 
AND STREAMING LIVE WHEREVER YOU 
MIGHT BE AROUND THE WORLD.
WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE COVID-19
DEVELOPMENTS FOR YOU OVER THE 
NEXT HOUR, BUT TO BREAK UP YOUR 
ROUTINE IN A WAY YOU MAY NOT 
LIKE, TODAY THAT DOES NOT 
INCLUDE PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN 
TRUDEAU'S DAILY PANDEMIC 
BRIEFING.
I REALIZE SOME OF YOU HAVE TIMED
YOURSELVES TO SIT HERE AND HEAR 
THAT EVERY DAY.
BUT THE PRIME MINISTER IS TODAY 
HEADED TO CFB TRENTON, ONTARIO 
FOR THE REPATRIATION CEREMONY 
FOR THOSE SIX CANADIAN MILITARY 
MEMBERS THAT WERE KILLED LAST 
WEEK IN THE HELICOPTER CRASH OFF
THE COAST OF GREECE.
HE WANTS TO BE THERE FOR THAT, 
AND THAT WILL HAPPEN LATER THIS 
AFTERNOON.
AS WE LOOK LIVE, OUR FOCUS WILL 
BE OVER THE NEXT HOUR, THOUGH, 
HERE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, 
ANYWAY.
WE ARE EXPECTING OUR DAILY 
PANDEMIC BRIEFING FROM 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, CABINET 
MINISTERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH 
OFFICIALS.
SO WE'LL BRING THAT TO YOU IN 
LIEU OF THE PRIME MINISTER 
TODAY.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IS ALSO 
SITTING TODAY IN PERSON FOR 
THEIR COVID COMMITTEE.
SOME OF THEM WILL BE PHYSICALLY 
THERE.
NOT IN THAT BUILDING BUT RIGHT 
BESIDE IT IN THE WEST BLOCK, OF 
COURSE, WHERE THEY ARE NOW DOING
THEIR WORK.
SO WE'LL CARRY SOME OF THAT TOO 
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS WE 
MONITOR THE QUESTIONS AND 
ANSWERS.
OF COURSE THE PRIME MINISTER NOT
GOING TO BE AT THAT SESSION 
EITHER BECAUSE HE IS ON HIS WAY 
TO CFB TRENTON.
AND SPEAKING OF THAT, LET'S GO 
TO SOUTHEASTERN ONTARIO AND THE 
CANADIAN FORCES BASE WITH CBC'S 
JACQUELINE HANSEN, AND SHE'LL BE
THERE THROUGHOUT THIS 
AFTERNOON'S REPATRIATION 
CEREMONY TO HONOUR THOSE SIX 
CANADIANS KILLED IN THAT 
HELICOPTER CRASH JUST ALMOST A 
WEEK AGO, A LITTLE MORE THAN A 
WEEK AGO.
JACQUELINE, WHAT ARE WE 
EXPECTING IN TERMS OF HOW THE 
DAY WILL UNFOLD?
>> Reporter: SO, ROSY, IT'S 
EXPECTED THAT THE PLANE WE ARE 
WAITING FOR WILL LAND JUST 
BEFORE 2:00 EASTERN TIME, AND 
THAT WILL BE ON THE TARMAC ON 
THE BASE THAT'S BEHIND ME.
WE'RE OFF THE BASE RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN TELL THERE'S QUITE A BIT
OF TRAFFIC AROUND IF YOU CATCH 
SOME OF THAT NOISE ON THE 
MICROPHONE HERE, BUT OTHERWISE A
VERY QUIET AREA AT THIS POINT, 
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL 
DEFENCE IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO
STAY HOME AND NOT COME OUT TO 
WATCH THE CEREMONY.
THIS IS QUITE A DIFFERENT 
CEREMONY THAN IN THE PAST IN 
KEEPING WITH YOU'RE TALKING 
ABOUT PHYSICAL DISTANCING, THAT 
WILL BE THE NAME OF THE DAY HERE
AS WELL.
ANYONE WHO IS ON THE TARMAC OF 
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, THEY 
WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE PHYSICAL 
DISTANCING, THOUGH THERE IS ONE 
EXCEPTION.
AFTER THE PLANE LANDS HERE, THE 
CASKET OF SUB-LIEUTENANT 
ABBIGAIL COWBROUGH WILL BE TAKEN
OFF OF THE PLANE BY PALLBEARERS.
THOSE PEOPLE, THOSE PALLBEARERS 
WILL NEED TO BE A BIT CLOSER 
TOGETHER IN ORDER TO CARRY THAT 
OFF.
THEY WILL HAVE GLOVES ON.
WE'RE ALSO TOLD THAT WE WILL BE 
SEEING SOME NON-MEDICAL MASKS ON
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES 
MEMBERS WHO ARE TAKING PART IN 
THE CEREMONY TODAY, BUT WE CAN 
EXPECT TO SEE THAT CASKET COME 
OFF THE PLANE FOLLOWED BY FIVE 
OTHER PEOPLE, AND EACH OF THOSE 
PEOPLE WILL BE CARRYING A PILLOW
WITH A HAT ON TOP.
THAT IS THE OFFICIAL HEADDRESS 
OF EACH OF THE OTHER MEMBERS WHO
WERE KILLED IN THAT HELICOPTER 
CRASH A WEEK AGO.
SO BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE ONLY
BODY THAT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE
CRASH WAS OF COWBROUGH'S SO THE 
OTHER ARE IN PLACE OF CASKETS 
TODAY, ROSIE, AND THOSE 
MEMENTOS, THE CASKET AND THE 
PILLOWS, THOSE WILL BE TAKEN 
INTO A SEPARATE HEARSE EACH AND 
EACH OF THOSE WILL BE PART OF A 
MOTORCADE THAT WILL GO DOWN THE 
HIGHWAY OF HEROES TOWARDS 
TORONTO.
SO THE WHOLE THING IS EXPECTED 
TO TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF
THIS AFTERNOON HERE, AND THEN IN
TO TORONTO.
>> Rosemary: THAT'S RIGHT, AND 
THE PREMIER SAYING THE SAME 
THING, AS YOU SAID THERE OFF THE
TOP, THAT EVEN IF YOU WOULD LIKE
TO BE ALONG THE HIGHWAY OF 
HEROES, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA 
GIVEN WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
ALONG WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, 
WILL THERE ALSO BE FAMILY AND 
OTHER PEOPLE WHO WILL BE IN 
ATTENDANCE IN SOME WAY GIVEN THE
PARAMETERS THAT THEY HAVE TO 
DEAL WITH?
>> Reporter: YES, SO AS SOON AS 
THE PLANE LANDS HERE, THEY WILL 
BRING OUT FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL
AS THOSE VIP GUESTS, WHICH WOULD
INCLUDE THE PRIME MINISTER, AND 
FAMILY MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO BE 
HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE MILITARY 
SENT A PLANE TO PICK THEM UP.
WE KNOW THAT COMMERCIAL TRAVEL 
IS INCREDIBLY LIMITED RIGHT NOW 
AS CANADIANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO 
STAY HOME AND NOT TO TRAVEL.
AND YOU KNOW, IT IS AN 
INTERESTING OCCURRENCE THAT 
WE'RE HAVING TODAY BECAUSE SO 
MANY CANADIANS HAVE LOST FAMILY 
MEMBERS AND LOVED ONES OVER 
RECENT WEEKS TO COVID-19, AND 
FOR OTHER REASONS, BUT THEY 
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CELEBRATE 
THOSE LIVES, COMMEMORATE THOSE 
LIVES IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE.
AND SO WE'LL BE SEEING THE 
CEREMONY TODAY, BUT NOT THE 
TYPICAL REPATRIATION CEREMONY 
THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.
LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WHEN 
CANADIANS WOULD LOCALLY COME OUT
AND LINE THE HIGHWAY OF HEROES 
TO STAND IN HONOUR OF THOSE 
MEMBERS WHO WERE KILLED, THAT --
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE BEING 
ENCOURAGED NOT TO DO THAT, TO 
STAY HOME, WATCH IT ON 
TELEVISION OR WATCH IT ON-LINE 
TO TRY TO FIND THAT ALTERNATIVE 
WAY TO ENGAGE AND TO HONOUR 
THOSE LIVES LOST IF THEY CHOOSE 
TO DO SO.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, JACQUELINE 
HANSEN AT CFB TRENTON WHERE SHE 
WILL BE THROUGH THE DAY.
APPRECIATE THAT.
I'LL JUST REMIND YOU AT THIS 
TIME THAT "CBC NEWS" NETWORK 
WILL HAVE SPECIAL COVERAGE OF 
THAT REPATRIATION FOR THOSE SIX 
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MEMBERS.
THE FLIGHT LANDS LATER THIS 
AFTERNOON AT CFB TRENTON AND OUR
NEWS SPECIAL WILL BEGIN AT 2 
P.M. EASTERN.
I'D ALSO JUST REMIND YOU THAT AT
THIS HOUR WE DON'T KNOW WHAT 
CAUSED THE CRASH.
THE DATA RECORDERS ARE BACK HERE
IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL FOR 
EXAMINATION, BUT AS OUR REPORTER
SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE DO 
KNOW THE CHOPPER WAS MAKING ITS 
WAY BACK TO HMCS FREDERICTON AND
THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF 
THEIR COLLEAGUES WHO WITNESSED 
THE CRASH.
ALL RIGHT, I AM GOING TO TAKE 
YOU NOW TO OUR BRIEFING FROM 
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HERE.
