QUESTION PERIOD — Health
COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan
December 7, 2021
Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, we are now about two years into the pandemic, and we continue to struggle with the rapid sharing of metadata amongst provinces, territories and the federal government. While some good progress has been made — for example, the variants of concern leadership table struck by the Deputy Minister of Health — we are not where we need to be to mount a national data-founded response to this pandemic. Could you please tell us what additional measures are being considered by the federal government to improve this situation?
Honourable senator, thank you for the question and for your leadership on health issues in this chamber. Thank you also for giving me some advance notice of this question, as I’ve made inquiries. It’s an important question, as you and many others have pointed out in this chamber. I’ve not yet received a response. When I do, I shall report back to the chamber in a timely fashion.
Senator Gold, we know that COVID infection rates and the subsequent morbidity and mortality are much higher in the unvaccinated and that unvaccinated Canadians are a reservoir for continued mutations and spread of this virus. This reality puts vaccinated people at risk of contracting the disease and continues to put pressure on our ability to deliver needed health care for non-COVID conditions.
What additional measures is the Government of Canada planning to take to ensure that the risk to Canadians who are following best available public health advice is not increased because of the unwillingness of the few to do so?
Thank you for your question. The Government of Canada continues to work closely with its partners in the provinces and territories and with health care professionals and advisers to find and promote the best ways to encourage Canadians to be vaccinated and to encourage Canadians, whether vaccinated or not, to take public health measures to minimize the risk of exposure. It will continue to do so.
