Health Committee on Dec. 4th, 2023

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I respect that, and that makes a lot of sense, but the issue here is that Canada was also a signatory to a legally binding treaty that said it would not sign a contract with a company with significant ties to the tobacco industry. That's the nub of the question here and that's why we lost $150 million, because ultimately, the WHO would not permit the Medicago vaccine to be sold commercially, which is why the taxpayers lost $150 million. What am I missing with that take on this?

[Joëlle Paquette]

The Government of Canada put a contract in place with Medicago to obtain vaccines for Canadians. They received Health Canada approval, and had we had the vaccine, we would have been able to vaccinate Canadians.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Why didn't we proceed in that respect, then?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Davies. That's your time.

Mr. Deltell, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the House of Commons.

It gives me no pleasure, Mr. Chair, to be here today.

I'm a guy from Quebec City. I was a journalist and I'm very familiar with Medicago, because I used to write about the company.

I find everything about this saga very troubling, because it's clear that it's been contaminated by a virus—not a medical virus, but an ownership virus.

On February 27, 2005, Canada and 181 other countries around the world signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which specifically says in point 3 of article 5 of the convention that “Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry”.

Since 2005, it has been clear that when the tobacco industry applies for funding, it cannot, according to the WHO, move forward. The application would not be recognized.

In 2008, Philip Morris International became a 21% shareholder in Medicago.

In March 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, it's understandable that everyone should want to find a solution. On March 23, the government announced that it would help companies conduct scientific research. The press release states that: “The funding will enable Medicago to rapidly advance their clinical trials and then expand production to respond to the pandemic”.

Did you know at the time, Ms. Andrachuk and Ms. Paquette, that the Medicago company had a tobacco corporation as a shareholder and that it would accordingly never be recognized by the WHO?

A yes or a no will do.

[Joëlle Paquette]

The Public Safety Agency of Canada asked us, after receiving scientific advice, to proceed with the signing of a purchase agreement with Medicago.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Here's my question: Did you know that Medicago had a tobacco manufacturer as a shareholder and that as a result, the WHO would never recognize the work that had been done?

Did you know, yes or no?

[Andrea Andrachuk]

We were aware of the partial ownership by PMI.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Why did you go on?

[Andrea Andrachuk]

We could not presume what decisions the World Health Organization may or may not have taken.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Ms. Andrachuk, how could you not anticipate that, when an agreement signed in 2005 by Canada and 181 countries states clearly in black and white that work in which the tobacco industry is involved will not be recognized?

How could you just assume that they would not abide by this agreement?

[Andrea Andrachuk]

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented situation.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

I know, but the wording is clear.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Mr. Deltell, we on this committee adopted a rule according to which witnesses can give an answer that is as long as the question they were asked. I would therefore ask you to stop interrupting witnesses before they have had the opportunity to give a full response.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Chair, that's why I'm asking for a yes or no answer.

Ms. Paquette, did you know, yes or no?

[Joëlle Paquette]

We knew that the company was partly owned by a tobacco manufacturer. The vaccines were purchased for Canadians, because we didn't know who would have a reliable vaccine for Canadians.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

So you knew that the WHO would not recognize Medicago's work.

Isn't that the case?

[Andrea Andrachuk]

We could not anticipate what the WHO would decide, given the uncertainty around the world owing to the pandemic.

It was never before seen. We were in completely new circumstances. We couldn't presume what the WHO would do.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

When the federal government awarded $173 million to Medicago in October 2020, did you warn the political decision-makers of the situation, yes or no?

[Joëlle Paquette]

You'd have to ask the people at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Did you warn the people at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada about the existence of this virus within Medicago ownership, which ensured that the WHO would never approve its vaccine?

[Joëlle Paquette]

We were not involved in that decision-making process. Canada signed an agreement with Medicago to obtain vaccine doses for Canadians at a time when no other vaccines were available.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

As Canada was a signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, does this mean that Canada breached its own signature?

[Andrea Andrachuk]

I can't answer that question today.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Canada signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and point 3 of article 5 is clear. There is to be no funding of research in which the tobacco industry is involved. That was precisely the case for Medicago, and that's why we are stuck with this problem today.