Evidence of meeting #44 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.
Bill Matthews Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I'll answer the question in a different way.
Those doses will not count against the deliveries under the contract with J&J or Janssen.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
When is the next set of Johnson & Johnson doses scheduled to arrive in Canada?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
We're working with Johnson & Johnson to line up deliveries potentially for sometime this month, so in the next couple of weeks.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Matthews, while I have you here, on the contracts for vaccines that were delivered to the health committee on Friday, did your department provide those to the law clerk in redacted or unredacted format?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Those documents were redacted by the department before they were furnished to the law clerk.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Just to be clear, the law clerk received them in redacted format.
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Those documents were redacted by the department before they were sent on.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Thank you.
For CBSA, has the Privacy Commissioner been consulted on the [Technical difficulty—Editor] for biometrics that was discussed in a CTV article last week?
Rob Stewart Deputy Minister, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
There's nobody here from CBSA, although they are in the portfolio of Public Safety. I can undertake to get back to you on that question.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Can you please table that response with the committee?
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Similarly, since it falls under the portfolio, will Canadians be required to submit biometrics like retinal scans and fingerprints when getting a new passport in the future?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
That question would need to be directed to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Thank you.
It's my understanding that some 9,000 CBSA workers are preparing for strike votes. Is this going to pose a challenge for any potential reopening measures of the U.S.-Canada border?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
There is a risk that labour action by the CBSA could produce a [Technical difficulty—Editor] labour shortages so that is a concern that CBSA has, yes.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Has your department or CBSA provided advice to the government to delay the reopening of the Canada-U.S. border due to potential strike action by the CBSA agents?
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Thank you.
Again, we've heard that the American government may consider unilaterally reopening the U.S.-Canada border. Has there been any analysis done for what testing capacity would be needed in that eventuality, given that there may be a significant number of Canadians going to the U.S. through the land border at that time?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
I believe the testing capacity question is best directed to my colleague Iain Stewart.
Iain Stewart President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Thank you for the question.
Modelling is being done under various scenarios for the testing capacity required for different opening strategies.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Mr. Stewart, could you make sure your video is on to help the interpreters? Thanks.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Thank you.
As well, Mr. Stewart, it's been reported that the federal government is not currently tracking the vaccination status of returning Canadians who got their COVID-19 vaccine abroad. Is this correct?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Are you asking if we track the vaccination status of people currently arriving at this moment? That's right. We do not.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Okay.
Do you know what the estimated number of people is who have been vaccinated abroad?