Skip to Main content

22.86°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Sports Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

May 9, 2020 6:36 PM -

Trudeau says Canada will not pay full price for 8 million sub-standard masks

Share On

trudeau-says-canada-will-not-pay-full-price-for-8-million-sub-standard-masks

File photo: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressing the media outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa/ The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will not pay the full price for medical masks that do not live up to medical standards.

About eight million of 11 million N95 respirators shipped to the government from China through a Montreal-based supplier failed to meet specifications, federal officials said Friday.

Trudeau says the discovery speaks to the government's “rigorous verification system” overseen by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The prime minister did not name the price the government will pay for the sub-standard respirators, which are used to protect against the COVID-19 virus.

Trudeau says some of those leftover N95 masks - so-named because they are supposed to screen out 95 per cent of small particles - may be distributed for non-medical use.

Canada continues to experience a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) amid a global surge in demand triggered by the pandemic while Canadian manufacturers scramble to pivot to PPE production.

Latest news

prime-minister-carney-announces-10b-investment-to-expand-port-of-vancouver-capacity

CanadaJul 30, 2026

Prime Minister Carney announces $10B investment to expand Port of Vancouver capacity

Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the Port of Vancouver in Delta on Thursday, where he announced a proposed $10 billion federal investment to expand the port's capacity and strengthen Canada's access to international markets beyond the United States. According to the Prime Minister, the expansion project is intended to increase Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets by 50 per cent, with a focus on agricultural products and other key commodities. The federal government says the investment is aimed at improving Canada's trade infrastructure and supporting long-term economic growth. Carney said th

North York trio sentenced in $1.3M stolen liquor trafficking case in Ontario

Three North York residents have been sentenced for their roles in a stolen liquor trafficking operation involving more than $1.3 million worth of alcohol, according to Halton Regional Police. Police said 52-year-old Parminder Sidhu, 56-year-old Rajinder Kaur Sidhu and 25-year-old Navdeep Sidhu appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on July 8. The court imposed sentences ranging from probation to nearly two years in custody. According to Halton Regional Police, the convictions followed a four-month joint investigation conducted by Halton Regional Police, the Toronto Police Service

129 Wildfires Active Across B.C. as Brunswick Complex Fire Remains Out of Control

British Columbia's Minister of Forests and BC Wildfire Service, Ravi Parmar, says 129 wildfires are currently active across the province. According to the BC Wildfire Service, nine of those fires were discovered within the past 24 hours. Parmar said hot, dry conditions combined with strong winds continue to make firefighting efforts challenging. He said the weather is increasing the risk of new wildfire starts and could cause existing fires to grow. Fire crews are working to contain newly reported fires while continuing suppression efforts on incidents already burning. The minister said additi

supreme-court-allows-judicial-review-of-ethics-ruling-on-trudeaus-involvement-in-we-charity-decisions

CanadaJul 30, 2026

Supreme Court allows judicial review of ethics ruling on Trudeau's involvement in WE Charity decisions

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Democracy Watch can proceed with a judicial review of a federal ethics commissioner's decision that cleared former prime minister Justin Trudeau of wrongdoing in relation to decisions involving WE Charity. The case stems from a May 2021 report by then–Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion, who concluded Trudeau did not contravene the Conflict of Interest Act when he participated in government decisions concerning WE Charity, an organization that operated programs in Canada and internationally. Democracy Watch sought judicial review

illegal-firearm-smuggling-through-surrey-border-crossing-leads-to-jail-sentence

Illegal firearm smuggling through Surrey border crossing leads to jail sentence

A man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years after admitting to smuggling a loaded handgun into Canada through the Surrey border area. According to RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region Media Relations Officer Cpl. Parmbir Kahlon, the investigation began on Sept. 11, 2025, after the United States Border Patrol notified Canadian authorities that an individual had crossed illegally into Canada near 183 Street and 0 Avenue in Surrey. The RCMP's Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) responded and arrested Jaskaran Banth under th

Related News

Prime Minister Carney announces $10B investment to expand Port of Vancouver capacity

Prime Minister Carney announces $10B investment to expand Port of Vancouver capacity

Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the Port of Vancouver in Delta on Thursday, where he announced a proposed $10 billion federal investment to expand the port's capacity and strengthen Canada's access to international markets beyond the United States. According to the Prime Minister, the expansion project is intended to increase Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets by 50 per cent, with a focus on agricultural products and other key commodities. The federal government says the investment is aimed at improving Canada's trade infrastructure and supporting long-term economic growth. Carney said th

Supreme Court allows judicial review of ethics ruling on Trudeau's involvement in WE Charity decisions

Supreme Court allows judicial review of ethics ruling on Trudeau's involvement in WE Charity decisions

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Democracy Watch can proceed with a judicial review of a federal ethics commissioner's decision that cleared former prime minister Justin Trudeau of wrongdoing in relation to decisions involving WE Charity. The case stems from a May 2021 report by then–Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion, who concluded Trudeau did not contravene the Conflict of Interest Act when he participated in government decisions concerning WE Charity, an organization that operated programs in Canada and internationally. Democracy Watch sought judicial review

Canada–U.S. trade tensions deepen as major American unions urge review of proposed tariffs

Canada–U.S. trade tensions deepen as major American unions urge review of proposed tariffs

Two of the largest private-sector labour unions in the United States are calling for a return to stable and balanced trade relations with Canada amid ongoing trade tensions between Ottawa and Washington. The United Steelworkers (USW) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have opposed proposed new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. According to a joint letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the unions urged the White House to reconsider the proposed tariffs, arguing that Canada and the United States have long shared one of the world's closest

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

Broadcasting Notice of Consultation

BC Children's Hospital