COVID19 March29th Prime Minister Trudeau
https://starvideocasts.com/covid19march29thprimeministertrudeau/ Highlighted Transcript: JUMP IN THE NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. THE PROVINCE HAS REPORTED NEARLY 1,000 NEW CASES JUST YESTERDAY. WE'RE NOW CLOSING IN ON A TOTAL OF 6,000 ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. ONE OF CASES OF THOSE WHO ARE NOW RECOVERED AND THAT NUMBER IS MORE THAN 500, IS THE PRIME MINISTER'S WIFE. SOPHIE GREGOIRE TRUDEAU THANKED THE COUNTRY AND WELL-WISHERS IN AN INSTAGRAM POST YESTERDAY. >> I WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS REACHED OUT TO ME WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS AND THE SYMPTOMS AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT INCLUDES. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I'M -- I HAVE A CLEAR BILL OF HEALTH NOW. BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS SO I'M SUPER HAPPY. SO, IT'S ALL GOOD. I KNOW IT IS ALL GOOD FOR ME NOW, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY CANADIANS AND MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW AND I WANT TO SEND YOU ALL MY LOVE, ALL MY COURAGE. >> Rosemary: SO A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH FOR SOPHIE GREGOIRE-TRUDEAU, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS FAMILY CONTINUE TO PRACTICE PHYSICAL DISTANCING, HE CONTINUES TO WORK FROM HOME AND THAT IS WHY WE'LL SEE HIM COME OUT HIS FRONT DOOR TO BRING US UP TO DATE ON THINGS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING TO CONTAIN THE PANDEMIC, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE. TOMORROW WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE DATE OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET. OF COURSE, THAT DATE QUICKLY THROWN AWAY AND NOW HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN PUMPED INTO THE ECONOMY THROUGH VARIOUS MEASURES TO TRY AND PROP IT UP THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. THE GOVERNMENT REALLY FIGHTING BOTH A WAR ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH FRONT, BUT ALSO TRYING TO SETTLE THE ECONOMY IN THE NEXT NUMBER OF WEEKS. THERE'S BRING IN MY COLLEAGUE, THE CBC'S DAVID COCHRANE NOW WHO JOINS ME ON THIS SUNDAY. SO, WE'RE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM THE PRIME MINISTER. YESTERDAY WE DID GET SOME MORE DATA FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY, DAVID, THAT PERHAPS NOT SURPRISINGLY SHOWS THAT 90% OF NEW CASES NOW ARE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. SO, IF YOU'RE IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS WHY WE ARE HEARING AGAIN AND AGAIN ABOUT THIS PRACTICE OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. >> David: YEAH. I THINK THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION FOR THE NUMBERS TO TILT IN THAT DIRECTION ONCE WE STARTED DENYING ENTRY TO NONCANADIAN CITIZENS AND NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL AT THE CANADA-U.S. BORDER THAT IT WOULD MOVE THAT WAY. IT WILL BE INTERESTING WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS COUNTRY OVER THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THERE WERE THOSE ONE MILLION CANADIANS WHO CAME BACK AS EITHER SNOWBIRDS OR SPRING BREAKERS THAT CAME BACK FROM THE COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES IN PARTICULAR AND WE'RE IN THE TIME FRAME THIS WEEK WHERE IF THEY DO HAVE COVID-19, THE SYMPTOMS WILL START TO MANIFEST AND CAN START TESTING POSITIVE. WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THAT IN QUEBEC SORT OF AT THE FORESHADOWING OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN LIKE ONTARIO, BECAUSE THEIR SPRING BREAK IS EARLIER THAN ONTARIO'S SO THIS IS THE WEEK WE SHOULD BE PREPARING FOR AN INCREASE IN THOSE NUMBERS. WE ALREADY SAW, YOU KNOW, 211 MORE CASES IN ONTARIO TODAY. THAT IS A BIG SINGLE-DAY NUMBER FOR THEM. AND WE CAN EXPECT MORE OF THAT TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK BECAUSE FOR ALL THE TALK OF CLOSING BORDERS INTERNATIONALLY, THE BIGGEST RISK IS CANADIANS BRINGING THE VIRUS WITH THEM FROM VACATION AND NOT FOLLOWING THE SELF-ISOLATION OR MANDATORY QUARANTINE RULES. AND THAT IS WHERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD TREAT THAT AS A TRAVEL-RELATED SPREAD OR COMMUNITY SPREAD, BUT IT'S STILL ANOTHER INFECTION IN THE CASE LOAD IN A COUNTRY THAT RIGHT NOW IS TAKING EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS TO PREPARE FOR THE VIRUS TO REACH ITS PEAK. WE HAVE NOT REACHED THAT POINT IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT THIS, I THINK, WILLABLE -- WILL BE A CRITICAL WEEK IN TERMS OF GETTING THOSE NUMBERS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO BECAUSE OF THE LAG AND MANIFESTING OF SYMPTOMS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME BACK FROM THE UNITED STATES SPECIFICALLY. >> Rosemary: DR. TAM STILL THINKS AT THIS STAGE, ANYWAY, THAT WE CAN HANDLE THE CAPACITY IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. I WOULD POINT OUT TO PEOPLE THAT THE NUMBER OF TESTS CONTINUES TO INCREASE. 187,000 TESTS NOW COMPLETED. I'M SURE WE'LL GET AN UPDATE AT THE NOON PRESS CONFERENCE. AND ONTARIO WHO WAS EXPERIENCING A REAL BACKLOG IN TERMS OF RESULT IS CATCHING UP SLOWLY BUT SURELY. IT IS DOING 4100 TESTS A DAY. SAID YESTERDAY THAT THIS PROVINCE IS AIMING TO DO 5,000 A DAY BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AND GET THIS -- SURGING TO 19,000 A DAY BY MID APRIL. SO, THAT IS SIGNIFICANT AS WELL. >> David: AND NOT TO BE THE VOICE OF DOOM, BUT HOPEFULLY A VOICE OF CONTEXT. WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES JUST UNDER 6,000. THE NUMBER OF INFECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY ARE INVARIABLY HIGHER THAN THAT. THERE HAS BEEN AN APPROACH TO RATIONING TESTS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS LIKE PEOPLE IN SENIOR HOMES OR IN THE HEALTH SECTOR OR TESTING THE TRULY SICK. A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY HAVE MILD SYMPTOMS OR NOT CONSIDERED TO BE AT RISK ARE SIMPLY NOT BEING TESTED. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN NECESSITATED BY THE ABSENCE OF WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF SWABS FOR THE NASAL TESTS THAT WE'VE BEEN USING IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE NOT-QUITE-READY-TO GO INSTANT TESTS OR RAPID TESTS THAT NEED TO RETOOL, SCALE UP AND BE MANUFACTURED AND THEN VALIDATED BY HEALTH CANADA AS EFFECTIVE. THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBER TO LOOK AT RIGHT NOW IS THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN INTENSIVE CARE AND THE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN THE COUNTRY. THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA SENSE BECAUSE THOSE CAN CONCRETELY BE MEASURED. WE SHOULD KNOW, I MEAN THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE REPORTING OF DATA AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. FUNNELING UP FROM LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIS TO PROVINCIAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA TO GIVE A TRULY PRECISE NUMBER. THAT IS IMPROVING BIT BY BIT, DAY BY DAY AS THEY REPORT ITS BREAKDOWN PROCESSES OF EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH. THAT IS THE NUMBER THAT IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. AS WE SAW IN QUEBEC A SIMPLE CHANGE OF PRESUMPTIVE TO CONFIRMED CASES CAN LEAD TO A MASSIVE SPIKE IN THE OVERALL NUMBER. THE TRUE STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO COME FROM THE HOSPITALIZATION, THE INTENSIVE CARE PATIENTS AND OBVIOUSLY THE FATAL IS WHICH RIGHT NOW ARE AT ABOUT 63 IN THIS COUNTRY. THAT IS THE REAL NUMBER TO START WATCHING FOR IT AND ONE THAT WE'RE ALL PUSHING HEALTH AUTHORITIES TO GIVE US A MORE REALTIME AND ACCURATE REPORTING ON AND JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE IN HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW. >> Rosemary: AND JUST TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT AND THEN TURN TO THE UNITED STATES. HOSPITALIZATION AS OF YESTERDAY WAS AT 7%. I.C.U. WAS AT 3%. AND FATALITIES AT 1%. JUST TO PUT SOME NUMBERS TO THAT, DAY. I'LL COME BACK TO YOU SHORTLY AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME MINISTER. FIRST I WANT TO TURN TO THE UNITED STATES. BECAUSE A DIFFERENT SITUATION THERE. CASES OF COVID-19, THEY ARE CONTINUING TO GROW AS THE COUNTRY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE WITH ENACTING SUBSTANTIAL TESTING AND JUST THIS MORNING T DOCTOR LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST THE PANDEMIC MADE A SOBERING STATEMENT. >> LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY BETWEEN 100,000 AND 200,000 CASES BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE HELD TO THAT BECAUSE IT -- EXCUSE ME, DEATHS. I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MILLIONS OF CASES. BY JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE A PROJECTION WHEN IT'S SUCH A MOVING TARGET. >> Rosemary: THAT IS DR. FAUCI SUGGESTING THERE THAT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WILL BE INFECTED AND DEATHS COULD TOTAL 100,000 TO 200,000 PEOPLE. CBC'S KATIE SIMPSON JOIN US NOW FROM WASHINGTON. THOSE WERE STARK NUMBERS IN A COUNTRY, KATIE, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A LAG IN TESTING. AND THAT HAS NOT OBVIOUSLY HELPED CONTAIN THE PANDEMIC. >> Reporter: NO. AND DR. ANTHONY FAUCI IN THAT SAME INTERVIEW WENT ON TO DISCUSS THE ONLY WAY HE WILL BE ABLE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH EASING OF RESTRICTIONS WHEN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO RAPID TESTING T. DELAY IN TESTING IS WHAT IS REALLY BEING BLAMED FOR THE WIDESPREAD INFECTION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND AMERICANS REALLY FEEL AT THIS STAGE DON'T HAVE A GRASP ON THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM HERE. THEY ARE SEEING THOSE HOTSPOTS. IN NEW YORK CITY, IN NEW ORLEANS, IN DETROIT IS DEVELOPING VERY, VERY QUICKLY AS WELL. WHERE THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM, THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, THEY ARE BEING OVERWHELMED AT THIS POINT. AND GOVERNORS IN DIFFERENT STATES ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT SIMILAR SCENES WILL PLAY OUT IN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS AND THEIR OWN STATES AND SO THEY ARE CONTINUING TO CALL FOR STRONG ENFORCEMENT MEASURES AND REALLY BRINGING THOSE MEASURES INTO EFFECT IN THEIR OWN JURISDICTIONS. THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AT THE WHITE HOUSE. DONALD TRUMP PUBLICLY FLOATED HE WAS CONSIDERING ACTUALLY ENFORCING QUARANTINE ORDERS FOR THREE STATES -- FOR NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT AND NEW JERSEY. THAT IS WHERE THE INFECTION RATES ARE REALLY EXPLODING. THERE IS NOT A HANDLE ON WHAT IS GOING ON. HOWEVER, AFTER SOME INTENSE DISCUSSION AT THE WHITE HOUSE, ULTIMATELY THEY OPTED TO GO WITH A TRAVEL WARNING FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, ASKING PEOPLE IN THOSE THREE STATES TO AVOID ANY NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL UNLESS -- FOR 14 DAYS UNLESS IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ESSENTIAL. WE HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT A PUSH FOR THE QUARANTINE CAME FROM THE GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA WHO'S HAD PRESSURE THERE AFTER HE DIDN'T ORDER A CLOSURE OF BEACHES AS WE SAW SCENES OF EVERYONE GOING TO THE BEACHES ALTHOUGH THERE WERE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING WARNINGS IN PLACE. IT WAS ULTIMATELY DISCUSSED AT THE WHITE HOUSE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS AND DECIDED NOT TO GO WITH A QUARANTINE ORDER. GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO WHO HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THIS WHOLE CRISIS, HE IS GLAD THAT IS NOT THE CASE. HE SAYS THAT WOULD BE AN UN-AMERICAN MOVE. DR.S ANTHONY FAUCI SAID A WARNING IS A BETTER WAY TO GO. THAT IS WHERE THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW. >> Rosemary: OK. KATIE SIMPSON IN WASHINGTON. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO DAVID COCHRANE, IF I CAN. WE'RE WATCHING THE FRONT DOOR. THE PRIME MINISTER ABOUT TO EMERGE IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES' TIME TO UPDATE THE SITUATION IN THIS COUNTRY. LET ME REMIND YOU OF MEASURES THAT HE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT WILL BEGIN TO BE ENFORCED TOMORROW. AS OF MONDAY AT NOON, IF YOU TRAVEL ANYWHERE ON A PLANE OR TRAIN INSIDE THIS COUNTRY, AND YOU PRESENT SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOARD. YOU REMEMBER THAT THE QUARANTINE ACT WAS ITSELF OR IS ITSELF NOW BEING ENFORCED. ALSO IF YOU COME IN FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS COUNTRY, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SELF-ISOLATE, TO QUARANTINE YOURSELF FOR 14 DAYS. DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER MIGHT BE TALK ABOUT TODAY? I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO REITERATE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL DISENS THATING, KNOWING THAT THAT COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION RATE SO HIGH. >> AND TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS YESTERDAY. WITH BEING ABLE TO GET ON PLANES AND TRAINS T TWO SORTS OF DOMESTIC TRANSPORTATION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REGULATES. TODAY IT'S GOING TO BE A FOCUS ON SIGNALING HELP AND OFFERING HELP TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. WE'VE HEARD THE PRIME MINISTER SPEAK QUITE A FEW TIMES OVER THE PAST WEEK ABOUT KIDS AND ABOUT SENIORS WHO ARE HAVING THEIR LIVES SIGNIFICANTLY DISRUPTED AND MAY BE AT RISK BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS. I THINK TODAY WILL FOCUS ON GIVING HELP TO CHARITIES THAT WOULD SUPPORT KIDS AND SENIORS WHO MIGHT HAVE A LEVEL OF RISK. THINK ABOUT THE UNITED WAY, WHICH IS HOME DELIVERY OF MEALS, FOR EXAMPLE. KIDS HELP PHONE. WHICH OFFERS A LIFELINE TO CHILDREN WHO MAY BE IN A VERY DIFFICULT AND STRESSFUL SITUATION. SO MEASURES ALONG THOSE LINES TO GET MONEY INTO THE BANK ACCOUNTS OF THE *INS USING -- INSTITUTIONS THAT WOULD SUPPORT THESE PEOPLE DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY THROUGH MEAL PLANS AND SUPPORTING THINGS LIKE KIDS HELP PHONE. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS HELPING PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN A REAL CONCERN IN DEALING WITH THIS OR AS MONEY PUT INTO SHELTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, EARLY BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND KIDS BEING ABUSED AND FORCED TO STAY AT HOME. IN SOME CASES AT HOMES THAT ARE UNSAFE. THERE WAS MONEY PUT INTO THINGS LIKE THAT EARLY IN THIS. NOW IS JUST COPING WITH STRESS AND HAVING FOOD DELIVERED IF YOU ARE A SENIOR, JUST MAYBE HAS MOBILITY ISSUES OR TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND CAN'T GET OUT TO GET GROCERIES AND GOAT YOUR OWN FOOD TO HELP WITH FOOD DELIVERY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, TO TAKE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE OFF AND TRY TO PATCH YET ANOTHER HOLE IN THE SAFETY NET. >> YEAH. CERTAINLY MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM THE HEALTH MINISTER, PATTY HAJDU SAYING THAT I WERE GOING TO LAUNCH A VIRTUAL MENTAL HEALTH TOOL. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HAPPENED. THE KIDS HELP PHONE. THERE'S BEEN A 350% INCREASE IN PEOPLE REACHING OUT. AND IT IS NOT SURPRISING DURING THESE KINDS OF PANDEMICS WE SAW DURING SARS. PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY THIS TAKES A A TOLL ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THIS TIME IN PARTICULAR AS WE HEAD INTO SORT OF THE SECOND OR THIRD WEEK OF PEOPLE PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING, IT IS DIFFICULT AND THAT IS WHY YOU HEAR THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT SOCIALLY ISOLATING YOURSELF. I SAW THE PREMIER OF NOVA SCOTIA THE OTHER DAY WAS PROVIDING 800 iPADS TO SENIORS HOMES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY, TOO, FEELING DEEPLY ISOLATED AND THAT IS A SMART IDEA BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH LOVED ONES. >> David: STEPHEN MCNEIL SAID HE SAW IMAGES OF PEOPLE COMING TO SEE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA OR MOM AND DAD THROUGH THE WINDOWS AND THE IMPRACTICAL NATURE OF THAT GIVEN THE WEATHER, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO END THE SOCIAL ISOLATION THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH. THIS IS A HUMANE AND KIND POLICY. AND JUST SHOWS THE INGENUITY THAT IS HAPPENING HERE. YOU KNOW, PREMIERS ARE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS, ORDINARY CANADIANS AND CELEBRITIES ARE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS. A VOICE OF DOOM EARLIER AND HOPE NOW. MY BUDDY ALAN DOYLE HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT. HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING CONCERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND INSTEAD HE IS DOING YouTube CONCERTS AND RAISING MONEY FOR KIDS HELP PHONE AND HE'S RAISED $100,000 FOR THEM. YOU KNOW? IN JUST A MATTER OF BAOEX. -- WEEKS. YOU ARE SEEING THE SCAMS AND YOU SEE THE PEOPLE TRYING TO RIP PEOPLE OFF AND THE WORST OF BEHAVIOUR AND PEOPLE IGNORING THE HEALTH ADVICE. YOU ARE SEEING A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE BEST OF BEHAVIOUR AND REAL HUMANE, KIND EFFORTS FROM FIRST MINISTERS DOWN TO LEAD SUNGERS. >> Rosemary: THAT'S RIGHT. AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRIME MINISTER, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TWO-MINUTE WARNING, I WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE NEW ADVICE OR SOME CLEARER ADVICE FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA. A LOT OF YOU HAVE E-MAILED AND TWEETED ME ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE ALLOWED TO TAKE A WALK. HERE IS THE LATEST ADVICE ON TAKING A WALK. AND THAT IS MAYBE NEW AND WE WILL ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE NOON PRESS CONFERENCE WHEN PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS COME OUT. BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE WAYS YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE. AND WE CERTAINLY WANT PEOPLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT ALSO HELPS WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH. THIS IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA WITH AN UPDATE. >> Prime Minister Trudeau: . >> Interpreter: IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR MANY PEOPLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP YOU AS A GOVERNMENT. JUST THIS WEEK, WE ANNOUNCED NEW MEASURES TO HELP FAMILIES, WORKERS AND BUSINESSES. BUT EVEN WITH THAT HELP, I KNOW THAT THINGS REMAIN DIFFICULT. AND FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE ARE TROUBLE, IT'S EVEN HARDER. STAYING HOME, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. >> Prime Minister Trudeau: FOR SOME, PHYSICAL DISENS THATING MEANS JUGGLING, TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS WHILE TRYING TO GET SOME WORK DONE AT THE KITCHEN TABLE. FRANKLY, THAT IS NOT EVERYONE'S REALITY. FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE HOME ISN'T A SAFE PLACE TO BE. FOR OTHERS IT'S SOMEWHERE THEY'RE ISOLATED AND ALONE. FOR TOO MANY MORE, THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO AT ALL. TOUGH TIMES FALL FIRST AND HARDEST ON THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT. WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE IS LEFT WITHOUT HELP. LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO KIDS. I KNOW THESE PAST WEEKS HAVE BEEN TOUGH. HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR FRIENDS, HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL. YOU'VE BEEN HUNKERED DOWN WITH YOUR PARENTS AND YOU'RE WATCHING THE WORLD YOU KNOW CHANGE RADICALLY. THE SOURCE OF ANXIETY IS A SOURCE OF TENSION AND MAYBE THERE'S EXTRA TENSION IN YOUR FAMILY. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP. REACH OUT TO KIDS HELP PHONE. YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT THEM AT 686868 OR CALL 800-668-6868 OR GO ONLINE TO KIDSHELPPHONE.CA. THEY ARE THERE TO LISTEN. THEY'RE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU. THEY'RE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. AND HELP YOU AND ALL OF US THROUGH THIS. NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK IN FRENCH AND IN ENGLISH. INDEED, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE HELP YOU NEED, WE'RE INVESTING $7.5 MILLION FOR MORE COUNSELORS AND TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WITH KIDS HELP PHONE. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR CORNER MAKING SURE YOU'RE OK. AND KIDS, I WANT TO SPEAK WITH YOUR GRANDPARENTS NOW. OUR SENIORS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO COVID-19. WE ALL KNOW THAT AND IT'S FOR THEM THAT SO MANY OF US ARE STAYING HOME, SELF-ISOLATING, ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES. BUT EVEN IF THEY'RE SAFE AND ISOLATED, THIS IS NOT EASY ON THEM. MAYBE THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OUT TO GO TO GROCERY, TO GET GROCERIES. MAYBE THEY'RE FEELING PARTICULARLY ALONE. MAYBE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN ISOLATED AND THIS IS JUST AN EXTRA DEGREE OF STRESS ON THEM. WELL, WE HAVE HELP FOR THEM AS WELL. MINISTER OF SENIORS, DEB SHULTY, IS ANNOUNCING MONEY TO THE UNITED WAY FOR EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH CHECK-INs TO GROCERY DELIVERY. IN FACT, THE UNITED WAY IS ALREADY STEPPING UP. HERE IN OTTAWA, THEY'RE HELPING PEOPLE LIKE YOU WITH THINGS LIKE MEAL DELIVERY. . >> Interpreter: TODAY WE ARE ANNOUNCING NEW FUNDS FOR THOSE THAT NEED THE MOST. I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOUNG PEOPLE. I KNOW THESE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE NOT BEEN EASY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR FRIENDS, YOU CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL, YOU CAN'T DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DID BEFORE. AND YOU SEE THE WORLD IS CHANGING. THAT IS A SOURCE OF STRESS AND AND FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR FAMILY. THINGS MAY NOT BE EASY AT HOME EITHER. BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS GET HELP AND YOU'RE NOT ALONE. KIDS HELP PHONE IS A PROGRAMME THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME TO HELP CHILDREN. YOU CAN CALL, YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU CAN TEXT A MESSAGE AS WELL AND THEY WILL BE THERE TO HELP YOU. YOU CAN SEND A TEXT MESSAGE TO 686868 OR YOU CAN CALL THE HELP LINE AT 800-668-6868. WHEREVER YOU ARE, IN FRENCH OR IN ENGLISH, 24/7, THERE WILL BE SOMEONE THERE TO HELP YOU. AND TO HELP YOUR FAMILY. AND TO DO EVEN MORE TO HELP THESE KIDS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE, WE ARE RELEASING $7.5 MILLION TO HIRE MORE COUNSELORS AND VOLUNTEERS. AND FOR THE GRANDPARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT YOU AS WELL. WE KNOW THAT COVID-19 IS HITTING SENIORS HARDER AND IS MORE OF A RISK FOR OUR SENIORS. SO YOU ARE PROBABLY EVEN MORE ISOLATED THAN YOU MAY BE NORMALLY. MAYBE YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING YOUR SHOPPING DONE OR MEETING YOUR OWN PERSONAL NEEDS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING HELP TO YOU. TO HELP SENIORS WHO ARE VULNERABLE, WE'REOFFERING $9 MILLION TO UNITED WAY THROUGH THE NEW HORIZONS PROGRAMME FOR SENIORS THAT. WILL ALLOW THIS ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE A WHOLE RANGE OF SERVICES TO SENIORS, WHETHER IT IS A HEALTH CHECK-IN OR DELIVERY SERVICES OR MEAL DELIVERIES. IN A COUNTRY LIKE CANADA, NO ONE SHOULD BE ABANDONED. AND TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR FLEEING FAMILY VIOLENCE, WE ARE ALLOCATING $00 MILLION TO SHELTERS. >> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE PROMISE TO HELP EVERYONE GET THROUGH THIS TOUGH TIME. WE'LL WORK WITH THE ORGANISATIONS YOU RELY ON AND WHO WILL HAVE YOUR BACK. EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE COMMITTED $200 MILLION FOR SHELTERS. IF YOU NEED TO GET AWAY FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF YOUR GENDER, IF YOU NEED SOMEWHERE TO STAY, THERE ARE PLACES YOU CAN GO AND BE SAFE. THIS NEW FUNDING IS ALREADY HAVING A HUGE IMPACT ON SUPPORT FOR YOU. JUST TAKE THE SHELTER IN TORONTO THAT CAN NOW RENT ADDITIONAL SPACE TO ISOLATE RESIDENTS WITH COVID-19 AND KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. WE'LL KEEP WORKING WITH CHARITIES AND NONPROFITS ON THIS. ON THAT NOTE, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO WORK AND VOLUNTEER IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH THESE GROUPS. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN HARD LATELY. NOT JUST BECAUSE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE NEED YOUR HELP, BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP DOING THIS WORK FOR MARGINALIZED AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS ON A SCALE THAT CANADA HAS NEVER BEFORE SEEN. SOON, I'LL HAVE A PLAN TO HELP KEEP HELPING CANADIANS WHO NEED IT MOST. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS. WHOMEVER YOU ARE, WHATEVER YOU NEED, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. IF YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA TO SPARE RIGHT NOW, I'M ASKING YOU TO JOIN IN AND BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. PLEASE, DONATE TO YOUR FAVOURITE ORGANISATIONS AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN VOLUNTEER IF YOUR COMMUNITY. EVEN WORKING FROM HOME, YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE IMPACT AN ORGANIZATION CAN HAVE. AS AN INDIVIDUAL, A FAMILY, A COMPANY, THINK OF HOW YOU CAN LEND A HAND TO HELP OTHERS THROUGH THIS TOUGH TIME. . >> Interpreter: WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY TO ENSURE OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY. AS WE OFTEN SAY, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO KEEP A DISTANCE OF TWO METRES FROM OTHERS. STAY HOME AND AVOID DIFFERENT PLACES IN ORDER TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I KNOW IT IS HARDER TO STAY HOME DURING THE WEEKEND. SOMETIMES YOU CAN FEEL VERY ALONE. BUT DON'T FORGET THAT WE'RE ALL COMING THROUGH THIS DIFFERENT TIME TOGETHER AND YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AROUND YOU TO SEE THOSE SIGNS OF SOLIDARITY. RIGHT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. PEOPLE ARE SHOWING THAT THE BEST DAYS ARE STILL AHEAD. AND IF YOU ARE IN MONTREAL TONIGHT, LOOK AT THE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE. IT WILL BE LIT UP WITH COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW. >> Prime Minister Trudeau: I KNOW THESE ARE HARD TIMES, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THEM TOGETHER. >> THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW GO TO THE PHONE LINE FOR FIRST QUESTIONS. PLEASE KEEP IT TO ONE QUESTION AND ONE FOLLOW-UP. OPERATOR? >> THANK YOU. MERCI. >> Reporter: . >> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME MINISTER. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY DEMAND OR ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH RESPECT TO HAVING THE ARMY INTERVENE? PARTICULARLY IN QUEBEC WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE OF SHUTTING DOWN ACCESS TO THE CITY OF MONTREAL IN THE COMING DAYS? WELL, WE KNOW THAT THE SITUATION IS EVOLVING EVERY DAY AND WE'RE READY TO CONSIDER ALL EVENTUALITIES. WE KNOW THAT CANADIANS ARE AWARE THAT THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO HELP CANADA WHEN CANADA NEEDS HELP. THEY ARE THERE TO SERVE. BUT FOR NOW, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY SPECIFIC REQUESTS OF THAT AND THERE IS NO PLAN AT THIS TIME TO CARRY OUT OPERATIONS IN CANADA WITH THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES. >> Reporter: . >> Interpreter: YOU SAID ON FRIDAY THAT YOU INTEND TO REMAIN AT HOME, EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE FAMILY IS IN GOOD HEALTH. IS THAT TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS? CAN YOU REALLY BE A IN LEADING CANADA DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS BY WORKING FROM HOME? OBVIOUSLY WE'RE VERY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT SOPHIE HAS NOW RECEIVED THE ALL-CLEAR. SHE NO LONGER HAS SYMPTOMS. AND SHE WENT TO HARRINGTON LAKE WITH THE CHILDREN. BUT I CONTINUE TO WORK FROM HERE, AS WE'RE ASKING MANY CANADIANS TO DO. BUT THE FACT IS, THAT I WAS IN THE SAME HOUSE AS SOMEONE WITH COVID-19. AND THEREFORE, THE COUNTDOWN WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE I COULD THEORETICALLY HAVE CAUGHT THE VIRUS EVEN JUST A FEW DAYS AGO SO I WILL REMAIN IN ISOLATION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HEALTH CAN THE IS RECOMMENDING AND WE'RE SAYING TO PEOPLE TO STAY HOME WHEN YOU CAN. AS YOU CAN SEE, I CONTINUE TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM HOME. WE ARE ABLE TO CO-ORDINATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE COORDINATED AND DO THE NECESSARY WORK. >> Prime Minister Trudeau: FIRST OF ALL, I'M VERY HAPPY, AS MANY PEOPLE WERE, TO SEE THAT SOPHIE HAS BEEN GIVEN THE ALL-CLEAR. IT HAS BEEN A FEW DAYS SINCE SHE HAS BEEN SYMPTOM-FREE AND OBVIOUSLILY I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SENT MESSAGES OF SUPPORT. SHE'S TAKEN THE KIDS TO HARRINGTONMENT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAY HERE TO DO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. UP TO A FEW DAYS BEFORE SHE WAS CLEAR, I WAS STILL SHARING THE ROOF, BUT SHARE AGO ROOF WITH SOMEONE WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. SO I HAVE TO CONTINUE IN ICE SOLATION IN ORDER TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE PROTOCOLS AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY HEALTH CANADA, AND THE WORK CONTINUES AS A GOVERNMENT. THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DISCOVERING THAT YOU CAN DO A LOT OF WORK VIA TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONFERENCES AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO AS SO MANY CANADIANS ARE DOING AS WELL. >> THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION. >> Reporter: MERCI. THANK YOU. HI. I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT HELP YOU WILL BE PROVIDING TO CHAIR IS. I KNOW SEVERAL HUNDRED OF THEM MADE A PLEA LAST WEEK FOR HELP TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE, I THINK YOU HINTED THAT THERE IS SOMETHING COMING. CAN YOU GIVE MORE REASSURANCES OF THE CHARITIS THAT ARE SO RELIED UPON RIGHT NOW WILL GET SOME HELP? >> TODAY WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR KHAER TABL AND NONPROFIT ORGANISATIONS SPECIFICALLY THAT HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT WORK AND HELPING OUT YOUTH AND OUR SENIORS. THE NONPROFIT SECTOR IS DOING INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK DURING INCREDIBLE TIMES AND THEY'RE SEEING THEIR DONATIONS DRY UP AND THEY'RE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR CAPACITY TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM AND WE'LL HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO MAKE IN THE COMING DAYS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THIS INCREDIBLE WORK SO IMPORTANT FOR CANADIANS. >> Reporter: ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL THAT YOU'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON AIRLINE STAFF, CHECK-IN STAFF, PEOPLE AT THE TRAIN STATIONS TO SCREEN PEOPLE FOR COVID-19? >> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE ALREADY KNOW THAT AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT TRAVELING, HAVE LISTENED TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO STAY HOME, TO AVOID NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE TOLD PEOPLE THAT IF YOU HAVE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS, YOU NEED TO STAY HOME. YOU SHOULD NOT TRAVEL. YOU MUST NOT GO OUT. THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE INSTRUCTIONS WE GIVE BUT WE ALSO ASKED AIRLINE AND TRAIN STAFF TO ENSURE THAT NOBODY WITH SYMPTOMS BOARDS THEIR PLANES OR TRAINS. >> THANK YOU, NEXT QUESTION. >> Reporter: . >> Interpreter: GOOD MORNING, MR. TRUDEAU. JUST ALONG THE SAME LINES, YOU SAY THAT YOU DON'T NEED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES FOR THE IMTOO BEING. BUT DO YOU NOT THINK THAT VERY SOON THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AND NECESSARY ASSISTANCE, PARTICULAR WILL I WHEN WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN QUEBEC, IN MONTREAL, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF THE PROVINCE? AND SO THAT PEOPLE STOP TRAVELING? WELL, THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP. WE ARE READY AND LOOKING AT VARIOUS SCENARIOS THROUGH WHICH WE COULD PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL HELP. BUT WE'RE NOT AT THAT STAGE YET. WE WILL CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROVINCES. AND WITH THE VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY. TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN DO WHAT IS NECESSARY. WE ARE NOT SHUTTING THE DOOR ON ANY POSSIBLE SCENARIO. BUT WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS AS THE SITUATION ARISE. AND MY NEXT VERY BRIEF QUESTION IS SHOULD WE START COUNTING YOUR 14-DAY PERIOD FROM TODAY? WELL, I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY OF COUNTING IT. MAYBE A FEW DAYS LEFT BECAUSE SOPHIE STOPPED HAVING SYMPTOMS A FEW DAYS AGO. BUT WE WILL KEEP YOU AWARE OF HOW LONG WE'LL CONTINUE TO HOLD THESE PRESS CONFERENCES. >> THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION. YOUR LINE IS OPEN. >> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, PRIME MINISTER. YOU ANNOUNCED A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDS AND MEASURES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. BUT, YOU KNOW A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSS ARE HAVING TROUBLE NAVIGATING THROUGH WHAT YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED IN TERMS OF TAX DEFERRALS, WAGE SUBSIDIES, CREDIT AVAILABILITY, THAT SORT OF THING. ARE YOU CONSIDERING MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE FUNDING THAT THEY CAN ACCESS AND GETTING THE FUNDING TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE? >> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE ARE DOING AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE BY ANY GOVERNMENT IN THIS COUNTRY. NEVER BEEN A REASON TO. AND AS WE'RE DEVELOPMENTING NEW POLICY SOLUTIONS, NEW WAYS OF HELPING OUT PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS TIME AND COME OUT THE OTHER END OF IT STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE, WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY FIGURE OUT BOTH WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE AND TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THEM. WE ARE PUTTING OUT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND I RECOMMEND PEOPLE GO TO CANADA.CA TO BE ABLE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT. I KNOW THEIR ORGANISATIONS, WHETHER IT IS THE CFIB OR BANKS THEMSELVES THAT ARE GIVING ADVICE AROUND THESE NEW MEASURES WERE COMING IN. BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE AS BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO ACCESS THE HELP THAT'S THERE FOR THEM. I RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE AND WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING ON IT. >> Reporter: AND PRIME MINISTER -- >> Prime Minister Trudeau: . >> Interpreter: I RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE DOING A GREAT MANY THINGS THAT ARE NEW, WE'RE INTRODUCING NEW PROGRAMMES AND THAT THIS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND OUT THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND NAVIGATE THESE NEW PROGRAMMES. THAT IS WHY WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY AND PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO CANADIANS AND BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THE HELP THAT THEY DESERVE. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'RE MEETING WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS AND BANKS AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS AVAILABLE CAN BE ACCESSED BY THOSE WHO NEED IT. >> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS THAT PRISONS ARE A PARTICULAR CONCERN. PRISONERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE >> Natasha:S IN PLACE TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE OUTBREAK IF IT REACHES PRISONS IN CANADA. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PRISONER WHOS ARE CONCERNED RIGHT NOW THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH ONE BAR OF SOAP ER WEEK AND NO OTHER COUNTERMEASURES? >> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT OUR CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS COULD BE PLACES WHERE THERE IS -- ARE PLACES WHERE THERE COULD BE GREATER VULNERABILITY TO COVID-19. THAT IS WHY WE'VE BEEN WORKING HAVE CLOSELY WITH CORRECTIONS CANADA AND I KNOW MINISTER BILL BLAIR, PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTER, WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ON THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DIGGING INTO VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE IN THIS COUNTRY. . >> Interpreter: I REALISED THAT OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE MORE VULNERABLE THAN OTHER FACILITIS TO THE OUTBREAK OF COVID-19. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CORRECTIONS CANADA AND MINISTER BLAIR TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. >> THANK YOU. NOW TO QUESTIONS IN THE ROOM. >> Reporter: PRIME MINISTER, THIS MORNING YOU MADE A SMALL ANNOUNCEMENT WITH REGARDS TO SENIORS AND GIVING MONEY TO CHARITY GROUPS THERE. WHAT ABOUT THOSE ON FIXED INCOMES, SENIORS WHO HAVE WATCHED THEIR ENVESTMENTS AND THEIR RETIREMENT SAVINGS DWINDLE AWAY ON THE MARKETS? ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANY INCREASES TO C.P.P. OR OTHER PROVISIONS FOR THEM LIKE YOU'VE OFFERED TO WORKERS IN SMALL BUSINESSES? >> Prime Minister Trudeau: OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DECIDE TO REPLACE SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT HAVE BEEN LOST BECAUSE OF COVID-19 FOR SO MANY CANADIANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO WERE RELYING ON THEIR PAYCHEQUES TO GET THROUGH FROM WEEK-TO-WEEK UNTIL THIS ACTUALLY HIT. BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT SENIORS ARE FACING GREATER VULNERABILITY AND WE'RE LOOKING CAREFULLY AT MEASURES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THIS TOUGH TIME AS WELL. >> Reporter: AND THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT HAS SENT BACK 600,000 MASKS TO CHINA THAT THEY DEEMED WERE DEFECTIVE. I'M WONDERING WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE THE MASKS THAT CHINA SAID THEY WILL SEND TO US AND WHAT ASSURANCES DO WE HAVE THAT THEY WILL BE EFFECTIVE AND HAVE WE SEEN A THAW IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA IN THE COURSE OF THIS CRISIS? >> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE WILL BE RECEIVING EQUIPMENT, MASKS AND GOWNS AND GLOVES FROM CHINA EXTREMELY SHORTLY, IN THE COMING DAYS. AND AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN ASSURE PEOPLE THAT HEALTH CANADA HAS VERY STRONG PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATING, FOR ENSURING THAT WHAT WE GET IS UP TO THE NECESSARY STANDARDS AND THERE WILL BE NO CORNERS CUT ON THIS ONE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT THAT OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE RELYING TO KEEP THEM SAFE AS THEY KEEP US SAFE IS OF A QUALITY THAT IS GOING TO ACTUALLY DO THE JOB AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD AND TRY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME. IT IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AND COUNTRIES NEED TO SET ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES AND WORK TOGETHER TO GET US THROUGH THIS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE AND THAT IS CERTAINLY THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING. >> PRIME MINISTER, IN THE CASE OF THE QUANTITIER TEEN ACT AND ALSO IN THE CASE OF THE MEASURES ANNOUNCED FOR TRAVELERS YESTERDAY THERE'S BEEN NO CLEAR INFORMATION ABOUT ENFORCEMENT FOR THOSE WHO MAKE THE RULES AND YESTERDAY IN ONTARIO WE SAW A SNITCH LINE FOR PRICE GOUGERS. I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL AND ALSO WONDERING ARE YOU ENCOURAGING OTHER CANADIANS TO REPORT OTHER CANADIANS WHO AREN'T FOLLOWING THE RULES TO LOCAL AUTHORITIS? >> Prime Minister Trudeau: FIRST OF ALL , IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL FOLLOW THE RULES. WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND WILL BE DOING OVER THE COMING DAYS WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHETHER OR NOT CANADA IS ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS CRISIS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY. IT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS. WHAT WE'RE CHOOSING TO DO RIGHT NOW, THESE WEEKS, WILL AFFECT DEEPLY WHETHER AND HOW WE GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS. I IMPRESS UPON EVERYONE TO SELF-ISOLATE AND FOLLOW THE RULES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES OR OUR NEIGHBOURS OR COMMUNITIES AT RISK. HEALTH CANADA DOES FOLLOW UP WITH PEOPLE IN TERMS OF RESPECTING QUARANTINE. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO. AND I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE CANADIANS TO DON'T SPREAD THE MESSAGE, SHARE WITH EACH OTHER HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO CONTINUE TO STAY HOME. >> I'D LIKE THE ASK YOU TO RESPOND TO REPORTS THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT HOW TRUCK DRIVERS DEEMED ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE BEING TREATED WHEN THEY CROSS THE BORDER, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO WASHROOMS OR RESTAURANTS AND SOME BEING MADE TO STAY IN THEIR TRUCKS. >> Prime Minister Trudeau: WE ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE NEED TO CONTINUE ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND THAT INCLUDES OBVIOUSLY SUPPLY CHAINS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR KEEPING PEOPLE FED, KEEPING PEOPLE WITH THE MEDICATIONS THEY NEED THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FOLKS AT THE BORDER TO ENSURE THAT THIS SMOOTH FLOW AND RESPECTFUL SUPPORT FOR THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS HAPPENS. AT THE SAME TIME AS WE'RE ENSURING SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS. IT IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGING BALANCE TO ESTABLISH, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET THESE ESSENTIALED GOOS WHILE PEOPLE ARE TAKING RISKS BY CONTINUING THEIR ESSENTIAL WORK. >> Reporter: . >> Interpreter: I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID TWO DAYS AGO WITH RESPECT TO SCENARIOS INVOLVING THE C.A.F. PARTICULARLY IN MONTREAL. CAN YOU GIVE US MORE DETAILS ON THAT? FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING BASED ON VARIOUS SCENARIOS PLACES WHERE COVID-19 WILL HIT MUCH HARDER OR VARIOUS REGIONS THAT MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING PARTICULAR DIFFICULTIES. OUR CANADIAN ARMED FORCES WILL BAWLS THERE TO HELP CANADIANS AND I KNOW WE HAVE TO HELP WHEN FLOODING HAS OCCUR IN THE PAST. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE REGIONAL AND PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES AND THE CITY OF MONTREAL AND CITIES RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RESFONLD EMERGENCY SITUATIONS THAT COULD ARISE. BUT WE WILL NOT THEORIZE BEFORE WE GET TO A TIME WHERE WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MORE EXTENSIVE MEASURES. WE ARE TAKING THINGS ONE DAY AT A TIME BE PREPARED FOR ANY EVENTUALITY. COULD YOU TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC SCENARIOS? CAN WE SAY WHETHER THIS WOULD APPLY ONLY TO QUEBEC OR WHETHER THERE ARE OTHER PROVINCES WHO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AS WELL? IN TERMS OF BRINGING IN THE ARMY? WELL, WE'LL ALWAYS RESPOND TO ANY REQUEST FROM THE PROVINCE IF THEY WANT HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT I CAN'T SAY WHICH ONE WOULD OR WOULD NOT. BUT WE WILL BE THERE TO MEET ANY NEEDS EXPRESSED BY CANADIANS OR THE PROVINCES TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE DURING THIS DIFFICULT AND EXCEPTIONAL PERIOD. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION. >> Reporter: ASHLEY BURKE, CBC NEWS. PRIME MINISTER, THERE ARE TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARE PREPARING ARENAS AND COMMUNITY CENTRES TO PREPARE THEM INTO MAKESHIFT HOSPITALS, IF NEEDED. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE ARC OF THIS CRISIS AND WHAT DOES IT TELL CANADIANS ABOUT THEIR HOSPITAL'S CAPACITY IN >> Prime Minister Trudeau: IT IS A MESSAGE THAT WE'RE PREPARING FOR ANY EVERY POSSIBILITY. WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE ACTIVITY THAT PEOPLE HAVE ENGAGED IN WILL KEEP NUMBERS TO A MANAGEABLE LEVEL FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED HOSPITALIZATION AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO STAY HOME AND TO NOT RISK SPREADING THIS VIRUS FURTHER. THAT IS HOW WE CONTROL THE SPREAD. OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO FUNCTION AS CLOSE TO CAPACITY IN NORMAL SITUATIONS. DAY IN AND DAY OUT, WE NEED OUR HOSPITALS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE NORMAL SURGES, WHETHER IT'S FLU SEASON OR AFTER AN ACCIDENT OR AN ILLNESS, WE HAVE A HEALTH SYSTEM THAT WORKS PRETTY WELL TO HANDLE THE NEEDS IN REGULAR TIME. THESE ARE NOT REGULAR TIMES AND, THEREFORE, IT IS APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY THAT WE LOOK AT HOW TO EXPAND OUR HEALTH SYSTEM TO HANDLE UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS. IN AN UNPRESS DENED CRISIS. AND I WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES THAT WE ALL HOPE WE WON'T NEED BUT, INDEED, WE WILL NOT NEED IF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THE DIRECTIVES AND STAY HOME AND SELF-ISOLATE. BUT IT IS SIMPLY RESPONSIBLE FOR US TO BE THINKING ABOUT WORST-CASE SCENARIOS AND PREPARING FOR THEM JUST IN CASE WE DO NEED THEM. >> Reporter: THERE'S BEEN A HUGE WAVE OF SNOW BIRDS AND SPRING BREAKERS RETURNING TO CANADA AND THE POTENTIAL THAT WE'LL SEE A SURGE BECAUSE OF THAT. HOW PREPARED IS CANADA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO DEAL WITH THAT SURGE? >> Prime Minister Trudeau:s THIS IS WHY WE ARE IMPRESSING UPON EVERYONE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT IF YOU RETURNED FROM TRAVEL THAT YOU ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE ISOLATES AND THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW QUESTIONS RECENTLY ABOUT, WELL, DOES THAT MEAN I CAN GO FOR A WALK IF I KEEP SEPARATES FROM PEOPLE BY TWO METRES. IT'S VERY SIMPLE. ACCORDING PUBLIC HEALTH CANADA, YOU CAN GO FOR A WALK UNLESS YOU HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. UNLESS YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19. OR UNLESS YOU HAVE RETURNED FROM OVERSEAS OR OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY WITHIN 14 DAYS. AND WHEN YOU DO GO OUTSIDE, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE THREE CATEGORIES, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE. DON'T GATHER IN GROUPS IN PARKS. KEEP THOSE DISTANCE. IF YOU ARE IN QUARANTINE OR SELF-ISOLATION, AND YOU NEED SOME FRESH AIR, OPEN A WINDOW OR STEP OUTSIDE ON TO YOUR STOOP IF THAT IS A PRIVATE PLACE. BUT REALLY, WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE ABIDING BY THE RULES THAT PUBLIC HEALTH HAS PUT OUT, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. >> Reporter: CAN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM DEAL WITH THE SURGE? >> Prime Minister Trudeau:s WE ARE ENSURING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE SURGE. PEOPLE ARE PUTTING SITUATIONS -- PUTTING EMERGENCY BRAESHS IN PLACE, BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT THERE WON'T A SURGE BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN OTHER AREAS OVERWHELMED, EVEN IF THEY HAVE STRONG HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE ABIDE BY THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. MERCI. >> Rosemary: ALL RIGHT. THAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA GIVING US YET ANOTHER UPDATE ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY. IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR THE ADVICE ABOUT WALKING. THAT ADVICE SEEMS TO HAVE SHIFT AD LIB AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT FROM THE NOON PRESS CONFERENCE. AS WELL, AFTER HIS WIFE SOPHIE GREGOIRE-TRUDEAU HAS NOW GOT THE ALL-CLEAR ON HER HEALTH, SHE AND THE THREE CHILDREN HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO GO TO HARRINGTON LAKE, WHICH IS THE PRIVATE RESIDENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER IN GATINEAU, NOT FAR FROM THE NATION'S CAPITAL. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN LIVING WITH SOMEONE WHO, UP UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO WAS PRESENTING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, HE WILL CONTINUE TO SELF-ISOLATE AT HOME AND WORK FROM HOME. ALL RIGHT. BUT THERE WAS OTHER NEWS THERE AS WELL. LET ME BRING IN THE CBC'S DAVID COCHRANE HERE IN OTTAWA ON THAT PART, DAVID? >> David: YEAH, ROSEY. TWO SPECIFIC ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY FROM THE PRIME MINISTER WITH THE PROMISE OF MORE TO COME. SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CHARITY SECTOR. RIGHT OFF TOP, $7.5 MILLION TO THE KIDS HELP PHONE TO HIRE MORE COUNSELORS AND TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH THE STRESS AND DIFFICULTY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD. PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WHO CAN OFFER THEM ADVICE AND SUPPORT AND COUNSELING, ESPECIALLY ACUTE FOR KIDS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO CAN BE IN A HOUSE WHERE THINGS AREN'T NECESSARILY GOING SO WELL AT THE BEST OF TIMES AND THOSE CHALLENGES ARE EXACERBATED AT THE WORST OF TIMES. SO, DIRECT PROGRAMME HELP THERE FOR CHILDREN AND $9 MILLION TO THE UNITED WAY TO HELP SENIORS. IN PARTICULAR TO EXPAND PROGRAMMES THAT DO HEALTH CHECK-INs ON SENIORS WHO MAY LIVE ALONE AND MA I BE ISOLATED AND TO FACILITATE MEAL DELIVERIES FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T NECESSARILY LEAVE TO BUY THEIR OWN GROCERIES OR MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PREPARE THEIR OWN FOOD BASED ON WHAT THEIR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE. I MEAN, ROSEY, THERE IS ALSO TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO EXPAND HELP FOR SHELTERS, TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE IN ABUSIVE ISING SOMEWHATS, TO CREATE ISOLATION SHELTERS FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE A HOME TO GO TO OR PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES MAY NOT BE SAFE AND NEED SOMEWHERE TO GO DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. WHILE WE'VE BEEN TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH NUMBERS AND STRAIN ON THE HEALTH SYSTEM, THE ECONOMIC SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE AS THE ECONOMY ESSENTIALLY GOES INTO TOTAL LOCKDOWN, JUST HOW MUCH THE CRACKS WIDEN IN A SOCIETY UNDER STRESS LIKE THIS. AND THE DAY BY DAY EFFORTS TO TRY TO PATCH THESE THINGS UP. IT IS REMARKABLE TO LOOK AT HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS FUNCTIONING. NOT TO SAY IT'S REMARKABLE LIKE THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE THERE WILL BE PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY. NORMALLY THE PROGRAMMES OF THE SIZE AND SCALE THAT ARE ROLLED OUT ARE DONE OVER WEEKS AND MONTHS F NOT A YEAR. AND HERE WE'RE ROLLING OUT LARGE SCALE INCOME SUPPORT AND WAGE SIX DIDS AND INTEREST-FREE LOANS AND CHARITY SUPPORT IN A MATTER OF HOURS AND DAYS WITH A FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY THAT IS WORKING FROM HOME, WORKING REMOTELY AND UNDER SIGNIFICANT STRAIN WITH A PRIME MINISTER WHO'S HIMSELF IN SELF-ISOLATION BECAUSE THIS HAS DIRECTLY AFFECTED HIS FAMILY. THE PACE AND ENORMITY OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY AND MOST OF THE THINGS WE FOCUS ON ARE IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THESE SMALLER MEASURES ARE IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO TARGET THESE MORE SPECIFIC THINGS HAPPENING BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE LARGE SCALE HEALTH CRISIS AND MACRO ECONOMIC CRISIS. >> Rosemary: THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS WE TACK ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER THERE GIVING MORE MONEY, PARTICULARLY FOR KIDS HELP PHONE. LET ME TELL YOU SOME RECENT STATISTICS. THEY'RE GETTING MORE THAN 2,000 PHONE CALLS OR TEXTS A DAY. AND THEY ARE HOPING TO HIRE 100 -- OR TO GET 100 NEW VOLUNTEERS TRAINED EACH WEEK FOR THE NEXT SIX WEEKS. SO THIS IS A NEED THAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE IN THE COUNTRY, PARTICULAR LY FOR KIDS AND THE PRIME MINISTER HAD A MESSAGE FOR THEM TODAY. WE REACHED RAYMOND ABDUL-RAHMAN, A Ph.D. IN WINNIPEG, MY HOMETOWN, GOOD TO SEE YOU AND DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY IN MAN TOE BATCH OBVIOUSLY SOME RECOGNITION FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TODAY THAT THIS IS PUTTING A STRAIN, PERHAPS PARTICULARLY ON YOUNG KIDS BUT REALLY EVERYBODY. CAN WE START WITH KIDS? I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE. BUT OBVIOUSLY KIDS ARE DEALING WITH THIS DIFFERENTLY. HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS SHOULD BE HAPPENING FOR KIDS RIGHT NOW? >> I THINK IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT MEASURE BEING TAKEN TO HELP WITH THE KIDS HELP LINE. BUT WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR HEALTH SYSTEM FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. MY FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS GENERALLY TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT PUTTING MONEY TOWARD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS BECAUSE THE ISSUES THAT ARIDE FROM THIS PANDEMIC ARE NOT JUST GOING TO BE SIMPLE ISSUES OF COPING WITH MILD TO MODERATE ANXIETY. THERE IS GOING TO BE AN UPTAKE, NOT JUST WITH CHILDREN, BUT WITH ADULTS WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS RELATED TO ANXIETY AND MOOD DISORDERS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT OUR MONEY WITH OUR MOUTH IS. >> Rosemary: AND WE SAW AFTER SARS BACK IN 2003, THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE, IT DID INCREASE AND THERE WERE PEOPLE SELF-HARMING, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULDN'T IMAGINE COULD FLOW FROM A PANDEMIC BECAUSE YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES, BUT THERE IS ALSO THIS PRESSURE ON SOCIETY AND ON PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE. WHAT MIGHT YOU EXPECT IN TERMS OF SOME OF THOSE -- THE FALLOUT FROM ALL OF THIS IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH. >> PSYCHOLOGISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SEEING A RISE IN A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES. MEASURES THAT WE TYPICALLY USE TO TREAT THINGS LIKE O.C.D. OR DEPRESSION DON'T ALWAYS WORK. OUR MENTAL HEALTH CAN HAVE TWO INFLUENCE. IT COULD BE GENETICS AND PREDISPOSITION BUT ALSO OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. AND OUR CIRCUMSTANCES RIGHT NOW ARE QUITE UNCERTAIN AND QUITE DIFFICULT. PSYCHOLOGISTS DO HAVE WAYS OF OVERCOMING THAT. BEHAVIORALLY. WE NEED TO LOOK TO WAYS TO OVERCOME THAT WHILE WE'RE SELF-ISOLATING. >> Rosemary: CAN YOU GIVE CANADIANS THE COUPLE OF BEST TIPS THAT THEY COULD USE RIGHT NOW AS THEY'RE STRUGGLING INTO THEIR SECOND WEEK OF HANGING OUT WITH FAMILY OR JUST IN THEIR HOMES BY THEMSELVESS? >> THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT TIP I WOULD OFFER IS MAKING SURE YOU'RE STAYING CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH WE'RE SOCIAL DISTANCING, WE'RE V TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SOCIALLY ISOLATING. WE'VE BENEFIT ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO MINIMIZE SCREEN TIME, NOW IS THE TIME TO INCREASE IT IF WE'RE USING IT TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE. THAT SAID, WE HAVE A COMPLEX SITUATION BECAUSE, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, PEOPLE CAN GET TIRED OF BEING WITH FAMILY AND THAT IS THE HONEST TRUTH SO WE HAVE TO TRY TO REPLICATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN SITUATIONS WE HAD PRIOR TO THE SOCIAL ISOLATION OR SOCIAL DISTANCING. WHERE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE BREAKS FROM EACH OTHER AND COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CO-WORKERS AND OTHER PEOPLE SO WHEN WE DO RETURN TO CONNECTING WITH OUR FAMILY AND OUR PARTNERS, WE FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE REFRESHED. >> Rosemary: OK. GOOD ADVICE, DOCTOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HOPE CANADIANS ARE LISTENING TO THAT SMART ADVICE ON HOW TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND COPE WITH IT. THAT FOR YOUR TIME. STAY HEALTHY. >> THANK YOU. >> Rosemary: AS WE'VE BEEN TAUNGING ABOUT CASES IN THE UNITED STATES CONTINUE TO SURGE. A WARNING TODAY FROM THE UNITED STATES TOP DOCTOR ON THIS, THAT MILLIONS WILL BE INFECTED IN THE UNITED STATES AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS COULD DIE. SO, WHAT S A IT LIKE ON THE FRONT LINES AND AMERICAN HOSPITALS? JENNA MALOCHE IS A CANADIAN JUST OUTSIDE WINDSOR AND SHE IS ONE OF THOSE ESSENTIAL WORKERS THATS COS THE BORDER TO WORK IN A HOSPITAL IN DETROIT. JENNA, GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> HI. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> Rosemary: WE REACHED OUT BECAUSE YOU PUT THIS Facebook POST ON UP AND SOME PICTURES WHICH WE'LL ALSO SHOW OF YOU IN YOUR PROEKE THIVE GEAR. -- IN YOUR PROTECTIVE GEAR, REALLY ELING FEMALE STAY HOME. GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH EVERY DAY IN DETROIT BECAUSE I KNOW DETROIT, THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP THERE, TOO. >> YEAH. THE PAST FEW WEEKS, I'VE HAD MANY COVID-19 PATIENTS MYSELF AND MY UNIT HAS TAKEN ON A LOT AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WHEN PATIENTS COME IN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID-19, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE AT THEIR SIDE WITH THEM BECAUSE OF HOW INFECTIOUS THIS VIRUS IS. SO THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS UNLESS THEY WITHDRAW CARE SO THIS IS HOW IT WAS THE LAST TIME I WAS AT WORK. SO A FEW DAYS AGO. AND IT IS SOMETHING DIFFICULT TO WATCH AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO KNOW IS IT IS IMPORTANT TO STAY HOME. IT IS IMPORTANT TO WASH YOUR HANDS AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISENS THATING BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE MEASURES PUT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND NOBODY WANTS TO HURT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. >> Rosemary: CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IT IS LIKE FOR YOU AND, AGAIN, I THINK WE HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF GEAR YOU ARE WEARING. BUT HOW YOU PREPARE AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE WORK AND YOU GET HOME? >> AS A UNIT, WE STARTED DOING A MORNING PRAYER TOGETHER. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY BRINGS US TOGETHER AS A TEAM. IT SHOWS HOW MUCH WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER. AND RECOGNIZES WITH EACH OTHER HOW DIFFICULT IT IS. WE TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS AND OUR THOUGHTS IF WE NEED THEM. IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT PERSONALLY FOR ME TO HAVE TO CONVEY MESSAGES FROM FAMILIES OVER THE PHONE TO THEIR LOVED ONES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE THERE. IT IS A STRESSFUL TIME IN HISTORY. AND IT SADEN US SOMETIMES. WE DO HAVE SOME BRIGHT MOMENTS. WE TRY TO BRIGHTEN THINGS UP WHENEVER WE CAN TO KEEP THAT MORALE UP. BUT WE KEEP CHUGGING ALONG AT THIS POINT. >> Rosemary: WHEN YOU GO BACK ACROSS THE BORDER, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING PEOPLE WILL WONDER, BECAUSE YOU ARE CONSIDERED AN ESSENTIAL WORKER, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CROSS? DO THEY ASK IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO HOME TO MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT OTHERS? >> SO, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, A GLARING DIFFERENCE IN CROSSING THE BORDER FOR ME WAS INSTEAD OF OPENING THE WINDOW LIKE THE BORDER GUARDS USUALLY DO, THEY SPEAK THROUGH A SPEAKER TO YOU TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. SO, THAT IS, IN MY HEAD, WAS LIKE -- IT WAS SOMETHING FOR ME THAT SCREENED HOW SERIOUS THE SITUATION WAS, EVEN FOR MYSELF. SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN IT. SO THEY ASK US QUESTIONS LIKE DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO -- THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND EXPECTED TO ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS AND WE WOULD SAY YES. THEY ASK US IF WE'VE HAD A FEVER, COUGH, SORE THROAT, ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19. AND, OF COURSE, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY SYMPTOMS MYSELF. BUT WHEN I'M HOME, I WEAR A MASK AROUND MY FAMILY AND DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PROTECT MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SO, FOR ME THE BORDER IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF SCREENING PEOPLE. THEY TRY TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHERE YOU'VE BEEN AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. YEAH. THE BORDER HAS DEFINITELY BEEN DIFFERENT LATELY. >> Rosemary: ARE YOU, AFTER READING YOUR POST AND SEEING THOSE PICTURES OF YOU, ARE YOU SCARED? ARE YOU EVER FRIGHTENED AND JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT? >> I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE MIRROR PEP TALK IN THE MORNING BEFORE YOU GO INTO WORK. THE WAY I VIEW IT IS I HAVE THE LUXURY OF HELPING THESE PEOPLE GET THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN THEIR LIVES AND FAMILY'S LIFE. IF I CAN HELP IN THAT SITUATION, SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. WHY CAN'T IT NOT BE ME AND THAT IS THE MAIN REASON WHY MY MOM, MY SISTER, GREAT AUNT AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS GOT INTO NURSING IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THESE PEOPLE THROUGH REALLY DIFFICULT TIMES. SO I FEEL GRATEFUL. >> Rosemary: WELL, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO YOU AND I'M SURE ALL THE PEOPLE IN DETROIT ARE, TOO. YOU'RE VERY BRAVE. STAY HEALTHY AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO ME. >> Rosemary: THAT IS JENNY MELOCHE WHO IS DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC ON THE FRONT LINES IN DETROIT. ALL OF YOU, EXTRAORDINARY. WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU NOW ON THE MAIN NETWORK. YOU CAN WATCH OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE ON CBC NEWS NETWORK AND cbc.ca. A REMINDER THAT THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED A FEW NEW MEASURES TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE THIS THIS COUNTRY. WHETHER IT BE KIDS OR SENIORS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS TAKING GOOD CARE DURING EXTRAORDINARY TIMES. MORE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT NOON. I'M ROSEMARY BARTON. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. TAKE CARE. >> Rosemary: I MIGHT CIRCLE BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WAS ASKED OF THE PRIME MINISTER BY MY COLLEAGUE ASHLEY BURKE WHICH WAS IS THE COUNTRY READY FOR A SURGE. THE NUMBER OF CASES WILL INCREASE. EVERYONE HAS SAID THISSED GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. >> David: YES, EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT THE DAILY CASE UPDATES. THERE WAS A CREATION OF SLACK IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM BY MOVING PEOPLE UP TO GET THEM DONE QUICKLY OR CANCELLING ELECTIVE PROCEDURES TRYING TO FREE UP BED CAPACITIES AND PROCURE SUPPLIES. