QUESTION PERIOD — Health
Testing for COVID-19
September 30, 2020
My question today is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
Leader, on Monday, the World Health Organization announced an initiative to provide low-income countries with 120 million antigen tests; the at-home rapid tests that provide results within minutes. These tests are in use in countries around the world, but in Canada they are not in use, not approved, and Health Canada is not even currently reviewing any of them.
Minister Hajdu sat right here in March and told us her government was working as quickly as possible on testing. It is a complete failure of this government that all these months later, after over 9,000 fellow Canadians have died and tens of thousands became ill, after our economy was shut down and children lost months of education, we still don’t have widely available at-home testing and we likely won’t any time soon.
Leader, is the Government of Canada contributing to the WHO initiative? If so, why does your government think antigen testing is perfectly fine for people in other countries but not for Canadians?
Thank you, senator, for your question. Colleagues, the Government of Canada recognizes that testing is one of the most important tools, not only that the government can help provide, but that the public health system and health system generally has at its disposal to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
The Government of Canada knows that Canadians want access to better and faster testing no matter where they live. There are a number of elements to the question, so you’ll indulge me if I answer rather fulsomely.
With regard to rapid response tests, in fact, today Health Canada approved an ID NOW rapid test, but before approving others, the government and public health needs to know that these rapid response tests work. We need tests that ensure people who take them are not given either a false sense of security or a false sense of insecurity. They must work and be able to detect the virus reliably and accurately. Canada relies upon its own testing data and the government has its own approval process.
With regard to testing at home, which the senator also alluded to, Health Canada is working around the clock on the approval and procurement of new testing technologies. I have been advised that 36 tests have been approved to date, including 2 that are at point of care to help with rapid testing in specific opportunities like rural and remote communities.
However, to date, I’m advised that Health Canada has not received any home tests for review. The government continues to engage actively with companies that provide these types of tests to encourage them to apply for use and approval here in Canada.
Well, we’re okay to use other countries as guinea pigs while we don’t do anything for our people. The tests given approval today, as you point out, are point-of-care tests administered by health care professionals. They are not antigen tests, which we need across Canada.
Leader, every day we see parents and small children lined up for six to eight hours in hopes they will get tested that day, and then many are turned away. We have many small business owners trying to stay afloat, whose employees have to take time off to isolate while waiting for test results. We have people living paycheque to paycheque, who can’t afford to lose shifts at work while waiting for a test; all of this because rapid at-home testing has not been on your government’s radar. So much for helping the middle class.
Leader, three regions of your own province have gone back into lockdown in recent days. What more will it take to convince your government to stop dragging its feet and move forward with widespread, at-home rapid testing?
Thank you for your question, but one of your assumptions and premises, with respect, is incorrect. The government is not dragging its feet. The government is ensuring that the tests to be administered and made available to Canadians meet the rigorous standards that Health Canada and the Government of Canada have put in place to protect the health of Canadians.
