Question Period Note: GLOBAL EFFORTS

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has engaged with international partners bilaterally and multilaterally, through the G7, the G20, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Pan American Health Organization to help inform our domestic response and to contribute to global efforts on fighting COVID-19.

• Canada has committed more than $2.9 billion to the global fight against the virus.
• On May 12, 2022, during the Second Global COVID-19 Summit, the Prime Minister announced new funding of $732 million for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, which will bring Canada’s total contribution to the ACT-Accelerator to more than 2 billion since the start of the pandemic.
• The Prime Minister announced that Canada will donate the equivalent of at least 200 million doses to the COVAX Facility by the end of 2022.
• This includes both financial commitments to COVAX and surplus dose donations.
• As of April 6, 2022, 14.2 million surplus vaccine doses have been delivered through the COVAX Facility and the equivalent of 87 million doses have been provided through financial support.
• Canada has provided $50 million to the Pan American Health Organization to support efforts to introduce COVID-19 vaccines and ancillary supplies to reach those living in situations of vulnerability across the Caribbean and Latin America. Portions of this grant are being used to procure vaccine doses for countries through the Organization, which are in addition to Canada’s commitment to COVAX.
• Canada is also working with international partners to address barriers to equitable access of vaccines by improving global capacity to manufacture them.
• Canadian messaging related to the importance of global collective efforts to complete the fight against COVID-19 were highlighted at recent meetings in Washington D.C in April, 2022.
• Canada also highlighted its support for equitable access to vaccines through COVAX at the recent 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022. It also highlighted its support for the development of a new international instrument to improve multilateral cooperation on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. In addition, we noted that we also need to improve the tools we already have by strengthening the World Health Organization and its existing core international legal instrument for health emergencies, the International Health Regulations.
• The Prime Minister announced at the 2021 G20 Summit an investment of up to $15 million to COVAX Manufacturing Task Force partners in support of establishing the South Africa Technology Transfer Hub. This initiative will help build capacity to enable the development and production of mRNA vaccines and technologies in the region.

If Pressed – Donation of Surplus Vaccines
• Canada’s commitment to donating the equivalent of at least 200 million doses to the COVAX Facility by the end of 2022 includes doses procured by Canada that were determined by Health Canada to be in excess of our domestic needs, financial support to COVAX for the procurement and delivery of doses, as well as potential future contributions and donations.
• Canada has also shared 762,080 AstraZeneca doses through direct, bilateral arrangements with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

If Pressed – Development of a new International Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
• Canada is pleased to see the important consensus reached at the Special Session of the World Health Assembly in December to negotiate a new international instrument to improve multilateral cooperation on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This sends a critical message to the global community on our collective will to take bold action to ensure we are better prepared for the next pandemic.
• Our work should provide a foundation for action across all levels and sectors and integrate a One Health approach so that we can effectively and collectively prevent, detect, prepare and respond to future infectious disease threats.
• We also need to improve the tools we already have by strengthening the WHO and its existing core international legal instrument for health emergencies, the International Health Regulations.
• Canada is ready to collaborate with other countries to design this new instrument, should it be legally binding or otherwise, so that it will have a real impact on the health and safety of people around the world. We look forward to these discussions.

If Pressed – Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005)
• Canada participated in the 75th World Health Assembly which convened May 22-28, 2022, to discuss numerous issues, including strengthening the International Health Regulations.
• The International Health Regulations are important, and they help keep Canadians healthy and safe through commitments and obligations that require countries to work together in a global health emergency, like COVID-19.
• Canada agrees that we need to take action to strengthen the International Health Regulations based on lessons learned from COVID-19 and previous emergencies.
• At the 75th World Health Assembly, Member States, including Canada, agreed on a forward process to consider possible amendments to the International Health Regulations.
• The process is expected to begin this fall, and Canada will be actively engaged.

If Pressed – Findings from the International Pandemic Preparedness and Response Panel
• The Government of Canada welcomes the frank assessment and bold recommendations from the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.
• We thank the Panel members for their efforts to understand how a localized outbreak became a global pandemic, and to assess how the international system responded.
• One of the Panel’s important conclusions is that the world was not prepared for the pandemic on a number of fronts. We know there are many lessons from this pandemic, which we are learning from to adjust our approach.
• Canada is working with our international partners to improve global cooperation so that we remain well-positioned and prepared to respond to future global health events.

