Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I want to thank all of you for being here today for this very important discussion we're having and for your testimony. I think everybody around the table recognizes the important role that firefighters play in our different communities.
Earlier this week we did have some testimony, as you mentioned. It did get into some of the challenges we have in Canada, with the delivery of health care being more of a provincial-territorial jurisdiction because of the vastness of our country. I know the minister is from Nunavut, and in Nunavut, the nurse practitioners tend to be the first responders.
You mentioned even in Quebec there were different priorities in different regions.
When the federal government and the provinces and territories get together, they do sit down and try to come up with plans that will work for everybody and to be as flexible as possible. One of the concerns I had—and I did ask the witnesses here on Tuesday. Sometimes politicians can be well-meaning, but sometimes you make changes. It was interesting, I think Mr. Marks said, tying the hands of the plan. When you have different regions within provinces, things are so different.
We heard from Nova Scotia, where their biggest concern at the beginning was the school kids, because the outbreaks were in the schools. I believe Nova Scotia was one of those jurisdictions that decided to give vaccination priority to firefighters.
It is a huge challenge. I am interested in what you have to say, because we were told earlier this week by the Public Health Agency of Canada that the implementation of any recommendations in the Canadian pandemic influenza plan on priority access to vaccines would fall on the provinces and territories. Our role is to provide guidance.
Mr. Marks, do you think the federal government should determine how provinces and territories distribute these vaccines?