELATIONSHIP
IS SO DEEP, SO INTERCONNECTED
THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES LIKE
POINT ROBERTS IN THE UNITED
STATES FOR WHOM DAILY LIFE DOES
REQUIRE CROSSING THE BORDER.
AND FOR WHOM CROSSING THE BORDER
IS AS MUCH A PART OF WHAT THEY
DO EVERY DAY AS TO WHAT ONE OF
US DON'T FLIF IN ONE OF THOSE
COMMUNICATE -- LIVE IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S LITERALLY GOING TO THE
GROCERY STORE AND FOR THE LOCAL
FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FUNCTION,
PEOPLE HAVE TO GO BACK AND FORTH
ACROSS THE BORDER.
SO I REALLY WANT TO BE CLEAR AND
WE HAD VERY CLEAR CONVERSATIONS
STARTING WITH THE PRESIDENT AND
THE PRIME MINISTER, ME AND THE
VICE PRESIDENT, I SPOKE TO
SECRETARY POMPEO AND BILL HAS
BEEN TALKING TO THE HOMELAND
SECURITY SECRETARY A LOT OVER
THE PAST FEW DAYS.
BOTH OF OUR COUNTRIES REALLY
UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THAT
BORDER AND THAT BORDER
RELATIONSHIP IS ABOVE ALL FOR
TRADE.
AND TRADE THAT IS ESSENTIAL,
ESSENTIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO
ACTUALLY SURVIVE, PARTICULARLY
IN THIS PERIOD THAT PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE
THAT OUR GROCERY STORES HAVE
FOOD.
MAKING SURE THAT MEDICALS GO
BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE
BORDER.
BUT EVEN BEYOND THE TRADING
RELATIONSHIP THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES REALLY
REQUIRE GOING BACK AND FORTH
ACROSS THE BORDER AND THAT WILL
NOT BE IMPEDED.
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS SAYING THAT
THERE ARE SOME ACTIVITIES WHICH
ARE CLEARLY NON-ESSENTIAL.
IF YOU ARE AMERICAN, WE LOVE
AMERICAN TOURISTS, BUT NOW IS
NOT THE TIME TO GO TO WHISTLER.
IF YOU ARE CANADIAN, NOW IS NOT
THE TIME -- HANG ON -- EXCUSE
ME, THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY
IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT A LOT OF
CANADIANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO
LIVE ALONG THE BORDER REALLY
CARE ABOUT AND WE HAD A QUESTION
SAYING THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT
ENTIRELY CLEAR SO I'M GOING TO
FINISH MY SENTENCE, OKAY?
SO NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL IS
RESTRICTED AND THAT IS IT.
>> Question: AND A QUICK
FOLLOW-UP.
IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN --
AMONG THE CABINET IN WHAT IS NOW
A TEMPORARY MOVE ON TURNING BACK
IRREGULAR MIGRANTS.
IS THERE AN INTEREST IN SEEING
THAT MADE PERMANENT IN THE
FUTURE ONCE THIS PANDEMIC IS
BEHIND US?
>> I'LL BEGIN IN THE ANSWER TO
THAT.
WE ARE DEALING WITH
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES
TODAY.
AND OUR FOCUS IS ON KEEPING
CANADIANS SAFE AND WE HAVE TAKEN
AND WE'LL TO BE TO TAKE THE
NECESSARY MEASURES TO EFFECT
THAT PURPOSE OF KEEPING PEOPLE
SAFE.
WE TAKE -- WE HAVE TAKEN WHAT WE
BELIEVE TO BE A RESPONSIBLE
MEASURE IN A RECIPROCAL WAY WITH
OUR ALLIES IN THE UNITED
STATES -- BOTH OF US SHARE A
CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR
CITIZENS.
THAT'S WHERE OUR FOCUS IS TODAY.
AND WE HAVE A FOCUS ON THE NEED
TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND THAT'S
WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
>> OKAY, ONE MORE FOR THE PHONE.
>> Question: THANK YOU, THE NEXT
QUESTION... (Voice of
Translator): PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Question: GOOD AFTERNOON,
MR. BLAIR.
