QUESTION PERIOD — Health
COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout at Foreign Missions
June 1, 2021
Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, my question is about the government’s vaccination plan for employees working abroad at Canada’s 178 missions in 110 countries. As you know, these are employees of many government departments and agencies, and there are more than 7,800 staff members working at embassies, high commissions and consulates. Roughly 25% of them are Canadian, and the rest are locally engaged staff who are also employed by the Government of Canada.
I’ve lived this life and I know it’s precarious when you’re out there with your families and dependants; and in cases now, people are wondering when they will be vaccinated. This is complicated by the fact that some employees are in countries where the vaccines we have approved in Canada are not approved there, and vice versa.
Of course, other countries are a bit ahead of us. I’m thinking of the U.S. and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the State Department has designated its embassy staff as front-line workers.
Why is there a delay in coming up with a comprehensive plan? When will a plan be finalized? When can employees and dependants abroad expect to be fully vaccinated?
Thank you, colleague, for raising this issue. It’s an important and challenging one. It goes without saying that the health and safety of our employees are the government’s top priorities.
With regard to your question, I’ve been advised that Global Affairs Canada has put in place measures designed to ensure the safety, security and well-being of its employees to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to conduct the important work of advancing Canadian interests globally while, at the same time, as you noted, respecting the guidance of local health authorities.
The government’s goal is to ensure that all employees have access to vaccines, including at all of our missions abroad: Canadian diplomats, their dependants and locally engaged staff. I’ve been advised that Canadian diplomats and their dependants currently serving abroad are authorized to access approved vaccines locally, where available. If these are not available, Canada will ensure they are vaccinated through different options, which will vary according to the location.
The government will continue to ensure that all Global Affairs Canada personnel working abroad have access to vaccines wherever possible.
I know it’s a bit of a grey zone, but our locally engaged staff have dependents as well. As we’ve learned through the course of this pandemic, vaccinating one family member does not necessarily provide the solution in terms of an end solution. Are there plans to vaccinate the families of locally engaged staff as well?
Thank you for the question. I simply don’t have the answer, colleague. I will certainly make inquiries. I would encourage you, with your network as well, to assist me in that regard. Thank you.