HERE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
TREASURY BOARD, JEAN-YVES 
DUCLOS, ALSO THE CO-CHAIR OF THE
COVID COMMITTEE.
LET'S LISTEN IN LIVE.
[ Voice of Interpreter ]
>> WE ARE WITH THE VICTIMS' 
FAMILIES IN THEIR GRIEF AND 
PROFOUND SADNESS.
FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA TO 
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, 
PEOPLE ARE GRIEVING FOR THE LOSS
OF THEIR LOVED ONES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR
THE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AND 
LOVED ONES DURING THESE 
DIFFICULT TIMES, AND WE WILL 
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH 
ALL THE REQUIRED SUPPORT.
TODAY I AM ACCOMPANIED BY 
DR. TAM AND DR. NJOO WHO WILL 
BEGIN BY PROVIDING YOU WITH AN 
UPDATE IN PUBLIC HEALTH 
STATISTICS.
[ End of Interpretation ].
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
WE'LL START WITH THE LATEST 
NUMBERS ON COVID-19 IN CANADA.
THERE ARE NOW 62,458 CONFIRMED 
CASES, INCLUDING 4,111 DEATHS.
OVER 27,000 OR 43% OF CASES HAVE
NOW RECOVERED.
LABS ACROSS CANADA HAVE TESTED 
OVER 970,000 PEOPLE FOR COVID-19
TO DATE, WITH ABOUT 6% OF THESE 
TESTING POSITIVE OVERALL.
THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH WEEK, 
WHICH BEGAN ON MONDAY AND 
CONTINUES THROUGH TO SUNDAY, MAY
10.
THIS YEAR MENTAL HEALTH TAKES ON
A SPECIAL MEANING IN LIGHT OF 
THE ADDITIONAL STRESS AND 
UNCERTAINTY THAT WE ARE ALL 
EXPERIENCING DUE TO COVID-19.
ACROSS CANADA AND AROUND THE 
WORLD PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
STRUGGLING WITH CONCERNS OF ALL 
MANNER AND SCOPE DURING THESE 
LONG WEEKS.
FITTING THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR 
IS SOCIAL CONNECTION.
WE SAID MANY TIMES LEADING UP TO
THIS WEEK THAT WHILE WE ARE 
APART PHYSICALLY, THERE HAS 
NEVER BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME
TO STAY CONNECTED.
CANADIANS HAVE SHOWN RESILIENCE,
FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO REMAIN 
CONNECTED VIRTUALLY WHILE 
KEEPING CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH
FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITIES,
EVEN DURING HOLIDAYS AND 
IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES.
BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN OUR NEW 
WAYS OF CONNECTING HAVE BEEN 
IDEAL OR WITHOUT ADDED STRESS.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE MANY 
CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING, 
THE CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH 
ASSOCIATION IS LEADING THE WAY 
ON MENTAL HEALTH WEEK BY 
ENCOURAGING US TO GET REAL WITH 
OUR FEELINGS.
THESE MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS 
REMIND US THAT FOR THE SAKE OF 
OUR MENTAL WELLNESS WE SHOULDN'T
BURY OR HIDE OUR EMOTIONS.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE 
UNCERTAIN DAYS AHEAD, LET'S NOT 
FORGET THAT WE'RE ON THIS ROAD 
TOGETHER AND THERE IS HELP.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND 
TALK IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH 
THE WAYS OF WHAT YOU ARE 
FEELING -- WEIGHT OF WHAT YOU 
ARE FEELING.
TALKING THINGS OUT CAN HELP YOU 
AND IT CAN ALSO HELP OTHERS WHO 
MAY BE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO 
VOICE THEIR OWN STRUGGLES.
WE MIGHT STILL BE APART 
PHYSICALLY, BUT BY TALKING ABOUT
HOW YOU'RE FEELING, YOU'LL FIND 
YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
THANK YOU.
MERCI.
>> THANK YOU, DR. TAM.
DR. NJOO?
[ Voice of Interpreter ]
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
AS USUAL, I WILL BEGIN WITH THE 
LATEST NUMBERS ON COVID-19 IN 
CANADA.
THERE ARE NOW 62,468 CONFIRMED 
CASES, INCLUDING 4,111 DEATHS 
AND OVER 27,000 NOW RECOVERED.
LABS ACROSS CANADA HAVE TESTED 
OVER 970,000 PEOPLE FOR COVID-19
TO DATE WITH ABOUT 6% OF THESE 
TESTING POSITIVE.
THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH WEEK, 
WHICH BEGAN ON MONDAY AND 
CONTINUES THROUGH TO SUNDAY, MAY
10.
THIS YEAR MENTAL HEALTH TAKES ON
A SPECIAL MEANING IN LIGHT OF 
THE ADDITIONAL STRESS AND 
UNCERTAINTY WE ARE ALL 
EXPERIENCING DUE TO COVID-19.
ACROSS CANADA AND AROUND THE 
WORLD, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
STRUGGLING WITH CONCERNS OF ALL 
MANNER AND SCOPE DURING THESE 
LONG WEEKS.
FITTINGLY, THE THEME FOR THIS 
YEAR IS SOCIAL CONNECTIONS.
WE HAVE SAID MANY TIMES LEADING 
UP TO THIS WEEK THAT WHILE WE'RE
APART PHYSICALLY THERE HAS NEVER
BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME TO 
STAY CONNECTED.
CANADIANS HAVE SHOWN RESILIENCE,
FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO REMAIN 
CONNECTED VIRTUALLY WHILE 
KEEPING CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH
FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITIES,
EVEN DURING HOLIDAYS AND 
IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES.
BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN OUR NEW 
WAYS OF CONNECTING HAVE BEEN 
IDEAL OR WITHOUT ADDED STRESS.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE MANY 
CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING, THE 
CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH 
ASSOCIATION IS LEADING THE WAY 
ON MENTAL HEALTH WEEK BY 
ENCOURAGING US TO HASHTAG GET 
REAL WITH OUR FEELINGS.
THESE MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS 
REMIND US THAT FOR THE SAKE OF 
OUR MENTAL WELLNESS WE SHOULDN'T
BURY OR HIDE OUR EMOTIONS.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE 
UNCERTAIN DAYS AHEAD, LET'S NOT 
FORGET THAT WE'RE ON THIS ROAD 
TOGETHER AND THERE IS HELP.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND 
TALK IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH 
THE WEIGHT OF WHAT YOU'RE 
FEELING.
TALKING THINGS OUT CAN HELP YOU,
AND IT CAN ALSO HELP OTHERS WHO 
MAY BE FINDING IT MORE DIFFICULT
TO VOICE THEIR OWN STRUGGLES.
WE MIGHT STILL BE APART 
PHYSICALLY, BUT BY TALKING ABOUT
HOW YOU'RE FEELING, YOU WILL 
FIND YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. NJOO.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS 
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH 
A QUICK UPDATE ON THE CANADIAN 
ARMED FORCES ACTIVITIES, BOTH IN
QUEBEC AND IN ONTARIO.
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES HAVE 
660 MEMBERS THAT ARE SUPPORTING 
CARE STAFF IN 13 LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES.
MOST OF THEM ARE EITHER IN 
MONTREAL OR IN THE GREATER 
MONTREAL REGION.
THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT IS 
WORKING VERY HARD WITH THE 
QUEBEC GOVERNMENT TO DEPLOY MORE
TROOPS INTO AT LEAST SEVEN MORE 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ARE ALSO 
WORKING NIGHT AND DAY FOR THIS 
DEPLOYMENT TO TAKE PLACE AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO FAR THERE SHOULD BE 
APPROXIMATELY 1,000 MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES WHEN THE 
DEPLOYMENT WILL BE DONE.
[ End of Interpretation ].
-- IS FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE OF 
THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT.
THEY ARE WORKING VERY 
COLLABORATIVELY TO MAKE SURE 
THAT THE FIVE LONG-TERM CARE 
CENTRES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED ARE
PROVIDED WITH APPROPRIATE 
SUPPORT FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED 
FORCES ALWAYS UNDER THE 
LEADERSHIP AND THE GUIDANCE OF 
THE ONTARIAN GOVERNMENT.
I WOULD ALSO WANT TO TAKE 
ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON A
FEW OF THE KEY PROGRAMS THAT WE 
HAVE PUT INTO PLACE TO SUPPORT 
WORKERS, FAMILIES AND SMALL 
BUSINESSES IN PARTICULAR IN THE 
LAST FEW WEEKS.
A TOTAL OF 545,000 BUSINESSES 
HAVE RECEIVED AN EMERGENCY LOAN 
UP TO $40,000 THROUGH THE 
CANADIAN EMERGENCY BUSINESS 
ACCOUNT AS OF MAY 5TH.
IN TERMS OF THE CANADA EMERGENCY
RESPONSE BENEFIT, THE TOTAL OF 
7.5 MILLION CANADIANS HAVE 
RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE PAYMENT OF
THE BENEFIT FOR A TOTAL OF 10.9 
MILLION APPLICATIONS, 10.7 
MILLION OF THEM HAVE BEEN 
PROCESSED ALREADY.
AND FINALLY, REGARDING THE 
IMPORTANT WAGE SUBSIDY, 
EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAM, 
AS OF YESTERDAY, 110,000 
BUSINESSES HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR 
REQUESTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF 
THESE EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDIES.
