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WORLD NEWS Saturday 28 March 2020
Canada to cover

up to 75 percent

of salaries for

businesses

By ROB GILLIES
TORONTO (AP) — Canada is increasing a payroll subsi-
dy to small- and medium-sized businesses to now cover
up to 75 percent of salaries as the country braced for a
shutdown that a top health official said will last months.
Canada's Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. How-
ard Njoo, said they are in it for the long haul.
"It's not going to be days and weeks, it's going to be
months," Njoo said. "Is there a possibility of a second
wave? Who knows." In this photo taken on March 21, 2020 police officers check on motorists in Baisieux, on the Bel-
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a major in- gian-French boarder, northern France.
crease over his original 10 percent wage subsidy plan. Associated Press
Trudeau said it became clear they needed to do much
"We have to get through these coming months of re- Europol: Criminals exploit virus
more.

stricted economic activity when people need to stay
home," Trudeau said Friday. crisis as fresh opportunity
The prime minister said it means people will continue to
be paid even though their employer has had to slow
down or stop its operations because of COVID-19. PARIS (AP) — Criminals are Europol's report lists four for two to three weeks. But
He said he hopes employers who are being pushed preying on a fearful public main avenues for illicit ac- it can cause more serious
to lay off workers will think again. And he hopes those and disrupting the provi- tivity: cybercrime, fraud, illness and death for others,
who have already let people go will reconsider given sion of medical care during counterfeit and substan- especially for older adults
the new wage subsidy. It is backdated to March 15. the coronavirus pandemic dard goods, and orga- and people with existing
"We're going to be here for you," Trudeau said. "Small- by selling counterfeit prod- nized property crime. Crim- health problems.
and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our ucts, impersonating health inals manufacture and sell Europol noted the trans-
economy. You are collectively the largest employer in workers and hacking com- high-demand products like fer of 6.6 million euros by a
the country. You support millions of families." puters as many citizens do masks or medicine, imper- European company to an-
Benjamin Bergen, executive director of the Council of their jobs online at home, sonate medical workers to other in Singapore to buy
Canadian Innovators, said the government is finally European law enforce- get into homes or business- face masks and alcohol
hearing the concerns from the business front lines with ment agency Europol said es, and break into a gold gels, widely used now for
the wage subsidies. He said many companies may go Friday. mine of information with cleaning hands to protect
bankrupt in April. In one instance, a cyberat- so many European citizens from the coronavirus.
"It is really, really bad and many won't make it regard- tack on a major hospital in now doing their jobs online "The goods were never re-
less of these announcements. Even a 100% wage subsi- the Czech Republic where at home. ceived," the report said. It
dy would be too little to help given the long list of other COVID-19 tests are carried Coronavirus-related crimi- did not identify either com-
costs, particularly rent," said Dan Kelly, president of the out forced the cancella- nal activity is not limited to pany.
Canadian Federation of Independent Business. "We've tion of planned surgeries, Europe. A March 3-10 oper- Criminals also lurk at the
had five business owners call us this week talking about Europol said in a new re- ation in 90 countries, over- doorways of private homes
suicide." port. seen by international po- as hundreds of millions of
Ontario, Canada's most populous province, mean- Organized crime groups, lice agency Interpol, dug people across Europe are
while, will send out emergency alerts to cellphones, ra- well-known for identifying out suspects seeking fast confined under govern-
dios and TVs on Friday, warning recent travelers to stay new opportunities, have cash, notably with the sale ment orders to slow the
at home. The alert will tell travelers returning to Ontario found new pathways to of counterfeit face masks spread of the virus. The
that they are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days scam people made vulner- and medicines. fraud schemes used to get
as they are at high risk of spreading COVID-19 It will tell able by fears of the virus, Interpol said that it disrupt- inside private residences to
them, ``DO NOT visit stores, family or friends.'' which, like criminals, know ed the work of 37 orga- steal vary but often involve
The message will say that everyone should stay home no borders, according to nized crime groups, and someone impersonating
to help stop the spread of the virus. the report. seized 34,000 fake and medical officials, conduct-
Trudeau, meanwhile, said it would be a mistake for the "Criminals have quickly substandard masks, and ing a "corona test," provid-
Trump administration to position troops near the Cana- seized the opportunities to more than $14 million in po- ing hygiene products or in-
dian border. He said he's told that to the White House, exploit the crisis by adapt- tentially dangerous phar- formative material, Europol
and that he's still seeking clarity on American plans. The ing their modes of opera- maceuticals. The "corona said.
Wall Street Journal, citing an unidentified U.S. official, tion or developing new spray," "corona packages" In one European country,
reported late Thursday that the Trump administration criminal activities," Europol and medicines are but "the an individual was notified
had dropped its consideration of the plan. Canada Executive Director, Cath- tip of the iceberg regard- by phone of a relative hos-
and the U.S. already closed the border to all non-es- erine de Bolle said in a ing this new trend in coun- pitalized with the virus and
sential travel. statement. She added that terfeiting," Interpol said. then received a middle-
Canada has more than 4,043 confirmed cases and organized crime groups' COVID-19, the disease of-the-night visit from indi-
about 39 deaths. Officials said about 6.5% are in hospi- "capacity to exploit this cri- caused by the new virus, viduals in protective gear
tal and 2.5% are in critical condition. Canada has con- sis means we need to be causes mild or moderate posing as doctors who ac-
ducted more than 165,000 tests.q constantly vigilant and pre- symptoms for most people, tually swabbed the victim's
pared." such as fever or coughing mouth. q