Canada

Trudeau’s daily coronavirus update: ‘The measures we’ve taken so far are working’ (Full transcript)

In his daily briefing, the PM noted that while the curve is flattening in some places, the country is ‘not out of the woods yet.’ He provided updates on new PPE supplies and said the feds would soon release ‘shared principles’ on reopening the economy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a daily update on the coronavirus crisis each day in front of his home in Ottawa. Here are his remarks for April 28, 2020.

Morning, everyone. I know many of you have seen reports about my mom. I want to let you know that I’ve spoken with her and she’s doing just fine. I’m thankful to everyone who has reached out.

And I want to also thank the first responders who were there doing an extraordinary job. This morning our thoughts go out to those of you who live in Fort McMurray as you deal with spring flooding. Minister Blair has spoken with Mayor Scott about the situation. And we stand ready to help all the first responders and volunteers out there placing sandbags, including around the hospital. Thank you.

Across the country, there are other communities dealing with flooding right now, too. So to everyone, continue listening to officials as they work to keep you and your family safe. This comes during what’s already a tough time, but I know Canadians will continue to work together.

Shortly, I’ll join members of Parliament from across the country for a virtual meeting of the House of Commons. Despite the challenges of this pandemic, our democratic institutions are innovating and finding ways to keep serving people. Parliamentarians are working together with the same goal: supporting Canadians and keeping our country strong.

[contextly_auto_sidebar]

As part of this sitting, at noon, Minister Haidu will provide an update on the new COVID-19 modelling and Dr. Tam will also do the same. Based on the best data available, this is an updated picture of where we think we are right now and where we think things will go from here. They’ll provide more details, but here’s the bottom line: the measures we’ve taken so far are working. In fact, in many parts of the country, the curve has flattened.

But we’re not out of the woods yet. We’re in the middle of the most serious public health emergency Canada has ever seen and if we lift measures too quickly, we might lose the progress we’ve made. So we all need to be very careful for ourselves, and especially for the most vulnerable, like our parents, grandparents and elders in long-term care facilities.

Earlier this month, when we released the first modelling, I said that the path ahead was up to us. And the same holds true today. How many new cases there are, how many losses we have to mourn, whether our hospitals can continue to cope; it’s all up to all of us. You’ve already stepped up to help your family, friends, neighbours and frontline care workers. Stay safe.

And your governments across the country are stepping up as well. We’re a big country and we don’t always agree on everything. But right now, the premiers and the federal government are working together to fight this crisis. We need common guidelines to make sure that the decisions being taken across the country are grounded in a shared understanding and appreciation of what science and experts are telling us.

Shortly, we’ll be releasing the shared principles on restarting the economy agreed to by the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Let me be clear. These are not the specific measures when you can go back to work or school or when you can see your neighbours or extended family or friends. This framework will lay out the things that need to happen before we take any next steps. Restarting our economy will be gradual and careful and will be guided by science.

Here’s what the guidelines mean for you. Controlling transmission is key. You already know that if your neighbourhood doesn’t have new cases, if your province is flattening the curve, this is a good sign for being able to slowly look at lifting some restrictions. So we need to know where things stand. To reopen the economy, there must be enough capacity to test and trace COVID-19 to control any new spread for you. That means knowing that you’ll be safe at work when you go back. You’ll see lots more testing. And if someone around you does test positive. You’ll be notified quickly so you can isolate. At work, there will also need to be specific measures and more equipment to keep you safe. And for hospitals, we need to make sure they can continue to cope, not just for COVID-19 patients, but for everyone who needs care. And for certain groups who are very vulnerable like seniors and those in long-term care facilities, strong measures will have to be in place for longer.

This virus is taking a different toll on different people. We must be mindful of that. Whether you’re facing domestic violence or living in a remote community or a long-term care facility, or working on the frontlines. We’re here for you. Our priority is keeping all Canadians safe while getting back to normal as much as we can.

Today, I also want to provide an update on personal protective equipment, which, along with physical distancing, is key to keeping people safe. Every few days we receive new deliveries of vital supplies for our frontline workers. This week, we’ll be shipping over 6 million surgical masks to the provinces and territories. More than 100,000 face shields that we ordered from Bauer and Toronto Stamp are also ready and will be shipped out soon, with more on the way.

Everyone deserves to be safe on the job. Indeed, on this national day of mourning, we remember those who died were injured or fell ill because of their work. This year, we pay tribute to the thousands of frontline workers across the country who deserve not just our thanks, but our support.

[Translated from French] I also want to remind everyone that the businesses that require a wage subsidy can now apply online. Since yesterday, more than 44,000 businesses have already applied online. [end of translation]

To get through this we must work together and we must stay united. Now more than ever we have to stand up against discrimination and division. There is no place for racism against Asian-Canadians in our neighbourhoods. There is no place for anti-Semitism, which B’nai Brith Canada’s report found to be on the rise in our communities, because hatred of any sort has no place in Canada. Today and every day we are stronger together.

Thank you.

MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS:

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.