It is set to be a busy day for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Coming up at 8:15 am PT, Trudeau will be delivering his daily national address to Canadians on the landscape of COVID-19 across the country. His address is available for live-streaming on CHEK’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Small businesses and seniors are expected to be the focus of the Prime Minister’s comments Thursday.
Trudeau is expected to announce the government is broadening the Canada Emergency Business Account program so that more small businesses can access government-backed interest-free loans.
He is also going to speak to the provincial and territorial premiers this evening about what his government can do to help mitigate the COVID-19 crisis in long-term care facilities. During his address on Wednesday, he announced wage boosts for front line employees and suggested that these would be a main part of the discussion with the provinces.
In addition, Trudeau and his fellow G7 leaders are being hosted today by an impatient American president far more anxious than they appear to be to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of COVID-19.
President Donald Trump is leading a teleconference today with his counterparts because the U.S. holds the rotating chair of the G7 this year.
Trump has expressed enthusiasm about easing restrictions to reboot the American economy ahead of the November presidential election.
Trudeau said Wednesday that as impatient as people are to reopen businesses and ease social distancing, it would be “terrible” to prematurely ease restrictions and suddenly cause another big wave of the virus.
Other G7 countries enter today’s meeting facing an array of formidable challenges in their own fights against the pandemic.
The G7 also includes Germany, Britain, Japan, France, Italy and the European Union.
With files to Canadian Press.
CHEK News
