The Prime Minister says they’ve been concerned about the potential impact of an outbreak of COVID-19 in Canada’s remote First Nation communities. Justin Trudeau told media they are working with the Assembly of First Nations to send more resources and money to those communities.
“We will continue to respond in every way we possibly can to help those communities that are dealing with COVID-19. We recognize there are particular vulnerabilities that we need to work very carefully with and we continue to do so,” Trudeau said.
In northwestern Ontario, Fort Hope First Nation recently saw its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The Prime Minister says they understand that many First Nation communities are vulnerable because of elders, and housing concerns.
Canadian companies are working on producing up to 30,000 ventilators for hospitals across the nation. The Prime Minister was asked if that’s because we are needing that many in the fight against the virus, to which Trudeau said they are preparing for any and all situations. If Canadian companies end up having a surplus, Trudeau says there are many countries around the world that don’t have the ability to produce their own supply and would require them.
On the personal protective equipment side of things, the Prime Minister said productive conversations led to an agreement between the United States, 3M and Canada allowing N95 masks to be shipped to our country. Trudeau says they are happy to hear 3M’s product will be crossing the border, but notes there’s still more work to do with the United States government on other supply issues.
