Canada: Trudeau still hashing out details of airline relief package

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is in “continual discussions” with airlines over aid for an industry buckling under the financial strain caused by Covid-19. His comment Friday suggests the government is getting close to delivering on industry-specific funding it first pledged in March, as it shut down large swathes of the economy in response to the pandemic. “The details are still very much under discussion and in reflection,” the prime minister said at an Ottawa news conference, when asked about a report his cabinet is weighing an airline bailout package. “There are certain industries that are harder hit than others because of this pandemic. Travel and tourism is certainly one of them,” Trudeau said, promising he’d work “to ensure that we’re going to have a strong airline industry coming back... My largest preoccupation is always going to be for Canadians themselves for workers and for people in rural and remote -- and not even so rural and remote regions, like Atlantic Canada -- that are seeing significant reductions in airline service.” <br/>