Industry committee  I believe it was. That being said, I was surprised and somehow alarmed, honestly, to discover conflict of interest that I didn't remember hearing during these meetings publicly, including for example, from one of the members that was.... The institution was receiving millions of dollars, and the claim was that she was not in conflict of interest because it was not her receiving the money in her pocket, but the process, I think, was in place.

Industry committee  You certainly need to address the coordination and the way that the advisory boards operate. You must also ensure that the boards are independent from the government of the day, regardless of the party in power. You need a better structure and greater coordination when you decide to invest, especially when you know that future generations will end up with the bills.

Industry committee  I was trying to find the dates in my calendar, but I don't have the right one. However, I can tell you that the public announcement had already been made before the task force held its first six-hour meeting, which was supposed to focus on conflicts of interest. The deal had already been settled.

Industry committee  No. The announcement was made before the first meeting, which took place in late June or early July. As I recall, the first recommendation that referred to CanSino was made in July or August. The recommendation was subsequently withdrawn, possibly in August. Someone must have an email somewhere about this matter.

Industry committee  We're reaping what we've sown. I know that what I'm saying sounds like criticism.

Industry committee  I've tried to point out all the successes and the fantastic agreements that have been reached. That said, if you want to make things better for next time, you must know where to focus your efforts. You must acknowledge that opportunities were missed and that CanSino was a scientific boondoggle at all levels, in my opinion, and even a conflict of interest for a co-chair of the task force.

Industry committee  I guess it's a matter of opinion. I think the members of an advisory committee should have to disclose any conflicts of interest, which should then be scrutinized by an independent committee. We all have connections here and there and everywhere, so we all have conflicts of interest to some extent, even if they just relate to our kids.

Industry committee  Absolutely.

Industry committee  Thank you for asking. Maybe that highlights another issue. The issue is that these contracts are confidential. Nobody has access to them. It's an issue that is not only on the vaccine side, but also all the pharmaceutical industry that is dealing with provinces independently. I think it highlights another thing.

Industry committee  No, I don't think that. I think that the federal government can do more than one thing at a time. Actually, this is why I believe that signing contracts with big pharma was the right thing to do, and at the same time to prioritize innovation and production of vaccine within our borders was also a priority—

Industry committee  Thank you for the question. I think what's a bit alarming right now is the different narratives about CanSino and how it really came to be a project. We just heard from Dr. Nemer that it was a research project. I would challenge that. The first written recommendation I saw from the task force was about CanSino.

Industry committee  I don't know enough about their capacity honestly, but I do believe that at least two platforms, maybe three, in Canada could have been online by now, if there would have been the right amount of support behind them.

Industry committee  Yes, maybe as one additional, but I think the colleagues from McMaster have a very good capacity there, and I think with support from the beginning, they could have done miracles honestly. Others in Canada could have, as well, which are the other two I have in mind.

Industry committee  As I said, I think there should be an advisory board that is independent of the government, irrespective of which government. Of course, we are in this discussion and we sense there is a little bit of partisanship at play. I guess it's normal in your line of work, but I think Canadians also expect that people will work together to find solutions.

Industry committee  Thank you.