Ontario government seeking clarity from Trudeau over COVID-19 vaccine: ‘The clock is ticking’

By Lucas Casaletto

On the same day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a national operations centre focused on vaccine distribution, the provincial government said they need certainty that Ontario will receive treatments for COVID-19.

Speaking at Friday’s COVID-19 briefing, Doug Ford said his government wants details and a clear timeline of vaccine shipments from the federal government, saying it’s impossible to plan without them.

“I told the Federal government [and the Prime Minister] we need answers and we expect answers. The clock is ticking, we can’t be the last in line,” said Ford.

The premier said he and his team, consisting of minister of health Christine Elliott and retired General Rick Hillier – who will lead Ontario’s COVID-19 task force – discussed a plan that covered the ‘monumental effort’ required to distribute the vaccine.

Ford said without proper planning and information, this has the makings of a ‘logistical nightmare’, saying the federal government is responsible for procurement of the vaccines.

“The prime minister assured us, all the premiers, that these answers will be coming and I take him at his word,” added Ford. “The sooner we get this vaccine the sooner life will get back to normal.”


RELATED: Ford announces COVID-19 vaccine task force: ‘We will get vaccines to every part of this province’


Hillier said he isn’t sure exactly when the vaccines will be rolled out but agrees that when Ontario secures the first dose, the vulnerable population remains their top priority.

“It was my duty to agree to the Premier’s request to lead the task force in this war to defeat COVID-19,” said General Hillier. “We will be ready as of December 31 to receive the vaccine, no matter when it arrives, and to ensure the people of Ontario are vaccinated.”

“Our task force team is integrated, professional, and committed,” added Hillier.

Ontario’s task force under Hillier has been designed to ensure the province is “ready to receive, store, and administer the vaccines in an ethical, timely and effective manner as soon as they are available,” the government said.

On Thursday, Health Canada’s chief medical adviser said the first COVID-19 vaccine could be approved for use in Canada within two weeks.

Federal officials have said that if everything goes well, Canada should get the first vaccine shipments in January. It’s believed that around 3 million Canadians could be vaccinated by the end of March.

“I can’t emphasize enough to the Prime Minister that the clock is ticking. We’re going to be, hopefully, getting these vaccines in January,” said the premier.

“I asked him [Trudeau] the three simple questions: When are getting it, what type of vaccine are we getting, and how much of that vaccine are we getting. To have General Hillier make a proper plan, we need to know. It’s not any different. He needs the ammunition so we can go to war on this.”

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