By Canadian Press

Canada needs to share more COVID-19 surpluses with world, says UN envoy Bob Rae

Sep 23, 2021 | 12:36 PM

OTTAWA — Canada’s envoy to the United Nations says Canada needs to share more of its COVID-19 vaccine surpluses with less fortunate countries.

Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the UN, tells The Canadian Press that while Canadians may have been looking inward lately because of the federal election, they can’t lose sight of the fact the pandemic won’t end unless more is done to help less fortunate countries.

He says it is in Canada’s national interest to do more internationally because of the rise of new variants and the fact the country’s economy is dependent on international trade.

Rae was speaking from the UN General Assembly meetings of world leaders this week, which included a Wednesday pandemic summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden to spearhead a global vaccination rate of 70 per cent by this time next year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in the pandemic summit and backed Biden’s initiative.

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Ottawa has promised a total of 40 million doses so far but won’t say exactly how many have been delivered.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2021.

The Canadian Press