Monday June 29, 2020 ~ NATIONAL
Analysis by Mary Brooke, B.Sc., editor ~ West Shore Voice News
As summer arrives and as the COVID-19 curve has been somewhat flattened across Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will now be doing his briefings to Canadians on an as-needed basis as the pandemic scenario evolves.
He and his government have guided Canadians — including businesses, other levels of government, and communities — through what has become known as ‘extraordinary times’. Every aspect of life in this country has been impacted — not only for people and our socioeconomic systems, but also the natural environment including considerations of climate change.
There has been a heraldic refocus on the role of science — in particular public health, as the mantle by which we have been saved. The delivery of the power of that science has come through governments, which has heightened people’s awareness of the importance of voting and government leadership as well as the systems we have in place as social safety nets and economic stability.
Pandemic management through the summer:
“Our government has focussed on keeping Canadians safe, making sure people are supported during this challenging time,” said Trudeau today in his opening remarks of his briefing to Canadians at 8:15 am Pacific Time. “As we move into the summer, this work continues.”
“While we’ve made good progress over the past few months, the virus remains a very serious threat to our health,” the prime minister said.
Safety net components are in place:
“And as parts of the economy shut down for many months, a lot of people need help getting back on their feet. We’re going to continue helping in every way we can. Our government has launched new programs and made new investments to help businesses re-open safely, get people back on the job, and lay the groundwork for our economy to come roaring back,” said Trudeau.
He mentioned the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) for businesses that struggling with cash flow (updated as of June 26 to include owner-operated small businesses that do not have a payroll, sole proprietors receiving business income directly, as well as family-owned corporations remunerating in the form of dividends rather than payroll.
Students looking for a job can use the Canada Summer Jobs ‘Job Bank’ portal and Student Work Placement Program. The definition of ‘student’ is broadly defined, including people ages 15 to 30, whether enrolled directly in school or not.
“Business owners are stepping up and hiring back their staff,” the prime minister said as a way of framing the situation and offering motivation.
Employers who are bringing back staff there is the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program to help bring back staff through the summer.
The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program has also been extended by one month, Trudeau announced today.
And Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) remains in place in July and August (For 16 to 24 weeks in total for those who are eligible), to help people with timing of their transition back into the regular workplace (whether on-site in businesses and stores or from home-based setups).
