I think the testimony on Monday was pretty conclusive, that the sooner they can get the money, the sooner we save money for the health care system in this country and save lives. I'm not sure what the negotiation needs to be when it's a transfer to an independent body that actually just gives out money itself.
On the response to the pandemic, we are still, I think, asking about the $400 million that's been set aside for pandemic response. There doesn't seem to be a real explanation of how the money for response is being spent, compared to that for purchasing vaccine.
Again I ask this, on behalf of the provinces. I understand that the unilateral decision that the provinces would pay for 40% of the cost of the vaccine but 100% of the delivery of the vaccine into Canadians' arms is still of huge contention for the provinces and territories. Local public health services are scrambling. In 2007 the decision to cut the $100 million that was there for provinces to build up local public health has been very evident to Canadians in terms of how this rollout happened this fall.
I guess I would like to know if there is any money to help the provinces with the rollout of the pandemic response. Also, I think the provinces are wondering where the money is to help with the extensive costs over time and the difficulty because of the isotope crisis that was caused by the federal government.