[end of translation]
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, YES HE CAN.
>> I DIDN'T TURN MY MICROPHONE
ON, MARIE, I APOLOGISE.
>> Question: BECAUSE I USED MY
PHONE WHEN I ASKED A QUESTION TO
THE PRIME MINISTER SO I WASN'T
SURE.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU A LITTLE
MORE ABOUT THE MIGRANTS CHANGE
THAT YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING
FORWARD TODAY.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD
BE LIMITED EXCEPTIONS TO THE
ONES THAT WOULD BE TURNED BACK
AT THE BORDER.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.
AND I'D LIKE TO YOU ELABORATE ON
WHY YOU'RE DECIDING THIS NOW
GIVEN THAT YESTERDAY YOU WERE
PLANNING TO PUT THEM IN
ISOLATION IN CANADA AND I WONDER
WHAT CHANGED AND I GUESS THAT
I'LL GET A FOLLOW-UP AFTERWARDS,
THANK YOU.
>> FOR EXAMPLE, AN UNACCOMPANIED
MINOR, WITH THE AMERICAN
NATIONALITY, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD
BE AN EXCEPTION, AND WHO IS
CLAIMING ASYLUM FROM THE UNITED
STATES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT THOSE LIMITED EXCEPTIONS
EXIST AND WE ARE PREPARED TO
DEAL APPROPRIATELY WITH THEM.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE
THAT THE MEASURES THAT WE'VE
ANNOUNCED TODAY WILL BE
EFFECTIVE IN DETERRING PEOPLE
FROM COMING.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A GROWING
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
I'LL TELL YOU, FOR EXAMPLE,
YESTERDAY THAT WE HAVE AVERAGED
ABOUT 45 TO 50 PEOPLE COMING
EACH DAY AND YESTERDAY THE
NUMBER WAS 17.
SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE
RECOGNISING THAT THIS IS NOT THE
TIME TO BE GOING TO THE BORDER
AND CROSSING OVER AND ENGAGING
IN THAT BEHAVIOUR BECAUSE IT
PRESENTS A RISK TO THEM AND TO
OTHERS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THESE MEASURES
WILL BE EFFECTIVE.
IF YOU ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHY IT
TOOK SO LONG, QUITE FRANKLY,
THIS WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY
RAPID DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE
BETWEEN OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND AS THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
HAS INDICATED, THERE HAVE BEEN
VERY IMPORTANT BUT INCREDIBLY
COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSIONS TAKING
PLACE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
LEVELS WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND I WOULD TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
IF I MAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF OUR
OFFICIALS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING
THROUGH THE DETAILS AND THE
IMPORTANT PARTS OF
IMPLEMENTATION THAT MADE THIS
EFFECTIVE.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN
EXTRAORDINARY COLLABORATION
BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT MANY PEOPLE JUST SAY, WELL,
WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO THIS AND
ACT UNILATERALLY AND JUST PUT IT
IN PLACE.
I THINK THAT DEMONSTRATES A
PROFOUND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
OF HOW THINGS WORK BETWEEN TWO
SOVEREIGN NATIONS.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK
TOGETHER.
WE HAVE DONE THAT.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE
LEVEL OF COOPERATION AND THE
SPEED WITH WHICH THIS HAS BEEN
ACHIEVED IS UNPRECEDENTED.
AND, FRANKLY, ONLY A WEEK AGO I
WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS
INCONCEIVABLE, AND YET IT'S BEEN
DONE.
THE WORK HAPPENED.
AND WE'VE COME TO THIS.
AND IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND WE'RE MOVING AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL
MOTIVATED TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
>> Question: YEAH, ACTUALLY MY
QUESTION WASN'T WHY IT TOOK SO
LONG.
MY QUESTION WAS WHY NOW GIVE GIN
FOR THAT YEARS NOW YOUR
GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO TURN
PEOPLE BACK AT THE BORDER
DESPITE MULTIPLE CALLS FROM THE
OPPOSITION OR FROM OTHER GROUPS.
