Melanie Joly & David McGuinty

The federal government is planning a multibillion-dollar, pandemic-style bailout for workers and businesses if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods. The sources said some of the measures, such as waiving the one-week waiting period for employment insurance benefits, do not require parliamentary approval. But the bulk of potential spending on new programs to help laid-off workers and businesses affected by tariffs will require legislative approval, which could not take place until Parliament resumes sitting on March 24. …One of the sources said the federal cabinet is of the opinion that billions of dollars of aid do not need to flow immediately. …The source said the aid package could be ready to roll out once Parliament resumes. But it would require co-operation from the opposition parties. [to access the full story, a Globe and Mail subscription is required]

In related coverage by Tony Keller in the Globe and Mail: Would Trump tariffs ‘kill the Canadian economy completely’? Not even close