Parses captions for PM Trudeau's daily speeches and presents them in a more human readable format
Operator:
Thank you.
Question:
[voice of interpreter] good morning, Mr. Trudeau. Yesterday your remarks about helping out in seniors’ homes, now we haven’t seen the federal support working that well in Ontario and quÉbec. In fact, we’ve heard people saying this sector has been under financed for years. Will you help with transfers to avoid this from getting worse in the second and third waves of COVID-19.
Answer:
I have no intention of interfering in provincial areas of jurisdiction. However, people are asking real questions right across the country about how we support our seniors and about how we look after our most vulnerable Canadians and these are questions we need to look at seriously. In the months and years to come after we’ve come through this pandemic and this crisis, we have a responsibility to reflect on how we can do things better, to help those who build this country, help them during the last years of their lives. So of course we will have discussions on health transfers. We already transferred half a billion dollars in direct funding to the provinces for their health system. We will also be looking at how we can work together as a country to ensure that the current system is adequate to help all Canadians. [end of translation] I have been very clear that I have no intention of seeing the federal government take over or get involved in provincial areas of jurisdiction. I think Canadians are asking themselves very, very important questions right across the country about how we care for our elders and how we support the most vulnerable in society. We have to work very hard to come up with better answers than we have to this point. Yes, that means talking about transfers to the provinces. We sent half a billion dollars to provinces at the start of this crisis. There is more to do. In the weeks, months, years of this COVID-19 crisis, we need to DOA better job supporting our elders and those who built this country, and that’s what we’re going to do.
[voice of interpreter] follow-up?
Question:
Yes. With respect to the student benefit, in quÉbec they’re not terribly happy about that because they already have a program in place. Would you be prepared to make adjustments to your program and the bill you will be introducing?
Answer:
Our students need support now. Summer jobs on which they were counting have pretty much disappeared and they’re looking at ways to pay their groceries and rent. I know that young people right across the country want to help and be there to help, but we also need to be there for them. That’s why direct support for students in these difficult times is not only for them, it’sfor their future. We need to ensure that our students can receive the necessary support this summer and opportunities to gain work experience that will be helpful in the rest of their career. But we also need to make sure that they can fund their studies once we’re in September. So we’re very pleased to work with other parties and the provinces to enhance the aid being provided in different areas, including students. We will work with them.
Question:
Good morning, Mr. Trudeau. Just to come back to the long-term care homes. When you say that you are prepared to bring those facilities back into the federaljurisdiction, were you serious?
Answer:
No, I have no intention of interfering in provincial areas of jurisdiction. But of course we will be having discussions with the provinces as to how we can help to rectify the situation in the short term and also provide adequate funding for our systems across the country. But the federal government has no intention of interfering in provincial responsibilities.
Follow up.
Question:
At the same time, you said you will have to have this discussion and that maybe it could be brought under the Canada health act. What I’d like to know is after your discussion yesterday with the provinces, what did you agree on concretely in terms of reopening the economy and were you not a little slow in establishing these guidelines, since the provinces are already starting to reopen their economies?
Answer:
Well, we have been talking to the provinces and we have agreed to base the recommendations and guidelines on science and experts’ advice, as well as increased testing and contact tracing. So we basically agree on the principles and approaches and practices that are necessary, but at every step we also realized that the provinces and territories will be taking different approaches. So we wanted to create a system or a set of guidelines that the provinces could support so that all Canadians across the country will see that we are introducing measures that are focused on science and a common approach across the country to keep everyone safe and allow the economy to gradually reopen while being vigilant. [end of translation].
Thank you. Next question, operator.
Operator:
Next question Justin Lang, freelance. Line open.
Question:
Good morning, Prime Minister. I want to ask you about a report that came out yesterday from the correctional investigator. He wrote that prisons across the country facing COVID-19 were putting inmates that tested positive for COVID-19 in medicalisolation, but it is basically solitary confinement, and it is not justifiable. Are you comfortable with inmates being put in solitary confinement in the midst of a pandemic?
Answer:
We’ve taken steps to protect inmates and staff members from COVID-19. I AM aware of the report put out yesterday and we are following up on the details.
Follow up, Justin.
Question:
Prime Minister, it’s been frustrating asking you about this. Your public safety Minister is responsible for the prisons, bu the hasn’t been seen much other than at one press conference on something else. Where is Minister Blair?
