Canada's International Development Minister Karina Gould - Contributed
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Canada has defended its decision to draw on a supply of coronavirus vaccines from the global inoculation-sharing initiative, COVAX.
COVAX pools funds from wealthier countries to help buy vaccines for themselves and low and middle-income nations.
The scheme has announced a plan to deliver more than 330 million vaccine doses in the first half of 2021.
Canada is the only member of the G7 countries listed as a COVAX beneficiary at this stage.
In an interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC News, International Development Minister Karina Gould was asked why the country decided to access COVAX vaccines.
“Our top priority is to ensure that Canadians have access to vaccines and so joining COVAX… was part of that all along. Canada made the decision as you know, other countries have to take on this first allocation because we recognize how important it is to ensure Canadians have access to vaccines.”
Canada has so far vaccinated two per cent of its population with one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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