QUESTION PERIOD — Health
COVID-19 Vaccine Procurement
February 10, 2021
Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.
This afternoon, the Indian government released a readout of a telephone call that took place at some point today between Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Modi of India. The readout states:
. . . Prime Minister Trudeau informed Prime Minister Modi about Canada’s requirements of COVID-19 vaccines from India.
Prime Minister assured the Canadian PM that India would do its best to support Canada’s vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already.
Government leader, we see the damaging effects on vaccine procurement thanks to Justin Trudeau waiting so long after the CanSino deal fell apart before finally turning to others. We have no written exemption from Europe on their vaccine export controls. We have no domestic vaccine production as this government chose to rely on foreign governments and foreign countries. Now when Prime Minister Trudeau finally turns to India for help, his relationship with India has deteriorated to the point that the only assurance given to Canada is that India will do its best.
Government leader, why did Prime Minister Trudeau wait so long to make this call? What exactly did the Prime Minister ask from the Indian government in terms of help? Was it for a million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, which are not even approved yet in Canada?
Thank you for your question. I don’t have details of the conversation, but I don’t accept the premise of your question at its core.
The government has taken steps to secure a variety of sources of vaccines from multiple sources internationally, as I’ve said many times in this chamber. It is to reduce the risk to Canadians that one particular supplier, in one particular jurisdiction, may not be able to deliver the goods, or that the vaccines, indeed, may not be effective against the virus or its variations and mutations that we’re seeing spread with alarming frequency.
The government continues to work diligently — the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, primarily — to secure both vaccines and related equipment for the benefit of Canadians. This is a constant daily preoccupation. It falls to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement primarily, and secondarily to other officials including other ministers, notably the Prime Minister. The Government of Canada remains confident that it will deliver on its promise that every Canadian who wishes to have a vaccine will have one by September, if not earlier.
Senator Gold, that is precisely the problem. The problem is you don’t have information, and as government leader, if you don’t have information, imagine the problem for Canadians.
I find it curious that the Prime Minister’s daily itinerary made absolutely no mention of his call to Prime Minister Modi. When I checked a little while ago, there was no readout release from Prime Minister Trudeau’s office in regard to this call. Will Canadians ever get to hear Prime Minister Trudeau’s version of this call? When will this government start being transparent with information?
If I remember the first part of your question, senator, the call took place today. I think that it is fair to expect that Canadians will continue to be advised by this government, as they have been, as to how things are unfolding. This government has shared information with Canadians — good, bad and indifferent — on a regular basis since the beginning of this pandemic. It has tried its best to keep Canadians informed, and it is doing its best to keep Canadians protected.
