On Friday, March 12, 2021, the committee adopted the following motion:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of Canada’s trade and investment policy, and trade agreements in respect of how they may help or hinder the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada and across the world, including, but not limited to,
(i) Canada’s position with respect to a proposal at the World Trade Organization to provide “a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of Covid-19”;
(ii) how Canada’s trade agreements, like CETA, may be used to ensure Canada’s vaccine advance-purchase contracts are respected, and
(iii) whether Canada’s current trade position should motivate accelerated capacity in domestic vaccine manufacturing capability;
That the committee dedicate a minimum of four meetings to this study, and, that the committee report its findings to the House.
