Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Public Works, and it is a real question.
Strange things are happening in the Department of Public Works. In the procurement contract for flu vaccine purchased for the provinces, the minister, acting on his own initiative, split the contract equally between Connaught in Ontario and Bio Vac in Quebec. The minister says he found a Canadian solution to a Canadian problem. However, the contract share awarded to Connaught will be produced in the United States.
Since BioVac is offering these vaccines at $1.70 per unit, why does the government insist on paying more-$1.85 per unit-with its decision to purchase part of these vaccines in the United States, so that Quebec loses 26 high tech jobs and an investment project worth $32 million will be cancelled?