SO I'M WONDERING WHY ALL OF A
SUDDEN YOU DO FEEL COMFORTABLE
AND THAT IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION
TO TURN THESE PEOPLE BACK?
AND THEN MY FOLLOW-UP WAS
CONCERNING THE TEMPORARY
RESIDENTS IN CANADA.
WE WERE TOLD THAT A FEW DAYS AGO
THAT PEOPLE WITH WORK PERMITS OR
STUDENT PERMITS WOULD BE ALLOWED
TO COME BACK TO CANADA, DESPITE
THE CLOSING OF THE BORDER.
BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING ALLOWED TO
COME IN.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE TRUDEAU
AIRPORT IN MONTRÉAL.
SO CAN YOU SAY WHEN YOU EXPECT
SOME CLARITY ON THIS IDEA THAT
PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME IN
BUT THEY ARE BEING REFUSED,
DESPITE BEING TOLD THEY COULD
COME IN?
>> AGAIN, MARIE, JUDGMENT IS
EXERCISED ON THE ESSENTIAL
NATURE OF THAT TRAVEL.
AND, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE DOING
OUR VERY BEST TO ENCOURAGE ALL
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL,
INTERNATIONALLY AND ACROSS THE
TRANSBORDER WITH THE UNITED
STATES.
AND SO, AGAIN, DISCRETION AND
JUDGMENT IS BEING EXERCISED IN
THOSE CASES.
WE WANTED TO ASSURE THOSE PEOPLE
WHO, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE ALREADY
HERE ON STUDENT VISAS, FOR
EXAMPLE, WOULD BE ASSURED THEY
WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO
THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO
RECOGNIZE IN SOME OF THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES WITH STUDENT
VISAS, CERTAINLY WITH WORK VISAS
AND ABSOLUTELY FOR TEMPORARY
FOREIGN WORKERS THAT WE
RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL NATURE
OF THAT WORK.
AND SO IN RESPECT OF THE
ESSENTIAL NATURE OF THAT WORK IT
WILL BE, OF COURSE, EXEMPTED
FROM THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE
HAVE PUT IN PLACE.
>> The Hon. Chyrstia Freeland:
YEAH AND LET ME JUST ADD SOME
FURTHER CLARITY THERE.
WHAT MINISTER GARNEAU SAID
EARLIER THIS WEEK IS THE CASE
THAT VALID WORK AND STUDENT
VISAS TO COME TO CANADA WILL BE
RESPECTED AT THE CANADIAN
BORDER, AT THE CANADA-U.S.
BORDER, AND AT INTERNATIONAL
BORDERS.
AND THAT INCLUDES TEMPORARY
FOREIGN WORKERS.
THOSE PEOPLE, OF COURSE, WILL
NEED TO SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14
DAYS, LIKE EVERYONE COMING BACK
TO CANADA.
AS FOR THE UNCERTAINTY AT THE
BORDER AROUND THE RULES, I THINK
THAT ALL OF US NEED TO HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF PATIENCE AND
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE CURRENT
SITUATION.
THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY TIMES.
OUR GOVERNMENT ACROSS THE WHOLE
OF GOVERNMENT IS ACTING AT A
PACE WHICH WOULD BE NEITHER
POSSIBLE NOR ADVISABLE IN
ORDINARY TIMES.
WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT WOULD
NORMALLY TAKE THREE TO SIX
MONTHS IN TWO OR THREE DAYS.
AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
BECAUSE THE SITUATION DEMANDS
IT.
BUT WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT
VERY OFTEN -- TODAY WE'RE IN A
SITUATION WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE
AN ANNOUNCEMENT AND MAKE CLEAR
TO CANADIANS WHAT WE ARE GOING
TO DO.
AND TO FILL IN THE DETAILS
AFTERWARDS.
AND WHAT THAT DOES MEAN IS THAT
THE PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO
IMPLEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE
DETAILS, IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT
OF TIME FOR THE PRECISE
INFORMATION TO GET TO EVERYONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN ORDINARY TIMES
THAT IS NOT HOW WE WOULD
OPERATE.
