WATCH: Poilievre says Trudeau is using 'freakonomics' during pandemic, says response is a 'governmental failure'

Conservative Shadow Finance Minister Pierre Poilievre gave a held a press conference Sunday, calling the situation coronavirus has put Canada in a "governmental failure."

Poilievre criticized Trudeau for his decision to ignore the Canadian intelligence community's warning of a fast-spreading virus that had swept through China, with Trudeau deciding to still allow flights from China.

Among those who arrived were 2,000 travellers from Wuhan, the then-epicentre of the outbreak.

"Over 50,000 people were allowed to come in, potentially, with the virus to spread it around to Canadians," said Poilievre. "Protecting the borders is the most basic responsibility of the federal government."

Poilievre then pointed to the federal government's failure to ensure that national stockpiles of medical equipment remained available, including vital face masks and protective gear.

"After the pandemic was declared, he gave 16 tonnes of the protective equipment to China," said Poilievre.

Poilievre called Trudeau's plan to help sustain the economy an "experiment in freakonomics," stating that the current benefit plan punishes those who work more than eight days a week at minimum wage.

The shadow minister then pointed out that there would still be businesses losing out of 50 percent of their incomes who would not meet the 70 percent profit-loss threshold needed to receive funding from the government to help pay rent; a move that will force businesses to inevitably close their doors, if action isn't taken to correct the benefit.

In response to the "governmental failure," Poilievre released the Conservative Party's proposed solutions to help medium-sized and small businesses.

Measures include the removal of requirements regulating the need to have a business account, and expanding the eligibility criteria for aid.

"Justin Trudeau and Bill Morneau's rescue package has picked winners and losers and let entrepreneurs fall through the cracks," said Shadow Minister for Small Business James Cumming in the release. "We have been hearing from frustrated business owners asking for flexibility in the eligibility metrics current in place."