International Development  Mr. Speaker, Canada is contributing $2.5 million worth of protective gear. In fact, the first shipments have already gone out and we are working with the World Health Organization to prioritize the remaining shipments.

Health  Mr. Speaker, we are examining our options to get the protective gear there as efficiently as possible. As I have indicated, Canada has been showing international leadership when it comes to helping the West African countries deal with this mass Ebola crisis. We have invested $35 million to help on general humanitarian assistance, provide nutrition, provide resources on the ground, and to provide much-needed expertise.

Health  Mr. Speaker, there is no question that this is a very serious international health crisis and Canada has been showing international leadership. We have contributed $35 million in equipment, direct food and expertise. We have scientific labs on the ground and scientists that rotate through.

Health  Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the work that is being conducted there at the lab. The job has been posted and as soon as I have an update for the House, members will be hearing about it.

Health  Mr. Speaker, we are particularly proud of this very promising vaccine. That is why since day one Canada has been at the forefront of responding to the Ebola crisis. Not only are we contributing $35 million to assist those on the ground, to assist them on general humanitarian grounds, to assist them with nutrition and to provide them with treatment, we are also contributing, of the 1,500 doses that we fully own, up to 1,000 doses to the World Health Organization.

Health  Mr. Speaker, Canada has been at the forefront of responding to the Ebola crisis. We have been there since day one. We have offered $35 million to leading international humanitarian groups such as the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and Médecins Sans Frontières. We are dispensing equipment, we are dispensing much-needed expertise, and we have the scientific lab on the ground where we have scientists rotating in and out.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as I have been very clear in the chamber and on a number of panels with this critic, the vaccines have been donated to the World Health Organization. Canada owns these vaccines. We have 1,500 doses. We have donated up to 1,000 to the World Health Organization. It is up to the World Health Organization to deploy these vaccines as efficiently, ethically, and quickly as possible.

Health  Mr. Speaker, the opposition is confusing issues. Let me very clear about this. Canada owns the doses. We own the intellectual property rights to these doses. We have fully and completely donated up to 1,000 of these doses to the World Health Organization. It is up to it to manage the logistics and to dispense them as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as the chief medical officer indicated yesterday and the Public Health Agency has been saying now for some time, and this has been verified by the World Health Organization, the risk to Canadians from Ebola is very low. I do not think this is an issue that we want to fear-monger with.

Health  Mr. Speaker, everybody understands that the vaccines need to get to the people most affected, but there are logistical issues. In fact, the World Health Organization, in discussions with our chief medical officer, ascertains that consent needs to be provided. Obtaining this consent is an issue.

Health  Mr. Speaker, we will not tolerate drug safety risks. As soon as Health Canada was made aware of the issues at the plants in India, it acted immediately. A quarantine was put in place. All of the medications were reviewed, and now there is an import ban against these medications.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, in fact there is a full import ban on all drugs coming from these facilities. These drugs are not entering Canada. We will make considerations if there is some life-saving drug there and there is no other drug available in Canada, but at this point, there is no such need.

Health  Mr. Speaker, we are examining our options to deliver this equipment as quickly and as efficiently as possible. We have been doing quite a bit actually, and we are a global leader when it comes to the response on Ebola. As I have indicated, we are providing $35 million to the Red Cross, to the World Health Organization, and to Médecins Sans Frontières.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, the vaccines are available. They have been made available to the World Health Organization and it is the World Health Organization that takes the leadership role on organizing these logistics. As soon as the World Health Organization would like to pull the trigger, we are ready to ship the vaccines.

Health  Mr. Speaker, Canada has been very generous in our response to this terrible outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. We have donated 800 to 1,000 doses of this vaccine, and it is up to the World Health Organization to organize the logistics in dispensing these vaccines. We are also contributing expertise on the ground when it comes to the mobile lab and the revolving scientists who are out there staffing that.