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS HAPPENING NOW, THE PROCUREMENT OF EXTRA SPACE, THIS PIECE-BY-PIECE EXPANSION OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM AND SOCIAL SAFETY NET SUPPORT SYSTEM BY GRABBING WHATEVER PUBLIC SPACE THEY CAN. THAT COULD BE IN AN ARENA, A WAREHOUSE, EVEN A HOTEL TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THE CRISIS. WE SAW THIS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO IN QUÉBEC WHERE THEY STARTED ASKING FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND HOTEL ROOMS TO SEE IF THEY COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO PUT PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO BE MONITORED AND LOOKED AFTER BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED. THEY WANTED HOSPITAL ROOMS WITH NO CARPET AND WITH CATERING AVAILABLE SO IT COULD BECOME A MAKE-SHIFT WARD FOR LESS-SERIOUS THINGS, LIKE A KNEE FRACTURE OR AN INJURY LIKE THAT. WE'VE SEEN THOSE MEASURES GOING ON. NOW MUNICIPAL LEADERS TRYING TO PROCURE EXTRA SPACE FOR ISOLATION CENTRES, HOMELESS PEOPLE, OR EXTRA EMERGENCY SHELTERS NOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO FLEE AT AN UNSAFE SITUATION IN THEIR HOME WHEN WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE TO STAY HOME. WE KNOW WITH INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, IT'S NOT ALWAYS SAFE TO STAY HOME. IT'S AN EXPANSION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY NET AND WHATEVER SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE. WE'VE SEEN THROUGH THE TESTING CENTRES AND THE DRIVE-THRU CENTRES TO MOVE THE RISK OUT OF THE HOSPITAL SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND POTENTIALLY INFECTING PEOPLE AT A COVID-19-SPECIFIC FACILITY RATHER TO DEAL WITH THIS CRISIS. ALL OF THIS IS TO KEEP THE PRESSURE OFF THE SYSTEM, KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE BEDS AND OUT OF THE VENTILATORS AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO AVOID THOSE NIGHTMARE SCENARIOS WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER COUNTRIES. >> Rosemary: DAVID, THANK YOU. I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. LET'S GO LIVE TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE. CABINET MINISTERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS. >> HERE IN THIS ROOM AND OVER THE PHONE BECAUSE THEY ALSO PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN INFORMING AND GUIDING US THROUGH THIS CRISIS. FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SACRIFICES IN THIS CRISIS. WE ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE BECAUSE CLEARLY WE ARE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE OR EVEN EASY TO ANSWER ALL OF THE RELEVANT QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU TO ALL CANADIANS WATCHING NOW. WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF OUR LOVED ONES IN THIS PARTICULAR CRISIS, AND THAT STARTS WITH FOLLOWING THE IMPORTANT PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES THAT YOU HAVE HEARD AND THAT YOU WILL KEEP HEARING BECAUSE THEY HELP PROTECT YOUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF EVERYONE THAT YOU CARE FOR. THANK YOU ALSO TO THE REPORTERS PRESENT IN THIS ROOM YESTERDAY AS WELL AS THOSE ON THE PHONE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR ROLE IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL IN THIS CRISIS TO INFORM AND TO GUIDE US. WE UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SACRIFICES THAT YOU ARE MAKING IN THE CURRENT SITUATION. EVERYTHING IS GOING VERY FAST. IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE THE IMPORTANT ANSWERS THAT YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AS QUICKLY AS YOU WOULD NORMALLY NEED AND DESERVE TO GET THEM, BUT WE THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THIS MORNING WE'LL BE HEARING FROM MINISTER HUSSAIN AND THEN FOLLOWED BY A PRESENTATION BY DR. TAM. DR. NJOO WILL ALSO BE HERE. MR. HUSSAIN. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MINISTER DUCLOS, AND WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU. ALTHOUGH COVID-19 IS AFFECTING ALL OF US AS CANADIANS, CERTAIN COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO IT. AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESPONSE PAYS A PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. IT IS IN THAT VEIN THAT JUST VERY RECENTLY THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT OF $7.5 MILLION TO -- IN FUNDING TO KIDS' HELP PHONE TO PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE HIRING OF MORE COUNSELLORS TO HELP THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL AS MORE VOLUNTEERS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WILL CONTRIBUTE $9 MILLION THROUGH THE UNITED WAY CANADA FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE REALLY IMPORTANT SERVICES FOR SENIORS. HOMELESS PEOPLE IN CANADA ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH SIGNIFICANT HEALTH PROBLEMS. COVID-19 COULD WORSEN THINGS. THIS IS A POPULATION AS A COMMUNITY THAT ALREADY FACES SIGNIFICANT HEALTH CHALLENGES. THE COVID-19 CRISIS IS THREATENING TO EXACERBATE THOSE CHALLENGES ALREADY. SHELTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FACING ADDITIONAL PRESSURES, PROVIDING CANADIANS WITH ROOM TO SELF-ISOLATE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DEALING WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE ALSO BEING FACED BY OTHER NON-PROFIT AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, CHALLENGES SUCH AS A DROP IN REVENUES, A DROP IN THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE. SHELTERS TRADITIONALLY HAVE ALWAYS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY HOUSING TO THOSE IN MOST NEED OF TEMPORARY HOUSING IN CANADA. TODAY THEY FIND THEMSELVES WORKING UNDER UNFORESEEN PRESSURES AND WE CAN'T ALLOW THEM TO FACE THIS CHALLENGE ALONE. THAT IS WHY WE'RE INVESTING AN ADDITIONAL $157 MILLION THROUGH THE REACHING HOME PROGRAM AND AN ADDITIONAL $50 MILLION TARGETED DIRECTLY TO WOMEN'S SHELTERS. THIS MONEY WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE $15 MILLION THAT WE RUSHED OUT VERY QUICKLY IN THE LAST NUMBER OF DAYS TO THE MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES IN CANADA. THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS $150 -- $7.5 MILLION INVESTMENT IS THAT IT IS FLEXIBLE. IT WILL ALLOW THE DESIGNATED COMMUNITIES TO USE THIS MONEY IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19. THEY CAN USE IT FOR PREVENTION AND ALSO FOR MANAGEMENT OF ANY OUTBREAKS. THIS MONEY CAN BE USED TO PROCURE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, IT CAN BE USED TO BUY BARRIERS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING, IT CAN BE USED TO PROCURE ADDITIONAL SPACE IN HOTELS AND MOTEL ROOMS IN ORDER TO ISOLATE INDIVIDUALS WHEN THEY'RE INFECTED WITH COVID-19. AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA FOR ISSUING REALLY IMPORTANT GUIDELINES, TO PROVIDERS OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THIS WAS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP TAKEN BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA TO HELP PROTECT FRONTLINE STAFF THAT SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE MONEY THAT WE ARE ANNOUNCING TODAY WILL ALSO HELP THE SHELTERS PROCURE MEDICAL SERVICES AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. THIS MONEY IS ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MANY, MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN THE COMING DAYS WE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING AND HOW IT WILL BE HELPING HOLES INDIVIDUALS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THIS REALLY IMPORTANT SECTOR TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO GET THROUGH THIS. MYSELF AND MY PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY ADAM VAUGHAN HAVE BEEN HOLDING MEETINGS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE HOMELESS POPULATION RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I HAVE BEEN IN NEARLY DAILY CONTACT WITH MANY MAYORS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. MY MESSAGE TO THOSE WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES IS THIS, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND HELP IS ON THE WAY. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR PROVINCIAL PARTNERS ON HELPING WITH HOUSING. AS YOU KNOW, WE ACTED VERY QUICKLY TO MAKE SURE EFFECTIVE MARCH 15 THAT IT IS EASIER FOR CANADIANS TO GET A DEFERRAL ON THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS IF THEY'RE FACING DIFFICULTIES AS A RESULT OF COVID-19. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL 10 PROVINCES HAVE NOW ALSO ENSURED THAT THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 AND ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES PAYING THEIR RENT WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING EVICTED. THIS IS GREAT NEWS AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH. THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES FOR US ALL, BUT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND OUR PARTNERS HAVE YOUR BACK. WE WANT TO PROTECT EVERYONE, ALL CANADIANS, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU. >> DR. TAM. >> IN CANADA THERE ARE NOW 5,866 CASES, INCLUDING 63 DEATHS. IN ADDITION, AT ANY POINT IN TIME, THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE UNDER INVESTIGATION AWAITING LAB RESULTS OR NOT YET TESTED. SO AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO EMPHASIZE THAT EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT HEARING OF CASES IN YOUR COMMUNITY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE ARE NO CASES OR THAT THERE ARE NO EXPOSURES WAITING TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE NOW COMPLETED TESTS FOR OVER 205,000 PEOPLE IN CANADA, WITH ABOUT 3% OF PEOPLE THEN CONFIRMED AS POSITIVE AND OVER 90% CONFIRMED AS NEGATIVE. OF THE OVER 5,000 CASES, WE NOW KNOW APPROXIMATELY 6% TO 7% REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION AND ABOUT 3% ARE CRITICALLY ILL AND AROUND 1% HAVE BEEN FATAL. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS REAL-TIME DATA AND THIS DATA CAN FLUCTUATE AS AND WHEN THE PROVINCES REPORT THIS INFORMATION PUBLICLY, AS YOU'VE SEEN THEM DO SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY. THE AGE GROUP BREAKDOWNS, HOWEVER, ARE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A SUBSET OF CASES. THIS INFORMATION COMES FROM MORE DETAILED CASE REPORTS WHICH ARE LESS TIMELY. SO AT THE MOMENT, THE INFORMATION WE HAVE FOR AGE GROUPS OF PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR ABOUT A QUARTER OF ALL CASES. YESTERDAY I MISSPOKE REGARDING THE PERCENTAGE OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WHO ARE UNDER 40 YEARS OF AGE. THE CORRECT FIGURE IS APPROXIMATELY 12%, BUT THAT'S FLUCTUATING AROUND THE 9% TO 12% MARK. THE POINT, THOUGH, THAT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE AND EMPHASIZE WAS THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE ILLNESS SEVERE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION. SO THAT'S THE MESSAGE. SNOWBIRDS ARE RETURNING FROM OUTSIDE OF CANADA MUST RESPECT THE MANDATORY QUARANTINE IN PLACE. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO GO HOME AND STAY IN YOUR HOME FOR 14 DAYS. URBAN DWELLERS SHOULD AVOID HEADING TO COTTAGES AND RURAL PLACES, AS THESE PLACES HAVE LESS CAPACITY TO MANAGE COVID-19. GIVEN THE NEED FOR ALL OF US TO STAY IN OUR 2-METRE BUBBLE, EVEN OUR MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES, SUCH AS EASTER AND RAMADAN, WILL NEED TO BE ADAPTED. I ASK ALL RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO BE PART OF TEAM CANADA'S EFFORTS ON PHYSICAL DISTANCING TO HELP US PLANK THE CURVE OF THIS EPIDEMIC. SNOWBIRDS WHO ARE RETURNING FROM OUTSIDE OF CANADA MUST RESPECT THE MANDATORY QUARANTINE IN PLACE. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO GO STRAIGHT HOME AND STAY IN YOUR HOME FOR 14 DAYS. URBAN DWELLERS SHOULD AVOID HEADING TO RURAL PROPERTIES, AS THESE PLACES HAVE LESS CAPACITY TO MANAGE COVID-19. GIVEN THE NEED FOR ALL OF US TO STAY IN OUR 2-METRE BUBBLE, EVEN OUR MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES, SUCH AS EASTER AND RAMADAN, WILL NEED TO BE ADAPTED. I ASK ALL RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO BE PART OF TEAM CANADA'S EFFORTS ON PHYSICAL DISTANCING TO HELP US PLANK THE CURVE OF THIS EPIDEMIC. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. TAM. WE CAN MOVE TO QUESTIONS NOW. GOODDAY. WE'LL START THE QUESTION PERIOD. WE HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE. WE'LL DO TWO QUESTIONS ON THE PHONE AND THEN TWO QUESTIONS IN THE ROOM AND THEN GO BACK TO THE PHONE. >> THANK YOU, MERCI. PLEASE STEP STAR 1 ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEY PAD IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION. THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM LINDA DIBB FROM "CANADIAN PRESS." YOUR LINE IS OPEN. >> Question: THIS IS LINA, NOT LINDA. MY QUESTION IS FOR YOU ABOUT THE MONEY YOU WERE ANNOUNCING FOR THE HOMELESS. FIRST, I DON'T -- MAYBE I LOST COUNT BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SO MANY ANNOUNCEMENTS. ARE YOU SAYING THAT THIS 157 PLUS 50 IS BRAND NEW TODAY AND IT'S ON TOP OF ANOTHER 50 THAT YOU ANNOUNCED EARLIER? >> Answer: VERY GOOD QUESTION. THE REGULAR FEDERAL ANTI-HOMELESS PROGRAM IS CALLED "ROACH -- REACHING HOME." THAT PROGRAM IS FUNDED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. THAT MONEY WILL STILL FLOW ON APRIL 1. THIS IS TOP-UP MONEY TO HELP SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE COMMUNITY ENTITIES SERVING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, HELPING THEM WITH THE CHALLENGE OF COVID-19, ENABLING THEM TO PREVENT THE OUTBREAK AND ALSO MANAGE ANY OUTBREAKS IN THAT POPULATION. SO IN THE -- IT IS NEW MONEY, YES. >> Question: NEW ON TOP OF WHAT YOU HAD -- I THOUGHT YOU ANNOUNCED ALREADY MONEY FOR HOMELESS AND FOR SHELTERS, ACTUALLY, A FEW DAYS AGO. >> Answer: THIS IS THAT MONEY, BUT IT IS NEW MONEY IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19. AND THE ADDITIONAL $15 MILLION THAT WE RUSHED OUT OF THE DOOR FOR THE MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, THAT IS ON TOP OF THE MONEY THAT I AM ALSO TALKING ABOUT TODAY. >> THANK YOU, MINISTER. NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. MERCI. THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM MIA RABSON FROM "THE CANADIAN PRESS." YOUR LINE IS OPEN. >> Question: THIS IS A QUESTION FOR DR. TAM I THINK. I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK TO CANADIANS ABOUT THIS EXPLOSION OF PEOPLE TRYING TO OFFER HOMEMADE FACEMASKS AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU THINK THESE ARE RECOMMENDED, IF THEY CAN BE -- IF THEY'RE ANY GOOD USE OF THEM OR WHETHER PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID THEM. IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE BUILDING OF TEMPORARY HOSPITAL SITES IN VARIOUS PROVINCES AND WHAT SORT OF FEDERAL COORDINATION IS UNDERWAY ON THAT. >> Answer: SO ON THE QUESTION OF MASKS, FIRST OF ALL, WE ASK THAT PEOPLE WITH SYMPTOMS COVER UP THEIR COUGH OR COVER UP THEIR SNEEZES. SO IT CAN BE WITH A KLEENEX OR SOMETIMES IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, A TISSUE, THEN COUGH INTO YOUR SLEEVE. SO MASKS CAN BE HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC IN REDUCING THE SPREAD OF DROPLETS. SO THAT'S THE CONCEPT. OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS THOSE MASKS ARE REGULATED BY HEALTH CANADA SO THAT THERE'S A STANDARD THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO MEET FOR THAT SORT OF PURPOSE. HEALTH CANADA HAS ISSUED GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVES THAT CAN BE USED FOR DIFFERENT -- THOSE KIND OF PURPOSES. SO I CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING MASKS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES TO CONSULT THE HEALTH CANADA GUIDANCE ON THE WEBSITE. >> MIA, ONE FOLLOW UP? >> Question: SORRY, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING HOMEMADE MASKS, SEWING GROUPS AND THINGS FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY TO GET MASKS. BUT I ALSO WANTED YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE BUILDING OF TEMPORARY HOSPITAL SITES IN CONVENTION CENTRES AND IF THERE'S ANY COORDINATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THAT WORK. >> Answer: I'M AWARE THAT AROUND THE FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL-TERRITORIAL TABLE THERE IS A LOT OF EFFORTS IN PREPARING THE HOSPITALS BUT ALSO THE SURGE SITES. SO THIS IS UNDERWAY ALREADY IN THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, AND THAT IS THE PROVINCIAL JURISDICTIONS. OF COURSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT AS NEEDED AND THAT'S ALWAYS OPEN. SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY GUIDANCE, BUT WE ALSO ISSUE FOR ALTERNATIVE CARE SITES. >> WE WILL TURN TO THE ROOM. >> Question: MACKENZIE GREY FROM CTV. A FEW DAYS AGO YOU SAID CANADA HAS 5,000 VENTILATORS, BUT WHEN WE LOOK TO THE U.S. WE SEE GOVERNOR CUOMO SAYING POTENTIALLY NEW YORK STATE NEEDS 30,000 VENTILATORS. WITH YOUR BEST ESTIMATES, HOW MANY VENTILATORS DO YOU THINK CANADA WILL NEED THROUGH THIS CRISIS? >> Answer: I CAN ANSWER THAT. CERTAINLY THE NUMBER WE GAVE EARLIER WAS BASED ON AN ESTIMATE THAT WAS DONE WITH SORT OF A LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY AT THAT TIME. OBVIOUSLY IT'S EVER GROWING. AT THE PRESENT TIME WE'RE UNDERTAKING ANOTHER INVENTORY WITH THE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES TO DETERMINE HOW MANY VENTILATORS WE ACTUALLY HAVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN TERMS OF SCENARIO PLANNING, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT THE NUMBER OF VENTILATORS IS NEEDED BECAUSE, AS I STATED EARLIER, WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS TO PREPARE THE SYSTEM SO WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT PEAK REQUIREMENT FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VENTILATORS AT ONE TIME. AS WE SAID, WE WANT TO FLATTEN THE CURVE. THEREFORE, ALL THE STEPS WE'RE TAKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE AIMED AT THAT. FOR EXAMPLE, HOSPITALS ARE NOW PREPARING IN TERMS OF TRYING TO EMPTY BEDS BY LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR PATIENTS WHO DON'T NEED CRITICAL CARE. THEY'RE LOOKING AT BRINGING BACK RETIRED PHYSICIANS. THEY'RE LOOKING AT ALL SORTS OF MEASURES TO BETTER PREPARE THE SYSTEM. BUT IF WE AS CANADIANS, ALL OF US, PRACTICE PHYSICAL DISTANCING, THEN WHAT'S HOPEFULLY ANTICIPATED IS THAT LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A GIVEN AREA YOU MIGHT NEED 1,000 VENTILATORS, IF THOSE PATIENTS ARE SPREAD OVER A NUMBER OF WEEKS AND MONTHS RATHER THAN ONE WEEK, WE WON'T NEED THAT MANY VENTILATORS AND IT WON'T OVERBURDEN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR. >> Question: WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE THAN THE 5,000 THAT WE HAVE NOW? >> Answer: CERTAINLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ORDERING -- ACTUALLY PURCHASING ADDITIONAL VENTILATORS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SURGE CAPACITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OF COURSE IT DEPENDS -- ONE AREA MIGHT NEED IT MORE THAN ANOTHER. SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE IT READY AND WE'RE READY TO DEPLOY AS NEEDED. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT WE PRE-EMPTIVELY ORDERED AN ADDITIONAL 600 BUT CONTINUE TO ORDER MORE. I THINK A LITTLE WHILE AGO THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF LOOKING AT DOMESTIC CAPACITY OF MANUFACTURERS IN CANADA, SO ENGAGING KEY MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS THORNHILL AND THOSE ARE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS TO GET ACCESS TO THE INVENTORY AS WE SPEAK. >> NEXT. >> Question: ASHLEY BURKE, CBC NEWS. YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE ARE ENOUGH MEDICAL SUPPLIES IN CANADA AND HOW YOU ARE PREPARED, BUT THERE IS A BIT OF A DISCONNECT HAPPENING BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING FROM FRONTLINE WORKERS THAT THEY'RE REUSING MASKS AND RATIONING OTHER MEDICAL SUPPLIES LIKE MASKS. WHAT IS THE DISCONNECT THERE? >> Answer: WELL, I THINK PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING MASKS, ARE A REALLY CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR WHICH THERE IS ABSOLUTELY SUPPLY ISSUES GLOBALLY. SO IT'S NOT CANADA IN PARTICULAR, BUT GLOBALLY, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE PULLING OUT ALL STOPS TO TRY TO GET ACCESS TO WHATEVER WE HAVE. THAT IS A PROCESS WHICH IS ACTIVELY GOING ON RIGHT NOW. AT THE SAME TIME, RESPONDING TO A PANDEMIC IS ALSO ABOUT HANDLING AND PRIORITIZING YOUR MOST CRITICAL AND SCARCE RESOURCES. HOSPITALS ON THE FRONTLINE ARE PRACTICES HOW THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN REDUCE THE BURN RATE AND NOT WASTE RESOURCES AS WELL. I THINK YOU'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT PRACTICE GOING ON PRE-EMPTIVELY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BURN THROUGH A LOT OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. SO IT'S THE EFFORT TO PRESERVE THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHILE WE'RE STILL GETTING SOME MORE. >> Question: AS WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF SNOWBIRDS THAT HAVE BEEN RETURNING TO CANADA AND AS WELL PEOPLE THAT WERE AWAY ON VACATIONS. ARE WE EXPECTING TO SEE THAT CHURCH COME SOON AND IS CANADA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM PREPARED FOR POTENTIAL SURGE IF PEOPLE DON'T HEED YOUR ADVICE AND STAY HOME? >> Answer: I THINK THAT'S A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT CONCERN AND THAT'S WHY OUR MESSAGE TODAY THAT FOR SNOWBIRDS, WE HAVE A MANDATORY QUARANTINE ON AN EMERGENCY ORDER RIGHT NOW. SO AS YOU CROSS THAT INTERNATIONAL BORDER, YOU'RE ASKED TO RESPECT THAT AND THE PENALTIES ARE SUBSTANTIAL IF YOU DO NOT. BUT IT'S WORKING ALSO WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SNOWBIRDS AND OTHER RETURNING TRAVELLERS AND CONCERN THAT THEY MAY NOT BE LISTENING TO THAT MESSAGE, WHICH IS WHY AT EVERY LEVEL WE'RE TRYING TO REACH THE POPULATION. ANY INFLUX OF A GROUP OF PERSONS, WHETHER FROM A CRUISE SHIP OR RETURNING TRAVELLERS LIKE THE SNOWBIRDS IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE REALLY, REALLY VIGILANT AND DO THE RAPID CASE IDENTIFICATION CONTACT TRACING. IF SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY STAYING IN THEIR HOME FOR THAT 14 DAYS WHERE THE INCUBATION PERIOD OCCURS, THAT IS A FUNDAMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURE WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE TO STAY HOME. AT THE SAME TIME, OF COURSE GIVEN THE VARIOUS INFLUXES OF, SAY, MARCH BREAK RETURNEES THAT ARE STILL COMING BACK OR SNOWBIRDS, HOSPITALS ARE STILL TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THAT SURGE BY ESSENTIALLY EMPTYING OUT A LOT OF THEIR HOSPITAL BEDS AND THEIR I.C.U. A NUMBER OF HOSPITALS HAVE REDUCED THE I.C.U. OCCUPANCY RATE BY 50% ALREADY, JUST PREPARING AHEAD FOR ANY BLIPS IN CASES AS A RESULT OF THOSE TRAVELLERS. >> MERCI, DR. TAM. BACK TO THE PHONE FOR THREE QUESTIONS. . >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM PHILIP FOUSIE FROM "RADIO-CANADA." YOUR LINE IS OPEN. >> Question: THE QUESTION IS FOR MR. DUCLOS. AS TO THE SITUATION, THIS MORNING, THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED SOME FUNDING FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE. THERE COULD BE PROBLEMS COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND MONTHS. ONE OF THE SOURCES OF ANXIETY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT CAN HELP THEM. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN UNCLEAR. PEOPLE SAY, IF I WORK FIVE HOURS A DAY AT A GROCERY STORE BECAUSE I'M STILL ESSENTIAL, DO I STILL QUALIFY FOR THE $2,000 FROM THE GOVERNMENT? WHEN I SIGN UP, WILL THE INTERNET SITE CRASH? WILL I RECEIVE THAT MONEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? CAN YOU TELL PEOPLE TODAY AND PROMISE EVEN IF YOU WORK A FEW HOURS A WEEK, THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE THOSE $2,000 AND THOSE FUNDS IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING APRIL 6? >> Answer: THANK YOU. YES, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE OF WHAT WE SAID THIS MORNING. THIS MORNING'S ANNOUNCEMENT HAS TO DO WITH REALLY FOCUSING ON CONTINUING TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER. THIS MESSAGE APPLIES TO YOUNG PEOPLE, TO SENIORS, TO HOMELESS PEOPLE, OR TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HOME BUT CAN'T STAY THERE. AS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING SOME ANXIETY. THAT'S WHY WE ANNOUNCED THE KIDS' HELP PHONE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU. THERE IS A WAY TO BE HEARD. IF YOU CALL OVER THE PHONE OR IF YOU TEXT. AS FOR SENIORS, WE KNOW THEY ARE FEELING A GREAT DEAL OF ANXIETY. THEY FEEL ALONE. NEW HORIZONS FOR SENIORS IS A PROGRAM WE KNOW VERY WELL HERE IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT IS AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM. UNITED WAY IS AN ESSENTIAL PROGRAM. THIS IS MONEY THAT CAN BE PROVIDED QUICKLY THROUGH THESE SOURCES. THESE COMMUNITY FUNDS CAN BE USED TO ORGANIZE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, SOME DELIVERY SERVICES FOR GROCERIES, FOR INSTANCE, SOME HEALTH CHECK-INS, FOR INSTANCE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO WORK ON REALLY TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE -- WE ARE ASKING MANY PEOPLE TO STAY HOME AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS IN THE QUÉBEC CITY REGION AND ELSEWHERE WHO FEEL THERE IS NOWHERE THEY CAN CALL HOME. WE HAVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE FIND THAT PLACE TO SEEK PROTECTION. SO THAT AMOUNT, THE $157.5 MILLION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO QUÉBEC SPECIFICALLY AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FAMILY VIOLENCE, IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT ALSO TO REMEMBER THAT THERE IS SOME PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GO HOME AND ARE NOT SAFE AT HOME. UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE SEEN A HIKE IN FAMILY VIOLENCE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THESE PEOPLE. NOW, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD IN A SITUATION WE'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE IN THIS COUNTRY, TO GIVE CANADIANS THE SUPPORT AND ALSO THE ASSURANCE THAT WE WILL BE THERE TO HELP THEM. SOME DETAILS HAVE NOT BEEN IRONED OUT AS TO THE CANADA EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT. WE ARE WORKING NIGHT AND DAY TO PREPARE THIS INFORMATION AND TO DELIVER THESE DETAILS. THERE IS ALSO THE SITUATION OF IMPLEMENTATION. APRIL 6 REMAINS THE DATE FOR THE CANADA PORTAL TO BE UP AND RUNNING, BUT ACCORDING TO THAT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, THAT DATE IS STILL STANDING. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IS UP AND RUNNING. APRIL 6 IS WHEN THE PORTAL WILL BE RUNNING, BUT THEREFORE THEN THERE WILL BE ANNOUNCEMENTS NOT ONLY TO INFORM CANADIANS BUT TO REASSURE THEM. >> Question: FOLLOW UP -- >> Rosemary: WE'LL SAY GOODBYE TO OUR VIEWERS ON CBC MANITOBA. >> THIS ISSUE OF ISOLATION, PEOPLE ARE HEARING IT MIGHT LAST MONTHS. TO WHAT EXTENT ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT SOCIAL CRISIS? >> Answer: THERE IS A HEALTH EMERGENCY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GREAT DEAL. THERE IS AN ECONOMIC EMERGENCY AS WELL. UNDERLYING THAT, THERE IS A SOCIAL EMERGENCY AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CONFIDENCE PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR INSTITUTION AND THE CANADIAN PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY. WHAT I SAY TO PEOPLE, HAVE FAITH. WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU. NO ONE WILL BE CAST ASIDE. WE ARE IN A CRISIS SITUATION, BUT WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE CAPACITY TO TAKE CARE OF HIS OR HER HEALTH AND HAS BREAD ON THE TABLE OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS. THIS CRISIS WILL BE ONGOING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. . >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM DAVID YOUNGREN FROM "REUTERS." YOUR LINE IS OPEN. >> Question: FIRST QUESTION TO DR. TAM. