Hey, everyone!
Arjun Ram here
for CBC Kids News ,
staying at home and
staying healthy!
COVID-19 is clearly on
everyone's mind right now.
It has changed everyday
life for kids like myself
all across Canada and
the rest of the world.
Earlier this week,
we asked you to send us
your questions
about coronavirus,
so we could take them
right to the top -
to the Prime Minister
of Canada, Justin Trudeau,
and Dr. Theresa Tam,
Canada's top doctor.
And boy, did you
guys ever deliver!
 CBC and Radio-Canada
received more than 4,000
videos, emails,
and photographs
in just 24 hours.
Guess what?
I'm about to jump on a
call with them right now
so they can answer
some of your questions.
♪ [upbeat music]
 Arjun: Hello,
 Mr. Trudeau and Dr. Tam!
Hi, Arjun!
Hello.
Thank you so much for
taking this time to answer
what's on the minds
of Canadian kids.
You know, we had
so many submissions
from all across Canada,
and it was really
hard to choose just 10.
Oh, I'm really
excited about it
and looking forward to it.
So, are you guys ready
for your first question?
Ready for it.
All right,
let's do this.
Hi, Mr. Prime Minister.
My name is Gwyneth Scholar
and I am eight years old
from Maple, Ontario.
And I would like to know,
how is your family
keeping busy while
social distancing?
Thank you.
Thanks, Gwyneth,
for your question.
Obviously,
it's a difficult time
for all families
right now.
From doing lots of
homework on the computer
and keeping up with
schoolwork
to trying to play
different games
and keep busy
throughout the long days
with brothers
and sisters
without being able
to talk to or see friends,
talking a lot on the
phone and over Facetime.
You know, kids are trying
to find different ways
to get through days when
we are all stuck at home,
where we're not able to go
out and see our friends,
we're not able
to do the things
that we usually
like to do.
But we're really holding
together as families
in Canada, and that's
a really good thing.
And how about
you, Dr. Tam,
how is your family
keeping busy
while social distancing?
I actually spend a lot
of time just connecting
socially, even though
we're practicing
physical distancing.
So it's really important
to connect with family
by phone or by video
so that you know,
everybody continues
to have
our great relationships.
I actually love
playing with Legos,
so that's what
I do sometimes.
Same, I love it, too.
Yes!
OK, thank you for that.
Our next question
comes from Malak,
who is eight years old
and lives in Halifax.
Malak actually
wrote us a letter.
 "Yesterday, my dad was
 supposed to come home from
 "a short business
 trip in Dubai,
"but all the airports were
closed and all flights
"are cancelled.
"I am writing to you
because you promised
 "to bring all Canadians
 back home.
 "I miss my dad so much.
 "My family and I are very
 worried about him
 "and my mom is taking
 care of all of us by herself.
Please help him come
back home quickly."
First of all Malak,
I know how hard this is.
I know how
scary this is.
This is a situation
where you really want
to have your dad with you,
your family with you,
and it's tough
for you to be apart.
That's why the government
is trying to work really,
 really hard to bring
 people home from around
 the world so that they
 can come back to Canada
 and be with
 their families.
 It's tough because lots
 of different countries
 have put in new rules
 and closed down flights,
but we're working really,
really hard to bring
families together
because we know that
to get through this time,
it's always easier
when you're surrounded
with the people you love.
So I understand how
scary this is
and how frustrating this is,
and know that
we're all working
together to try and make sure
your dad comes home.
Thank you.
Here's our third question.
In BC, people are
thanking health care workers
 by cheering them
 on after their shift ends
 through their balconies.
[roaring applause
and cheers]
Hello, sir!
My name's Cortana.
I'm 10 years old.
I live in Ontario,
but right now
I'm with my mom in BC.
I have a question.
What can we do to support
the health care workers,
other than going out
at 7:00 every day
and cheering them on?
The other thing we
can do, we need to do,
is make sure that we don't
get ourselves sick
 so they have to take care
 of more and more people.
 And that's why it's so
 important to stay home,
 it's so important
 to keep our distances
 and not go out if you
 absolutely don't have to
 and wash your hands regularly.
But I'm here also
with Dr. Tam,
who is Canada's
top doctor,
who is going to talk to us
about the things
that we need to do to keep
our health professionals safe
and support them.
All of the health
professionals
who are working really,
really hard are heroes
 and I'm sure they really
 appreciate anything that
 would cheer them on
 as they're doing
 their difficult work.
And absolutely, keeping
ourselves healthy,
practicing the physical
distancing of two metres.
Definitely try and stay
home if you're sick
and wash your hands
frequently.
All of these things can
help prevent large numbers
of people needing to
have medical care,
so everything that each
one of us are doing
every day, which is
really difficult,
is going to really help
all of our healthcare workers.
Those are some great
suggestions, thank you.