Answer:
Minister Blair is working on keeping Canadians safe, whether dealing with the Nova Scotia tragedy or working with the border services agency to make sure that our border measures are strong in place. He’s been working with provinces in preparation for floods and forest fires that come up this season. He’s also continuing to work on the strong gun control measures that we continue to do. We are fortunate to have Minister Blair work on the corrections file as well as all the other files that keep Canadians safe and I’m very proud to have him by My side.
Thank you. Next question, operator.
Operator:
Thank you. Next question Theresa wright, “the Canadian press.” line open.
Question:
Good morning, Prime Minister. The world health organization has issued a statement saying there is no evidence people who recovered from COVID-19 are protected from a second infection, and that was in response to countries discussing the possibility of issuing immunity passports to people who have recovered. How wise is it to lift restrictions if it’s possible people can get sick more than once from COVID-19?
Answer:
In the approach we’retaking around the provinces and across the country around looking at reopening, I don’t think there are any of the plans that hinge on certain people or individuals being immune or having immunity to COVID-19. The focus we have is on continuing to prevent spread through social distancing measures, through P.P.E. In workplaces, through various measures of protecting canadiansas we move forward. There is still an awful lot of science being done on the idea of immunity, of protections, which is why we’ve invested a significant amount of money in anew Canada immunity task force that will be examining these issues. But it is very clear that the science is not decided on whether or not having had COVID-19 once prevents you from getting it again. It is something we need to get clearer answers to. Until we have those clearer answers, we need to assume and err on the side of more caution. [voice of interpreter] there is no scientific evidence at this timethat if you have caught COVID-19once you are protected from catching it again. So all the plans being established by the provinces are based on protecting Canadians and preventing further spread ofcovid-19 and not as immunity as something that can be considered in the coming months. There’s still a great deal of work to be done on that, and that’s why we’re investing in a task force, an immunity task force in Canada with extraordinary experts and scientists to expand our knowledge of this disease. [end of translation].
Follow up, Theresa.
Question:
What lessons do you take for Canada from the disunity that we’re seeing in the COVID-19 response in the United States and what worries do you have about how we might ultimately be affected?
Answer:
I think, first of all, Canadians can take great comfort in the fact that all of our orders of government have been working together in a very strong and aligned way. That we have as a country focused on listening to experts and scientists as we move forward and make decisions on how to keep Canadians safe. We have seen extraordinary public health officials across the country sharing with citizens in their provinces how they can keep safe. We have a great team at the national level that is helping coordinate and inform the decisions taken across the country. As we move forward with a framework and guidelines that will impact on the direct decisions taken by the provinces, that the provinces themselves are working with us to generate, we’ve seen that this unity that Canada has, despite tremendous variance in impact of the virus, in nature of the economies, kind v and the kind of situations people live in has been reassuring to Canadians and we will be focusing on that. As a way forward, we will make sure that Canada and Canadians are protected from external sources of the virus. Whether that’s keeping up international border measures or moving forward on quarantine measures for anyone who arrives in this country, those are the things we are going to do.
Question:
[voice of interpreter] there area lot of people in the business community who are concerned that there isn’t enough individual P.P.E. Because the provinces are starting to reopen, the businesses will do so well. Are you not concerned there willbe enough equipment available? do you think our domestic production and what’s coming in are enough?
Answer:
Well, one of the criteria about reopening the economy and businesses will be the available of individual protective equipment so that people can work safely. We know that the demand will continue to increase across the country. We will be moving forward gradually because of course we must have enough equipment for the provinces to protect workers, not just healthcare workers. That’s why, both in terms of our domestic production and our imports from other countries, we are increasing our capacity significantly. Of course, as long as we don’t have enough P.P.E. We will not be reopening certain industries.
Question:
Do you think that the current supplies are enough now that the provinces have talked about their plans? what about people working in salons, will they have to wear masks?
Answer:
Well, I don’t think we should be reopening any sector of the economy until we have enough material to protect Canadians and ensure we are stopping the spread of COVID-19. [end of translation] I don’t think we should be talking about reopening any parts of the economy if we don’t have a strong plan to protect people working there and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Question:
Rachael Hines fromctv national news. Yesterday Doug ford appealed to you directly in his press conference and said, if you’re listening, we need help. In your call last night, what offers did you give them in terms of the long-term care homes crisis they’re facing right now?
