Debates of Nov. 26th, 2020

Health—Main Estimates, 2020-21

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

Mr. Chair, in fact, one of the seven is Canadian, Medicago, and that is exciting news, because as we rebuild our biomanufacturing sector, this will hold Canada in good stead for future health crises.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, on August 5 the government announced the Pfizer and Moderna agreements, well after other countries.

Was the agreement between CanSino and Canada raised in the negotiations with Pfizer and Moderna?

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

Mr. Chair, I have to say that Procurement Canada has been doing incredible work in making sure that Canada is well positioned to purchase the most promising vaccines as they have been recommended by our vaccine task force. Canada is well positioned with more doses per capita than any other country and with a robust experience in immunization. I will say that the provinces and territories—

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, “robust portfolio” and “whole of government” I think we will determine to be a stock answer too.

Three weeks later, on August 26, the government's deal with CanSino fell apart. Has the Public Health Agency since briefed the minister on the government's lack of ability to domestically manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine?

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

Mr. Chair, I think this is a great time to thank the hard-working people at Health Canada, especially the regulators who are working literally 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to make sure that we are analyzing the data of the three promising vaccines that have applied for regulatory approval here in Canada. When the vaccines are ready, Canada will be ready, and this is good news for Canadians.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, that was the “whole of government” response. We are looking for actual answers to these questions, and it is disappointing that we are not getting them.

Since the CanSino deal fell apart on August 26, the government has signed deals with AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. Has the government attempted to negotiate the right to domestically manufacture either of these vaccine candidates?

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

Mr. Chair, we are thrilled to have contracts with seven of the most promising vaccines in the world. Indeed, it has been wise advice from the vaccine task force to have a diverse portfolio, because, of course, some of these are still in development. The three most promising, however, are actually in the regulatory approval process and working very closely with Health Canada to ensure we have the data needed to assess their safety.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, this morning, Dr. Njoo stressed that only a “limited” quantity of vaccines would be available in the first quarter of 2021. How many Canadians could be vaccinated using the Pfizer vaccine at the current freezer capacity in Canada?

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

Mr. Chair, we are working closely with the provinces and territories right now. We have purchased equipment that will support the deployment of the Pfizer vaccine, which, as the member knows, requires extremely cold storage. We have purchased equipment, we are analyzing with provinces and territories the existence of current equipment, and we are ready to deploy when the vaccine arrives.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister finally referenced the extreme cold storage requirements that I asked about in my first question.

What date or in what month was the minister first made aware of the extreme cold storage requirements for the Pfizer vaccine?

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

Mr. Chair, we have been working around the clock with the provinces and territories to prepare for not just the Pfizer vaccine, but the variety of vaccines that will arrive. Some of them are more complex. Some of them are more traditional. The good news for Canadians is that Canada has a robust and very long history of—

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am not looking for “around the clock”. I am looking for the calendar.

On what date did the minister become aware of the maximum freezer requirements for the Pfizer vaccine?

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

Mr. Chair, every step of the way, Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi and all other pharmaceutical manufacturers have been very clear with Canada about the types of vaccines they are creating and the conditions they require in order to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, did the Government of Canada, through the minister, put all its eggs in the CanSino basket in terms of domestic manufacturing capability for a vaccine?

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

Mr. Chair, clearly we have not. We have Canadian candidates and we are thrilled to support the growth of the biomanufacturing industry here in Canada, which will prove very beneficial for Canadians and generations to come.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, this ties together two concerning trends with the Liberals. They could not get domestic manufacturing access from western companies because they had exclusivity with CanSino.

Does the minister now acknowledge it was a mistake to put all the eggs in the CanSino basket when it came to a vaccine that would help Canada get access quickly?

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

Mr. Chair, maybe the member opposite did not hear me when I said that we have the most diverse portfolio, with seven promising vaccine candidates, a variety of different kinds of vaccines and a variety of different manufacturers. This serves Canada well because we will have options on vaccines that we know will be successful in the end.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

We will go to the next round, with the hon. Minister of Health.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Chair, I am thankful for the opportunity to rise virtually here today to speak to the main estimates for the health portfolio.

I want to begin by noting that the resourcing plans outlined in these estimates were put in place in early 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the tenor of life in Canada and around the world. Our supplementary estimates (A) and (B), which were tabled later, reflect further investments needed to deliver Canada's health response to the pandemic.

With this in mind, I will spend my time today updating everyone on the Government of Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Afterward, I will be happy to answer questions about the main estimates or our pandemic response.

As our recent case numbers have shown, the battle with COVID-19 is not over. In fact, despite the gains we have made over the past nine months, we are now facing a number of new challenges. Canadians are moving indoors for the winter, where the risk of transmitting COVID-19 is greater, but we cannot stop now. As the pandemic evolves, so must our response. We are building on the work we did in the spring and summer as we pursue new tools that will help us live safely with COVID-19 in the months to come.

One of those tools is testing. Early diagnosis of COVID-19 is critical to slowing and reducing its spread.

Last month, the Public Health Agency of Canada released guidance for a national approach to testing. Developed through the federal, provincial and territorial special advisory committee on COVID-19, the guidance aims to optimize the use of local resources in protecting the health of Canadians. Ultimately, the goal is to expand testing up to 200,000 tests per day across the country.