THE INFORMATION CAN, IN MOST 
CASES, BE FOUND ON THE PART OF 
BUSINESSES ON THEIR ACCOUNT, MY 
ACCOUNT AT THE CANADA REVENUE 
AGENCY.
THE MAJORITY OF THESE BUSINESSES
HAVE SEEN THEIR APPLICATIONS 
PROCESSED BY THE CANADA REVENUE 
AGENCY, AND MANY OF THEM WILL 
RECEIVE THEIR PAYMENT, THEIR 
REIMBURSEMENT OF THE CANADA WAGE
SUBSIDIES BY TOMORROW.
[ Voice of Interpreter ]
SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE 
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
AS USUAL, WE WILL BEGIN WITH 
QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE.
[ End of Interpretation ].
ONE QUESTION, ONE FOLLOW-UP.
OPERATOR?
>> Operator: MERCI -- IF YOU 
HAVE A QUESTION [ FRENCH ] 
[ Voice of Interpreter ].
THE FIRST QUESTION, PLEASE GO 
AHEAD.
>> Reporter: I HAVE A QUESTION 
FOR MINISTER DUCLOS.
TO COME BACK TO THE ISSUE OF THE
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MEMBERS.
YESTERDAY TAKING TOO LONG.
WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG TO 
DEPLOY 1,000 TROOPS THEY ASKED 
FOR TWO WEEKS AGO?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
OF COURSE WE KNOW THIS IS A 
COLLABORATIVE EXERCISE, AND IT'S
VERY CLOSE COLLABORATION BETWEEN
THE QUEBEC GOVERNMENT WHICH, OF 
COURSE, IS RESPONSIBLE AND HAS 
JURISDICTION OVER MANAGING THE 
LONG-TERM CARE INSTITUTIONS AND 
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES.
AS I WAS SAYING A FEW MOMENTS 
AGO, THERE ARE OVER 750 MEMBERS 
OF THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES 
THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEPLOYED 
TO SUPPORT 13 LONG-TERM CARE 
FACILITIES.
WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE AN 
ADDITIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF -- FOR 
FIVE OTHER LONG-TERM CARE 
ESTABLISHMENTS, AND OVERALL WE 
EXPECT THERE TO BE ABOUT 1,000 
MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN ARMED 
FORCES WHO WILL VERY SOON BE 
DEPLOYED FOR A TOTAL OF 20 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
>> FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?
>> Reporter: SO 1,000 ON THE 
GROUND.
THE PRIME MINISTER TALKED ABOUT 
MORE SUPPORT FOR SENIORS.
WILL THAT BE COMING THIS WEEK?
>> WELL, AS TO WHEN, OF COURSE, 
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MUST 
WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH AND 
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE QUEBEC 
GOVERNMENT.
ONE OF THE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 
ISSUES THAT THE QUEBEC 
GOVERNMENT DISCUSSED WAS THE 
SUPPORT THAT HAD TO TAKE PLACE 
IN A CONTEXT TO REASSURE NOT 
ONLY -- TO PROTECT NOT ONLY 
THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY BUT OF 
COURSE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF THE STAFF THAT'S 
ALREADY ON SITE AND THE PEOPLE 
WHO WERE BEING TAKEN CARE OF 
THERE.
WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT
THESE COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES, 
WHEN NEW STAFF COMES IN, THAT 
THINGS MUST BE DONE CORRECTLY.
IT REQUIRES TRAINING AND 
INTEGRATION AND COORDINATION.
IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION ON 
SENIORS, WE WERE VERY CLEAR, THE
PRIME MINISTER REMINDED US 
SEVERAL TIMES THAT -- AND WE 
UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S VERY 
DIFFICULT FOR MILLIONS OF 
SENIORS IN CANADA AND IN QUEBEC 
IN PARTICULARLY, AND AN 
ANNOUNCEMENT WILL SOON BE MADE 
BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO 
SUPPORT OUR SENIORS IN THE 
DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES THEY 
FIND THEMSELVES IN.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
NEXT QUESTION.
[ End of Interpretation ].
>> Operator: OUR NEXT QUESTION 
IS FROM "THE GLOBE AND MAIL".
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: HELLO, GOOD 
MORNING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING 
MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE RECENT 
OUTBREAK IN NORTHERN 
SASKATCHEWAN, PARTICULARLY 
AFFECTING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
THERE.
CAN YOU CHARACTERIZE THE LEVEL 
OF CONCERN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR
OUTBREAK AND WHAT'S BEING DONE 
ON THE GROUND TO TRY AND CONTAIN
IT?
>> DR. TAM?
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THE 
QUESTION, AND IT IS AN AREA OF 
CONCERN BECAUSE IT IS IN A MORE 
REMOTE AREA, BUT ALSO WITH 
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE 
AREA.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF 
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE 
PROVINCE, THE LOCAL HEALTH 
AUTHORITIES, THE COMMUNITIES, 
ALSO INDIGENOUS SERVICES CANADA,
AND THE AGENCY HAS OFFERED ITS 
SUPPORT WHEREVER THAT'S NEEDED.
SO IT IS A COLLABORATIVE 
RESPONSE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE LOCAL 
AND PROVINCIAL PUBLIC HEALTH 
HAVE MOBILIZED SOME SIGNIFICANT 
NUMBER OF HEALTH WORKERS TO DO 
DOOR-TO-DOOR INVESTIGATION TO 
SEE IF THERE'S ANY CASES, TO DO 
CASE FINDING, CONTACT TRACING.
SO THEY ARE REALLY SEIZED WITH 
THE ISSUE, AND THEY DO HAVE SORT
OF ON-SITE LABORATORY TESTING 
CAPABILITIES, BUT WE ARE ALSO 
THERE TO SUPPORT THEM IF NEEDED.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE TAKING IT 
EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE 
THESE ARE OUR MORE VULNERABLE 
SITUATIONS.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH.
AND JUST AS A FOLLOW-UP ON 
ANOTHER MATTER, I APOLOGIZE IF 
MY PRONUNCIATION IS OFF ON THIS,
BUT I'M WONDERING IF THE PUBLIC 
HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA IS AWARE
OF REPORTS OF THE KAWASAKI-LIKE 
ILLNESS IN CHILDREN IN CANADA 
AND IF SO WHERE ARE THE CASES 
THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY IS
AWARE OF AND HOW MANY CASES ARE 
WE TALKING ABOUT.
>> SO KAWASAKI DISEASE, OR SOME 
VARIANTS OF THAT SYNDROME, ARE 
OBSERVED ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR 
CHILDREN AFTER A VIRAL OR EVEN 
BACTERIAL INFECTION.
IT'S AN IMMUNEO LOGIC 
INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE.
SO THE PEDIATRIC NETWORKS ARE 
LOOKING AT THIS, AND THERE HAVE 
BEEN CASES IDENTIFIED, BUT NOT 
NECESSARILY FOUND TO BE -- WELL,
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN VERIFIED TO BE
LINKED TO COVID-19 SPECIFICALLY.
SO THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE 
UNDER WAY.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE 
INVESTIGATIONS UNDER WAY IN 
DIFFERENT AREAS OF CANADA, 
INCLUDING THE BIGGEST PROVINCES,
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
[ Voice of Interpreter ]
>> Reporter: HELLO.
MY QUESTION IS FOR DR. TAM.
I'LL ASK IT IN FRENCH, BUT YOU 
CAN ANSWER IN ENGLISH, IF YOU 
PLEASE, OR IF DR. NJOO COULD 
ANSWER IN FRENCH, THAT WOULD BE 
APPRECIATED TOO.
THIS MORNING WE HEARD THAT THERE
WAS NOT ENOUGH TESTING BEING 
DONE IN THE COUNTRY AND 
THEREFORE DIFFICULT TO CORRECTLY
ASSESS THE PROGRESSION OF THIS 
PANDEMIC.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT
HERE IN CANADA?
>> THIS IS DR. NJOO.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT'S NOT SO EASY TO ANSWER YES 
OR NO TO YOUR QUESTION WHEN IT 
COMES TO TESTING.
THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR AND 
PERHAPS MORE ASPECTS TO THE 
ISSUE.
IT'S ABOUT TESTING THE RIGHT 
PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE 
RIGHT PLACE, AND WHAT DOES THAT 
MEAN?
THAT MEANS THAT WE MUST ALSO 
TARGET PEOPLE FOR TESTING IF 
THEY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING
INFECTED WITH COVID-19.
IT MAKES NO SENSE TO DO RANDOM 
TESTING OF EVERYBODY IN THE 
STREETS BECAUSE THE RISK OF 
FALSE POSITIVES IS HIGHER IF WE 
GO ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
ANOTHER THING IS THAT WE HAVE TO
TEST AT THE RIGHT TIME, BECAUSE 
EVEN IF SOMEONE IS CONTAMINATED 
OR INFECTED, BUT IT'S VERY EARLY
IN THE INCUBATION PERIOD, WE MAY
OBTAIN NEGATIVE RESULTS, BUT 
THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS 
LATER, THAT SAME PERSON MAY HAVE
DEVELOPED SYMPTOMS AND THEN MORE
CLEARLY BE SEEN TO HAVE 
CONTRACTED COVID-19.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE 
RIGHT PLACE, WE KNOW THAT IN 
SOME ENVIRONMENTS, SUCH AS 
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, OF 
COURSE IF THERE'S ONE CASE IN A 
PLACE LIKE THAT, THEN YOU HAVE 
TO TEST THE STAFF AND THE 
RESIDENTS TO TRY AND IDENTIFY 
FURTHER CASES.