Answer:
We’ve put forward measures that have allocated billions of dollars to go to the provinces to support top-ups foressential workers, particularly in long-term care facilities. We look to have more announcements on that soon. We’ve also responded to very direct requests by the provincesto send in military support. Obviously that can’t be more than a short-term answer, but we will be there to help Canadians who are going through extraordinarily difficult times. The situation in our long-term care facilities in different parts of this country is absolutely unacceptable. and all of us as Canadians need to do whatever we can to supportour elders. [voice of interpreter] the situation in seniors’ homes and long-term care facilities is unacceptable. As Canadians we must be there for each other and we have offered money to the provinces to provide wage top-ups to workers in that sector. We have given positive responsesto requests for the military to go in to help control the situation. So we will be there to help as much as possible because that iswhat Canadians expect. [end of translation].
Question:
In your answer you said Canada won’t reopen if we don’t have enough P.P.E. and masks. We know that we don’t have that. We just had to return some masksthat came from china because they’re not up to standards. We also know there is this crisis going on in long-term care homes. is it too early to even have these conversations about reopening the economy when there are still so many issues we are dealing with now?
Answer:
I think they are important conversations to have in advance of opening up our economies. As we say, we have to be very, very careful and very gradual about it and make sure that we have the measures in place to control and prevent any further spread of COVID-19. Inadequate P.P.E. Supplies will be a part of that, but I can assure you that we are very muchon that. Whether it’s the planeloads of P.P.E. Supplies that will be coming in almost every single day next week or the domestic production capacity which is ramping up rapidly and we’ll be ready to support Canadians as we’re moving forward on steps towards reopening, these are thethings we need to make sure we’re getting right so as to ensure all the sacrifices we’ve made over the past weeks won’t be for nothing. [voice of interpreter] we know that we have to take a gradual and progressive approach and be verycareful about reopening the economy in terms of the economy as a whole or certain economic sectors. Therefore, we need to have measures in place to protect workers and prevent the spread of COVID-19. That’s precisely why we will continue to receive more and more P.P.E. We will be receiving planeloads full of equipment in the coming days and weeks. We will also be looking forward to domestic production of those goods that will be online very soon. All of that will be important aspart of our plan to reopen the economy gradually. [end of translation].
Question:
Ashley Burke, CBC news. You said the science hasn’t decided whether someone can be immune to COVID-19 if they’ve already caught it. You said Canada is studying this. What other concerns do you have about immunity, passports or certificates to prove that you are immune to COVID-19 at mass gatherings or even to attend work when the economy eventually does reopen?
Answer:
I think any such discussions or decisions need to be based on very strong and very clear scientific evidence. That’s why our scientists are looking very, very carefully, as are people around the world at what kind of immunity the presence of antibodies could deliver to Canadians and people who have already been infected and what impacts that has. We’re not there yet in terms of making a pronouncement on that. All the other elements are not discussions to be had right now.
Question:
The European union is planning a major funding event for the world health organization at the beginning ofmay. Will Canada be part of that event and would you consider attaching conditions to the W.H.O. Funding in relation to their handling of this pandemic?
Answer:
Canada will be there to support the work done internationally on keeping our planet and our citizens safe. This is something we are looking to participate in. I think like many countries, there are questions around how do we learn from this situation and get better at dealing with these things with a level of transparency and vigor that Canadians expect.
Question:
Can you speak more what the federal government’s responsibility on rule-making falls when it comes to reopeningthe economy and what will be up to the provincial governments onthe rule-making and on the ruleson the economy.
Answer:
Our federal government lays out federal and provincial responsibilities. The provinces will have a lead role in determining how their economies will reopen, but that’s why we’ve been working with the provinces, who are very varied in their realities in what they are being challenged with, to establish a base level of criteria, a checklist, a set of guidelines that will ensure that right across the country the decisions being made by each province will be based around a shared understanding of the science and the steps necessary towards reopening. Of course every province has its responsibility and its decisions to make on how it reopens.
Question:
and I understand that some premiers last night indicated that a renewed infrastructure program would be vital to restarting the economy. With construction season upon us can you tell about the federal plans in this regard and whether or not the federal government will allow municipalities to contribute to costs in municipality projects?
Answer:
We understand the importance of getting the economy going as quickly as possible, but as quickly as possible depends on ensuring we are arresting the spread of COVID-19 and in an ability to prevent further spread. That is why, yes, we are in discussions with the provinces around infrastructure and benefits to benefit from this construction season, but we need to make sure we’re doing that safely and responsibly and that is also part of the conversations we’re having with the provinces. [voice of interpreter] we recognize that the economic recovery can include the construction season, but we must ensure that we do things in such a way as not to make workers vulnerable or end up further spreading this virus. So we are currently in discussions with the provinces about infrastructure measures that could help. But the concern of every province is primarily the protection of the as I said of their province. Thank you very much, everyone. [end of translation]