Our next question comes
from a brother and sister.
 Their question: "We are
 really scared of what
 "will happen to us if our
 parents get COVID-19.
 "Who will take care of us
 if they have to go
 to the hospital and we
 can't be with them?"
Oh, Chris, Giulianna,
I can understand
how scared you are.
 That's a really,
 really scary thought.
Canadians have been
there for each other.
When we get into
difficult situations,
this is what we do.
 We lean on each other.
 Our government is doing
 things to make sure
 that people are all right,
 but neighbours are looking out
 for each other.
 There are great
 community organizations.
 What we do as Canadians
 is look out for each other
and make sure that
nobody is left alone.
So I know it's
a scary time,
but you also
need to know
you're in one of the best
countries in the world
for people to be there
for each other,
to support
each other.
And we're
going to make sure
that nobody goes
through this alone.
And what do you
think, Dr. Tam,
who is going to look after
kids if their parents
are in the hospital?
Well, that's actually
a really difficult thing
to think about, so it's
normal to feel frightened
a little bit.
What I would
suggest, actually,
is make sure your parents
know that you're worried.
Talk to them, and actually
make a plan ahead of time.
It's always good
to plan ahead
to know what would happen
should they get sick,
making sure that
all the other,
you have other
contacts, as well.
You know, there are many
people who can help you,
but make that plan
ahead of time
so that you know
who they may be.
And we also have other
ways of helping kids,
such as the Kids
 Help Phone, as well.
So there's many
different ways
which we can help
each other.
So please, talk
to your parents.
Here's a video
from a kid
who is also
in Montreal.
He has a question a
lot of kids are asking.
Mohammad is turning
11 next month, he asks...
Hello,
Mr. Prime Minister.
My name is Mohammad Ahmed.
I live in Montreal and I'm
going to be 11 next month.
My question for you is,
do you think
we will go back to school
before the summer?
Thank you.
Oh, that's a really
good question, Mohammad.
That's a question that
my kids are asking me
all the time, because when
we were all off around
spring break, they were like,
"yay, no school!"
But now they're realizing
that they want
to see their friends,
they want to get back
to their activities
and their sports,
and maybe school isn't
so bad when compared
to having to sit
at the kitchen table
and do all your work
on your own
with your parents
sometimes helping.
We don't know how
long it's going to be.
 But we do know that
 the better job we do
 of staying home, of
 supporting each other
 through this by
 not going outside
more than we have to,
unless we absolutely have to,
and keeping two metres
apart if we ever do,
that is going
to keep us safe
and it's going to get us
through this better.
It's going to take
a while still,
and we're going to have
to keep watching carefully
to make sure that we're
making the right decisions
along the line,
but nobody exactly knows
when things are
going to pick up again.
We just know that while
we're going through this,
we all have to keep
doing the right things,
like I know you
are, Mohammad.
Here's your next question.
It's from Sarah who is
six and lives in Toronto.
Hi, my name is Sarah.
I'm six years old
and I'm from Toronto.
Mr. Trudeau, I want
to ask you a question.
Where do homeless people
go to be safe
from the coronavirus?
Oh Sarah, that is
a wonderful question,
and it is so nice that
you're asking about that,
because we know that
everyone is worried
about coronavirus and we've
asked everyone to stay home,
but if you
don't have a home,
that's really,
really difficult.
 That's why we have to make
 sure as a country
 that we are taking care
 of everybody,
 especially our
 most vulnerable.
That's why one of the
things we've done
is we've given a lot of money
to homeless shelters,
to community shelters,
to try and make sure
that they have room
for people who need a home
and have extra money
to be able to rent new spaces
or create separation
so people don't spread
COVID-19 to each other.
These are the kinds of
things we have to think about,
and we're all lucky
to be living in a country
where we do think about
people who are more vulnerable,
who have less,
and who need our support, too.
So I really thank you for
that beautiful question, Sarah.
OK.
Here's your next question.
Cecilia is 12 years old
and lives in Cantley, Quebec.
She writes, "I am seeing
that the pandemic
 "has caused a reduction
 in pollution.
 "What will the Government
 of Canada do
 "to protect
 the quality of air
 when the economy
 starts up again?"
That's a really
great question.
We know that we have to
protect the environment,
we have to make sure we're
fighting climate change
every single day.
 During this time of
 pandemic, of crisis,
there's less
economic activity,
 so there is
 less pollution.
But as we come out of it,
we're going to have to
make sure that we're
keeping up our fight
against pollution, that
we're doing things
like eliminating
single-use plastics,
that we're protecting
more of our oceans
and our land, and that
we're continuing to work
really, really hard
to protect the environment
for you,
for future generations.
This is something
that really,
really matters to me,
it really matters
to a lot of Canadians.
And I think we're all
thinking about how
the world might be
a little bit different
when we come out
of this crisis.
