Thank you, Madam Chair.
Absolutely, we prorogued. There was a pandemic. We were in a pandemic last summer. We're still in a pandemic, and we should be hearing from our Deputy Prime Minister.
I do think it's important for this committee to understand the context, and I will make two points here. Cases have been rising internationally for nine straight weeks. Deaths have increased for six straight weeks. We're all seeing what is happening in India. It's beyond heartbreaking. Yet this committee remains focused on a partisan motion. We were in a pandemic last summer. It's the reason we prorogued. We're still in a pandemic. We need to hear from the Deputy Prime Minister.
Public health measures have restricted many parts of life. They work. They save lives. Vaccines are giving us all hope, but vaccines alone will not end the pandemic. We have the tools to bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months, but only if we use those tools consistently and equitably.
This past Sunday a World Health Organization adviser, Dr. Peter Singer, a Canadian, had a message for Canadians. He said that dawn is coming. His comments came on the heels of soaring COVID-19 case counts in Canada, which had peaked at over 9,000 daily in April. As I've talked about, Ontario has faced a crushing third wave with record-breaking daily cases and ICUs stretched to their limits. Dr. Singer says it's the darkness before the dawn.
There is really no question that the situation in Canada has been very tough and that many people are suffering. I want to bring it home. This pandemic is the worst global public health crisis in 100 years. We were in a pandemic last summer. We prorogued because we were in a pandemic. We continue to be in a pandemic and we should hear from our Deputy Prime Minister.
This is a few days old, but over 11 million vaccines—I think it's much higher now—have been administered in Canada. Dawn is coming, but we have to keep maintaining the public health measures, the masking, the physical distancing, avoiding poorly ventilated indoor spaces. While this is some light, we have to keep maintaining public health measures, but this committee remains focused on a partisan motion. Again, we prorogued because there was a pandemic. We're still in the pandemic and we should be hearing from our Deputy Prime Minister.
Here at home, Ontario continues to struggle. Ontario made a formal request to the Canadian Armed Forces to help deal with the surge in critical care cases associated with COVID-19's third wave. A spokesperson made the request for assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Red Cross. In addition, we're looking for health human resources, logistical and operational support—and the military will help— yet this committee remains focused on a partisan motion.
I heard from my honourable colleague that we haven't mentioned prorogation. I've mentioned it over and over. There was prorogation because we're in a pandemic. We continue to be in a pandemic. We absolutely should be hearing from our Deputy Prime Minister.
I will just finish by saying that no matter what Canada does here at home, there's a much bigger issue that could impact the real end date of the pandemic, and that is vaccine equity. It is the challenge of our time, and while my colleagues don't seem to be interested, this international—