BUT I THINK THAT CANADIANS --
YOU KNOW, I AM VERY CONFIDENT
THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO
TODAY.
AND I'M ACTUALLY REALLY
CONFIDENT THAT CANADIANS ARE
SMART AND THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU
KNOW, AS DR. TAM SAID TO US -- I
THINK THAT IT WAS ON TUESDAY,
ST. PATRICK'S DAY, RIGHT -- TO
SPEED OVER PERFECTION.
THAT HAS BECOME A REAL MOTTO FOR
US, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT
THIS IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
SO WE NEED TO ACT WITH AGILITY
AND WE ARE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGISE TO
ALL CANADIANS THAT IT DOES MEAN
THAT SOMETIMES EVERY SINGLE
DETAIL -- NOT SOMETIMES -- IT
MEANS PRETTY MUCH THAT EVERY
SINGLE DETAIL IS NOT GOING TO BE
WORKED OUT IN ADVANCE.
BUT I THINK THAT PEOPLE WILL
AGREE THAT IT'S BETTER TO ACT
WITH SPEED THAN TO WAIT FOR THE
PERFECTION WHICH COULD MOOEN
THAT OUR COUNTRY'S -- COULD MEAN
THAT OUR COUNTRY'S RESPONSE TO
THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC WOULD BE
DELAYED WITH TRULY FATAL
CONSEQUENCES.
>> OKAY, WE HAVE GONE OVER QUITE
A BIT.
SO ONE MORE QUESTION FROM THE
ROOM.
MIKE FROM GLOBAL AND ONE LAST
QUESTION ON THE PHONE.
>> Question: OKAY, THERE'S SOME
CENTRES THAT ARE GOING TO OPEN
UP -- SORRY -- IN CANADA.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THESE ARE
FOR?
ARE THEY GOING TO BE FRONTLINE
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GO?
OR IS IT -- FRONTLINE PLACES ARE
GOING TO HANDLE THE OVERFLOW FOR
PLACES LIKE HOSPITALS THAT CAN'T
HANDLE IT.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THESE
ASSESSMENT CENTRES?
>> I'LL LET YOU TAKE THAT.
>> YES, OF COURSE, THAT'S IN THE
PURVIEW OF THE LOCAL AND THE
PROVINCIAL JURISDICTIONS, BUT
FOR THE MOST PART THESE ARE
SPECIFICALLY SET UP TO ASSESS
PEOPLE WITH POTENTIALLY WHO HAVE
COVID-19.
>> Question: AND THE OTHER
QUESTION IS -- SO I'VE HEARD
THAT IT TAKES -- WE HAVE A
BACKLOG ON TESTING SO WHEN YOU
GET THE TEST IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR
DAYS TO GET RESULTS.
IF THAT'S THE CASE WE'RE WAITING
FOR PEOPLE TO GET SYMPTOMATIC
AND THEY GET THE TEST AND THEN
THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOUR DAYS
UNTIL THEY GET RESULTS BACK.
AT THAT POINT WHAT IS THE POINT
OF THE TESTING?
BECAUSE WE WOULD KNOW IN FOUR
DAYS WHETHER SOMEONE IS SICK OR
NOT.
>> WELL, THE POINT OF THE
TESTING IS TO CONFIRM WHETHER OR
NOT THEY HAVE COVID-19 AND TO DO
THE CONTACT TRACING.
SO FIRST OF ALL LET ME SAY ON
THE TESTING TIME IT VARIES FROM
PROVINCE-TO-PROVINCE --
>> [indiscernible]
>> GO AHEAD, DO YOU HAVE AN
AVERAGE?
>> WELL, I CAN TALK TO OUR LAB
AND OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT
LABORATORIES AND OURS IS
DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO
SHIP IT TO US ON LIKE A DAY ON
AVERAGE.
AND THERE'S OTHER REASONS THAT
SOME THINGS MIGHT NOT REACH US
WITHIN THAT KIND OF TIMEFRAME.
