I cannot really comment on the COVID-19, but what I can answer is in the context of AMR.
AMR, as mentioned by my colleagues, is not a Canadian problem; it's a global problem. Travel across the world has made it very easy for antibiotic-resistant bugs to travel between countries. The issue I really see arising for Canada is not a matter of “if” but “when” we run into a scenario where antibiotic resistance really becomes a crisis situation—just like what happened with COVID—and Canada again relies on international partners for the supply of much-needed antibiotics. This scenario cannot happen.
The strain is coming. We will never be able to stop antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is a natural way for bacteria to survive. They will always use it. All we are trying to do is to slow down that curve so that it is under control. When Canada relies on international partners for supply chain and innovation, then we're back to basically where we were before COVID. This is a crisis that's going to happen if we don't do anything.
What we are proposing to the Canadian government is, “Let's do something about it.” We have the time now to do something about it, but we cannot sit back and wait until something happens or somebody else introduces something. We have to deal with it.