Health Committee on Nov. 20th, 2020

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you. Okay.

[Iain Stewart]

—and in order for them to be ready, Mr. Chair, we—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Ms. Rempel Garner, please let the witnesses answer.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I only have three minutes.

Thank you.

Just to build on my colleague Mr. Davies' questions, Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro tweeted out about a day ago that they would be slated to receive 465,000 doses of this vaccine in the first quarter of 2021.

Mr. Lucas, is he wrong?

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Mr. Chair, I believe—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I'm sorry. The question is for Mr. Stewart.

[Iain Stewart]

Okay.

As I was mentioning in response to your previous question, we have a discussion going on with the provinces around how we will do the rollout. In order to have that discussion, we have to have discussions about the number of doses that would be available, and that's the figure of six million. Then, I think, different provinces, in order to prepare and do their preparations, are working out what they take to be a rough estimate of what they expect to receive.

As the minister indicated, the actual discussions about—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

So they're just—

[Iain Stewart]

—the allocations, Mr. Chair, have not yet been completed, and those discussions are ongoing at this time.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

So, Mr. Stewart, they tweeted out or announced information that was incorrect, in your opinion.

[Iain Stewart]

I think until the allocations settle out it's hard to know whether their estimation is correct or not.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Okay.

Are provinces going to be receiving allocations on a per capita basis or on other criteria?

[Iain Stewart]

The minister mentioned in her remarks that we have had a number of instances where we do provide material out to the provinces. You'll remember testing and personal protective equipment, as examples. In those instances, usually it was a mix of per capita and some other considerations, but we're not there yet. Those discussions are still under way. Certainly—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

When will the other criteria be ready?

[Iain Stewart]

Which other criteria? Do you mean the other considerations in addition to per capita?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Correct.

[Iain Stewart]

That's part of the current discussion that is under way.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

When will that be ready for us to evaluate?

[Iain Stewart]

I don't know that I can speak to when this would be brought to this committee.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I'm sorry. I'll ask it in a different way. When will those considerations be completed?

[Iain Stewart]

We're having those discussions with the provinces now and they're progressing very well. It's a very constructive discussion, so we're hopeful in the near term.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

What does the near term—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Ms. Rempel Garner.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you.