Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc held the 31st call with Canada’s provincial and territorial premiers to discuss their shared response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. They were joined by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam.
The Prime Minister began the meeting by noting the disturbing increase of antisemitism and acts of hate, including discrimination against Arab-Canadians, across Canada. He stressed the need to combat antisemitism and all forms of discrimination and to celebrate diversity.
First Ministers continued their discussions on the COVID-19 situation, noting that while case numbers are steadily declining across the country, some jurisdictions continue to face pressures on their health care systems. Dr. Tam provided an assessment of the third wave and an update on the latest modelling data. The Prime Minister highlighted federal support available to provinces and territories as they continue to manage this third wave.
Prime Minister Trudeau provided an update on the vaccine rollout, highlighting that Canada is on track to meet its target of ensuring that every eligible Canadian has access to a vaccine by Canada Day and can be fully vaccinated by September. He assured premiers that the federal government continues to be in regular contact with vaccine producers to ensure predictable vaccine supply and took good note of requests to continue engaging our U.S. partner on the potential sharing of vaccine doses. The Prime Minister also provided a brief update on the border, noting that the Orders in Council restricting non-essential international travel have been renewed until June 21, as well as restrictions for passengers arriving from India and Pakistan. The Prime Minister noted that positivity rates among international travellers have declined substantially as a result of recent measures.
As Canadians get vaccinated, First Ministers looked to the future and discussed how to safely reopen the economy. Highlighting the reopening plans that many provinces and territories have released, the Prime Minister and premiers spoke about next steps to ensure Canada is prepared to adjust border measures when it is safe to do so. A broad consensus emerged out of the discussion between First Ministers on collaborative efforts to develop a proof of vaccine credential to enable international travel based on sound principles, including respect for provincial and territorial jurisdiction and privacy of health information.
First Ministers also discussed the preliminary results of a review released by the U.S. Department of Commerce on softwood lumber duties. They noted that the results are unjustified, particularly in the current context of unprecedentedly high lumber prices. The Prime Minister confirmed that Canada will continue to vigorously defend Canada’s lumber industry.
First Ministers reiterated their commitment to a collaborative approach to fighting and ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
SOURCE Office of the Prime Minister
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