Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, PPE for our front-line health care workers has been in extremely short supply. This is despite the fact that the Government of Canada maintains the national emergency strategic stockpile, or NESS, intended to support the provinces and territories when there is an emergent need for medical supplies.
We know now that NESS has not been properly maintained under this government and that millions of masks, gowns and gloves have been thrown in the trash without being restocked. When the minister initially told Canadians that wearing a mask would do nothing to protect against COVID-19, was she also aware at that time of the lack of PPE stock in NESS?