Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

Trudeau says military is short-term solution to caring for seniors

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Apr, 2020 07:17 PM
  • Trudeau says military is short-term solution to caring for seniors

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised the military will respond to provincial requests for assistance at long-term care facilities hit hard by COVID-19, but says the measure is a short-term solution and Canada should not "have soldiers taking care of seniors." Trudeau appeared visibly upset as he made the comments during his daily news conference on Thursday, one day after Quebec and Ontario formally requested hundreds of soldiers to bolster front-line care workers overwhelmed by outbreaks in dozens of facilities.

Speaking directly to people who work, live or have loved ones in such facilities, Trudeau said: "If you're angry, frustrated, scared, you're right to feel this way. We can do better. We need to do better. Because we are failing our parents, our grandparents, our elders."

The Canadian Armed Forces deployed 130 military personnel last week to help five long-term care facilities in Quebec, and military planners are now assessing what support they can offer in response to the new requests from Ontario and Quebec.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said Wednesday that the province is asking for 1,000 more service members. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he has also asked for support for five long-term care homes that have been hit by COVID-19.

"Our women and men in uniform will step up with the valour and courage they have always shown," Trudeau said.

"But this is not a long-term solution. In Canada, we shouldn't have soldiers taking care of seniors. Going forward, in the weeks and months to come, we will all have to ask tough questions about how it came to this."

MORE National ARTICLES

Trudeau Says He's 'Proud' Canadians Stepping Up To Challenge Of COVID-19

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking a measure of satisfaction from early indications that Canada's COVID-19 caseload is not on the same trajectory as that in the United States.

Trudeau Says He's 'Proud' Canadians Stepping Up To Challenge Of COVID-19

DARPAN's 10 with Brian Edwards, Surrey RCMP Police Chief

DARPAN's 10 with Brian Edwards, Surrey RCMP Police Chief
Surrey itself is a unique city: it is growing rapidly, covers a large geographic area, has a large youth population, and has a rich diversity.

DARPAN's 10 with Brian Edwards, Surrey RCMP Police Chief

Boston Pizza International Laying Off Half Of Its Corporate Staff Across Canada

VANCOUVER - Boston Pizza International Inc. is temporarily laying off approximately half of its 192 corporate staff across its three offices in Canada.    

Boston Pizza International Laying Off Half Of Its Corporate Staff Across Canada

B.C.'s 45,000 Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement

B.C.'s 45,000 Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement
VANCOUVER - A tentative agreement has been reached with British Columbia's 45,000 public school teachers.    

B.C.'s 45,000 Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement

Key Developments In British Columbia's Covid-19 Response

VANCOUVER - A look at some of the key developments in British Columbia's fight against COVID-19 on Thursday:    

Key Developments In British Columbia's Covid-19 Response

Lululemon Withholds Guidance For 2020 Due To Covid-19 As Q4 Profits Rise

Lululemon Withholds Guidance For 2020 Due To Covid-19 As Q4 Profits Rise
VANCOUVER - Athleisure retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc. declined to provide a financial outlook for its current fiscal year as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds.    

Lululemon Withholds Guidance For 2020 Due To Covid-19 As Q4 Profits Rise