SO THESE TESTS REALLY HAVE TO BE
VERY TARGETED ACCORDING TO 
PUBLIC HEALTH PRINCIPLES AND 
MEDICAL PRINCIPLES TO PERFORM 
THE RIGHT TESTS OF THE RIGHT 
PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND IN 
THE RIGHT PLACE.
THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE CHIEF 
SCIENTIST WAS WRONG TO SAY THAT?
>> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T 
UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
>> Reporter: WELL, WHAT I'M 
UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT YOU SAID
IS THAT WHAT THE CHIEF SCIENTIST
IS SAYING IS THAT YOU DON'T 
AGREE WITH HER.
>> I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T AGREE.
I CAN'T -- I HAVE NO COMMENTS AS
TO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY, BUT I 
THINK THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE 
SAME PATH IN THINKING THAT IT'S 
VERY IMPORTANT TO USE LABORATORY
TESTS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY 
IN ORDER TO BE AS EFFICIENT AND 
EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE IN 
IDENTIFYING CASES.
AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE MUST 
FIND THE RIGHT CASES AND ISOLATE
THEM AND TREAT THEM PROPERLY, 
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO DO 
CONTACT TRACING FOLLOWING THOSE 
PRELIMINARY TESTS.
THAT'S GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH 
POLICY, AND IF OUR INTERVENTIONS
ARE TARGETED WITH THESE THINGS 
IN MIND, THINGS WILL GO WELL.
[ End of Interpretation ].
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
>> Reporter: ANNIE BERGERON 
OLIVER FROM CTV NEWS.
MY QUESTION IS FOR DR. TAM AND 
DR. NJOO.
THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEGREE OF 
COMMUNITY SPREAD AND THE SAME 
WITH ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 
AND NOW IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS
PEOPLE ARE BEING WARNED TO WATCH
FOR OTHER SYMPTOMS FROM PINK EYE
TO ABDOMINAL PAINS.
I'M WONDERING, ONE, WHAT YOU CAN
TELL US ABOUT CANADA'S STANCE ON
ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND 
HOW CONCERNING THAT IS.
AND TWO, UNTIL WE HAVE FIRM 
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE ON THE 
IMPORTANCE OF THOSE DIFFERENT 
OUTBREAKS, HOW CAN WE START 
REOPENING SCHOOLS AND THE 
ECONOMY?
>> SO I THINK -- AND IT MAY LINK
TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, WHICH 
IS THAT PROVINCES AND 
TERRITORIES ARE INCREASING THEIR
TESTING FOR PEOPLE WITH ALMOST 
ANY SYMPTOMS, SO EVEN MILD 
SYMPTOMS, JUST BECAUSE SOME OF 
THE SYMPTOMS MIGHT BE VAGUE AND 
SOME OF THE PEOPLE MAY BE WHAT 
WE CALL IN THE SORT OF REALLY 
PRE-SYMPTOMATIC OR WHEN THEY 
ONLY HAVE A FEW SYMPTOMS.
SO FOR SURE THAT MANY 
JURISDICTIONS NOW ARE OPENING UP
CLINICS WHERE PEOPLE WITH EVEN 
MILD SYMPTOMS CAN GET TESTED.
SO THAT IS DEFINITELY HAPPENING.
AND THE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS IS 
QUITE BROAD.
AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE 
STRATEGY TO LOOK TO SEE IF 
THERE'S ANY FURTHER ACTIVITIES 
IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE 
HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, AS YET 
DETECTED WITH THE NORMAL SET OF 
SYMPTOMS.
I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY 
IMPORTANT WHEN ANY OF THE 
REOPENING PLANS IS THAT FOR 
EVERY ESTABLISHMENT, WHETHER 
IT'S A SCHOOL OR WORKPLACE, THAT
THERE IS A PLAN IN PLACE FOR THE
DISTANCING BETWEEN PEOPLE, FOR 
ALL THE HYGIENIC MEASURES, AND 
ALSO TO WATCH FOR SYMPTOMS.
BECAUSE IF YOU ACTUALLY ARE 
DEALING WITH A VIRUS WHICH IS 
ACTUALLY QUITE DIFFICULT TO 
DETECT, TO DEAL WITH, THOSE 
DISTANCING MEASURES AND YOUR 
HAND HYGIENE MEASURES ARE 
ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL AS PEOPLE
ARE OPENING UP BUSINESSES, 
ET CETERA.
I THINK SCHOOLS WILL SCHEDULE 
PEOPLE SO THAT MAYBE THERE'S 
LESS STUDENTS IN A CLASS AND OF 
COURSE USING THE TELEWORK AND 
TELESCHOOLS, I GUESS, LEARNING, 
REMOTE LEARNING, JUST IN ORDER 
TO INCREASE THE SPACING.
SO THE MESSAGE WILL STILL APPLY 
FOR -- BECAUSE OF THE 
CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS VIRUS, 
AND WE DO KNOW BASED ON MORE AND
MORE INFORMATION THAT THIS VIRUS
CAN SPREAD IN THE 
PRE-SYMPTOMATIC AND THE 
ASYMPTOMATIC STAGE.
>> Reporter: NOW I'M GOING TO BE
A BIT OF A PAIN AND DO A 
DOUBLE-EDGED QUESTION.
SORRY ABOUT THIS IN ADVANCE.
THE LATEST PROJECTION SAID ABOUT
3800 DEATHS BY MAY 5.
OBVIOUSLY NOW WE'RE UP OVER 
4,000.
I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU CAN TELL 
US WHAT THAT MEANS ABOUT WHERE 
WE ARE IN THE OUTBREAK, ABOUT 
THE CONTROL MEASURES IN PLACE, 
AND WHY OUR DEATH NUMBERS HAVE 
GONE UP.
AND FOLLOWING TO THAT, MINISTER 
DUCLOS, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE 
DEATHS ARE STILL GOING UP, THE 
NUMBER OF CASES ARE STILL GOING 
UP, AND YET RIGHT NOW THE CERB 
IS HALFWAY THROUGH.
IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO 
EXTEND THE CERB BEYOND THE 
FOUR-MONTH TIMELINE?
>> SO THE PROJECTIONS ARE A 
METHOD OF -- ONE METHOD OF 
LOOKING AT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT EXACT 
NUMBERS, BUT THEY ARE IN THE 
RIGHT KIND OF BALLPARK, WHETHER 
IT'S 3,800 OR, YOU KNOW, CLOSE 
TO THAT ON MAY 5, I THINK IT 
WAS.
IT WAS ACTUALLY EXTREMELY CLOSE,
AND THERE'S A BALLPARKING OF THE
DEATHS.
SO WHAT I THINK IS HAPPENING IS 
THAT THE EPIDEMIC IS ACTUALLY 
STILL SLOWING DOWN.
SO THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES, YES,
WE WILL SEE THE NUMBERS BEING 
REPORTED, BUT THE DAILY INCREASE
CONTINUES TO GO DOWN.
SO IT HAS BEEN AT ABOUT 3% DAILY
INCREASE, AND THAT CONTINUES IN 
THIS SORT OF FLOWING TRAJECTORY,
AND WE KNOW THE DOUBLING TIME IS
NOW PROBABLY AROUND 20 DAYS.
SO THE EPIDEMIC ITSELF IS 
DECELERATING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY 
AND TRAGICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING 
RIGHT NOW IS THAT THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN INFECTED OF COURSE ARE 
COMING TO THE END OF THE 
CLINICAL OUTCOME, AND WITH SO 
MANY LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES 
AFFECTED, I THINK THAT THE 
NUMBER OF DEATHS WILL CONTINUE 
TO INCREASE, AND SO THE DEATH --
IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF DEATHS AND
THE PROJECTIONS ARE VERY MUCH I 
THINK DEPENDENT ON SOME OF THE 
MEASURES THAT ARE BEING PUT IN 
PLACE TO PREVENT SERIOUS 
OUTCOMES IN THOSE HIGH-RISK 
POPULATIONS.
SO THOSE PROJECTIONS WILL HAVE 
TO BE ADJUSTED AGAIN, SO THERE'S
MORE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY 
OUTBREAKS, THAT IS WHERE THE 
ENERGY SHOULD BE PUT IN IN TERMS
OF OUR FURTHER INCREASE IN CASES
OF DEATHS.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
MIKE FROM GLOBAL, OVER TO YOU.
>> Reporter: THE CERB?
>> VERY BRIEFLY, AND IT'S 
CONNECTED TO THE ANSWER THAT 
DR. TAM PROVIDED, WE OBVIOUSLY 
KNEW FROM THE START THAT WE 
NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE CANADA 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT 
QUICKLY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE 
THAT CANADIANS COULD STAY 
HEALTHY WHILE BEING ABLE TO PUT 
FOOD ON THE TABLE, SO 7.5 
MILLION CANADIANS HAVE RECEIVED 
SUPPORTS FROM THE CERB, AND WE 
WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOR 
CANADIANS.
[ Voice of Interpreter ]
WE KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THAT 
THE CERB WAS GOING TO BE AN 
ESSENTIAL MEASURE.
WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT 
CANADIANS COULD CONTINUE TO 
REMAIN HEALTHY AND FOLLOW THE 
SOCIAL DISTANCING DIRECTIVES AND
KEEP WASHING THEIR HANDS AND ALL
THE OTHER MEASURES THAT IN MANY 
CASES WAS GOING TO PREVENT THEM 
FROM GOING TO WORK, SO REMAIN 
HEALTHY WHILE STILL BEING ABLE 
TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE
FOR CANADIANS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MINISTER.
MIKE?
[ End of Interpretation ].
>> Reporter: HELLO, DR. TAM.
THE ONTARIO PREMIER IS CALLING 
FOR A NATIONAL STRATEGY ON 
CONTACT TRACING.
IS THAT FEASIBLE?
AND WHAT WOULD SOMETHING LIKE 
THAT LOOK LIKE?
>> SO I THINK THAT WOULD -- 
CONTACT TRACING, FIRST OF ALL, 
IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL PIECE OF 
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURE AS WE GO 
INTO THE NEXT PHASE OR NEXT 
STEPS OF LIVING WITH COVID-19, 
SO IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE, AND 
WE KNOW THAT PUBLIC HEALTH UNITS
ARE DOING THIS.
WE WANT -- AND IF NEEDED, WE CAN
HELP WITH INCREASING CONTACT 
TRACING CAPACITY.
SO THAT MEANS TRAINED PEOPLE WHO
CAN ALSO DO CONTACT TRACING.
THAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE AS THE 
FUNDAMENTAL MEASURE, BUT SO HOW 
DO WE MAKE IT MAYBE EVEN MORE 
EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT?
SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE 
BEEN ABOUT WHETHER CERTAIN NEW 
TECHNOLOGIES COULD HELP.
I THINK THAT'S THE AREA WHERE 
PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING
AT, WELL, IS THERE SOME SORT OF 
ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SOLUTION 
THAT WE CAN LOOK AT ACROSS THE 
BOARD, BECAUSE IF PEOPLE KEEP --
USE OR DIFFERENT KIND OF TOOLS, 
THEN IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT.
AND SOME CONTACTS, OF COURSE, 
MAY GO IN-BETWEEN PROVINCES.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT 
AREA OF DISCUSSION.
>> Reporter: SO ON TECHNOLOGY, 
THE ALBERTA -- ALBERTA'S ROLLED 
OUT AN APP TO DO SOME CONTACT 
TRACING WITH.
IS THAT SOMETHING, SOMETHING 
LIKE THAT, COULD THAT BE USED 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY?
>> WELL, I THINK DIFFERENT 
AREAS -- WELL, DIFFERENT 
SOLUTIONS ARE BEING SORT OF 
PILOTED OR PUT ON THE TABLE, SO 
I THINK WHAT WE WANT IS TO MAKE 
SURE WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN 
EVERY JURISDICTION AND LEARN 
WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, BEEN 
HAPPENING.
BECAUSE I THINK IF THERE ARE 
CERTAIN TOOLS THAT ARE BETTER 
THAN OTHERS, THAT'S THE KIND OF 
KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU WANT TO 
SHARE.
NOT JUST WHETHER THE APPLICATION
WORKS, BUT ALL THE OTHER 
POLICIES THAT GO WITH IT, LIKE 
PRIVACY, WHICH I THINK IS THE 
MOST PARAMOUNT OF SOME OF THE 
POLICY DISCUSSIONS, OR OF THOSE 
ASPECTS, THE KIND OF THING THAT 
WE CAN HELP FACILITATE IN TERMS 
OF A DISCUSSION ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY.
AND THEN ALSO TO SEE IF THERE'S 
ANY ONE TOOL THAT MIGHT BE 
USEFUL TO EVERYBODY, AND I THINK
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY QUITE ACTIVE 
DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
>> Reporter: SEAN KILPATRICK 
WITH THE CANADIAN PRESS PHOTO 
DEPARTMENT.
MY QUESTION IS FOR TAM, AND IT 
HAS TO DO WITH OUR IMMUNE 
SYSTEMS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR IMMUNE 
SYSTEMS WHEN WE ARE ISOLATED?
>> SO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS QUITE
A COMPLEX SYSTEM, AND IT'S 
AFFECTED BY MANY DIFFERENT I 
THINK DOMAINS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY 
BEEN STUDIED.
WE KNOW THAT EVEN THE IMMUNE 
RESPONSE TO THE VIRUS ITSELF 
STILL NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD.
I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER 
STUDIES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH
AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER STRESSES 
AND WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE 
IMMUNE SYSTEM, AND I THINK 
THAT'S WORTHY OF STUDY AND FOR 
PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE EXPERT IN 
THAT AREA TO LOOK AT.
BUT I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT, YOU
KNOW, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS A 
VERY COMPLEX THING, AND YOU NEED
TO MAINTAIN BOTH PHYSICAL AND 
MENTAL HEALTH, AND THAT CAN BE 
DIFFICULT TO DO IF YOU ARE, YOU 
KNOW, AT HOME.
SO ALL OF THAT IS SOME OF THE 
DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW IN ORDER 
TO SORT OF RE-START AND REOPEN 
THINGS, IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST 
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 
ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE MEASURES
FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH 
PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL 
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THOSE 
POLICIES.
I THINK THAT GOES INTO THE 
COMPLEX DISCUSSION LOCALLY ON 
HOW DO THEY SAFELY RE-START.
>> Reporter: IS THIS A CONCERN 
WITH CHILDREN RETURNING TO 
SCHOOL?
>> SO I THINK AS SAID BEFORE, 
EVERY LOCAL MEDICAL OFFICER AND 
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS ARE 
LOOKING AT THIS VERY CAREFULLY.
WHAT WE -- YOU HAVE TO START 
CAREFULLY AND MONITOR WHAT 
ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN KIDS GO 
BACK TO SCHOOL.
AND WHAT WE DO KNOW IS CHILDREN 
AND YOUNGER CHILDREN IN 
PARTICULAR HAVE MUCH MILDER 
ILLNESSES.
IT STILL REMAINS TO BE STUDIED 
IN TERMS OF HOW INFECTIOUS THEY 
ARE, BUT THERE ARE SOME STUDIES 
THAT SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE NOT 
AS INFECTIOUS, WHICH MAY MEAN 
THEY HAVE HAD LESS EXPOSURE TO 
THE VIRUS, BUT THAT STILL NEEDS 
TO BE STUDIED.
IN FACT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE 
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS I THINK
RELATED TO COVID-19 IS THE ROLE 
OF KIDS IN TRANSMISSION, AND 
THEN JUST LIKE WITH ADULTS, WE 
DON'T UNDERSTAND ENOUGH ABOUT 
THE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO THE 
VIRUS, EXCEPT THAT PEOPLE DO 
GENERATE ANTIBODIES, AND WE HAVE
TO SEE HOW THOSE ANTIBODIES 
MIGHT WORK AND HOW LONG THEY 
LAST FOR.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
WE'LL JUST GO BACK TO THE PHONE 
FOR THREE QUESTIONS.
OPERATOR?
>> Operator: FOLLOWING QUESTION 
IS FROM LE DEVOIR.
PLEASE GO AHEAD [ Voice of 
Interpreter ]
>> Reporter: MINISTER DUCLOS, 
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE 
CESB FOR STUDENTS, THE EMERGENCY
BENEFIT FOR STUDENTS.
THERE WAS A BILL THAT WAS 
ADOPTED LAST WEEK, BUT IT WAS 
FAIRLY VAGUE, AND MANY DETAILS 
WEREN'T FINALIZED AND NEEDED TO 
BE DONE SO THROUGH REGULATIONS.
PERHAPS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MIGHT 
BE ABLE TO KEEP MORE OF THE 
BENEFIT EVEN IF YOU'RE WORKING.
SO ONE WEEK LATER I'M WONDERING 
WHAT THIS -- WHAT ABOUT THESE 
DETAILS AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL US
ABOUT THAT?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR 
PLAN TO HELP ALL CANADIANS, AND 
THAT INCLUDES STUDENTS.
I TAUGHT FOR 25 YEARS, AND I 
KNOW VERY WELL THAT THE IMPACT 
OF SUCH A CRISIS CAN HAVE 
SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS ON, FOR 
EXAMPLE, THE DECISION BY 
STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEIR STUDIES
OR TO ABANDON THEM FOR NOW.
AND OF COURSE IT ALSO DEPENDS ON
THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE ENDS MEET 
IN THE COMING WEEKS, AND THEY 
ALSO NEED ENOUGH MONEY TO PURSUE
THEIR STUDIES IN THE COMING 
YEAR.
THAT IS WHY VERY SOON MORE 
SPECIFIC INFORMATION WILL BE 
PROVIDED BOTH BY MINISTER 
QUALTROUGH AND MINISTER LE 
BOUTIER.
AS TO THIS PARTICULAR EMERGENCY 
BENEFIT.
>> Reporter: FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
SO AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT YES 
THE ORIGINAL PLAN MAY BE AMENDED
AND SO THE STUDENTS -- BECAUSE 
ESPECIALLY FOR UNIVERSITY 
STUDENTS, THE SUMMER BEGINS IN 
MAY, USUALLY.
AND WHEN DO WE EXPECT THE FIRST 
CHEQUES TO BE ISSUED?
>> LOOK, WE ARE WORKING AT VERY 
RAPIDLY ON ALL OF THESE MEASURES
AND VERY, VERY SOON THE FURTHER 
DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED.
ON THE SAME WEBSITE ON WHICH -- 
WHERE STUDENTS CAN APPLY FOR THE
BENEFIT.
