Evidence of meeting #31 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann
Thank you very much, Mr. Chong.
We have about three minutes left for Mr. Sidhu.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann
We have a hard stop at 5:30, so we will need to keep that in mind.
Mr. Sidhu, please.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
I would like to give some time to the minister to respond to that, please.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Thank you, Mr. Sidhu.
Thank you, Mr. Chong, for raising those important issues. It is exactly for that reason that Canada contributed $325 million to COVAX. That $325 million has purchased about 100 million vaccines that will be going to the developing world. That is a significant contribution from Canada to developing countries. When we talk about 49 million vaccines having been delivered to 120 countries, that has been possible because countries like Canada have contributed significant resources.
We also purchased vaccines, $220-million worth of vaccines, through the COVAX self-financing facility for use in Canada, as did other wealthier nations like the U.K., Singapore, and New Zealand, some of whom drew on COVAX because there were vaccines they were interested in drawing upon and some who have not yet drawn upon COVAX but who may in the future.
When it comes to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, I also just want to make note of the fact that Canada provided $440,000 in response to the La Soufrière volcanic explosion. That is in addition to the millions of dollars we have provided over the years to the Caribbean to prepare for disaster response, climate insurance, natural disaster insurance and risk response.
Just to be clear, I share your concerns about what's happening in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. COVAX is delivering to countries around the world on a proportionate basis. Their aim was to provide vaccines to 3% of the population in their first delivery window. That's why you see those proportionate amounts being delivered around the world. Those deliveries are made possible because of the contributions Canada made last September and throughout the course of this year. We are going to continue to do our part. That's why we've committed to contributing the surplus doses we've purchased when they are available here in Canada. But we're going to continue to work with our partners around the world to ensure that they're ready and that their health system is prepared and able and has the capacity.
One of the other things that have been really important for me, as the Minister of International Development, is to fund the ACT Accelerator holistically. That $940 million that goes to the ACT A includes support for diagnostics, for therapeutics and for COVAX, but also, importantly, support for health systems. As Dr. Seth Berkley, the head of Gavi, said to me—and I take this very seriously—it's not vaccines that save lives; it's vaccinations.
Canada has responded in a really holistic way and will continue to do more, because that's what Canada does.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann
Minister Gould, thank you so much for being with us today, both on the estimates and COVAX.
Colleagues, on our collective behalf, I'd like to thank the minister and her team for their service and for everything they're doing to make our world a better place.
Thank you very much, colleagues.
Everybody, please keep safe.
With that, we stand adjourned until our next session.