{"id":19376,"date":"2021-03-10T10:10:22","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T15:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/?p=19376"},"modified":"2022-09-29T15:33:46","modified_gmt":"2022-09-29T19:33:46","slug":"letter-canada-must-support-global-access-to-covid-19-vaccines-at-the-wto","status":"publish","type":"blog22","link":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/letter-canada-must-support-global-access-to-covid-19-vaccines-at-the-wto\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter: Canada must support global access to COVID-19 vaccines at the WTO"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The HIV Legal Network is a proud signatory of this open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging him to support global access to COVID-19 vaccines.<\/h4>\n

March 10, 2021<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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SENT VIA EMAIL<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Right\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Honourable<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Prime Minister of Canada<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Re:<\/span><\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Canada must support global access to COVID-19 vaccines<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0at the WTO<\/span><\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Dear Prime Minister,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Since the beginning of the pandemic, world leaders have repeatedly spoken of the need for global solidarity to get us all through this once-in-a-century health crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>You<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>were<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0among the first to call for global equal access to COVID-19 health technologies. But as time passed, calls for unity have been followed by a disappointing lack of commitment by many wealthier nations<\/span><\/span><\/span>, including Canada<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canada\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>unwillingness\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>to endorse a proposal at the World Trade Organization to make COVID-related vaccines, treatments and technologies more affordable and readily available for all countries is a glaring example of this mismatch between words and deeds.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In October 2020, South Africa and India made a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>joint proposal<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0to temporarily waive certain obligations under the WTO\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights<\/span><\/span><\/i>\u00a0(TRIPS) until the COVID-19 emergency is over.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The waiver would mean WTO\u00a0<\/span><\/span>m<\/span><\/span>ember<\/span><\/span>\u00a0states<\/span><\/span>\u00a0would not have to grant or enforce patents and other intellectual property rights covering COVID-19 drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other technologies such as masks and ventilators.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This waiver proposal is not a panacea. But with these barriers and restrictions removed, WTO member states and the scientific community can continue working on developing and distributing new diagnostics, vaccines, medicines, and medical supplies, without fear of litigation risk and trade sanctions under the TRIPS Agreement.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As it stands now, vaccine technology and knowledge are being treated as private property by pharmaceutical corporations, despite\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>much of this research\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>being paid for by over $100\u00a0<\/span><\/span>billions<\/span><\/span>\u00a0of taxpayers\u2019 money. As communities across the world adapt to the \u201cnew normal\u201d of the pandemic, it\u2019s business as usual for pharmaceutical corporations. With their WTO-protected exclusive rights and monopolies, pharmaceutical companies are able to charge higher prices and inhibit the generic competition demonstrated time and again as key to bringing and keeping prices down, particularly for low- and middle-income countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>In the context of the ongoing public health emergency, the result is that rich countries such as Canada are securing private contracts with vaccine makers while many developing countries haven\u2019t seen any vaccine doses at all. While Canada has ordered enough doses of the multiple available vaccines to inoculate its population many times over, some estimates say that vaccines will not become available to a fifth of the world until 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The proposal at the WTO to temporarily waive certain TRIPS Agreement restrictions\u00a0<\/span><\/span>would help break down barriers to scaling up the manufactur<\/span><\/span><\/span>e<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0and supply of lifesaving COVID-19 medical tools across the world.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Canada has maintained that it has not rejected this proposal. But Canada has also not said yes, joining Australia, Brazil, the EU, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, the U<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>K<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, and the U<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>S<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0in obstructing the waiver at the WTO TRIPS Council.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canada misleadingly claims that existing flexibilities in the TRIPS Agreement, such as those for the issuance of compulsory\u00a0<\/span><\/span>licences<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to manufacture patented medicines<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(<\/span><\/span><\/span>as\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>affirmed in the 2001 Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health<\/span><\/span>),<\/span><\/span>\u00a0are sufficient. However, as Doctors Without Borders and other health advocates have pointed out, these flexibilities are only accessible on a case-by-case basis that can take years to settle with patent-holding firms or foreign governments. Responding to COVID<\/span><\/span>-19<\/span><\/span>\u00a0requires goods subject to exclusive patent and other IP claims and restrictions to become accessible and affordable\u00a0<\/span><\/span>now<\/span><\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Last\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>month<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, more than\u00a0<\/span><\/span>400 organizations<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0in the United States called on President Joe Biden to support the waiver at the TRIPS Council. More than\u00a0<\/span><\/span>100 civil society organizations\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/a>have called on the European Parliament to also support it, as have many EU parliamentarians themselves. The Director-General of the World Health Organization is calling on member states, including Canada, to support the waiver. Canadian civil society organizations and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>labour<\/span><\/span>\u00a0unions have been making similar calls for months.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>The COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe global health and economic crisis in generations. In Canada and around the world the virus has disproportionately impacted women, migrant and lower-wage workers, racialized and other marginalized groups<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Millions of lives have been lost to this virus.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Everyone, everywhere needs out of this pandemic as quickly as possible. Canada must be part of the global effort to save lives<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2014<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>not an obstacle. We call on the Canadian government to support the waiver now.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Signed:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Trade Justice Network<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Amnistie<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>internationale<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Canada francophone<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Amnesty International Canada<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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United Steelworkers (USW)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Group of 78<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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National Farmers Union<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Unifor<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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MiningWatch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Canada<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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HIV Legal Network<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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CWA Canada, The Media Union<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Health Coalition<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Public Service Alliance\u00a0<\/span><\/span>o<\/span><\/span>f Canada<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Trade Justice PEI<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Grandmothers Advocacy Network<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Jesuits International<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian AIDS Society<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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KAIROS: Canadian\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Ecumenical<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Justice Initiatives | Initiatives\u00a0<\/span><\/span>oecum\u00e9niques<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Canadiennes pour la justice<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jesuit Refugee Service \u2013 Canada<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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R\u00e9seau qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois sur l’int\u00e9gration continentale (RQIC)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Congress of Union Retirees of Canada<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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ATTAC-Qu\u00e9bec<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Coalition for Global\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Health<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Research<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\/ La Coalition Canadienne pour la recherche en sant\u00e9 mondiale\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Council of Canadians | Le Conseil des Canadiens<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Friends of Medicare\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Canadian Society for International Health \/ Soci\u00e9t\u00e9\u00a0<\/span><\/span>canadienne<\/span><\/span>\u00a0pour la\u00a0<\/span><\/span>sant\u00e9<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>internationale<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The United Church of Canada |\u00a0<\/span><\/span>L’Eglise<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Unie<\/span><\/span>\u00a0du Canada\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hospital Employees\u2019 Union<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Centre\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Oblat<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u2022 A Voice for Justice<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Migrant Workers Alliance for Change<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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CC<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Honourable<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Mary Ng, P.C., M.P. Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>mary.ng@international.gc.ca<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and t<\/span><\/span>he\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Honourable<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Marc Garneau, P.C., C.C., C.D., M.P. Minister of Foreign Affairs<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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