It's 'morally' wrong for Canada to procure 1.9M vaccines from international program: Stephen Lewis

17 posts / 0 new

Sun, 2021-02-07 16:16

NorthReport

Canadians complain about Donald Trump not having a moral compass. Are we any better? What are we if we are not our principles?

It's 'morally' wrong for Canada to procure 1.9M vaccines from international program: Stephen Lewis

TORONTO -- Canada should not be dipping into an international vaccine-sharing pool to secure doses that could otherwise go to developing countries that simply can’t afford them, according to one of the country’s most prominent advocates for global development.

COVAX is an entity that Canada and other countries fund to buy COVID-19 vaccines in bulk and deliver them to poorer nations that aren’t able to compete with wealthier nations to secure vaccine contracts from drug companies.

Canada invested $440 million into COVAX last September. Half of the money was meant to go toward securing up to 15 million doses for Canadians, while the other half was to purchase vaccines for 92 developing nations, including Afghanistan, Mali and Haiti.

The federal government announced earlier this week that Canada is set to receive a minimum of 1.9 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, pending regulatory approval, before the end of June through COVAX.

But Stephen Lewis, the former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, says Canada is wrong to use the program for its own benefit, pointing out that Canada is the first G7 country to do so.

“It was always understood from the outset that this was not a source of vaccines for the rich and wealthy countries of the world,” Lewis told CTV’s Question Period in an interview with Evan Solomon airing on Sunday.

Lewis described the procurement as a “desperate effort” by the government to find millions of doses at a time when Canada has seen vaccine shipments dwindle and questions emerge about its vaccination timeline.

“For Canada to be proud of what it's doing, I think, is a profound mistake,” he said.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/it-s-morally-wrong-for-canada-to-procure...

Wed, 2021-02-17 05:48

NorthReport

It's truly pathetic to see Liberals and of course the CBC failing to defend the indefensible. When you are rich and powerful and can bully your way around like Canada money talks because richer people's lives are more important than the poor ones

Wed, 2021-02-17 05:56

NorthReport

We're double-dipping

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/09/canada-corona...

Wed, 2021-02-17 06:11

NorthReport

Canada governs for the rich, as the one percenters run Canada. Quelle surprise!

https://jacobinmag.com/2021/02/coronavirus-subsidies-canada-telecommunic...

Thu, 2021-02-18 00:59

NorthReport

Cringeworthy in the finest of Canadian traditions

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/covid-vaccine-coronavirus-covax-1.5917733

Thu, 2021-02-18 15:22

Pondering

Canada invested $440 million into COVAX last September. Half of the money was meant to go toward securing up to 15 million doses for Canadians, while the other half was to purchase vaccines for 92 developing nations, including Afghanistan, Mali and Haiti.

Whly were there no objections at the time the deal was made? Government decisions are based on a mix between corporate interests and electibility. Canadian politicians are elected to provide for Canadians not the world and any who forget it won't be re-elected. Criticism on this is worse than a waste of breath. It will make Trudeau more popular for having done the right thing for Canadians. Canada has bought way more vaccines than we need so that poorer countries will get the excess, not so that poorer countries would come ahead of Canadians.

Not a single country in the world will put poorer countries ahead of their own citizens because to do so would be electoral suicide. Considering the majority of vulnerable Canadians haven't been vaccinated yet it is pointless to start criticizing the government for not supplying poorer countries. Canadians 100% expect to be first in line for doses bought with Canadian dollars. All the excess doses bought by Canada will be distributed to countries that can't afford them. For now Canadians would be outraged to see doses going to other countries before Canada.

Thu, 2021-02-18 15:52

NDPP

Having completely bungled its own vaccine procurement and distribution process, a highly privileged and affluent western country exercises its privilege in plundering what is in effect an international donations box meant for disadvantaged nations. The only G7 member to do so. The whole world now knows and recognizes Canada's shame, even if some Canadians do not. Nothing new there either.

"Was happy to receive a call from my friend Justin Trudeau. Assured him that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID-19 vaccines sought by Canada..."

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1359546935586287619

Thu, 2021-02-18 19:31

(Reply to #7) #8

Pondering

NDPP wrote:

Having completely bungled its own vaccine procurement and distribution process, a highly privileged and affluent western country exercises its privilege in plundering what is in effect an international donations box meant for disadvantaged nations. The only G7 member to do so. The whole world now knows and recognizes Canada's shame, even if some Canadians do not. Nothing new there either.

"Was happy to receive a call from my friend Justin Trudeau. Assured him that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID-19 vaccines sought by Canada..."

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1359546935586287619

How was it in effect a donations box if "Half of the money was meant to go toward securing up to 15 million doses for Canadians,"?

It is a collective buying group that pledges some, not all, of its purchases to poorer countries. There is no world agreement that the pool is worldwide with all medical professionals and elderly first. Even within countries they are having trouble getting everyone lined up correctly by need.

The problem isn't that vaccines are not being distributed equitibly it's that we continue to exploit these countries economically and allow pharmaceutical companies to profit wildly while supporting their research with government dollars.

Thu, 2021-02-18 22:35

melovesproles

Not a single country in the world will put poorer countries ahead of their own citizens because to do so would be electoral suicide.

Other wealthy countries donated to COVAX without dipping into the vaccines intended for poorer countries. Trudeau is making Boris Johnson look good.

The Liberals seem to only like charity when it lines their pockets.

Fri, 2021-02-19 00:20

#10

NorthReport

What's the point, if we cave in on our principles?

Fri, 2021-02-19 14:25

(Reply to #10) #11

Pondering

melovesproles wrote:

Not a single country in the world will put poorer countries ahead of their own citizens because to do so would be electoral suicide.

Other wealthy countries donated to COVAX without dipping into the vaccines intended for poorer countries. Trudeau is making Boris Johnson look good.

The Liberals seem to only like charity when it lines their pockets.

If they aren't dipping it it is because they don't need them. The UK and France are not acting out of the goodness of their hearts. Canada is the first to dip into vaccines they bought for Canadians but not the last. The Liberals are doing what Canadians want them to do. The doses Canada reserved for Canada would not be going to poverty stricken countries. Any vaccines going to less wealthy countries will be nothing more than a little lip service until the wealthy countries have the majority of their citizens vaccinated.

Canadians weren't happy about Trudeau sending PPEs to China leaving Canada with a shortage. Canadians would be furious if Canada sent vaccines elsewhere when Canada is still in need. Trudeau was not elected to take care of the world he was elected to take care of Canada. Should we vaccinate Bangladesh before we vaccinate our indigenous communities? How about before we vaccinate our meat plant workers?

NR, what principles are you referring to?

Fri, 2021-02-19 16:29

#12

NDPP

Who Canada takes COVAX vaccines away from...

Isolation Under Siege

https://twitter.com/intifada/status/1361999282979676163

"How those afflicted with COVID-19 in Gaza cope with quarantine and poverty. On 16 February the World Bank PA said the Israeli military had prevented the delivery to Gaza of a limited number of vaccines..."

And worse, it was evil Russian Sputnik V vaccine too.

Wed, 2021-02-24 01:16

#13

melovesproles

If they aren't dipping it it is because they don't need them.

The fact that we need them is not unrelated to the Liberal party's religious belief in free trade as a replacement for developing a domestic industrial policy. The fact that this belief was combined with a sanctimonious deluded 'the world needs more Canada' mantra which should be embarrassing to the Canadians who found this combination attractive.

The Liberals are doing what Canadians want them to do.

Has anyone seen any polling on how happy Canadians are that we are the only G7 country dipping into COVAX?

Wed, 2021-02-24 09:57

(Reply to #13) #14

Pondering

melovesproles wrote:

If they aren't dipping it it is because they don't need them.

The fact that we need them is not unrelated to the Liberal party's religious belief in free trade as a replacement for developing a domestic industrial policy. The fact that this belief was combined with a sanctimonious deluded 'the world needs more Canada' mantra which should be embarrassing to the Canadians who found this combination attractive.

The Liberals are doing what Canadians want them to do.

Has anyone seen any polling on how happy Canadians are that we are the only G7 country dipping into COVAX?

I haven't but to think otherwise is wearing rose-coloured glasses. Our own vulnerable populations haven't been vaccinated yet. I doubt many will think farther than that. Just like other countries we will send our excess doses to the less fortunate but Canadian lives won't be sacrificed to do it. Trudeau took heat for sending PPEs to China. He won't give up a single dose of vaccine that Canada is entitled to.

Fri, 2021-03-05 00:47

#15

NorthReport

I am very pleased that Stephen Lewis once again shows the courage he is known for, by speaking out out on another inappropriate behaviour by Canada!

Fri, 2021-03-05 00:50

#16

NorthReport

Sickening!

Vaccine nationalism rolls out

This is not charity; it’s self-interest. So long as the virus is circulating widely in poorer countries, it constitutes an enormous reservoir in which new mutations will occur frequently — and some of those mutations might render existing vaccines ineffective. The vaccines can be tweaked to deal with new variants, but we don’t want to be playing catch-up for the next five years.

https://www.thetelegram.com/opinion/local-perspectives/gwynne-dyer-vacci...

Fri, 2021-03-05 02:46

#17

NorthReport

Why is this doctor still allowed to practice medicine in Canada?

https://globalnews.ca/news/7676791/ontario-doctor-covid-19-misinformation/