BUT AS SOON AS WE GET IT, IT
WOULD BE LIKE A DAY, WITH THE
TRANSPORTATION.
AND I THINK THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING IS THAT PEOPLE
MUST SELF-ISOLATE IMMEDIATELY
AND THAT'S THE KEY.
>> TO YOUR QUESTION THAT'S THE
MOST IMPORTANT PART.
WHENEVER ANYONE IS SYMPTOMATIC
THEY SHOULD BE SELF-ISOLATING AT
HOME AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT
PART.
SO THE TEST DOESN'T CLEAR THEM
OR NOT, IT'S NOT ABOUT ACTUALLY
A CLEAR AT THIS POINT, IT'S
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO
CONFIRM IF THEY HAVE IT AND THEN
ALLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH TO DO THE
HARD WORK OF THE CONTACT
TRACING.
WHO HAVE THEY BEEN NEAR?
AND WERE THEY EXPOSED TO
SOMEBODY ELSE AND HOW DID THAT
CASE COME ABOUT?
THAT'S HOW YOU WORK ON THE
CONTAINMENT PIECE AND IT MAKES
SURE THAT YOU CONTAIN THE SPREAD
WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY OR WITHIN
THAT PARTICULAR SETTING.
AND ALL OF THAT DATA FOLDS UP
INTO THE PROVINCIAL DATA WHICH
THEN LANDS AT THE FEDERAL
DATABASE WHICH ALLOWS US TO
UNDERSTAND THE MODELING SO MUCH
BETTER ABOUT WHERE WE'RE SEEING
POTENTIAL SPARKS.
IF YOU REMEMBER THOSE EARLY
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE SPARKS
COMING FROM CHINA.
NOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE SAME
THING IN CANADA.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE
IS THE FIRE BURNING AND WHERE
ARE THOSE SPARKS GOING.
SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY BETTER
CONTAIN AND HOPEFULLY DEFEAT THE
SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE PHONE.
>> [Speaking French]
(Voice of Translator): LOUIS
DUVOIS, GLOBAL CANADA, GO AHEAD.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): GOOD AFTERNOON, I
HAVE A QUESTION WITH THE ASYLUM
SEEKERS WHO ARE CROSSING AT THE
IRREGULAR POINT OF ENTRY FOR
MR. DUCLOS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO ASYLUM SEEKERS
RETURNED TO THE SAME U.S.
AUTHORITIES, WILL THEY BE
DETAINED?
WILL THEY BE RELEASED?
WHAT IS THEIR LOT?
THANK YOU.
>> I WILL -- I WILL ATTEMPT TO
ANSWER THIS FIRST IN ENGLISH AND
THEN TURN TO MY FRIEND TO ANSWER
IN FRENCH, IF I MAY.
UNDER THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY WILL NOT
BE DETAINED.
THEY'LL SIMPLY BE RETURNED BACK
TO THE UNITED STATES OR, FOR
EXAMPLE, IF THEY COME FROM
CANADA AND THEY ARE RETURNED TO
US THEY WOULD NOT BE DETAINED.
THERE ARE VERY, VERY LIMITED
EXCEPTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE WAS AN
ISSUE OF SERIOUS CRIMINALITY
THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED, THEN
THAT MIGHT RESULT IN A PERSON'S
DETENTION.
BUT JUST AS IT RELATES TO THE
BORDER AND IMMIGRATION MATTERS,
THERE WOULD BE NO DETENTION.
>> Question: (Voice of
DETENTION.
>> SO IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF
CASES THEY'LL RETURN TO THE
UNITED STATES IF THEY'RE COMING
FROM CANADA AND VICE VERSA
BECAUSE OF THIS RECIPROCAL
ARRANGEMENT.
AND IN VERY, VERY RARE
EXCEPTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE,
VIOLENCE OR SERIOUS CRIMINALITY,
THEY COULD BE DETAINED BUT THEY
SHOULD BE VERY, VERY RARE CASES.
THANK YOU.
>> Question: (Voice of
Translator): QUESTION, ARE
THERE TOOLS BEING PUT IN PLACE
TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT
TRYING TO CROSS ELSEWHERE THAN
ROXHAM ROAD?
ARE THEY PATROLLING IN OTHER
PLACES ACROSS THE AREA TO ENSURE
THAT THE BORDER IS SEALED?
>> (Voice of Translator):
ANSWER.
THIS IS THE RECIPROCAL
ARRANGEMENT.
SO NO ASYLUM SEEKER SHOULD BE
CROSSING AT IRREGULAR POINTS OF
ENTRY IN EITHER DIRECTION.
AND, THEREFORE, BOTH OF OUR
GOVERNMENTS ARE APPLYING THE
REQUIRED MEASURES.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT IS CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICER AND MINISTERS
ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON A VARIETY
OF MEASURES THAT THE GOVERNMENT
ANNOUNCED TODAY AND WE'LL TRY TO
BREAK DOWN THE THINGS THAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW BEFORE WE LET YOU
GO.
AND FOR HAD UPON ON THAT I BRING
IN DAVID COCHRANE.
CANADA TRIES TO SECURE A CERTAIN
SUPPLY OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND
THEN FIND WAYS TO PRODUCE IT
HERE IN THIS COUNTRY?
>> Reporter: THERE'S AN URGENT
NEED ON THE FRONTLINES TO HAVE
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
WE HAVE SEEN TODAY THE SYSTEM
THAT CANADA IS GOING TO FOLLOW
TO DEAL WITH THIS.
PATTY HAJDU AND THERESA TAM WILL
LOOK AT THE NEED IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE PROVINCES, A NEED FOR
THE PROCUREMENT MINISTER TO BUY
WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND NAVDEEP
BAINS WILL HELP THE INDUSTRIAL
SECTOR TO RAMP UP TO CREATE A
DOMESTIC SUPPLY.
SO SOME NUMBERS TODAY.
DR. TAM IS TELLING US THEY
PREEMPTIVELY ORDERED 550
VENTILATORS AND THEY'RE WORKING
TO GET MORE.
AND SAYING THEY HAVE SECURED
11.3 MILLION N95 MASKS AND THE
PROVINCES SAID THEY NEED SEVEN
MILLION AND THEY HAVE 11 MILLION
SO THE GOAL IS TO BE
OVERPREPARED.
AND NAVDEEP BAINS ANNOUNCING
THEY'LL TAKE THE INNOVATION FUNS
IN THE COUNTRY AND FOCUSING ON
THE FIGHT FOR COVID-19 AND
SECURING CONTRACTS WITH THREE
COMPANIES.
ONE IS IN MONTRÉAL, TO START
MANUFACTURING PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT LIKE N95
MASKS.
AND ONE IN OTTAWA FOR A
SMALL-SCALE PORTABLE DEVICE TO
DO TESTS AND PORTABLY WITHIN
AIRPORTS AND TO GET RESULTS IN
30 MINUTES.
AND THORNHILL MEDICAL THAT MAKES
VENTILATORS AND THEY'LL SCALE UP
AND PRODUCE MORE VENTILATORRORS.
AND AUTO PARTS MANUFACTURERS, WE
LOOK THEM TO BUILD, AND IT'S A
SMALLER SCALE MANUFACTURERS THAT
SUPPLY THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO
RETOOL TO HELP TO DO THIS.
IN ADDITION TO AS THE MINISTER
SAID 5,800 SUBMISSIONS FROM
OTHER COMPANIES LOOKING TO SCALE
UP AND TO ADAPT WHAT THEY DO IN
A WAY TO SUPPLY NECESSARY
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT INTO THE
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
SO THIS SHOWS THE URGENT NEED
AND THE REQUIREMENT AND THE
ANTICIPATED LONG-TERM NEED AND
REQUIREMENT, ROSIE, BECAUSE
RAMPING UP A NEW PRODUCTION LINE
IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS
OVERNIGHT.
SO THE SHORT-TERM NEEDS, AND THE
LONG-TERM NEEDS AND NAVDEEP
BAINS IS ON THAT IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE HEALTH MINISTER AND THE
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA,
BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, ROSIE,
THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN IS GOING
TO TIGHTEN IF NOT DRY UP.
