By Caribbean News Global 
OTTAWA, Canada – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, today, spoke with the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, to discuss the COVID-19 crisis in recognition of the global scale of the crisis. They reaffirmed the importance of taking strong and coordinated action to address the economic impact of the pandemic and to support a rapid, sustainable, and inclusive economic recovery.
Prime minister Trudeau commended managing director Georgieva for her strong leadership during the crisis. The leaders discussed continued cooperation concerning current economic challenges, including support for the most vulnerable countries. They also considered the specific issues facing the Caribbean and small island states.
COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving global challenge. The government of Canada is working closely with local, provincial, and international partners to minimize its health, economic, and social impacts in Canada and around the world.
Meanwhile, Mary Ng, minister of small business, export promotion and international trade, issued a joint commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) members to support small businesses:
“Our government is unwavering in our support for Canadian businesses—of every size, every sector, and every region of the country.
“Small and medium-sized businesses make up 99 percent of all Canadian companies—and as Canada and our international partners take gradual steps toward recovery, we will do everything we can to help them through this.
“Today, Canada and 48 World Trade Organization [WTO] members signed a joint statement committing to address the immediate economic challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises throughout this crisis and beyond. We also reaffirmed our support for the central role of the WTO in international trade.
“Businesses and workers depend on stability, predictability, and open global supply chains to do business around the world—and this also ensures that people get the essential goods and services they need when they need them.
“Coordinating with our international partners is critical to ensuring that Canadian businesses, whether small or medium-sized, have the tools, resources, and relief they need during this unprecedented time.
“We continue to take extraordinary measures to help small businesses overcome this crisis and build resilience for future challenges.”
