The Public Accounts committee ordered the release of secret COVID-19 vaccine contracts from the department of Public Works.. COVID-19 vaccine vialCOVID-19 vaccine vial .Pfizer executives warned that Canada could lose foreign investments and its “reputation” if MPs read the contracts, which cost taxpayers $5 billion..“Confidential information would remain confidential,” said Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne, QC)..“We simply want to make sure there was no abuse and that if there were mistakes made, we can learn from them.”.The department of Health signed vaccine contracts with seven manufacturers. AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Medicago, Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer, and Sanofi. MPs voted to have the public works department hand over all contracts. .They would only be available to 11 Public Accounts committee members in a closed room without access to smartphones, cameras, or written notes..Pfizer executives told the committee that the secret terms could never be shown to the MPs under any circumstances, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..“Disclosure of our confidential agreement would be an extraordinary use of authority,” said Pfizer Canada President Najah Sampson..“Carefully consider our perspective before creating a precedent with unintended consequences on Canada’s reputation,” said Sampson..“It would send a strong message to business partners and to companies looking to invest that here in Canada, confidentiality protections negotiated in good faith with the federal government may not be binding.”.Members dismissed the threat. Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West, AB) noted confidential Pfizer contracts had already been leaked in Albania, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, the United States, and the United Kingdom. .“There are implied threats to investment in Canada if 11 MPs in a private room have access?” said McCauley..“Investment is at risk in our country? And yet where they have leaked whole contracts, you haven’t divested. It seems like an odd, implied threat if 11 MPs were to look at it.”. Covid vaccine .The health department ordered 238 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Canada, including 30 million to be delivered in 2023 and 2024. Prices were not disclosed..Industry rates from all vaccine manufacturers ranged from $14.50 per dose in the European Union to $19.50 in the United States. .Canada’s Auditor General in a December 6 report COVID-19 Vaccines said costs averaged about $30 per dose..Cabinet earlier demanded that MPs take an oath of secrecy as a condition of seeing the vaccine contracts. The committee rejected the proposal. .“It’s not a question of us engaging in some kind of negotiation like we’re going to ask really politely and we’re going to let you eat some cookies at the back and then maybe you’ll give us a little more information in the documents,” said Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, AB). .“We have a right to access this information.”.“This situation is outrageous,” said Genuis. .“It makes me wonder, what is so damaging to you or the government that allowing members of Parliament to privately review them would be such a concern?”