WE EXPECT THIS TO TAKE PLACE 
SMOOTHLY AND QUICKLY, JUST AS IT
DID WITH THE CERB, JUST ONLY 
TOOK A FEW DAYS FOR PEOPLE TO BE
ABLE TO APPLY AND RECEIVE THEIR 
BENEFITS, AND THIS TIME THAT 
WILL BE TRUE FOR STUDENTS TOO.
SO WE WILL VERY, VERY SOON BE 
ANNOUNCING FURTHER DETAILS ON 
THAT.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION.
[ End of Interpretation ].
>> Operator: NEXT QUESTION IS 
FROM LAURA OSMONDE FROM THE 
CANADIAN PRESS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING.
I WANTED TO TALK AGAIN ABOUT 
THIS INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE 
THAT'S BEING FOUND IN CHILDREN.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO 
DEFINITIVE LINK TO COVID-19, BUT
THIS NEWS IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF 
FREAKY FOR PARENTS, ESPECIALLY 
AS THEY ARE CONSIDERING SENDING 
THEIR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL AS 
PROVINCES START TO LOOK AT THAT 
PROSPECT.
SO WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM 
IF THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT THEIR
KIDS MAY BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO 
COVID-19 THAN THEY THOUGHT?
>> SO WE DO KNOW THAT THE 
ILLNESS IN CHILDREN, MILDER, 
THAT'S BEEN OBSERVED ACROSS 
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, AND SO 
CLINICALLY THEY HAVE A MUCH LESS
SEVERE OUTCOME.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT RARELY 
SOME MORE SEVERE OUTCOMES COULD 
OCCUR, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT
THE SCIENTIFIC DATA IS TELLING 
US.
BUT OF COURSE IF THERE'S ANY 
CONCERNS, CONTACT YOUR HEALTH 
PROVIDER, PEDIATRICIANS ARE VERY
AWARE OF KAWASAKI DISEASE 
BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN 
OTHER VIRAL ILLNESSES AND 
INFECTIONS AS WELL.
SO IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO 
COVID-19, AND THEY WOULD KNOW 
HOW TO MANAGE THAT, AND SO I 
THINK, AGAIN, IF THERE'S ANY 
SYMPTOMS THAT PARENTS ARE 
WORRIED ABOUT, PROVINCES 
ALREADY, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, 
WIDENING THEIR SCOPE IN TERMS OF
JUST LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY 
OF COVID-19 IN PEOPLE WITH 
ALL -- A WHOLE RANGE OF 
SYMPTOMS, AND SO I THINK IF 
THERE'S ANY CONCERNS AT ALL, 
CONSULT YOUR HEALTH PROVIDER.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE 
KNOW THAT OVERALL KIDS HAVE MUCH
MILDER ILLNESSES.
>> FOLLOW-UP?
>> Reporter: THANKS, DR. TAM.
I ALSO WANTED TO ASK ABOUT 
WHETHER ANY PROGRESS HAS BEEN 
MADE ON GATHERING MORE DETAILED 
DATA ABOUT PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM
COVID-19, LIKE THEIR RACE, 
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR 
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS IN SORT OF
A CENTRALIZED WAY.
>> YES, SO I THINK THERE'S A 
NUMBER OF GAPS IN THAT DATA, AND
I THINK AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL 
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS -- YOU
KNOW, THERE'S AN EFFORT IN ORDER
TO TRY AND ADDRESS THAT.
>> IT'S DR. NJOO.
I CAN JUST ADD TO THAT.
CERTAINLY AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL
OUR STAFF ARE HAVING ACTIVE 
DISCUSSION WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS
IN THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES
IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THOSE 
TYPES OF ISSUES AND SEEING 
WHAT'S WITHIN THE ART OF THE 
POSSIBLE.
CERTAINLY EVERYONE IS SEIZED 
WITH GETTING, YOU KNOW, DATA IN 
A TIMELY FASHION AND OBVIOUSLY 
EVERYONE WOULD LIKE -- YOU KNOW,
THE MORE VARIABLES OR MORE DATA 
WE HAVE, THAT'S GREAT, BUT 
CERTAINLY AT THIS TIME IT'S 
ALWAYS A BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU 
KNOW, WHAT'S FEASIBLE.
EVERYONE'S STRETCHED IN TERMS OF
WORKING, YOU KNOW, UNDER EXTREME
CIRCUMSTANCES, AND SO IT'S 
DETERMINING WHAT ARE THE KEY 
ITEMS OR KEY PIECES OF DATA THAT
WE WOULD LIKE TO COLLECT I THINK
AT A NATIONAL LEVEL FROM EACH OF
THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES, 
AND CERTAINLY THAT NEEDS THAT 
SORT OF A COLLABORATION 
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PROVINCES,
TERRITORIES AND OURSELVES.
BUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE ACTIVE
AND ONGOING.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
OPERATOR, NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE.
[ Voice of Interpreter ]
>> Reporter: MY QUESTION IS FOR 
MINISTER DUCLOS.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE 
MILITARY ASSISTANCE BEING SENT 
TO LONG-TERM CARE INSTITUTIONS.
YOU MENTIONED SEVEN OTHERS.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE ONES 
STILL IN THE REGION OF MONTREAL 
AREA?
CAN YOU TELL US MORE DETAILS 
ABOUT WHICH INSTITUTIONS ARE 
BEING TARGETED?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS YET AS 
TO THE OTHER SEVEN INSTITUTIONS.
THIS IS A TARGET THAT HAS BEEN 
DECIDED UPON IN AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT,
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AND 
THE QUEBEC GOVERNMENT.
SO AS I SAID, EFFORTS SO FAR 
HAVE BEEN TARGETING 13 MAIN 
LONG-TERM CARE INSTITUTIONS, BUT
SEVEN OTHERS HAVE BEEN 
IDENTIFIED, AND I BELIEVE THIS 
INFORMATION WILL SOON BE 
AVAILABLE AND WILL BE PROVIDED 
AT THE SAME TIME BY THE CANADIAN
ARMED FORCES AND THE QUEBEC 
GOVERNMENT.
>> FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?
>> Reporter: WHEN IT COMES TO 
THE WAGE SUBSIDY, A WEEK OR TWO 
AGO YOU SAID THAT THE FIRST -- 
THE FIRST AMOUNTS WOULD BE 
PROVIDED ON MAY 7, WHICH IS 
TOMORROW.
IS THAT STILL THE CASE AND HOW 
MANY -- HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU 
EXPECT IT TO BE SENDING OUT 
TOMORROW?
IF SO?
ALSO, ARE YOU CONSIDERING 
BROADENING THE SCOPE OF THE WAGE
SUBSIDY?
THANK YOU.
>> 110,000 BUSINESSES HAD ASKED 
FOR -- TO BE REIMBURSED THROUGH 
THIS WAGE SUBSIDY SO THEY COULD 
PAY THEIR WORKERS RETROACTIVELY 
FROM MARCH 15 TO APRIL 11.
WE EXPECT ABOUT 90% OF THOSE 
APPLICATIONS TO HAVE ALREADY 
BEEN PROCESSED.
WHICH MEANS THAT AS OF TOMORROW 
WE ALSO EXPECT MOST OF THOSE 
BUSINESSES TO RECEIVE IN THEIR 
ACCOUNTS THE REIMBURSEMENTS FOR 
THESE WAGES THAT THEY PAID THEIR
EMPLOYEES OVER THE LAST WEEKS.
ABOUT 10% OF THE BUSINESSES NEED
TO PROVIDE US WITH MORE 
INFORMATION OR TO CRA, RATHER.
THE AGENCY HAS ALREADY BEEN IN 
TOUCH WITH THOSE BUSINESSES AS 
TO THE FUTURE EVOLUTIONS OF THIS
IMPORTANT PROGRAM TO SUBSIDIZE 
WORKERS' WAGES, WELL, OF COURSE 
THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE 
DONE, AND WE MUST KEEP 
CONSULTING TO ENSURE THAT OUR 
COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH CAN 
BE MAINTAINED SO THAT THE 
ECONOMIC RECOVERY CAN TAKE PLACE
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND AS 
EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU, MINISTER.
ONE LAST QUESTION IN THE ROOM.
>> Reporter: HELLO, MINISTER 
DUCLOS.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE 
ISSUE OF SENIORS.
DO YOU RECOGNIZE THAT SENIORS' 
PURCHASING ABILITY HAS 
DIMINISHED DURING THE CRISIS 
BECAUSE THEY ARE ON FIXED INCOME
OFTEN, AND IF SO, HAVE YOU BEEN 
ABLE TO QUANTIFY OR MEASURE THAT
LOSS OF PURCHASING POWER?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELL, OUR SENIORS WERE AFFECTED 
IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS BY THIS 
CRISIS, OF COURSE, AND WE'RE 
QUITE CONCERNED AS TO -- ABOUT 
THIS GROUP THAT'S BEEN 
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED.
AND THE PRICE OF FOOD HAS GONE 
UP, OF COURSE, WHICH IS ANOTHER 
CONCERN, BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN
PROBLEMS AND TRANSPORTATION 
ISSUES THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE 
LAST WEEKS.
THERE'S ALSO THE FACT THAT MANY 
OF THESE SENIORS ARE LESS 
MOBILE.
