When asked why Trudeau would propose a bill to broadly tax and spend without parliamentary approval until 2021, Trudeau said that it was an “exceptional situation that requires extreme flexibility.”
Justin Trudeau addressed media for the ninth day in a row this morning to shed more light on the Liberals' response package for the coronavirus.
Trudeau started by reassuring Canadians that he had faith in Canada's democracy, after late-night online backlash for what some saw as a adventitious push for power and overreach in his push to give Finance Minister Bill Morneau unrestricted taxing and spending powers.
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View on YouTube"I believe in our democratic institutions. All members of parliament need to work together, and Canadians need to see us doing that... As we deliver support to Canadians as quickly as possible."
When asked why Trudeau would propose a bill to broadly tax and spend without parliamentary approval until 2021, Trudeau said that it was an "exceptional situation that requires extreme flexibility."
"We have an opposition that are doing their job to make sure we're taking the right steps, the right way... We've been in close discussion with opposition parties to find a way to get that flexibility to get measures out the door and keep in place our democratic institutions and the values that are so important to us all."
Trudeau says the federal Emergencies Act was something that other provincial premiers thought was not "necessary at this point."
The Federal-level Emergency Measures act, Trudeau says, is a "last resort," though Trudeau said "all options are on the table" if Canadians do not comply with scientific and government advice.
When discussing how long the coronavirus pandemic would last, Trudeau was frank, saying "We don't know yet."
"The duration of this crisis will be determined by the choices we make right now... So if you want things to get back to normal, do your part: stay home."
Trudeau also gave updates for stranded Canadians, specifically about Flights from Morocco, Panama, Tunisia, and Ukraine, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Spain.
Trudeau revealed that "one million Canadians" have returned home from abroad.
Trudeau did not give a timeline for how long it would take for Canadians to receive emergency funding, despite criticisms that the EI system is moving slowly.
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