OTTAWA —
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the Canada- U.S. border will close to all non-essential travel, and that the federal government is prepared to spend a combined $82 billion on direct financial help and economic stimulus in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Among the “extraordinary” aid measures unveiled: deferring the tax deadline, boosting the Canada Child Benefit, wage subsidies for small businesses, and targeted assistance for vulnerable demographics to help “bridge to better times.”
The prime minister said that all Canadians will feel the consequences of COVID-19, and many are wondering how long the current restrictions are going to last, and whether they can endure them.
PM Trudeau said the government’s suite of measures are meant to “make sure that no matter where you live, what you do, or who you are, you will get the support you need during this time.”
“In Canada, public health should never hinge on financial considerations,” Trudeau said.
Moments before PM Trudeau began speaking, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the border between Canada and the United States will be “temporarily” closed to tourists and visitors, “by mutual consent.”
The major new economic measures that the federal government is taking in response to COVID-19 include $27 billion in direct assistance to workers and families, as well as making $55 billion available in liquidity to businesses to help stabilize the economy.
Speaking from self-isolation for the third time in as many days, the prime minister addressed the nation on the latest moving parts in his government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he remains symptom-free.
Though, before taking reporters’ questions, Trudeau paused his announcement to run back up the stairs of Rideau Cottage to grab his coat, explaining that he is supposed to be leading by example on healthy behaviour given the “brisk” morning it was in Ottawa.
Trudeau was followed by Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz, who are elaborating on new economic supports aimed at offsetting the wide-ranging impacts of the novel coronavirus outbreak and subsequent shutdowns.
The financial aid package includes ways to see money delivered directly into the hands of Canadians and their families; as well as new help for the country’s hardest-hit sectors; and broader economic stimulus measures.
As for what’s included in the $27 billion for families, aimed at relieving pressure to make rent and mortgage payments or paying for groceries:
Temporary boost to the Canada Child Benefit payment by nearly $2 billion;
Introduce emergency care benefit of up to $900 bi-weekly for 15 weeks for those who have to stay home and don’t have paid sick leave like those who can’t access EI and are sick, or who are taking care of a child or someone who is sick;
A $5 billion emergency support benefit through the CRA for support workers who are facing unemployment as well as an additional amount for low-income people through the GST credit;
Waiving the one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits for six months and waiving the requirement for a doctor’s note to access this assistance;
Extending the tax filing deadline for individuals to June 1, and allowing taxpayers to defer payment until after August 31;
Providing eligible small businesses a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer;
Allowing lenders to defer mortgage payments;
Plus a host of other targeted supports for vulnerable groups including seniors, the homeless population, implementing a six-month interest free moratorium on student loan payments, Indigenous people and women and children fleeing domestic violence.
As for what’s in the $55 billion being offered to stabilize the economy and boost consumer confidence:
Allowing all businesses to defer until after August 31, payment of income taxes, interest-free;
Making additional funds and credit available to businesses of all sizes, including farmers;
Purchasing up to $50 billion insured mortgage pools to stabilize funding to banks and lenders
This massive package is equal to three per cent of Canada’s GDP.
Trudeau, facing questions about the reality of Canada entering a recession, said that Canada has the fiscal room to take these multi-billion dollar actions in order to “ensure that our economy gets back up to speed very quickly.”
Canada-U.S. Border shutdown
It remains unclear precisely when non-essential travel will be restricted across the border.
“In both our countries we’re encouraging people to stay home,” Trudeau said, adding that essential workers will still be able to cross between the two countries.
The border is already closing Wednesday to most non-citizens, and international flights are being rerouted to four airports where enhanced screenings are happening and passengers returning to Canada are being instructed to enter a 14-day self-isolation, to lessen the spread of the global pandemic.
Shipments, trade and commerce will not be affected by the new restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border.
This unprecedented measure is the latest effort from governments attempting to limit the cross-border spread of COVID-19, while considering the ongoing need for workers who cross the border daily, such as truck drivers who are transporting everything from groceries to medical supplies.
Trudeau and his federal cabinet are also deliberating whether to invoke the Emergencies Act, which would grant the federal government sweeping powers to regulate the movement of people and goods within the country during a state of emergency.
As of Wednesday, Trudeau said his government is not closing the door to this measure but it’s not the step to take at this point.
Parliament is expected to be recalled imminently to pass the legislative approvals needed to enact the measures announced today, in response to this rapidly evolving health crisis. Trudeau is committing that the money will flow to Canadians as quickly as possible, despite the pressure of intense demand on federal departments.
The prime minister said that he’s confident all opposition parties and Senators will pull together and support passing these measures to help Canadians.
Before concluding, he offered his thanks to all of the front-line workers and first responders who are out attempting to triage the crisis everyday.
“Working together is how we’ll get through this. As families, as a community, as a country,” Trudeau said. “Like many of you, over the past few days I’ve seen stories of people doing just that…I have to tell you, it gives me a lot of hope.”
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam and other federal officials will also be providing an update Wednesday afternoon.
Prior to Trudeau’s address, there were 599 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada, and more than 200,000 globally.
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
