Any positive buzz we had about the surprisingly rapid development of the number of COVID-19 vaccines is quickly being eroded by the political vitriol that has ensued.
Late last week, we were told that the plethora of vaccines that the government had ordered wouldn’t be delivered to Canada as fast as some other countries got their orders.
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That led to speculation and accusation from the opposition parties. One critic opined that Canada wouldn’t get their vaccines until 2030.
That’s nonsense, of course. That kind of baseless fear-mongering to score political points is reprehensible, but not unexpected, I suppose.
On Global News’ The West Block, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Domenic LeBlanc told Mercedes Stephenson that Canada is actually near the front of the line for vaccine distribution.
That assertion was backed up by the chairman of Moderna, one of the vaccine suppliers, who stated that Canada was indeed near the front of the line to receive its pre-ordered vaccines.
I hope that’s the case because the government’s handling of the vaccine issue has been problematic, to say the least.
The government spent way too much time and energy chasing a Can/Sino deal with the Chinese government that ultimately failed, which meant Canada was late to the table to sign deals with the three frontrunners in vaccine production.
If it ends up that we’re only a few weeks behind the U.K. and the U.S. in beginning inoculations, I suppose we can live with that.
But if it’s months, not weeks, that we have to wait while others benefit, the consequences could be fatal, not just for COVID-19 patients, but for the government.
Bill Kelly is the host of the Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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