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Prime Minister Trudeau:

Good morning, everyone. Today at sundown marks the beginning of Ramadan. For many Muslim Canadians, the coming months will be different than normal with if tar online. But that won’t change what it’s all about. Generosity, compassion and service to others. Across the country, Muslim Canadians are on the front line in the fight against COVID-19 as nurses, doctors and essential workers. So, thank you.

Interpreter:

Today, Canadian Muslims will be marking the beginning of Ramadan. The next month will not unfold as usual, but the values of generosity and compassion that are at the heart of this tradition are more important than ever. Right across this country, Canadian Muslims are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Physicians, nurses and essential workers. Thank you.

Prime Minister Trudeau:

This will be a day for many families and communities across the country. We’re all thinking about those in Nova Scotia who are grieving the loss of loved ones, friends and neighbours. Yesterday, I spoke with the families of some of the people we lost. They shared stories about their loved ones and their dreams and plans. In the face of such tragedy, their strength is remarkable. They spoke also with RCMP members from the area and on behalf of all Canadians, I thank them for their service and I spoke with some local mayors as well to express My condolences. For torontonians, I know it will be a hard day as well. As we remember the victims of the van attack on Yong street two years ago. Together we mourn and together we heal. Because just as Canadians were there for each other two-year ago, we’re there for each other today. Across the country, people are hanging tartan, blue ribbons and skafshs from windows to honour those who died. With acts of kindness and donations, people are standing with familis who are grieving and tomorrow with the virtual vigil, we will all have the chance to show the people of Nova Scotia that they are not alone.

Interpreter:

For people in Nova Scotia, today will be another difficult day. In the face of such a tragedy, they are showing incredible strength. and the citizens of Toronto will also have a difficult day today. Today we will remembering the victims of the attack on Yong street, two years ago. Together we are mourning and together we will come through this.

Prime Minister Trudeau:

These are tough times, but there is reason to hope. When it comes to COVID-19, what we’re doing is working. and to continue on the right track, we need to be thinking about not just the next weeks, but about the next months. We need medium term and long-term solutions. and I can announce today that we’re taking another step forward. We’re putting in place an additional $1.1 billion for a national medical and research strategy to address COVID-19. This plan has three pillars. Research on vaccines and other treatments, supports for clinical trials and expanding national testing and modeling. Let me start with the first pillar on research. Under this plan, we’re investing close to $115 million for research into vaccines and treatments being developed in hospitals and universities across the country. This is on top of the funding we’ve already provided to support vaccine development in Canada. The second pillar of the plan is to make sure that once we have potential vaccines and treatments, we can test a wide range of options. Under this plan, we will invest over $662 million for clinical trials led My Canada. a vaccine is the long-term solution to this virus. For these drugs will take months to develop, test, fabricate, and roll out. So until we have something ready, we need to control the spread of the virus. and that is where the third pillar of this plan comes in. We’re investing $350 million to expand national testing and modeling of COVID-19. This includes creating the COVID-19 immunity task force. The task force will operate under the Dr.*ex of a leadership group which will include Dr. David nayloersinger, Dr. Tim evans, Dr. Teresa tam and Dr. Mona neerner. We’re bringing together top health experts and scientists from leading institutions across the country. Canada’s best and brightest will be working on serology testing, blood testing, to track and understand immunity to COVID-19. They’ll be looking at key questions like how many people beyond those we’ve already tested have had COVID-19, whether you’re immune once you’ve had it and, if so, how long it lasts. Over two years, we will be testing one million Canadians as a part of this study. The findings of the research will help with everything from roll out of a potential vaccine to determining which public health measures are most effective going forward. We will get valuable data, including disaggregated data to understands the impact on vulnerable populations and we’ll also leverage new and existing lab capacity through research. The better we understand this virus, its spread and its impact on different people, the better we can fight it and eventually defeat it. While this vital research is happening, we’re also staying focused on what we can do right now to control COVID-19 and a get back to normal as soon as possible. Testing is key. We’ve now reached 20, 000 tests daily, almost double where we were earlier this month. But testing must increase even further before we can reohm and restart our normal activities as a country. You’ve been doing your part by staying home and practicing physical distancing. It’s working and we can’t afford to waste this progress.

Interpreter:

Today I’m announcing that we are introducing a $1.1 billion strategy to fight COVID-19. The first part of this strategy will deal with vaccines and treatments. We are investing almost $115 million in research on vaccines, in hospitals across the country. That can be added to the money we already allocated to develop vaccines here in Canada. The second part of our strategy is to ensure that once we do have potential vaccines and treatments, we can test various options. So we will be investing almost $652 million in clinical trials. and the third part involves investing in tests to model the disease. We are currently putting in place the COVID-19 immunity task force. This task force will be led by Dr. David naylor, Dr. Catherine hankins, Dr. Tim Evans, with the support of Dr. Tam and Dr. Neemer. They will be coordinating blood tests that will help us to trace the virus and better understand how we can develop immunity from COVID-19. The findings of that research will help us to do a number of things, whether it is making a vaccine accessible or determining what public health measures are as efficient as possible. While we’re carrying out that vital research, we continue to reflect on what we can do right now to contain COVID-19. and return to a normal life as quickly as possible. But tests are the most important component. We are now conducting almost 20, 000 tests a day across the country and we continue to increase our testing capacity. Before life goes back to normal.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s we’ve seen terrible tragedis in long-term care facilities across the country. This is unacceptable. If you are angry, frustrated, scared, you are right to feel this way. We can do better. We need to do better. Because we are failing our parents, our grandparents, our elders, the greatest generation who built this country. We need to care for them properly. Canadians need to pull together. There’s been requests for military assistance by both Ontario and Quebec which, of course, we will be answering. Our men and women in uniform will step up with the valor and courage they have always shown. In the short term, we will be there with support so that provinces can get volume of this situation. But this is not a long-term solution. In Canada, we shouldn’t have soldiers taking care of seniors. Going forward in the weeks and months to come, we will all have to ask tough questions about how it came to this. We will all have to do more. To get through this terrible situation.

Interpreter:

Right now we are witnessing terrible tragedies in long-term care homes across the country. That is unacceptable. If you are angry, frustrated or worried, you have every reason to feel that way. We must do better. Because we are abandoning our parents, our grandparents and our elders. Members of the greatest generation that built this country. We must look after them as they deserve. Quebec has asked us for the assistance of the military and these are requests we will be answering. Our military will be providing assistance as they always do. But this is not a long-term solution. In Canada, our soldiers should not be the ones looking after our seniors. In the coming weeks or the coming months, we will have to take a long, hard look at how we came to this. We will all have to do more to get through this situation. Which is absolutely terrible. Everyone is doing their part to get through this period. We’re all part of the same team. While we do our part, everyone must do their part. Together, we can get through this. and together we’ll come back in full force.

Thank you, Prime Minister. We’ll now go to the phone for questions. One question and one follow-up. Operator?