Evidence of meeting #42 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was doses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Do you think that the Prime Minister's security concerns are greater than those of the women who were allegedly sexually assaulted at a hotel used in the quarantine program?
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
There were reports of sexual assault occurring at one hotel. I'm just wondering if you deem their security concerns greater or lesser than the Prime Minister's.
12:50 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
At this designated quarantine facility, there were no such sexual assaults of the nature you're describing, allegedly, to my knowledge.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
That was a newspaper story about a designated quarantine facility, is what I'm trying to say, which is a different category of institution.
12:50 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
It's not a quarantine hotel. It's a designated quarantine facility.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Again, would the security concerns of a woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted at a quarantine hotel run by the federal government be greater or lesser than the Prime Minister's?
12:50 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
I wouldn't know how to begin to answer a question structured that way, but thank you, honourable member.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Thank you, Ms. Rempel Garner.
We will go now to Ms. O'Connell for five minutes.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm sorry, I didn't know if I'd have a chance there.
Quickly, Mr. Stewart, I'll just pick up on that—or Dr. Tam or whoever can answer.
It's my understanding that the Prime Minister, as well as any security detail, media and staff, is going to follow the quarantine protocol that Canadians would have to follow, which is to return and stay at a hotel to quarantine until they receive their test. Given the fact that travel to these meetings requires security as well as accompanying media, the entire group that would be attending the G7 summit would be subject to quarantine in a hotel just like anybody else under the quarantine protocols. Is that accurate?
12:55 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
As you are saying, the essential elements are that they are tested on arrival, that they're held in a safe space until the results are known and then are released and go into an approved quarantine. There are different ways to do that.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Part of that is just to ensure that for anyone who's travelled internationally and has been exposed, COVID-19 won't then come into our communities, which is ultimately the goal until those test results can be returned. Is that correct?
12:55 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
The essential elements are, as you are saying, that people are tested on arrival, they're held until the test result is provided and then they go into quarantine. I think the answer to your question is yes.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Thank you.
Just quickly, because I don't have much time, the mayor of Windsor talking about getting doses from the U.S. I'm not sure who's been engaged in these conversations, so feel free to jump in if you have. I do recall the conversations about truck drivers, for example, in Manitoba and North Dakota, and that a significant amount of work was done with the premier, the governor and local authorities to make this process happen.
It's my understanding that the U.S. federal government has determined that travel for vaccination is not essential. The Governor of Michigan has not actually offered these doses to Canada. Perhaps it's some pharmacies that may have extra doses and surely don't want them wasted, and I understand that. Ultimately, these doses are owned and paid for by American taxpayers, so unless they are willing to give them to us, whether we say we want them or not, the owners of these doses must actually indicate they are providing them to us. Is that a fair and accurate summary of where the issue is?
It's not the fact that the Canadian government doesn't want to access doses. In fact, we're working with the U.S. federal government every single day to get surplus doses, but that the local government authorities have not authorized Canada to have these particular doses.
12:55 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Yes. That, in summary, is our understanding.
I would also note, by the way, that about two hours ago we delivered our 30 millionth dose in Canada to the provinces and territories.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Thank you.
Even if Canada's position were, yes, we would welcome these extra doses from Detroit, again, we don't own them, and therefore they can only be provided if the state government and the U.S. federal government authorize that. Essentially it would be an export.
12:55 p.m.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Yes, and they would have to go through the regulatory approvals in that regard. Steve Lucas, of course, can speak more to that.
Yes, you're right. They're owned by the federal government of the United States.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Right. Janssen is an example that for any doses donated or given to us by the U.S., they must also have all of that information reviewed. Canadians expect that for any doses used here. Even if the U.S. has a system that we're comfortable with, we have a regulatory process that has to live up to the standards of Health Canada.
12:55 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
That's exactly the case, Mr. Chair. Any vaccines imported into Canada need to meet a series of requirements, in addition to being approved for use by Health Canada, including understanding the specific lot number, the doses, the quantities and who the importer is. All of this information is well outlined. We've shared it with the provinces, and it's available on our website. That would need to be provided for any case in which there's authorized importation.
1 p.m.
Liberal
Jennifer O'Connell Liberal Pickering—Uxbridge, ON
Do you know if Premier Ford has asked the governor—