To increase testing capacity, Health Canada has prioritized the review of all types of COVID-19 tests. To date, Health Canada has authorized 47 COVID-19 testing devices for sale in Canada, and this includes three antigen tests and five point-of-care molecular tests. In addition, Health Canada is proactively contacting test manufacturers to seek their interest in entering the Canadian market, and the Government of Canada has purchased rapid tests in bulk. To date, more than five million rapid tests have been distributed to the provinces and territories.

Even as we increase testing capacity, we are preparing for the day when a vaccine is finally ready. We have already signed agreements with seven different companies to secure tens of millions of vaccine doses for Canadians. So far, Health Canada has received submissions for authorization of three COVID-19 vaccines, from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, and we expect to receive submissions from other manufacturers soon. Reviews are being conducted through rolling submissions. This allows our scientists to review the data as it becomes available, allowing for quicker review without compromising safety and efficacy.

In addition, the government has committed $220 million to the COVAX facility. The COVAX facility and the advance market commitment within it are designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for every country in the world to slow the pandemic. Through this arrangement, we have secured the option to purchase doses for 20% of Canada's population and committed an additional $220 million to provide vaccines to the developing world. By joining this initiative, Canada is contributing to the global effort to develop a safe, effective and accessible COVID-19 vaccine for 172 participating economies across the world.

We are moving steadily toward a future with a vaccine, but in the meantime, we need to find ways to live safely with COVID-19. Virtual tools and services can help.

When the pandemic first hit in March, the provinces and territories moved quickly to put into place temporary physician billing codes and new digital tools so that Canadians could continue to get the health services they need. On May 3, the Prime Minister announced $240.5 million to support this work through virtual care and digital tools, such as secure messaging and video conferencing.

Since then, the Government of Canada has continued to provide a suite of tools to help Canadians stay informed and healthy during the pandemic. This includes tools like the COVID trends website and the Canada COVID-19 mobile app, both of which provide reliable, up-to-date information on the pandemic in Canada. ArriveCAN, by contrast, helps travellers comply with restrictions at the border by allowing them to submit their information digitally. The COVID Alert app allows those who have tested positive for COVID-19 to alert others of possible exposure.

Finally, the Wellness Together Canada online portal provides Canadians with free and confidential psychological and substance use services remotely. These services are provided in both official languages, with instantaneous translation available for phone counselling in 200 languages and dialects. So far, more than 463,000 Canadians have reached out for support through this portal.

Tools like these are going to continue to be essential as the pandemic continues.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also revealed a number of weaknesses in our society, and it is up to us to learn from and act on them. This brings me to long-term care facilities.

People living in these facilities were hit hard by the first wave of the pandemic. Many fell ill and far too many people lost their lives. We cannot let that happen again. That is why, although long-term care falls under provincial and territorial jurisdiction, our government has committed to working with the provinces and territories to set new national standards for long-term care so that residents get the best support no matter where they live.

As is the case with so many public health issues, a co-operative and coordinated approach is essential. We were able to put in place public health surveillance for COVID-19 very quickly, with all levels of government working closely to share information. However, even so, the pandemic has shown us that we need to improve public health data and systems in Canada.

That is why, as part of the safe restart agreements with the provinces and territories, we are investing $4.28 billion to expand our testing and contact-tracing capacity and to enable rapid and efficient case reporting, as well as access to data to inform public health decision-making. This funding will support efforts by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to leverage the existing data infrastructure, and it allows us to work together to accelerate the development of data standards. It will also facilitate access to public health data.

Time and again we have seen that fighting COVID-19 is a team effort and that we all have a role to play. For the departments and agencies of the health portfolio, it is our top priority. We are committed to leading Canadians safely through this crisis. We will stay vigilant, we will learn from our experiences and we will adjust our approach as new information becomes available.

I want to say to all Canadians that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and we will get there. We just have to keep working together.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

There are now seven and a half minutes to put questions to the minister. As this is a unique situation and it is not possible for the minister to put questions to herself, another member of her party may do so.

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Chair, I will start right away with my questions for the Minister of Health and I want to thank her for being here tonight.

The COVID-19 pandemic is in its second wave and it continues to devastate individuals, families and communities. As part of the efforts to fight COVID-19, in July 2020, the Government of Canada announced the safe restart agreement funding of over $19 billion for provinces and territories, to help them safely restart their economies and make our country more resilient to possible future waves of COVID-19.

What portion of this funding will be used to support mental health and substance-use issues, which continue to be impacted by the pandemic?

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

Mr. Chair, I thank the member for his incredible advocacy and hard work in the area of mental health supports.

In fact, $500 million of the safe restart agreement funding was targeted for mental health and substance-use services. The funding can be used in any way that addresses the immediate needs of the provinces and territories related to staffing, human resources, wraparound care, harm reduction and evidence-based treatment supports and services, including enhancement to workforce stability and retention plans.

I want to thank the individuals who are working so hard on the front lines, supporting people with mental health and substance-use issues, especially during this difficult time. I know that oftentimes, the front-line workers working in these areas also experience trauma. That is why the creation of working training plans, mental health first aid and trauma-informed practices are all good for the people who need the supports and for the people who are providing them.