Thank you for your question.

The government understands the frustration that many Canadians feel as they await their turn to get their vaccines. The fact remains, however, that the Government of Canada has secured the highest number of doses per capita of any country in the world, and the most diverse portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines as well.

As the Minister of Public Services and Procurement said yesterday, Canada ranks second amongst the G20 countries in the number of vaccine doses administered per 100 people, second only to the United States. Canada has done so thanks to the collaboration and cooperation of the provincial and territorial governments upon whose shoulders and in whose constitutional responsibility the distribution and administration of vaccine lies.

Thank you for your question. The only one that is blaming a level of government in this exchange is the Honourable Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. My remarks were clear that the federal government is working in collaboration with the provinces and territories, who are doing their very best within their responsibilities to vaccinate as many of their citizens as possible according to the priorities that they set for themselves.

I remind senators that the government has delivered over 10 million vaccines to provinces and territories, with millions more arriving in the months to come. The government has also provided hundreds of millions of dollars to the provinces and territories to help them strengthen their vaccine distribution systems.

The fact remains that Canadians are being vaccinated with increasing numbers and frequency and the Government of Canada is pleased to be playing that role in helping to keep Canadians safe.

Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader. I notice that your answer to the questions of the Leader of the Opposition regarding vaccines has the key words that are the constant talking points of the Liberal Party, which are “vaccines are coming.” But the reality, Senator Gold, is they have not come and have not been arriving.

Last week we saw Prime Minister Trudeau, all smiles, once again announcing the procurement of yet more vaccines. He keeps making these announcements, but the truth of the matter is, government leader, regardless of how many times the Prime Minister gets in front of cameras and we keep getting reassured that vaccines are coming, Canadians are nowhere near close to being fully vaccinated. Only 2.1% of Canadians have had both doses, as per the manufacturer’s protocol and Health Canada’s approvals. We see what a disaster it is in Ontario, a province that was bullied into changing its dosing protocol after being disingenuously accused of hoarding vaccines by your government.

Senator Gold, enough with the theatrics, enough with the talking points and enough with the promises of vaccines that are coming. We need an answer to these questions: When will Canadians be fully vaccinated? By what date? Can you give us a date when Canadians can expect to be fully vaccinated with the two doses, government leader?

Senator Housakos, I’m glad that you reached a question at the end of your comments. I will not answer every one of your assertions, simply to say that the Government of Canada’s ongoing dialogue and conversation with the Canadian people is a reflection of this government’s commitment to provide fair, accurate and honest information to Canadians through this difficult time.

However facile it might be to demand quick answers, as this chamber knows and as Canadians understand well, Canada has secured a large number of vaccines from a disparate and diverse set of suppliers. There have been supply problems in the past, and there may again be ones in the future, but this government has been clear with Canadians as to what to expect.

Canadians are on track to receive 44 million doses by the end of June. In my province and yours indeed, Senator Housakos, 27% of Quebec residents have already received their first dose. Once again, we lag only behind the United States — which has a large domestic manufacturing capacity that we do not — in number of doses administered per 100 citizens.

Senator Gold, Canadians don’t want their government to be in dialogue with them regarding vaccines. They want their vaccines now. They wanted them yesterday. We can’t afford to keep waiting with the promises of vaccines that are coming.

Senator Gold, last week, in response to the Ford government saying it had a supply problem, not a capacity problem, with vaccines, your member of Parliament from the other House, Mark Gerretsen, took to Twitter to blatantly lie to Canadians by saying there were plenty of supply vaccines when there really isn’t.

Today, when asked why flights from hot spots like Brazil and India aren’t being grounded, your leader, the Prime Minister himself, blatantly lied when he responded that Canada has the toughest border measures in the world.

Senator Gold, your government lies about vaccine procurement and supply, and lies about the measures at the border. My question is simple: Can you tell me something your government doesn’t lie about in regard to this vaccine rollout?

Senator Housakos, you are posing the kind of question about which very bad jokes are often made. This government is not lying to Canadians. It’s sharing with them the information that it has, so they can understand what we are dealing with in this global pandemic. It is facile and misleading to Canadians to suggest otherwise.