Canada has participated in various multilateral and bilateral discussions at the WHO, G7, G20, and other tables on ways to finish the fight against COVID-19 and strengthen our collective capacities to prevent, prepare and respond to future health emergencies.

Canadian messages related to the importance of global collective efforts to complete the fight against COVID-19, including learning lessons from the pandemic, as well as sustainable financing for future pandemic preparedness and response, were highlighted by the Minister in meetings in Washington D.C, including with U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, senior officials at the World Bank, and the Director of the Pan-American Health Organization, during the Minister’s first international visit.

Ministerial-level discussions have also contributed to enhancing bilateral relationships with key partners such as the U.S. and the EU. Germany has assumed the Presidency of the G7 for 2022. Germany has identified three key areas for the health track: 1) ending the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing the lessons learned; 2) tackling the nexus of climate change and health; and 3) combatting antimicrobial resistance. Under its Presidency, Germany will seek to ensure continuity of G7 work from previous years, as well as the implementation of measures previously adopted by the group. Overcoming the pandemic around the world is the most pressing objective, and the “G7 Pact for Pandemic Readiness”, focused on preparing for future health threats. Ministers met in person on May 19-20, 2022, in Berlin for the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting.

Indonesia has assumed the G20 Presidency for 2022. This year’s theme is Recover Together, Stronger Together. The agenda for the health track will focus on Reshaping the Global Health Architecture. Canada looks forward to working with our G20 partners to support the objectives of the Presidency, building resilience for the global health system, harmonizing global health protocol standards, and expanding global manufacturing and knowledge hubs for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

On September 22, 2021, Prime Minister Trudeau provided remarks at the Global COVID-19 Summit convened by U.S. President Biden on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. Following the Summit, Canada has participated in a series of U.S.-convened COVID-19 international Ministerial meetings, including most recently a Foreign Ministers’ meeting on February 14, 2022, and a COVID-19 Health Ministers’ “Virtual Dialogue” on March 3, 2022. The U.S. co-hosted a second virtual Leader level Global Summit on May 12, 2022, along with Germany, Indonesia, Belize and Senegal with the main objectives being ambitious, timely and new commitments for 2022, along the themes of the summit, which include financing for vaccine coverage; delivery of tests and treatments; and global health security/pandemic prevention and preparedness.

On November 18, 2021, the Prime Minister attended the North American Leaders Summit in Washington D.C. along with U.S. President Joseph Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The three leaders agreed to several commitments, including re-envisioning and updating the North American Plan for Animal and Pandemic Influenza; shoring-up critical medical supply chains; supporting the Global Health Security Agenda; and continuing trilateral engagement under the North American Drug Dialogue to address the ongoing opioid overdose crisis. The Prime Minister also held his first in-person bilateral meeting with President Biden, and reaffirmed the commitments in the February 2021 Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership. The Prime Minister and President agreed to launch a Canada-U.S. Working Group on Supply Chains, tasked with producing a progress report in the next 120 days; and to develop a renewed vision for joint management of the border, applying lessons learned from the pandemic.

In addition, senior and technical staff of the Health Portfolio have engaged with their counterparts in a variety of fora, both bilaterally and multilaterally, World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), U.S. Centers for Disease, Global Health Security Initiative, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network), to exchange information and best practices that have informed and enhanced Canada’s response to COVID-19.

Review and Lessons Learned from COVID-19

On May 12, 2021, the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR) published their final report and recommendations. The report concludes that the pandemic was a result of “failures and gaps in international and national responses” at every juncture of preparedness for, and response to, COVID-19. As a result, “February 2020 was a lost month when steps could have been taken to curtail the epidemic and forestall the pandemic.”

The IPPPR suggests that the failure of countries to respond was a combination of two things: “they did not sufficiently appreciate the threat and know how to respond”; and, “in the absence of certainty about how serious the consequences of this new pathogen would be, “wait and see” seemed less costly and consequential than concerted public health action.”

