OTTAWA—The federal government says it’s considering “stronger measures” to back up public health warnings about COVID-19 in the face of conflicting messages to Canadians and weekend scenes of people gathering at parks, beaches and playgrounds.

“We will not hesitate to take stronger measures should we need to in order to make two things absolutely crystal clear across this country: one, to keep Canadians’ health and safety at the forefront and two, to figure out a long term strategy to get us out of this situation” Health Minister Patty Hajdu said Sunday.

“Should we see a reluctance on behalf of the country to pull together, that would be a time where we would require additional measures,” she said told reporters.

The need for a more harmonized message nationwide was discussed between Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and provincial officials on Sunday, Hajdu said.

Frustrated politicians stepped up their urgent warnings to Canadians to avoid gathering in large numbers after a weekend that saw people clustered in parks, beaches and playing sports in defiance of public health warnings to keep their distance.

With the warnings came the threat of monetary penalties and even criminal sanctions.

“It is essential that people are following the advice of public health and the advice is getting stronger and stronger. With that stronger advice will be coming more and more penalties if people don’t listen,” Hajdu said Sunday.

It was such gatherings that prompted Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil to declare a provincial state of emergency Sunday with a new rule that no more than five people can gather together.

People were “blatantly disregarding” public health demands to stay apart, crowding beaches, parks, playing street hockey, he said. “We are dealing with a deadly virus and this behaviour is unacceptable,” McNeil said.

For his part, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not rule out declaring a federal state of emergency to enforce such measures but suggested it would be a last resort.

“The federal Emergencies Act is a significant step that can and should be taken when we've exhausted all other steps at other orders of government and the legislation and regulations available to the federal government do not respond or are insufficient to respond to the situation at hand,” Trudeau said Sunday.

With thousands of travellers coming back to Canada from March break trips, Hajdu said the federal government was also looking at measures in the Quarantine Act to enforce demands that people self-isolate for 14 days after their return.

“We will use every measure in our toolbox at the federal level to ensure compliance. This is of utmost importance,” said Hajdu, who delivered a pointed message to travellers in the meantime.

“When we say you must stay at home for 14 days that means you stay at home for 14 days. You do not stop for groceries. You do not go visit your neighbours or friends, you rest in your house for 14 days, no exceptions,” Hajdu said.

Meanwhile, efforts continued to repatriate Canadians stuck outside the country because of flight cancellations and closed borders. On Saturday, an Air Canada flight arrived in Montreal with 444 passengers from Morocco with two more flights to the country in the coming days.

Sunwing said it flew 30 flights on Sunday, bringing 5,000 passengers back to Canada. WestJet said it will operate 34 repatriation flights between Monday and Wednesday to international and U.S. destinations.

On Sunday morning, the Public Health of Canada reported more than 1,300 confirmed cases nationwide plus another 69 probable cases. Ontario reported an additional 47 cases, bringing the provincial total to 424. There have been 19 deaths from the virus in Canada.

On the economic front, the focus for Ottawa this week will be acting on the aid package announced last week — some $27 billion in direct assistance, plus another $55 billion in deferred taxes.

The House of Commons — which broke because of the health crisis — will meet in a unique session Tuesday with just a handful of MPs to pass legislation needed to enact the emergency economic measures unveiled last week, spending that Trudeau said Sunday is just the first wave of federal funding to help Canadians and businesses through the COVID-19 crisis.

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Conceding that it will be “months” before Canada emerges from the health and economic crisis, Trudeau said the goal is to lay the foundation for the “economy to rebound.”

“There is no one silver bullet. It is going to be many, many different measures brought together in the most efficient way that will help us through,” he told reporters.

Trudeau said the federal government is looking to measures taken in other jurisdictions are it weighs next steps in its economic rescue package. Denmark, for example, is providing employers with wage subsidies – more generous than those offered in Canada – to help employees on the payroll.

“We are continuing to talk about next steps, looking at best practices from around the world, looking at what other countries and jurisdictions are doing to ensure that our economy remains solid, if at a standstill so that it can pick up again once this crisis is through,” Trudeau said.

As well, the government continues to consider targetted federal assistance to two sectors especially hard-hit – airlines and Alberta’s oil patch.

Canadian airlines have drastically scaled back schedules – Porter airlines has suspended all service until June 1 – in the face of border restrictions and official advisories against travellers. In a statement last week, Air Canada CEO Calin Rovinescu encouraged federal aid for the sector, through tax relief or suspending other fees and charges “until the industry stabilizes.”

Alberta has been hit by the economic fall-out of the virus coupled with another sharp downturn in oil prices. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said last week that the province is facing “profound adversity” of a kind not seen the 1930s’ Depression.

On Monday, Trudeau is expected to announce further details on the government’s previously announced plan to invest $1 billion in healthcare and strategy to fight the deadly virus.

The prime minister took a few minutes Sunday in what’s become his daily address to the nation to speak directly to children whose own lives have been upended by the virus, from cancelled classes and play dates to scrapped March break plans.

“I get it from my kids as well,” the father of three said.

“I know this is a big change, but we have to do this, not just for ourselves, but for our grandparents, our nurses, our doctors and everyone working at our hospitals. And you kids are helping a lot,” the prime minister.

“So a special thanks to all you kids. Thank you for helping your parents work from home, for sacrificing your usual day, for doing math class around the kitchen table and for trusting in science,” said Trudeau, who himself is working from home.

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