AND THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS PUT
RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXPORT OF
CORE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND
THAILAND HAS DONE THAT AND
PROBABLY ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
FOR THE UNITED STATES TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO TO KEEP THE COUNTRY WHOLE
THEY NEED TO MOBILIZE IN THIS
DIRECTION AND THAT IS WHAT
YOU'RE SEEING.
A WAR-TIME FOOTING IN A LOT OF
WAYS, TO BEAT THIS VIRAL ENEMY
FROM CANADA'S INDUSTRIALIT TO
PUT THE SUPPLIES INTO THE
FRONTLINE HEALTH SERVICES THAT
ARE SO BADLY NEEDED.
>> Rosemary: GOOD JOB BREAKING
DOWN THE WAY THAT IT WAS
PRESENTED.
LET ME HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OTHER
THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT
PRESS CONFERENCE.
A REMINDER TO CANADIANS THAT THE
BORDER CLOSES FOR ALL
NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL AS OF 11:59
TONIGHT.
THAT WILL NOW HAPPEN AT THE
CANADA-U.S. BORDER AND THE
MEXICO-U.S. BORDER AND THE
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCING TODAY THAT
THEY ARE ALSO -- THOSE CROSSING
AT IRREGULAR POINTS OF ENTRY
LIKE ROXHAM ROAD IN QUEÉBEC ARE
NOW DIRECTED BACK TO THE UNITED
STATES.
AND THAT ALSO IS A SIGNIFICANT
SHIFT IN THE GOVERNMENT POLICY
THAT THEY SAY THAT IS
TEMPORARILY.
ALL OF THESE TEMPORARY BORDER
CLOSURES ARE REVIEWED AFTER 30
DAYS TO SEE IF THEY NEED TO BE
EXTENDED.
A COUPLE OTHER POINTS TO LEAVE
YOU WITH.
AND DR. THERESA TAM SAID THERE'S
BEEN 66,000 TESTS IN THIS
COUNTRY AND 10,000 YESTERDAY
ALONE.
SO WE ARE SEEING MORE TESTING.
SHE GAVE A VRGZ EXPLANATION AS
TO WHY NOT EVERYONE IS BEING
TESTED.
WE KNOW THAT THE FIRST PLANE
REPATRIATING CANADIANS FROM
MOROCCO IS GOING TO RETURN THIS
WEEKEND AND THE GOVERNMENT IS
LOOKING AT MOROCCO AND PERU AS
TWO AREAS OF FOCUS.
IF YOU KNOW A CANADIAN STRANDED
IN ONE OF THOSE COUNTRIES AND
THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO LOOKING
AT SCHOOL GROUPS THAT MAY BE
STUCK IN COUNTRIES OVERSEAS.
AND, FINALLY, LET ME LEAVE YOU
WITH A STAGGERING NUMBER THAT
THE PRIME MINISTER GAVE US THIS
MORNING AROUND THOSE WHO HAVE
ALREADY LOOKED FOR SOME
FINANCIAL AID, EMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE, OR OTHER THINGS FROM
THE GOVERNMENT.
THAT THE PRIME MINISTER TELLING
CANADIAN 500,000 TESTS HAVE GONE
IN ALREADY, AND WE EXPECT IT TO
GO UP IN THE DAYS AND THE WEEKS
AHEAD AS THE ECONOMY STRUGGLES
WITH THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
I WANT TO THANK VASSY KAPELOS
WHO WILL BE ON "POWER &
POLITICS" LATER.
AND DAVID COCHRANE ON "THE
NATIONAL" LATER.
AND I'M ROSEMARY BARTON AND
WE'LL BRING YOU THESE SPECIALS
AND THIS SPECIAL COVERAGE
THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND AS THEY
HAPPEN.
BUT FOR NOW YOU CAN WATCH
ONGOING COVERAGE HERE ON CBC
NEWS NETWORK, THANK YOU FOR
WATCHING
