Personal protective equipment of masks manufactured in China distributed to elected officials in Ottawa

(Ottawa) While the Pandemic of Covid-19 wreaked havoc last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched an urgent appeal to Canadian companies to embark on the local production of personal protective equipment.Many companies have responded to this call for mobilization.

The objective was then to ensure that Canada was never dependent on other countries, notably China, for the manufacture of such essential equipment in time of health crisis.

However, the House of Commons distributes to deputies, their assistants and employees of the hill of the Parliament for a few weeks masks that are manufactured ... in China.To the chagrin of Canadian business leaders who have invested millions of dollars to ensure local production of these precious equipment.

"This is an affront to our country," says Prescient BarryHunt, Prescient President in Cambridge, Ontario."I'm completely mouthful.»»

His business has invested more than two million dollars to embark on the production of protective masks that are innovative and respectful of the environment, the Nanomask, who perfectly marry the shape of the face and facilitate breathing.

Canadian companies excluded

M.Hunt, who is also president of the Canadian Association of Ppe Manufacturers (Cappem), which brings together around twenty companies wishing to create a new industrial cluster, is all the more furious as the companies that have answered the foot callPrime Minister Justin Trudeau are today completely excluded from government contracts for the coming years.

The reason ?The Ministry of Supply and Public Services has concluded lucrative long -term contracts with two multinationals for the manufacture of this equipment.

A five -year supply contract totaling $ 250 million has been granted to the American multinational 3M for N95 respiratory protection masks.

Another 10 -year contract, $ 400 million, has been granted to Medicom group, an international supplier of medical equipment established in Montreal, for N95 masks and surgical masks with level 3 fasteners.

In addition, these two multinationals have also obtained a financial boost from the Trudeau government for the expansion or modernization of their facilities.3m received $ 47 million from Ottawa to modernize a factory in Brockville.Group Medicom has obtained a subsidy of $ 29 million.

« Sans contrat et sans aide du gouvernement»»

But not only are companies part of the CAPPEM deprived of federal government contracts, but they have not obtained any financial assistance from Ottawa to lay the foundations for local production.

"The contracts granted to these two multinationals are of a long time.We have to be satisfied with crumbs. Sans contrat et sans aide du gouvernement, nous sommes condamnés à fermer boutique»», a soutenu M.Hunt in an interview with the press when he was passing through Ottawa last week.

"We have a new industry for manufacturing personal protective equipment that takes shape in the country, but we cannot get a government contract, a loan or a subsidy. Pourquoi le gouvernement accorde-t-il seulement une aide financière, de l’argent des contribuables, à des multinationales comme 3M et Medicom ?»», s’interroge M.Hunt.

Our products are innovative, reusable and therefore more respectful of the.Our products are the most advanced in the world.The federal government behaves as if they did not exist.Worse still, they finance our competitors with taxpayers' money.

BarryHunt, président de la Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers

According to M.Hunt, la CAPPEM pourrait devenir le maître d’œuvre dans la gestion de la réserve nationale stratégique, qui sert à maintenir des stocks d’équipements de protection individuelle et d’instruments médicaux pour approvisionner les provinces en cas d’urgence.This reserve was poorly managed by Ottawa, so that the federal government and the provinces were caught when the COVVI-19 pandemic struck because the stocks were out of date. « Nous serions en mesure de gérer cette réserve de manière à maintenir les stocks»», avance M.Hunt.

« Ça dépasse l’entendement»»

The deputy PierrePaul-Hus, who is the spokesperson for the conservative party in terms of supply, also fulminates by seeing the boxes of masks manufactured in China which are well in sight in the buildings of the hill of Parliament.

"There are Canadian companies that have made major investments to be able to manufacture quality masks that correspond to the highest standards.But that the House of Commons and the Federal Government buy masks that are manufactured in China and allegedly approved by the FDA, it goes beyond understanding.It is also worrying for the health and protection of deputies and staff of the parliamentary hill. Ils portent un masque dont on ignore la qualité»», a soutenu M.Paul-Hus.

According to him, this situation is inexcusable and unacceptable.

At the start of the pandemic, we can understand that there was an urgent need to obtain masks.We did not have a strategic reserve.But after almost two years of pandemic, and after Canadian companies have invested massively to produce masks here, it is totally incomprehensible that the Canadian government continues to provide us with products made in China.

Le député PierrePaul-Hus, porte-parole conservateur en matière d’approvisionnement

At the office of the President of the House of Commons, we confirm that we have launched a call for tenders for various products to protect elected officials and employees of the hill.But we did not demand that these products be made in Canada in the tender call.

"The administration of the House of Commons has launched a call for tenders to find companies that could provide the required items for COVVI-19 (C.-à-d.Hand disinfectant, non -medical masks and disinfectant wipes). L’exigence selon laquelle ces articles devaient être fabriqués au Canada n’était pas un critère»», a indiqué Heather Bradley, directrice des communications du bureau de la présidence, dans un courriel à La Presse.