MNI POLICY:Trudeau: Canada Provinces Agree on Re-Opening Rules

By Greg Quinn

     OTTAWA (MNI) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday the

country's 10 provinces have agreed to common guidelines on re-openings after

COVID-19 shutdowns, potentially heading off the kind of strife seen in the U.S. 

     Trudeau cautioned about the need to move slowly and referenced things

happening over weeks instead of days to avoid reversing the progress so far in

slowing the spread of a virus that has killed almost 2,800 Canadians. Individual

provinces must decide on specific timetables for opening schools and businesses,

he said at a press conference.

     The virus may chop Canada's GDP by 30% over the first half of the year,

according to a worst-case scenario the central bank gave earlier this month.

Parliament held its first ever virtual general session Tuesday to work on

approving deficit spending expected to reach a modern-day record 10% of GDP. 

     "This framework will lay out the things that need to happen before we take

any next steps," Trudeau said. "Restarting our economy will be gradual and

careful and will be guided by science."

     The main considerations in each region include:

-Controlling transmission, and providing enough testing to trace any new

outbreaks

-Workplaces must provide more health equipment and regulations

-Hospitals must have capacity to deal with the pandemic and ongoing regular care

-"Strong measures" will be in place much longer for vulnerable groups like

seniors

     "The specific measures put in will depend very much on the situation on the

ground," Trudeau said. "But we need to be informed by a common set of criteria

and measures to be in place before we look at reopening different parts of the

economy."

--MNI Ottawa Bureau; +1 613-314-9647; email: greg.quinn@marketnews.com

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