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE LAST 24 HOURS' DATA THAT MAKES YOU FEEL OPTIMISTIC OR CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING? >> Answer: I THINK YESTERDAY I SPOKE ABOUT SOME SORT OF VERY, VERY EARLY AND CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM IN BRITISH COLUMBIA IN TERMS OF THEIR GROWTH IN THE NUMBERS OF CASES SLOWING DOWN A BIT. IT'S STILL TOO EARLY TO TELL AND WE ARE WATCHING THAT DEVELOPMENT CLOSELY. OF COURSE A WHOLE NUMBER OF MEASURES ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE WERE PUT IN PLACE AROUND THAT SORT OF MAY 12 TO 13 DATE AND A WEEK AFTER THAT. SO IT TAKES A BIT OF TIME TO SEE THE EFFECT OF THOSE MEASURES. BUT I HAVE TO EMPHASIZE THAT CANADA IS A BIG COUNTRY, SO DIFFERENT PARTS OF CANADA ARE EXPERIENCING THIS EPIDEMIC IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TIMING AND THEIR ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION WILL POTENTIALLY BE DIFFERENT. SO I'M CERTAINLY WATCHING VERY CLOSELY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN QUÉBEC AND ONTARIO IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO ALBERTA OF COURSE. ALL OF THESE AREAS HAVE HAD REPORTS OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. I THINK BECAUSE OF THE MEASURES PUT IN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I HAVE TO SAY WITH THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH WE THINK WHAT MORE CAN WE DO. YOU STILL HAVE TO ACT FAST. YOU'RE STILL WAITING FOR YOUR DATA, BUT EVERY DAY WE THINK WHAT MORE SHOULD WE BE DOING AND THAT IS IN CONCERT WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS, OF COURSE, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT CANADIANS ARE HEEDING THE ADVICE. SO I THINK IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS THEY ARE LOOKING AT THESE MEASURES. SO YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS BY DIFFERENT AREAS IN QUÉBEC AND ALSO IN ONTARIO AND OTHERS, THAT THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE TO TRY TO REALLY DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING AND REDUCTION IN THAT SORT OF MOVEMENT OF PERSONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I STILL THINK IT'S A LITTLE TOO EARLY TO TELL BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY AT THE END OF MARCH, BUT NEXT WEEK WILL BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME ANYWAY IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THOSE TRENDS. >> THANK YOU, DOCTOR. DAVID, A FOLLOW UP? >> Question: YEAH, YOU SAY IT'S -- >> OPERATOR? >> THANK YOU. THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JOELLE LAVANCE FROM "LA PRESSE." >> Question: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. DUCLOS, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE REGARDING E.I. APPLICATIONS. WE HEARD THAT 900,000 CANADIANS HAVE ASKED FOR E.I. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? >> Answer: THANK YOU. I DO NOT HAVE THE EXACT FIGURES, BUT WE ARE ABOVE 1 MILLION CLAIMS FOR E.I., EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. ONE THING I WOULD ADD IS THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY. CANADA HAS NEVER DEALT WITH SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE APPLICATIONS IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAME. THIS IS WHY IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA'S SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM ADJUST. THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALSO PUT FORWARD THIS CANADIAN EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT TO BE AS SWIFT AND NIMBLE AS WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE, WE WANT TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO E.I. IN FACT, IT'S A LOT MORE GENEROUS, ALSO, THAN WHAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED OTHERWISE. IN MANY CASES IT WOULD BE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SOME. SO THAT'S WHY THIS CERB WAS CREATED TO ALLEVIATE THIS SEVERE PRESSURE THAT WOULD BE FELT ON THE E.I. SYSTEM AND ON SERVICE CANADA SPECIFICALLY. >> Question: SECOND QUESTION. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICER LAST WEEK WAS REFERRING TO A POTENTIAL DEFICIT OF $112 BILLION. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION AS TO THOSE FIGURES? >> Answer: THE SECOND THING WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND THINGS ARE EVOLVING QUICKLY. THAT'S AN ESTIMATE. AS THE PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICER SAID HIMSELF. THAT ESTIMATE IS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT HE HAD AT THE TIME. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, RIGHT, BUT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT A FEW DAYS AGO IS SIGNIFICANT. AS MINISTER MORNEAU SAID RECENTLY, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE MEANS TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAS MEANS TO PROTECT AND TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESSES. WE ALSO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO SO. THE ALTERNATIVE, IF WE DID NOT ACT SWIFTLY, WOULD BE FAR WORSE. WHEN OUR ECONOMY RECOVERS AND WE GET THIS ENGINE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO COUNT ON OUR SMEs, ON OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR PEOPLE TO SHORTEN THIS CRISIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT FOLLOWS, THAT REBUILDING, THAT RELAUNCHING OF OUR ECONOMY WILL HAPPEN AS SWIFTLY, AS QUICKLY, AND AS WELL AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU, MINISTER. . >> ONE LAST QUESTION FROM THE ROOM AND WE'LL CALL IT A DAY. >> Question: THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU, MR. DUCLOS. DURING WORLD WAR II WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ASKED COMPANIES TO CHANGE SUPPLY LINES AND BUILD THINGS FOR THE WAR, WE GUARANTEED THOSE COMPANIES THAT WE WOULD PURCHASE EVERYTHING THEY MADE TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE WHOLE AFTER THE WAR WAS DONE. FOR SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES WHO ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE THEIR BUSINESS TO BUILD THINGS FOR THE GOVERNMENT, WILL YOU ENSURE THAT THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT WILL PURCHASE THOSE THINGS FROM THEM? >> Answer: THANK YOU, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. THE GENERAL CONTEXT AS YOU HAVE ALLUDED TO SLIGHTLY IS WE ARE IN A SITUATION OF WAR OR SIMILAR TO A SITUATION OF WAR. THEREFORE, THE INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND THE PROCUREMENT ABILITIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. THAT'S WHY JUST A WEEK AGO WE DID ANNOUNCE THAT MUCH OF THE INDUSTRIAL -- OUR INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY IN CANADA, INCLUDING THE PROCUREMENT ABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CHANNEL AND TO SUPPORT THAT INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY IS GOING TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS FIGHTING THE COVID-19. NOW, THAT REQUIRES WAYS OF DOING THINGS WITH BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN FOR CERTAINLY QUITE A WHILE. I KNOW THAT MINISTER ANNAN AND MINISTER BAINS AND MANY OTHER COLLEAGUES ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER. I KNOW THERE WILL BE FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THAT QUITE SOON. >> Question: IF THERE ARE BUSINESSES AT HOME THINKING THAT THEY WANT TO CHANGE THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS BUT THEY HAVEN'T TALKED TO THE GOVERNMENT, SHOULD THEY DO THAT, KNOWING THE GOVERNMENT WILL BUY THE STUFF THEY ARE MAKING? >> Answer: I THINK THE CALL FOR HELP AND THE CALL FOR COLLABORATION IS STRONG AND CLEAR. SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF NOT ONLY ABILITY BUT WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF OUR INDUSTRIAL SECTORS IN CANADA TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST THE VIRUS. SO I WOULD -- AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE COMPANIES TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THE -- WITH PROCUREMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES CANADA AND WITH MINISTER BAINS' OFFICE AROUND INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS EFFORT, THIS SIGNIFICANT EFFORT THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, IS NOT ONLY COORDINATED BUT SUPPORTED APPROPRIATELY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. >> THANK YOU. >> Rosemary: OKAY. AND THAT IS OUR DAILY BRIEFING FROM FEDERAL OFFICIALS. THIS TIME THE PRESIDENT OF THE TREASURY BOARD, MR. DUCLOS, AND OTHER MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS THERE TO BRING US UP-TO-DATE. YOU HEARD MR. DUCLOS SAYING WE ARE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION TO A WAR AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE SUPPLIES NEEDED. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT AT THE END. JUST TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE NUMBERS OF CANADIANS LOOKING FOR HELP. THE LAST NUMBER WE HAD FOR PEOPLE REQUESTING EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WAS UNDER ONE MILLION. MR. DUCLOS DIDN'T HAVE A PRECISE NUMBER, BUT HE SAY WE ARE OVER 1 MILLION CANADIANS LOOKING TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR HELP. AGAIN THEY SAY IT IS A WEEK STARTING TOMORROW, APRIL 6, A WEEK TOMORROW THAT THAT PORTAL WILL OPEN UP FOR THE EMERGENCY CARE BENEFITS. YOU CAN START APPLYING FOR THAT HELP IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED FOR E.I., IN WHICH CASE YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY GET INTO THAT BENEFIT THERE. >>> LET'S BRING IN THE CBC'S DAVID COCHRANE IN OTTAWA. I MAY TURN TO YOU, DAVID, TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INFORMATION DR. TAM GAVE US, PARTICULARLY AROUND WHETHER WE ARE PREPARED OR WHETHER SHE HAS SEEN ANYTHING HOPEFUL OR NOT IN THE DATA THAT WE HAVE SO FAR. >> David: I THOUGHT THAT QUESTION FROM OUR COLLEAGUE AT "REUTERS" WAS ILLUSTRATIVE. DR. TAM SAID SHE DIDN'T WEIGH IN ON THE DATA AS OF YET ONLY TO HIGHLIGHT THE EARLIER AND ENCOURAGING SIGNS OUT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. BUT SHE MADE THE POINT THAT THIS NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL. THE DATA OF THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS IS GOING TO TELL AN IMPORTANT STORY HERE IN CANADA, FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON TWO THINGS. ONE IS THE AMOUNT OF VIRUS AND AMOUNT OF SPREAD THAT MAY DEVELOPED BY THOSE 1 MILLION CANADIANS RETURNING FROM EITHER THEIR SPRING BREAK OR THEIR USUAL TRIP DOWN SOUTH AS A SNOWBIRD, SPENDING THE HARSH WINTER MONTHS IN THE WARMER SOUTHERN STATES OF THE UNITED STATES. AND ALSO TO GET A SENSE OF THE IMPACT ON THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND EXTREME ISOLATION MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHERE EVERY SINGLE PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES IS UNDER A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OR A FULL-BLOWN STATE OF EMERGENCY TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THIS. THE NUMBERS ARE STEADILY TICKING UP. WE'RE GOING TO BE OVER 6,000 CASES BY THE END OF THE DAY TODAY. I THINK THAT IS A SAFE PREDICTION ON MY PART, ROSIE. THE RATE OF INCREASE AND HOW THAT SPREAD IS HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 DAYS, THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY CRITICAL BECAUSE THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRULY ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MEASURES THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE. SO NOT A VERY SPECIFIC ANSWER OF HOPE OR DESPAIR TODAY FROM DR. TAM, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT SIGNALLING OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT TO WATCH FOR AND WHAT TO INTERPRET WHAT WE SEE OVER THE COMING DAYS. >> Rosemary: KEEPING AN EYE SPECIFICALLY ON QUÉBEC, WHERE THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES AND ONTARIO AND ALBERTA. THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR ALL THE COVERAGE TODAY. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. I'M SURE I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. CBC'S DAVID COCHRANE HERE IN OTTAWA. >>> A REMINDER OF WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED, ADDITIONAL MONEY TO HELP KIDS' HELP PHONE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF KIDS REACHING OUT FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TO. MORE MONEY ALSO COMING FOR SENIORS TO HELP WITH THEIR FOOD DELIVERY AND CHEQUES. THERE WILL BE PROVINCIAL UPDATES IN YOUR PROVINCES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. Read the full article