Covid-19 Daily News Digest – April 20, 2020
Greater Victoria Indigenous artist takes unique approach to COVID-19 masks
So when a friend joked that he needed a mask to help prevent spreading germs, La Fortune got on it: he found some yellow cedar from around the house carved a half-mask of a bear snout.
Ottawa stresses caution as some regions eye relaxing coronavirus restrictions
“If we open too quickly, too soon or in the wrong way, we could find ourselves back in this situation a couple of months from now and everything we will have sacrificed during these months will have been for naught,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau also announced Saturday the government is providing $306 million to help Indigenous companies.
COVID-19 testing available in Stoney Nakoda, no positive cases to date
“The specific COVID-19 approach is being tailored to meet the needs of each community. AHS has worked with some communities to support local testing and health services. For others, AHS is partnering with them to take advantage of other health resources, such as mobile medical units or specific 811 lines that conduct the initial assessments and, when appropriate, travel to the families home and conduct the swab,”
Downtown Eastside housing activists open “Kennedy Stewart Squat” at Lord Strathcona school
“When you are living on the streets there is no way to follow COVID safety measures, there’s no way to keep your hands clean,” organizer Flora Munroe of the Misipawiatuk Cree Nation said in a news release. “All the bathrooms are closed and there’s no running water, and there’s no good healthy food to eat.”
NACCA Applauds Economic Stimulus Package for Indigenous Business
The Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, added that this support will assist Indigenous businesses “so they can continue to grow and thrive when this crisis passes.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concluded his announcement by adding that “this is just a first step, we’ll have more to say soon on what else we’ll do to help Indigenous businesses and the people who rely on them”.