PM braces nation for long period of sacrifice
ONTARIO, ALBERTA DECLARE STATES OF EMERGENCY AS EUROPE BATTLES PANDEMIC
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau braced Canadians for a long period of sacrifice Tuesday, saying he did not know when the COVID-19 outbreak would end. “We don’t know exactly how long this is going to take, whether it takes weeks or months, but we know that every step of the way we will be there to support each other; that’s what Canadians do,” he said.
The prime minister’s stark assessment came as the outbreak worsened globally and the magnitude of the crisis became clearer.
In the U.S., President Donald Trump said it could be July or August before the crisis was over. “We are looking at saving the maximum number of lives. Everything else will come back, lives do not come back,” the president said Tuesday.
Europe was now the epicentre of the pandemic that had claimed 5,000 lives around the world, “a tragic milestone,” the World Health Organization said.
France put its 67 million people under lockdown on Tuesday, as that country’s death toll reached 148 people.
Italy’s prime minister declared coronavirus a “socio-economic tsunami” as European leaders agreed to seal off external borders and unveil economic stimulus to cushion the fallout from the infection’s rapid spread. The country was also planning to rush 10,000 student doctors into service.
In Canada, Ontario and Alberta both declared states of emergency Tuesday. Ontario saw its first death from the virus.
There were almost 600 confirmed cases in Canada Tuesday and eight deaths. There were more than 180,000 cases worldwide.
Trudeau spoke again Tuesday from just outside Rideau Cottage where he has been in isolation for nearly a week after his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, was diagnosed with the virus.
Trudeau said Parliament would likely sit again soon to pass emergency measures for the economy.
He said a major announcement on supporting the economy was coming Wednesday. The National Post has also learned the government is planning changes to upcoming tax deadlines to provide more flexibility for businesses and taxpayers.
Trudeau continued to call for Canadians to stay home as much as possible, wash their hands often and sneeze into their elbows. He heaped praise on medical professionals who were battling the outbreaks, but said Canadians needed to help them.
“Let’s do more than say thank you to our health-care workers. Let’s also do what we can to lighten their load.”
Trudeau said the cabinet was looking at the Emergencies Act, which gives the government sweeping powers if enacted. Powers include the ability to restrict travel to parts of the country, seize private property, put people to work and to build emergency shelters or hospitals.
The legislation, previously known as the War Measures Act, has been used only three times in Canadian history: during the two world wars and in 1970 by Trudeau’s father, the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, after militant Quebec separatists kidnapped a British diplomat and a provincial Cabinet minister.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the move was not being considered lightly.
“As Canadians know, the Emergencies Act is a measure of last resort which grants the federal government extraordinary powers. It could never be invoked without consultation with the provinces.”
The state of emergency Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared on Tuesday mandated the closure of bars, restaurants, theatres, libraries and banned public events with more than 50 people.
“We’re facing an unprecedented time in our history,” Ford said. “This was a decision that was not made lightly. COVID-19 constitutes a danger of major proportions.”
Ontario’s first death was a 77-year-old man in the Muskoka region who was a close contact of another positive case and wasn’t listed as a confirmed case before he died, rather he was under investigation for the virus, said a spokesman for Health Minister Christine Elliott.
In Alberta, Premier Jason Kenney’s state of emergency meant any gathering larger than 50 people would be cancelled — including weddings. Public recreation facilities, casinos, bingo halls, bars, museums, art galleries would also be closed.
Kenney said any worship service or conference of more than 50 people should be cancelled.
Quebec’s finance minister delayed the deadline for individuals and businesses to pay their provincial taxes by a month, in order to ease financial pressure caused by the coronavirus. The federal government was expected to announce a similar delay to the tax filing deadline.
On Monday, Trudeau announced sweeping travel measures designed to limit the number of international visitors to Canada, including a ban on sick people travelling into the country.
The government has set up a loan program, offering $5,000 to help secure flights home for Canadians trapped overseas. Trudeau said the government was looking at all options to bring people home, but not everyone would be able to return.
“There are three million Canadians at any given moment around the world, living and working, and I think it’s just realistic to know there are some of them that won’t be coming home in the coming weeks.”
Health Minister Patty Hajdu emphasized time was running out to flatten the curve of infections and ensure the health system wasn’t swamped with cases.
“The measures that we take today will help us ensure that we can actually reduce the level of community transmissions that are happening across the country,” she said.
While she stressed the need to keep a healthy social physical distance, she said people should still reach out to neighbours through phone calls or emails. She choked up briefly as she encouraged people to be kind to each other.
“There are scared people. There are lonely people. There are frightened people and it doesn’t take a lot to reach out to them and say you are there with them, even in spirit.”