Trudeau says Canada is more prepared than US in handling the COVID-19 pandemic

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• During a news briefing on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the country was able to mitigate the virus more successfully than allied countries, particularly, the US.
• Trudeau lauded the Canadians’ efforts for being responsible and obedient citizens.
• Citing conflict in schedule, the prime minister skipped the White House’s invitation on Wednesday to mark the start of the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA).

During a news briefing on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada compared the nation’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic with the management of other countries — saying that his country had mitigated the virus better than the US.

“We were able to control the virus better than many of our allies, particularly including our neighbor.”

Trudeau said that the pandemic situation in Canada was stabilizing “because Canadians did their part and followed public health instructions.”

“But we still have to be very careful, things can change quickly … we still have some hot spots in some parts of the country, including in long-term care facilities and agricultural work settings, so as we continue to gradually reopen the economy, we have to remain vigilant,” he added.

With a population one-tenth the size of the US, Canada has reported 106,167 cases of coronavirus and 8,711 deaths as of Wednesday. On the other hand, the US has recorded over 3 million cases and over 131,000 fatalities.

The prime minister’s remarks came days after he announced that he would not be able to attend the White House celebration of the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) which took effect on July 1.

Due to conflicts in schedule, Trudeau’s spokesman said on Monday that the prime minister would not be joining the commemoration as he needs to lead cabinet meetings and “the long-planned sitting of Parliament” this week in Ottawa.

“The entry-into-force of the new NAFTA is good for Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It will help ensure that North America emerges stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the prime minister’s spokesman said in a statement.

“We wish the United States and Mexico well at Wednesday’s meeting.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador met at the White House on Wednesday to commemorate the start of the USMCA.

After founding out Trudeau’s announcement of his nonattendance, Lopez Obrador had asked Trudeau to still attend the White House meeting.

Trudeau expressed his concern about the tariff threats on steel and new aluminum, saying it is one of the reasons why he was leaning towards declining the invitation.

“We’re obviously concerned about the proposed issue of tariffs on aluminum and steel that the Americans have floated recently,” he said last week.

Source: New York Post