OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the global COVID-19 pandemic “really sucks,” and could jeopardize large gatherings with friends and family over Christmas on the heels of a toned-down Thanksgiving season.
Acknowledging frustrations around partial lockdowns and scrapped trick-or-treating plans in some parts of the country, Trudeau says Canadians need to gird themselves for a “tough winter ahead.”
The prime minister is encouraging residents to continue to follow the advice of local health authorities, despite frustrations over conflicting information on Halloween as well as COVID-19 testing requirements for students.
Trudeau’s remarks come as Canada verges on topping 10,000 deaths due to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s second wave continues to wash over the country.
Ontario is reporting 827 new cases of COVID-19 today, and four new deaths due to the virus, pushing the total number of fatalities to 9,996 as of late Tuesday morning.
Quebec, where residents in its biggest cities will have to live with partial lockdowns for at least another four weeks, is reporting 963 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 more deaths linked to the novel coronavirus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2020.
The Canadian Press
