Evidence of meeting #14 for International Trade in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vaccine.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll start off.
It looks like we're going to be in the mechanism. Do you have any idea of the functioning of the mechanism and how it's going to work?
What are the trigger mechanisms that we're beholden to? Can you give us some insight into that?
1:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Our understanding as to how the mechanism will operate is obviously evolving in the sense that this is still early days with respect to its operation, but this is one of the reasons why we are as engaged as we are across the network.
Our understanding is that the process will have two stages to it, in the sense that there will be a member-state level analysis that is done based on information that they will receive from exporters, and there will be an analysis that is done at the commission level. Those are to happen according to the regulation that's been promulgated within 48 hours, with the possibility of an extension in unusual circumstances. That is the process that's set out in the rule that has been developed.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
With regard to the time frame for this mechanism to be in place, is there an end date in place? Is this just a short-term mechanism, or is this going to be something that could be extended out into a longer period throughout the vaccination period?
1:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Under the trade rules, as Steve was setting out earlier, it is required that these be temporary measures. The rule, as it's drafted, is basically in force until the end of March. That wouldn't necessarily foreclose the possibility of a replacement rule being put in place, but as it's drafted right now, it's the end of March.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Under this mechanism.... Again, we have a scenario now where we haven't had vaccinations for a couple of weeks. There's talk that we're going to have them back-loaded. Can you do that in this mechanism?
Can the company actually say, “Hey, we missed the shipment this week, so we're going to make it up and ship two shipments”? How is that measurement going on?
1:10 p.m.
Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Our objective is to make sure that there's no disruption. That's been our objective throughout the conversation since this began, and that continues to be where we are focusing. Those are the assurances that we've received. Our focus throughout the conversations that we're having, at all levels, is with a view to avoiding disruption.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Again, I'm trying to get through it from a layman's perspective sitting here.
The EU is short, let's say, three million doses this week. Do these companies now have to make up the three million doses before they can export to another country?
1:10 p.m.
Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
What we have been told in the assurances we have received is that there will be no disruption to the exports that we are expecting. That continues to be the undertaking that we've been given.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
That's where I have a problem. You have diplomats, or you have politicians talking to politicians. However, this is a regulation. This is actually embedded in law. If you see a scenario where the numbers don't lie—this is where we're at in the EU—and then the mechanism kicks in, it's going to have to impact us.
If it impacts us this week, will it also impact us next week when the numbers in the EU get back to normal? How does that function and what are the time frames around that?
1:10 p.m.
Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Madam Chair, I would just go back to the basic point. The undertakings we've been given suggest that there will not be a disruption, and that is the objective of all of our conversations.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
I have a hard time with that.
They're running at 100% capacity as it is. How do they squeeze out some more next week to make up for the shortfall? If they could, they would have done it already. Are they going to pull from other capacity somewhere else in the world? Does that put it in better shape?
Also, there's the question of transshipment—shipments that come through the EU on their way to Canada. Do they get seized? How do they function and operate?
1:10 p.m.
Deputy Minister, International Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Madam Chair, as I say, our objective here has been absolutely consistent, and the assurances we've been given stress that there will be no disruption. That is our objective, and that's our expectation.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Fair enough; I get that. However, it's put in place to protect the EU, to make sure they have enough vaccinations. To say that we won't be disrupted means we're being given preferential treatment over other countries. You can't do that in a regulation. That's why you have rules in place. If they do that, then I'm sure Mr. Verheul is going to be very excited to take them to the WTO, or whatever appropriate means, to make sure they don't do it again.
I think all we have are assurances that we're going to go through the mechanism and that it will be fair—that's it—and we really won't know that until we're through it.
1:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you very much, Mr. Hoback.
Thank you to our departmental officials—we appreciate that—and the minister and all of the committee. I think some very valuable information was shared today.
1:10 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I have a point of order, Madam Chair.
I want to bring to your attention the fact that, during the course of this committee, a Liberal member of the committee took a screenshot of the back end of this committee meeting and posted it online, which I don't believe follows parliamentary rules.
1:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Absolutely, we are not encouraged or allowed to do that.
Whichever member would have taken that shot and posted it, would you please remove it? That is not something that any of us are to do when we are having our meetings.
Thank you for raising that, Ms. Gray.
I will move adjournment. Thank you all very much. We will see you all on Friday.