‘Canada won’t retaliate’:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that Canada won’t bring retaliatory or punitive measures against the United States after the Trump administration announced it would prevent the export of N95 protective masks.
President Trump said he would block shipments of the masks from the United States to ensure they are available in the U.S. for use during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We need the masks. We don’t want any other people getting it,” Trump said.
Trudeau said Canadian officials are having constructive conversations with U.S. authorities, and he planned to speak to Trump in the coming days. He said he would tell Trump that both countries are interlinked in ways that would hurt the nations if supply chains
were cut.
“We are not looking at retaliatory measures or measures that are punitive, ” Trudeau said. “We know it is in both our countries interests to cooperate.”
The prime minister noted Canada ships medical gloves and testing kits to the U.S and said materials from the N95 masks originate
in Canada. Health workers in Canada rely on the masks, and Canadian nurses also cross the bridge from Windsor, Ontario, to work in the Detroit medical system every day, he said.
Manufacturing giant 3M says there are significant humanitarian implications of ceasing N95 masks to health care workers in Canada and Latin America, where 3M is a critical supplier of respirators.
“They can sell to others, but they should be taking care of our country,” Trump said. “3M has not treated our country well. And if they do, great. And if they don’t, they are going to have a hell of a price to pay.” (AP)
Mormons unveil new logo:
Leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sat 6 feet apart inside an empty room as the faith carried out its signature conference Saturday by adhering to social distancing guidelines that offered a stark reminder of how the global coronavirus pandemic is affecting religious practices.
Their livestreamed speeches didn’t dwell heavily on the pandemic as they instead stuck to plans made last year to make the conference a commemoration of the 200th anniversary of events that led to the creation of the church by founder Joseph Smith. Speakers spoke at length about the tenets he established, including why men have priesthood powers but not women.
Church President Russell M. Nelson also unveiled a new church logo that continued his push to rebrand how the faith is known and recognized around the world. (AP)