Debates of Nov. 26th, 2020

Health—Main Estimates, 2020-21

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, who is going to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine doses, the federal government or provincial government?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, as I said earlier in the House, no Canadian will have to pay for a vaccination.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, that is not what I asked. Will the provincial government or the federal government be paying for doses of COVID-19 vaccines?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, I can speak to the incredible investments that we have made already to the provinces to fight COVID-19, in fact $19 billion through the state—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, who is going to pay for the doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the federal government or provincial government?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, in Alberta, there are $22 billion in supports to that province in terms of safe restart money, supports for—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, it is probably going to cost a lot, so maybe she should tell the provinces if she is expecting them to pay. Is she expecting them to pay for the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, we have been there for provinces and territories in historic ways, including in her province with more than $22 billion in support for—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, how much will it cost to vaccinate every Albertan against COVID-19?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, what I can say is Canadians will not have to pay for vaccination in this country.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, will the Government of Alberta have to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, I am so pleased that we have been able to be there for the Government of Alberta as it fights against COVID-19 with a transfer of—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, she must realize how glib she sounds. It is a very simple question.

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I want to remind the member that she can ask a question. She can criticize the government, but she cannot use that type of language or make those types of remarks against an individual.

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, fair enough. The response was glib. Will the federal government be paying for the COVID-19 vaccines, or will that be the responsibility of the provincial governments to bear?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, Canadians should be comforted by the fact that no Canadian will have to pay for vaccination in this country.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, will the federal government be paying for the vaccine or will the provincial governments be paying for it?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, every step of the way we have been there for provinces and territories, including $1.3 billion in safe restart funds, a total of $22 billion—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Chair, will the federal government be transferring extra money to the provinces to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine?