The Prime Minister says the government has signed procurement agreements with manufacturers to produce items like testing kits, masks and hand sanitizer. Justin Trudeau says businesses are already retooling to make those items. He says almost three thousand companies are involved.

During his daily briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said it is not cabinet deciding how the resources will be allocated across the country. Instead, he says they rely on experts, including medical officials in all the provinces.

The PM also announced that Former Regina MP Ralph Goodale has been appointed as a special advisor to the Prime Minister on the investigation into the Ukrainian air crash in January. The flight from Iran to Kiev was shot down, killing all 176 on board, including 63 Canadians. Trudeau says, with his decades of service to Canada, Goodale has the expertise to guide the country’s response to the air disaster and provide recommendations for best practices going forward. [CJGX March 31 2020]