This memo was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office on Friday, April 3, 2020. It attempted to do three things in two pages: 1) encapsulate the problems that were emerging with the design of CERB, at the highest level – one of politics and trust; 2) clarify the technical problems with CERB as currently designed; 3) provide fixes for each of these problems. Its goal was to provide ways to expand coverage and protection to income supports available under CERB, which on that date provided $2,000 a month, for up to 4 months, in emergency income support to those who lose their jobs between March 15, 2020 and October 3, 2020.

COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of our labor markets just as much as the fragility of our public health and welfare systems. As we take the economy out of its induced coma, we should ask what kinds of jobs we want and need.

"“Why is it the poorest people always pay the highest price?” Cuomo asked. "But let’s figure it out. Let’s do the work. Let’s do the research. Let’s learn from this moment.”"

"According to a draft of the bill obtained by the Star, Ottawa is now willing to cover the majority of wages for businesses that lost 15 per cent of their revenue in March, instead of the steeper 30 per cent the government had proposed earlier."

"More than 200 people are dying at home in New York City each day during the pandemic, up from 22 to 32 during the same dates a year ago of March 20 to April 5, according to city fire officials.

The city will now try to quantify how many of those died from coronavirus-related causes and add that to the its official death toll, New York’s health department said."