Skip to Main content

6.8°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment 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

canadas-emergency-alert-system-to-run-nationwide-test-today

CanadaNov 19, 2025

Canada’s emergency alert system to run nationwide test today

Canada’s Alert Ready system will issue a routine public test today, with messages scheduled to appear on television, radio and compatible mobile devices from late morning through early afternoon. The test is being coordinated by federal, provincial and territorial emergency officials to confirm that the national alerting infrastructure remains reliable. Officials say the semi-annual tests, held each May and November, allow emergency management teams to practise issuing alerts for situations such as severe weather, wildfires and Amber Alerts. In Western Canada, where communities in British Co

canada-post-outlines-plan-to-reduce-workforce-through-attrition-as-financial-losses-deepen

CanadaNov 19, 2025

Canada Post outlines plan to reduce workforce through attrition as financial losses deepen

Canada Post says it expects as many as 30,000 employees to retire or leave voluntarily by 2035 as the corporation moves to reduce its workforce and modernize its operations. The projection was shared at the Crown corporation’s annual meeting, where leaders described a decade of significant restructuring driven by declining mail volumes and growing financial pressures. President and CEO Doug Ettinger told attendees that the postal service will rely on attrition to downsize from the roughly 62,000 employees on staff at the end of last year. He said the approach is intended to manage change gra

joly-argues-canada-fell-short-on-industrial-gains-from-f-35-deal

CanadaNov 18, 2025

Joly argues Canada fell short on industrial gains from F-35 deal

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said on Parliament Hill that Canada has not secured adequate economic returns from its contract to purchase U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jets. According to her, the government needs “more jobs created out of the F-35 contract.” Her remarks came as Swedish defence company Saab weighs establishing production in Canada to build its Gripen fighter jets — a proposal that could generate up to 10,000 Canadian jobs, Joly said. She added that Ottawa will carefully examine the offer. Canada has committed to buying 16 F-35A aircraft from Lockheed Martin as part of

man-dies-after-downtown-vancouver-stabbing-as-police-probe-citys-26th-homicide-of-the-year

Man dies after downtown Vancouver stabbing as police probe city’s 26th homicide of the year

Vancouver police are investigating a fatal stabbing in the downtown core after a man was attacked near Granville and Helmcken streets Monday afternoon. Officers say they were called to the area around 3:15 p.m., where the victim was found with serious injuries. The man was taken to hospital but did not survive. Police have not released his identity, and no information on possible suspects or a motive has been made public. The killing marks Vancouver’s 26th homicide of the year, a figure that continues to draw concern in communities across the Lower Mainland where public safety has become a r

eci-seeks-explanation-from-punjab-police-chief-over-firs-linked-to-tarn-taran-bypoll

IndiaNov 18, 2025

ECI seeks explanation from Punjab police chief over FIRs linked to Tarn Taran bypoll

The Election Commission of India has directed Punjab’s Director General of Police to appear before the poll authority on November 25 after a series of police cases were filed against workers of the Shiromani Akali Dal during the Tarn Taran by-election campaign. Officials say the order was issued after the commission reviewed a detailed report submitted by the state police on November 13, one day before results were announced. According to information provided to the commission, nine FIRs were registered in separate police districts over the course of the campaign. The cases were lodged in Ta

Related News

Canada’s emergency alert system to run nationwide test today

Canada’s emergency alert system to run nationwide test today

Canada’s Alert Ready system will issue a routine public test today, with messages scheduled to appear on television, radio and compatible mobile devices from late morning through early afternoon. The test is being coordinated by federal, provincial and territorial emergency officials to confirm that the national alerting infrastructure remains reliable. Officials say the semi-annual tests, held each May and November, allow emergency management teams to practise issuing alerts for situations such as severe weather, wildfires and Amber Alerts. In Western Canada, where communities in British Co

Canada Post outlines plan to reduce workforce through attrition as financial losses deepen

Canada Post outlines plan to reduce workforce through attrition as financial losses deepen

Canada Post says it expects as many as 30,000 employees to retire or leave voluntarily by 2035 as the corporation moves to reduce its workforce and modernize its operations. The projection was shared at the Crown corporation’s annual meeting, where leaders described a decade of significant restructuring driven by declining mail volumes and growing financial pressures. President and CEO Doug Ettinger told attendees that the postal service will rely on attrition to downsize from the roughly 62,000 employees on staff at the end of last year. He said the approach is intended to manage change gra

Joly argues Canada fell short on industrial gains from F-35 deal

Joly argues Canada fell short on industrial gains from F-35 deal

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said on Parliament Hill that Canada has not secured adequate economic returns from its contract to purchase U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jets. According to her, the government needs “more jobs created out of the F-35 contract.” Her remarks came as Swedish defence company Saab weighs establishing production in Canada to build its Gripen fighter jets — a proposal that could generate up to 10,000 Canadian jobs, Joly said. She added that Ottawa will carefully examine the offer. Canada has committed to buying 16 F-35A aircraft from Lockheed Martin as part of

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital