The decision, which went unnoticed, was endorsed Thursday evening at the parliamentary public accounts committee in Ottawa. The majority opposition deputies voted for the disclosure, under the nose and beard of the leaders of the companies Pfizer, Moderna and Sanofi, who came to testify to convince them to give up this disclosure.
No unredacted version has been provided to parliaments around the world
I explained Moderna Canada CEO Patricia Gauthier. We haven’t done this anywhere on the planet
added the president of Pfizer Canada, Najah Sampson.
Within two weeks, the 11 MPs who are members of the Public Accounts Committee will be able to read all the details of the contracts in a closed room, supervised by a clerk, without the possibility of recording or taking notes.
Parliamentarians will thus have access to the price per dose paid by Ottawa to each company, but also to all the possible clauses to which the federal government has submitted.
In total, Canada purchased 169 million doses at a cost of approximately $5 billion (New window). Since December 2020, more than 97 million doses have been administered to the population of the country, unheard of in Canadian history.
We’ll see if we paid exorbitant prices
said the member at the origin of the motion, the bloquiste Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, in an interview with Radio-Canada.
She wants to analyze the liability clauses, minimum purchase quantities, delivery deadlines and any non-resale or donation clauses.
« We just want to make sure that there have been no abuses and errors on either side. And if there were mistakes, that we can learn from our mistakes so as not to make them again in the future, if there is another pandemic. »
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Bloc Québécois critic for Public Accounts.
Photo : Radio-Canada
A “serious precedent” which will have consequences, warn the manufacturers
The leaders of the pharmaceutical companies have, in turn, explained to the parliamentarians that their vote risks harming their industry, which invests billions of dollars each year.
According to the president of Pfizer Canada, this decision will set a precedent with unintended consequences for Canada’s reputation
and it sends a disturbing message to all industries about how this country is meeting its trade obligations
.
« These contracts contain commercially sensitive information that may be of interest to our competitors and prejudice in our discussions with other partners. »
The CEO of Moderna Canada, Patricia Gauthier, testified Thursday evening before the parliamentary committee.
Photo : Radio-Canada
The CEO of Moderna spoke of “high risks”: confidence in the security of information about our contracts and our supply chain is directly linked to the global functioning of our organization
.
The director general of Sanofi Canada, Jean-Pierre Baylet spoke of a “serious precedent”.
« Disclosure of information from this contract could put us in a difficult situation. The pandemic continues, there are other negotiations going on in other countries. »
The general manager of Sanofi Canada, Jean-Pierre Baylet.
Photo : Radio-Canada
MEPs try to reassure companies
You are not on hostile ground
immediately warned Bloc MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné. We appreciate your work during the pandemic. You have done something exceptional.
According to her, the companies “exaggerate” the potential consequences of these disclosures. It wouldn’t set a dangerous precedent.
Conservative MP Kelly McCauley reminded leaders that there have been leaks of such contracts in the media in several countries, and there were no serious consequences
.
Pressure exerted on parliamentarians
Several members of the public accounts committee complained that they had received letters from different chambers of commerce and pharmaceutical companies across the country trying to convince them to vote against the motion.
All the letters threatened us in covert words
a dit Kelly McCauley. They implied that your investments might leave the country.
The Auditor General of Canada has already analyzed the contracts and made an inquiry, but the members recalled that she could not answer their questions on the content of these contracts, because of the confidentiality of commercial information, to which she is submissive.
The auditor’s report concluded that at least 50 million doses had been over-purchased, a value of approximately $1.5 billion.
A Conservative MP reminded the leader of Medicago, who was participating in the committee by videoconference, that his company received $173 million in public assistance in Canada without having delivered a single dose.
But what could parliamentarians do with the information of public interest that they find in the contracts if they are subject to strict confidentiality? If there is something scandalous in these contracts, it will end up being known
replied Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné to Radio-Canada.