Evidence of meeting #52 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clauses.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
We've had frank discussions, but we are actually dealing with the allocation of $1 billion—
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
We're not talking about the immunization plan as a whole. Some other committee can deal with that.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
I'm more sensitive to making sure we get this budget discussion and the BIA right as we walk through it.
Mr. Rajabali, has there been any analysis done on what the incremental improvement will be to the vaccine rollouts in each of the provinces? If so, can you point us to where that analysis might be?
5:50 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
I am not aware of any analysis that's actually been done to answer that specific question.
5:50 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Really? A billon dollars are to be spent without having an analysis done as to the incremental benefit to Canadians?
5:50 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
As I said, I don't have that information.
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just want to ask a quick question, Mr. Rajabali. Can you remind us, on the $1 billion—I see the great allocation that you have there, from (a) to (m)—what, specifically, is it to go towards? Is it for the materials around the vaccinations? Do you have a sort of outline of specifically what it's meant to cover?
5:50 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
It's supposed to go to provinces and territories for their vaccine rollout. There is no specific list of what it needs to be used for.
The budget document—I have it here—talks about the things it could be used for. The types of examples are on page 63 of the budget and talk about recruiting and training “immunizers”; “establish mass vaccination clinics”; “set up...vaccination units”; “engage Indigenous communities to advance vaccine rollout”; and, of course, “reach vulnerable populations through community-based vaccine efforts”.
The bottom line is that provinces and territories can use the money based on their unique circumstances.
5:50 p.m.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Thank you.
To your knowledge, have you heard of any concerns from any of the provinces about the amounts they're getting?
5:55 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
No, not to my knowledge.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
It still kind of shocks me that there seemed to be very little communication between the provinces and the feds in regard to a billion-dollar payment. We don't know what they're going to use it for; we're giving them suggestions. We don't know how much they need; we don't know if we're giving them too much or too little. There's no analysis whatsoever.
Are there any strings attached? I mean, just because this thing says that this is for their COVID rollout plan, do they even have to use it for that? Is there anything...?
5:55 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
That was one of the questions previously as well. As indicated previously, there are no conditions associated with the funding.
There is the expectation that the provinces and territories will continue to report on progress to date in terms of vaccine rollout, such as the daily number of doses administered and adverse events, but there are no strings or conditions associated with the money transferred—
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
It's not even that a province would have to show that it has at least 50% vaccination accomplished. There's nothing even in that sense.
5:55 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
No.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Rajabali. I have two quick questions.
I don't envy you for having to speak to this clause. Whose idea was it? It obviously wasn't yours, because you don't have any answers. Was this just a directive that you're addressing the technical points of the clause?
5:55 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy Division, Federal-Provincial Relations and Policy Branch, Department of Finance
I'm just here to answer the technical parts of the clause. It's the government that makes that decision, obviously.
5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Ted Falk Conservative Provencher, MB
Okay. My second follow-up question would be on the amounts allocated there. Are they done on a per capita basis?