IN QUEBEC YESTERDAY WE SAW THAT 
SOME RESTRICTIONS HAD BEEN EASED
SO THAT THEY COULD GO PICK UP 
THEIR GROCERIES THEMSELVES 
BECAUSE THERE ARE -- BECAUSE 
DELIVERY FEES MAY HAVE INCREASED
LATELY, BUT STATISTICS CANADA 
HAS NOT YET STUDIED THE NATURE 
OF ALL THE INCREASED COSTS, BUT 
THE INCREASED COSTS ARE THERE, 
WE KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY PRIME 
MINISTER TRUDEAU RECENTLY 
SAID -- 
>> Rosemary: OKAY, WE ARE GOING 
TO PULL AWAY FROM THIS FEDERAL 
BRIEFING TODAY, BUT WANTED TO 
END ON THAT NOTE BECAUSE WE DO 
KNOW THAT HELP FOR SENIORS, 
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR SENIORS, 
IS COMING IN THE COMING DAYS, 
ACCORDING TO THE PRIME MINISTER.
I WANT TO WRAP UP A LOT OF WHAT 
WAS SAID THERE WITH MY 
COLLEAGUES IN A MOMENT, BECAUSE 
THERE WAS SOME NEW INFORMATION, 
SOME INTERESTING THINGS THERE, 
BUT FIRST I WANT TO TURN TO NEW 
BRUNSWICK BECAUSE IT RECORDED 
ITS FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 IN 
MORE THAN TWO WEEKS YESTERDAY.
DR. JENNIFER RUSSELL IS THAT 
PROVINCE'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
OF HEALTH, AND SHE JOINS ME FROM
FREDERICTON.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR.
>> HELLO, THERE.
>> Rosemary: SO EVERYONE WAS 
VERY ENVIOUS OF WHAT YOU HAD 
MANAGED TO DO IN NEW BRUNSWICK, 
FLATTENING THE CURVE, AND THEN 
YOU HAD ONE CASE AFTER TWO WEEKS
OF NO CASES YESTERDAY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?
>> Interview: WELL, THIS WAS TO 
BE EXPECTED.
OBVIOUSLY IN A PANDEMIC WHERE WE
HAVE COVID-19 CASES IN ALL THE 
JURISDICTIONS SURROUNDING NEW 
BRUNSWICK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 
P.E.I., THIS WAS NOT A SURPRISE.
THIS WAS EXPECTED, AND SO, YOU 
KNOW, HAVING ZERO CASES WAS 
LOVELY.
WE REALLY ENJOYED THAT, BUT -- 
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, 
HAVING EVERYBODY HAVE RECOVERED 
AND NOBODY IN THE HOSPITAL AND 
NO DEATHS, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A 
WONDERFUL SUCCESS.
BUT THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS 
INVOLVES LIVING WITH COVID-19 IN
A WAY WHERE WE CAN MITIGATE THE 
ISSUES AROUND HOSPITALIZATIONS, 
UTILIZATION AND ICU BEDS AND 
HAVE THE ECONOMY RUNNING AND 
HAVE PEOPLE PROTECTED IN TERMS 
OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE 
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY NEED 
TO DO INDIVIDUALLY TO PROTECT 
THEMSELVES FROM COVID-19.
>> Rosemary: SURE.
I GUESS THIS IS ONE OF THOSE 
EXAMPLES, THOUGH, WHERE CONTACT 
TRACING THAT DR. TAM WAS JUST 
TALKING ABOUT IN THAT PRESS 
CONFERENCE BECOMES SO CRITICAL 
TO CONTROLLING SPREAD.
>> OF COURSE, ABSOLUTELY.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OPENING UP 
THE ECONOMY, THE THINGS THAT 
REALLY HAVE TO BE IN PLACE AND 
VERY, VERY STRONG THINGS THAT 
NEED TO BE IN PLACE WOULD BE THE
CONTACT TRACING, THE TESTING 
CAPABILITIES, MAKING SURE THAT 
WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO 
OUTBREAKS, MAKING SURE THAT, 
AGAIN, THE HOSPITAL FACILITIES 
ARE AVAILABLE, THE HOSPITAL BEDS
AND THE ICU BEDS ARE AVAILABLE.
SO THERE ARE MANY, MANY THINGS 
THAT HAVE TO BE IN PLACE AS WE 
LOOK AT GRADUALLY OPENING UP 
SOCIETY AND THE ECONOMY FOR US 
TO SUCCEED IN THE LONG TERM.
>> Rosemary: THIS WAS COMMUNITY 
TRANSMISSION, I IMAGINE, BECAUSE
THERE'S BEEN NO TRAVEL?
>> WELL, OUR BORDERS ARE STILL 
SOMEWHAT OPEN IN THE SENSE THAT 
WE ARE ALLOWING ESSENTIAL TRAVEL
TO HAPPEN, SO LAND BORDERS AND 
AT THE AIRPORTS, SOME PEOPLE DO 
GET TURNED AWAY, SO IF THEY 
DON'T HAVE LEGITIMATE NEED TO BE
IN THE PROVINCE, THEY DO GET 
TURNED AWAY.
SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE 
TRAVEL-RELATED CASES.
SO WE HAVE TWO NEW CASES.
THE ONE YESTERDAY WE STILL 
HAVEN'T DETERMINED IF IT'S 
COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION OR NOT, 
SO IT'S -- THAT ONE IS STILL 
BEING INVESTIGATED, BUT THE 
LATEST ONE WE KNOW IS 
TRAVEL-RELATED.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, SO NOW YOU'RE
UP TO TWO.
I KNOW THAT THE PREMIER HAS 
TALKED WITH MY COLLEAGUE VASSY 
AND OTHERS ABOUT REALLY KEEPING 
THE BORDER CLOSED TO PEOPLE 
COMING IN WHO WANT TO HANG OUT 
IN NEW BRUNSWICK OVER THE 
SUMMER.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT GOING TO 
BE FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH 
PERSPECTIVE, TO REALLY KEEP 
VISITORS AWAY AT A TIME WHEN YOU
WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT THEM?
>> Interview: EXACTLY.
IT'S A BALANCE.
SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO 
HAVE SOCIETY FUNCTION AND THE 
ECONOMY FUNCTION AS SAFELY AS WE
CAN WHILE, AGAIN, WE PROTECT THE
POPULATION FROM HAVING TOO MANY 
CASES OF COVID-19 AT ONCE AND 
HAVING OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM 
OVERWHELMED.
SO IT IS A BALANCE, BUT 
OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT IF WE 
DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY 
TRANSMISSION, THEN WE KNOW THAT 
THE CASES WILL BE 
TRAVEL-RELATED, AND SO LIMITING 
TRAVEL WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT, 
AND THE TRAVELLERS THAT DO COME 
IN HAVE TO SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 
DAYS.
>> Rosemary: WHAT IS YOUR 
MESSAGE TO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW?
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE 
ALL DOING THIS AT DIFFERENT 
SPEEDS, I WOULD SAY EVEN PEOPLE 
IN PROVINCES LIKE ONTARIO ARE 
SORT OF STARTING TO RELAX A 
LITTLE BIT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE
NOT REALLY SUPPOSED TO, AND I 
WONDER IF YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED 
THAT TOO IN NEW BRUNSWICK, AND 
WHAT YOUR MESSAGE IS TO PEOPLE 
MOVING FORWARD AS YOU GET INTO 
THIS SORT OF NEXT PHASE OF, AS 
YOU SAY, LIVING WITH COVID-19.
>> Interview: WELL, I THINK IT'S
ABOUT SETTING EXPECTATIONS.
SO IF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS AND
IS ABLE TO INTERNALIZE THE FACT 
THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LIVING 
WITH COVID-19 FOR 18 TO 24 
MONTHS UNTIL THERE'S A VACCINE, 
WE'RE PRETTY MUCH PAST MILE 1 OF
A 26-MILE MARATHON.
GET SOME WATER, GATORADE AND A 
POWER GEL, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP 
GOING.
IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE END.
WE DO HAVE TO STAY VIGILANT.
WE DO HAVE TO PERSEVERE AND BE 
VERY RESILIENT AND ADAPTABLE AS 
WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO THERE IS LOTS OF LEARNING.
THERE'S LOTS OF NEW PIECES OF 
INFORMATION THAT WE GET EVERY 
DAY, AND INCORPORATING THAT INTO
OUR PLANS AS WE MOVE FORWARD HAS
TO BE VERY IMPORTANT, BUT 
CERTAINLY NOBODY SHOULD BE 
COMPLACENT AT THIS POINT IN 
TIME.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, SO TWO NEW 
CASES IN NEW BRUNSWICK AFTER TWO
WEEKS OF NONE.
I WILL SAY, THE REST OF THE 
COUNTRY STILL ENVIOUS OF THAT, 
DR. RUSSELL, SO YOU'RE DOING 
SOMETHING RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> Interview: THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE 
ACCOMPLISHED HERE SO FAR.
>> Rosemary: GOOD, AS YOU SHOULD
BE.
DR. JENNIFER RUSSELL, NEW 
BRUNSWICK'S CHIEF MEDICAL 
OFFICER OF HEALTH, THANK YOU.
>>> ALL RIGHT, LET ME BRING BACK
MY COLLEAGUES, VASSY KAPELOS, 
THE HOST OF "POWER & POLITICS" 
AND CBC'S DAVID COCHRANE.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BRIEFING 
THERE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE NEW 
BRUNSWICK FEEL BAD THAT THEY NOW
HAVE TWO CASES, BUT THEY ARE 
DOING SOME REMARKABLE THINGS AND
THERE ARE OTHER PROVINCES, I 
KNOW, THAT ARE DOING WELL AS 
WELL.