The IPPPR also notes that stronger leadership and better coordination at national, regional and international levels were needed to more effectively respond, and recommends a more focused and independent WHO, a pandemic treaty and a Senior Global Health Threats Council that would be led at the Head of State and Government level. The Panel also recommends greater investment in preparedness and stronger accountability mechanisms to spur action. They call for improved surveillance and for the WHO to have authority to rapidly publish information and to dispatch expert missions.

Canada has consistently supported a comprehensive evaluation and review process of the global response to COVID-19. Efforts to strengthen WHO and Member States preparedness and response capacities are being discussed in several international fora including the WHO, G7, G20, Global Health Security Initiative, Global Health Security Agenda and North American Plan for Animal and Pandemic Influenza. Canada recognizes the importance of continued bilateral and multilateral discussions on how to enhance health security and to effectively address risks.

Development of a new International Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
On November 29 to December 1, 2021, the World Health Assembly convened for a Special Session for only the second time in the organization’s history. The Assembly adopted a milestone decision, “The World Together: Establishment of an intergovernmental negotiating body to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response”, which was co-sponsored by upwards of 120 Member States, including Canada. The decision establishes an intergovernmental negotiating body (INB), open to all Member States, to draft and negotiate a new WHO convention, agreement or other instrument, with the expectation that this work will proceed with the intention of creating a binding instrument, while at the same time keeping the door open to other forms of non-binding agreements should the INB decide.

In discussing a new instrument, Member States reiterated several themes, including:
• equity, particularly the importance of timely and equitable access to medical countermeasures;
• universal health coverage and primary health care in strengthening health systems to support both prevention and response;
• the importance of a whole of government/whole of society approach; and the need for a One Health approach

Member States have convened the first meetings of the INB to elect Member State co-chairs and vice-chairs for the process, agree on working methods, and begin the development of the substantive elements and a working draft of the new instrument. A second meeting will be held by August 1, 2022, to start discussions on a zero draft and confirm whether the international instrument will be legally binding.

75th World Health Assembly

The 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) was held May 22 to May 28, 2022. Minister Duclos was head of Canada’s delegation and had a strong bilateral program with counterparts as well as meeting with the Director General (DG) of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was re-elected to a second five-year term as DG.

Consistent with the theme of this WHA, “Health for peace, Peace for Health”, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine was a dominant theme. WHO sustainable financing, the ongoing pandemic, and strengthening WHO preparedness and response have also emerged as key themes. This included decisions to start a forward process to negotiate amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) and adopt an amendment to the regulations that reduces the time, from 24 months to 12, for these future amendments to enter into force. This will help make the instrument more agile, and ensure that future amendments that we agree to are implemented without delay.

In Canada’s view, amendments should be limited in scope and should address specific issues, challenges or gaps that are critical to supporting IHR implementation and compliance that cannot be effectively addressed otherwise.

Key Facts
• Since February 2020, Canada has participated in regular G7 Health Ministerial calls to discuss COVID-19, which has contributed to enhancing bilateral relationships with key countries such as the U.S.
• Canada looks forward to continuing our engagement under the 2022 G7 German Presidency and the G20 Indonesian Presidency to end the acute phase of the pandemic and improve global preparedness against future health threats.
• G7 Ministers met in Berlin, Germany on May 19-20, 2022 for the G7 Health Ministers Meeting. The agenda included a pandemic simulation exercise and joint sessions with Development and Finance Ministers, and included discussion on overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening preparedness for future pandemics; addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR); and climate-resilient health systems.
• On March 3, 2022, Canada participated in a COVID-19 Health Ministers’ “Virtual Dialogue” convened by the U.S., and discussed expanding equitable access to diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines; addressing mis- and disinformation in the response to COVID-19; and strengthening the global public health architecture.
• On December 1, 2021, Canada and other WHO Member States agreed to launch a process to develop a new convention, agreement, or other international instrument to enhance global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
• Canada also participated in the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) from May 22-28, with Minister Duclos as head of the Canada delegation. At the WHA, Canada engaged with partners to advance global efforts on a range of health issues, including COVID-19, AMR, immunization, and strengthening preparedness and response for future pandemics.