REALITY CHECK: Lifting of Vaccine Patents, Trudeau Missed the Boat

After the aid given to students, the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline, new ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gases, the American president seems once again to be passing the Trudeau government on his left.

On Wednesday, the U.S. president supported the idea of lifting patents on COVID-19 vaccines in order to accelerate vaccination around the world.

How does the Trudeau government respond to Biden's call?

"We will actively participate in the negotiations" - Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, May 6, 2021, Global News.

"We still have to see the text and all of this has to be negotiated at the WTO" - Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, May 5, 2021, Power & Politics.

That's it? Really? Nothing more?

While cases of COVID-19 explode in the least developed countries, Trudeau once again fails to show solidarity and demonstrates that "Canada is - NOT - back".

Talking and lecturing other countries is cheap - now is the time to show leadership and act. Lift the patents and save lives

Canadians deserve better.