A FEW THINGS STOOD OUT FOR ME IN
THAT BRIEFING.
ONE WAS AROUND THE MILITARY 
ISSUE, BECAUSE THERE ARE 
EXPECTED TO BE A THOUSAND 
SOLDIERS NOW HEADING INTO 
LONG-TERM CARE CENTRES IN 
ONTARIO AND QUEBEC, AND THAT IS 
A STAGGERING BIT OF INFORMATION 
BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING 
INSIDE THOSE CENTRES, VASSY.
>> Vassy: YEAH, THAT DEFINITELY 
STOOD OUT TO ME, AND THAT KIND 
OF JOINS UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE 
THAT DR. TAM SAID AROUND I THINK
A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS A LOT OF 
US HAVE -- OF COURSE THE MODELS 
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUT 
FORWARD ARE NOT CRYSTAL BALLS, 
AND EVERYONE WHO IS PRESENTING 
THEM HAS BEEN EXPLICIT ABOUT IT,
BUT IT DOES SPECIFICALLY LOOK 
WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER OF 
DEATHS IN THIS COUNTRY, LIKE 
SOME OF THE PROJECTIONS ARE 
BEING EXCEEDED, AND OBVIOUSLY 
THAT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU LIVE, 
BUT OVERALL IT LOOKS LIKE AT 
LEAST THE NUMBER OF DEATHS THAT 
WERE PROJECTED ARE BEING MET, IF
NOT EXCEEDED, AND IT WAS 
INTERESTING TO HEAR THE 
EXPLANATION FROM DR. TAM ABOUT 
THAT, SPECIFICALLY THAT I WOULD 
NOTE THIS, THE DOUBLING TIME FOR
THE RATE OF INFECTION HAS GONE 
TO 20 DAYS.
IT WAS AT 3 DAYS ABOUT A MONTH 
AGO, AND THEN AT 16 DAYS AT THE 
POINT -- AT THE TIME THEY WERE 
RELEASING THE LAST SET OF 
FEDERAL MODELS.
IT'S NOW AT 20 DAYS.
BASICALLY SHE SAID THE EPIDEMIC 
IS DECELERATING, BUT WE ARE SORT
OF AT THE END OF MANY OF THOSE 
WHO CONTRACTED THE VIRUS ARE AT 
THE END OF THE CLINICAL OUTCOME,
AND THAT IS PARTICULARLY 
SIGNIFICANT IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES, AND AS A RESULT, WE ARE 
SEEING SORT OF AN UPTICK IN THE 
NUMBER OF DEATHS, BUT THAT'S NOT
NECESSARILY REFLECTIVE OF THE 
OVERALL CURVE OF THE PANDEMIC AT
THIS MOMENT.
I MEAN, A THOUSAND SOLDIERS IN 
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES I THINK 
UNDERSCORES WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN 
TALKING ABOUT SO OFTEN ON THIS 
SPECIAL, THAT THESE LONG-TERM 
CARE HOMES ARE THE EPICENTRE OF 
THE VIRUS IN THIS COUNTRY.
85% OF THE DEATHS IN QUEBEC HAVE
OCCURRED IN LONG-TERM CARE 
HOMES, 79% OF THE DEATHS RIGHT 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AGAIN, I POINT TOWARDS THE 
CONVERSATION AROUND ESSENTIAL 
WORKERS IN THOSE HOMES, WHETHER 
THERE WILL BE AN AGREEMENT WITH 
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE FEDS ARE PROMISING TO TOP UP
WAGES FOR THOSE WHO MAKE LESS 
THAN $2500 A MONTH.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE COULD 
BE AN AGREEMENT IN THE COMING 
DAYS, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE 
EXACTLY WHAT EVERY PROVINCE 
WANTED.
SO I'VE GOT MY EYE ON THAT FOR 
SURE.
>> Rosemary: OKAY, AND JUST TO 
GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE OF WHERE 
THOSE SOLDIERS ARE GOING, AND 
DAVID, I WON'T SAY EVERYTHING, I
PROMISE, THEY ARE GOING INTO -- 
THEY ARE IN 13 LONG-TERM CARE 
CENTRES, MOSTLY IN MONTREAL 
RIGHT NOW, 5 IN ONTARIO, AND 
HEADED INTO 7 OTHERS.
I MEAN, IT, AGAIN, AGAIN WE'VE 
TALKED ABOUT IT TIME AND TIME 
AGAIN, BUT IT DOES HIGHLIGHT HOW
THIS PANDEMIC IS HITTING PARTS 
OF THE POPULATION VERY 
DIFFERENTLY, DAVID.
>> David: YEAH, TWO THINGS.
THE MODELLING PROJECTIONS OF THE
DEST RATE, AGAIN, IT'S NOT A 
PROJECTIONS OR A PREDICTION, 
IT'S A RANGE OF THINGS.
THAT'S APPLIED ACROSS A BROAD 
GENERAL POPULATION.
WHAT WE HAVE IS AN EPIDEMIC IN A
VERY SPECIFIC POPULATION THAT IS
ACUTELY VULNERABLE TO THIS, AND 
THIS IS WHERE THE SOLDIERS ARE 
IN THERE.
I UNDERSTAND QUEBEC HAS 
EXPRESSED SOME FRUSTRATION ON 
THE PACE OF GETTING SOLDIERS IN.
IT WAS EASY TO GET THE FIRST 
WAVE IN BECAUSE IT WAS PRIMARILY
ARMY DOCTORS AND NURSES AND 
MEDICS WHO COULD GO IN, AND THEY
ARE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH 
SPECIFIC MEDICAL SITUATIONS.
YOU'RE A RANK AND FILE SOLDIER, 
THOUGH HIGHLY TRAINED, IS NOT 
NECESSARILY TRAINED TO WORK IN A
LONG-TERM CARE ENVIRONMENT IN 
THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.
THEY HAVE FIELD TRAINING IN 
TERMS OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES AND
BATTLEFIELD MEDICAL TRAINING, 
BUT DEALING WITH A VIRUS IS A 
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING THAN 
DEALING WITH A CASUALTY IN THE 
FIELD.
AND PART OF THE CHALLENGE, TOO, 
ROSIE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 
MONTREAL SITUATION, THE FINDING 
IS THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE 
GETTING SICK AND COMING OUT 
OF -- MEDICAL STAFF ARE GETTING 
SICK AND COMING OUT OF LONG-TERM
CARE HOMES AND HOSPITALS, THEY 
ARE PULLING FROM HOSPITAL A TO 
HELP HOSPITAL B AND THE MEDICAL 
STAFF MOVING AROUND ARE 
THEMSELVES BECOME VECTORS OF 
TRANSMISSION.
THEY ARE CARRYING OR THEY HAVE 
HELPED SPREAD THE DISEASE 
UNINTENTIONALLY BY CONTRACTING 
IT IN ONE HOME AND BRINGING IT 
TO ANOTHER, WHICH IS WHY IN 
BRITISH COLUMBIA THEY STOPPED 
THE PRACTICE OF PEOPLE WORKING 
IN MULTIPLE HOMES, BUT WE'VE 
HEARD, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE IN 
MULTIPLE HOSPITALS OR FACILITIES
HAS ACTUALLY HELPED SPREAD AND 
CARRY THE VIRUS THROUGH PARTS OF
MONTREAL, THE GREATER MONTREAL 
AREA.
ALL THE MORE REASON TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE SOLDIERS WE ARE SENDING
IN ARE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH THIS
PROPERLY SO THEY DO NOT BECOME 
VECTORS OF TRANSMISSION.
>> Rosemary: MONTREAL IS REALLY 
IN QUITE A DIRE PLACE RIGHT NOW 
BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL CAPACITY IS
QUICKLY MELTING AWAY, WHICH IS 
ONE OF THE STATISTICS THAT THE 
PREMIER THERE HAD POINTED TO AS 
A REASON FOR ALLOWING THE 
LOOSENING OF PUBLIC HEALTH 
RESTRICTIONS.
THEY ARE NOW EVEN MOVING 
TOWARDS -- DAVID AND I WERE 
TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER -- 
SHIPPING PEOPLE FROM HOSPITALS 
IN MONTREAL TO OTHER REGIONS OF 
THE PROVINCE TO DEAL WITH THAT 
CAPACITY ISSUE, AND THERE IS A 
FIELD HOSPITAL THAT HAD BEEN 
PREPARED THAT WILL NOW LIKELY 
EVEN BE USED IN MONTREAL, SO 
AGAIN, A DIFFERENT PICTURE 
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN 
THE COUNTRY AS WE KNOW SO WELL, 
BUT TO END ON A GOOD NOTE, I'LL 
JUST REMIND YOU WHAT VASSY SAID 
EARLIER, THE CASES ARE DOUBLING 
NOW EVERY 20 DAYS, WHICH SHOWS 
THAT THINGS ARE MOVING IN THE 
RIGHT DIRECTION.
OKAY, WE WILL LEAVE YOU NOW WITH
OUR COVERAGE.
THANK YOU, VASSY.
THANK YOU, DAVID.
APPRECIATE IT.
OF COURSE OUR COVERAGE WILL 
CONTINUE HERE ON "CBC NEWS 
NETWORK" OF THIS STORY AND THE 
REPATRIATION OF CANADA'S 
SOLDIERS COMING UP AT 2:00 
EASTERN.
I'M ROSEMARY BARTON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
♪
