By rdnewsNOW staff

Update from the PM

Canada spending $850M to bolster efforts on COVID-19 vaccine, treatment

May 4, 2020 | 12:06 PM

Canada is contributing $850 million to the worldwide fight against COVID-19 for Canadian and international research and funding for vaccines.

Trudeau said the focus of the federal government is on Canada first but that alone will not be enough.

“To keep Canadians safe and restart our economy, we need to defeat the virus not just within our borders but wherever it will be found,” the prime minister said in his daily address outside Rideau Cottage. “The more we cooperate the more likely we find a cure and find it quickly.”

Trudeau invoked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands as another example of Canadians working together with other nations.

“Today 75 years later we remember their courage and their sacrifice,” he said, of those who served, adding that everyone can live up the example of the veterans in some way.

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Staying home to protect health-care workers, delivering groceries to your neighbour or sending a postcard to a veteran are some of the ways you can do that, Trudeau said.

“With your actions, you are continuing to help your community and demonstrating that time and time again Canadians will continue to step up,” he said.

He also asked Canadians to pause for two minutes at 2 p.m. ET (noon MT) to honour our veterans.

The $850 million pledge by Canada is part of an effort organized by the European Union to fill the World Health Organization’s funding gaps.

The goal is to raise $11.5 billion for vaccine and treatment options for COVID-19 and make them available and affordable worldwide.

Trudeau called Canada’s contribution today “just the beginning.”

Several provinces on Monday began easing COVID-19 restrictions.

As of Monday morning, Canada had 59,844 confirmed cases, zero probable cases and 3,766 deaths. There have been 919,368 Canadians tested.

In Alberta, there are 5,766 cases and 95 deaths. A total of 152,123 Albertans have been tested.

(With file from Chris Brown and The Canadian Press)