Trudeau: Canada has the most diverse vaccine portfolio of any country

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the issue of the accessibility of COVID-19 vaccine doses in Canada in relation to the countries that are actually producing the vaccines domestically. The Liberal government has been hammered in recent days by opposition parties over a perceived failure to plan for the procurement and distribution of vaccines as quickly as countries like the United States.

“To date we have signed deals for hundreds of millions of doses of seven vaccine candidates,” Trudeau said. “Canada now has the most diverse portfolio of any country for vaccines. We’re in the right place to have access to safe, effective vaccines as soon as possible.

“Canada was among the first countries to pre-order Moderna vaccine doses. We are guaranteed some of Moderna’s first batch if the vaccine is safe and approved. Already Moderna has submitted their candidate for Health Canada review as have Pfizer, BioNTech and Astra Zeneca Oxford, and just yesterday Johnson & Johnson joined this list as the fourth candidate for Health Canada review.

“Our government is also working around the clock with the provinces and territories and through the new national operations centre on the vaccine rollout. We’ve invested in everything from freezers to needles to make sure we can reach every Canadian who wants a vaccine no matter where they live.

“Our priority,” Trudeau noted, before discussing PPE, rapid tests and screening, “remains to flatten the curve and to save lives.”

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