Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says half a million Canadians applying for Employment Insurance (EI) last week, shows the economic impact of COVID-19 in Canada.
Speaking on Saturday, Justin Trudeau was asked about the capacity of the civil service to process those requests in a timely manner, saying he realizes these are unprecedented times.
“In terms of getting money out the door into the pockets of Canadians who need it. We have many different programs and many different tools that are designed to do that in normal times,” Trudeau said.
“In these exceptional, uncertain times, we’re having to take new measures and create new measures to be able to deliver for Canadians who need it right now.”
Trudeau adds there are plans to also simplify the application process and the delivery of benefits like EI, so people who need help can get it quicker.
“Our civil servants are working extraordinarily hard to ensure that’s possible,” he added.
The sharp increase in the number of EI claims come as thousands of Canadians have been temporarily laid off as their workplaces shut down to try and limit the spread of COVID-19.
Trudeau says he is grateful for all public servants, both federal and provincial, who are working to process this sharp increase in applications.
“They’re working to ensure that we are able to hold on as a country as we get through these difficult times. We will continue to use various measures in order to get money out to people through many of the things that we have in place already, but we are also looking at new things, and the civil service is an essential part of flowing that.”
Trudeau says there are plans to simplify the application process and delivery of benefits like EI, so people who need help can get it quicker.
The PM also noted that he is heartened that millions of Canadians have already self-isolated and are maintaining social distancing to prevent the spread of this virus. He also announced a plan to mobilize industry to produce supplies of urgently needed medical equipment.
The House of Commons is also set to reconvene on Tuesday to pass legislation that was unveiled this week offering financial assistance to Canadian families and businesses feeling the economic impacts of the pandemic.
Trudeau hasn’t ruled out freezing the economy as a way to maintain Canada’s way of life. He says Canada is looking to see what other countries are also doing to come up with a plan for Canadians, which began with $27-billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses.
“That was only the initial phase of what was necessary,” he said on Sunday. “We are continuing to talk about next steps to ensure that our economy remains solid, if at a standstill, so that it can pick up again once this crisis is through.”
