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The Trudeau government is walking back on its decision to tax its new $2,000 monthly COVID-19 emergency benefit. Successful applicants will now receive the full amount for up to four months.

A government source confirmed the news first reported by Montreal-based radio station 98.5 FM.

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An increasing chorus of voices were calling on the Liberal government to make the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) free of tax after learning that a $200 income-tax deduction would be applied to the monthly amount.

In Canada, there are 4,043 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 and 39 deaths. Globally, cases have passed half a million while more than 23,000 people have died of the novel coronavirus.

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