We're all going to learn
about different things
and do things
slightly differently.
Do you think that they
actually will, like,
they will come out, come
back after this all ends
and be more precautious
of what they do?
Discovering that each of us
is really important
in the choices we make,
no matter how small they seem,
is, I think, a
lesson that people
are going to understand even
more when we get through this,
and taking care of our planet
that takes care of us
is going to be
a big part of that.
Now, here is a question
from way up North!
Hello!
I live in Iqaluit.
My name is Luke.
It's cold here.
Can COVID-19 survive in
Iqaluit if it's so cold?
[chuckles] Great
question, Luke!
The reality is coronavirus
can be present
wherever there are people
who are present,
but I think that's a great
science-y question
that we can ask
Dr. Tam about.
So Dr. Tam,
what do you think?
Well, we're learning
more and more
about the coronavirus each day,
but unfortunately,
the cold or snow can't
keep out the coronavirus.
Every country in the world
actually has been affected
by coronavirus,
so unfortunately,
it will be no
different in Iqaluit.
So no, cold
temperatures, snow,
freezing temperatures
is not going to affect
the fact that the
coronavirus can impact
communities there.
OK, thank you.
Let's go back to BC.
Hello, Mr. Prime Minister.
Do you think Canadian
scientists are going
to come up with a vaccination
for the coronavirus soon?
My name is Mohamad,
I'm nine years old
and I live in
Kamloops, BC.
Thank you.
Great question.
You know, Canadian
scientists
are among the best
in the world.
We have some of the top
researchers and doctors
and scientists anywhere.
And they're working
really, really hard,
along with other people
and other great scientists
around the world to try
and get a vaccine
for coronavirus, but it's
going to take a while.
So I will turn to Dr.
Tam, who will fill us in
a little more on what
that's going to look like.
Well, I'm really happy
that kids
 are interested in vaccines.
 It will take about
 at least a year
 for the vaccine
 to be developed.
Normally, it can
take up to 10 years,
so you can imagine
a one-year timeline
is actually really,
really fast,
so everybody is working
as hard as they can
to bring us
the vaccine.
All right, we've made
it to question 10!
This is one of my
favourite questions
and I need both of you
to answer this.
Jack is six years old and
he's from Newfoundland.
He asks, "What song do
you guys sing in your mind
while you wash
your hands?"
[chuckles]
You can sing
any song you want
as long as it
lasts long enough.
I tend to sing
"Happy Birthday,"
because I like thinking
that it might be
my birthday today,
or any given day,
and if you're singing
it over and over again,
it's easy to sing a song
that you know
really, really well and always
makes you happy to sing.
What about you, Dr. Tam?
What song do you
recommend people sing
when they wash
their hands?
I sing different songs
on different days.
so when it's raining,
I might sing, you know,
a different song like,
♪ I'm singing in the rain! ♪
And then if, you
know, on another day,
I might sing
something else, like,
♪ We will,
we will wash you! ♪
-You know.
-[Arjun and Mr. Trudeau laugh]
 So it depends
 on my mood,
 and there's a really
 cool website, actually,
called washyourlyrics.com
from a 17 year old who,
if you plug in
the song that you like,
out comes a little
poster that tells you,
with your lyrics on it,
and how you wash your hands.
So check it out!
Actually, thank you,
Dr. Tam,
for giving us a little
taste on how you sing.
But Mr. Trudeau, you
didn't really give us
a taste of how you sing
"Happy Birthday."
Could you do that for us?
 Could you sing a little bit
 of "Happy Birthday" for us?
[chuckles] Oh!
♪ A little happy
birthday to you ♪
♪ happy birthday to you ♪
♪ happy birthday
happy birthday ♪
♪ happy birthday to you! ♪
And that wasn't 20 seconds,
so I do it again!
 ♪ happy birthday... ♪
And you make sure
that it lasts
as long as you
possibly can
and you come out smiling
at the end of it.
Thank you so much
Mr. Trudeau and Dr. Tam
for taking
the time to answer
what's on
Canadian kids' minds.
And I just wanted
to say how I love
how different
levels of governments
are putting
their politics aside
and working together
to keep Canadians safe,
and you know,
thank you so much
and I hope we can
meet again soon one day.
Thank you, Arjun,
that's a lovely thing to say...
-Thank you.
-..but it really is true.
That in this
time of crisis,
all different governments
are coming together.
We're all working
together
at all orders of government
across the country -
the premiers, the mayors,
all different levels
working together
so we can get through this.
Because that's how we're
going to get through this -
together, even though
we're keeping apart.
♪ ♪
Wow! That was pretty cool.
Thank you to everyone
who sent your questions.
For more updates
on the coronavirus,
head over to
CBCKidsNews.ca.
For CBC Kids News ,
I'm Arjun Ram.
♪ ♪
