Trudeau Announces $1 Billion Fund Amid Spreading Coronavirus

Effort is attempt to ensure people can stay home if they’re sick without being pressured to go back to work.

Justin Trudeau has announced a $1 billion fund as the Coronavirus continues to spread across Canada.

The government will waive the one-week wait for employment insurance, in an effort to make sure people who are sick or who are waiting for Coronavirus test results can stay home without fear of losing their job.

$500 million will go towards supporting provincial health systems. $200 million is going towards purchasing federal medical supplies, help for Indigenous communities, and moves to educate the public about the virus.

The government is also expanding support for worksharing, in order to try and prevent layoffs.

That part of the announcement is good, as it’s essential that people are able to stay home if they’re sick.

Unfortunately, the government still refuses to close the borders, and is not pushing for stronger measures like school closures and shut downs of large public gatherings.

As a result, Canada could be left open to the same escalation of the virus we’re seeing in other parts of the world, leaving open the possibility that we’ll look back in two weeks with regret that we didn’t do more now.

The announcement can be watched below:

Spencer Fernando

Photo – YouTube