Province spars with feds over rapid tests

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This article was published 03/10/2020 (2008 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Days after Health Canada approved rapid COVID-19 tests for sale from Abbott Laboratories, the provincial and federal governments are in a standoff over who manages the supply.

Central Services Minister and Brandon West Progressive Conservative MLA Reg Helwer held a Friday morning media conference to announce that Manitoba’s attempt to purchase some of the tests were blocked by the federal government.

“Our government took the proactive step of contacting Abbott shortly after the federal government approved their ID NOW rapid test for use in Canada,” Helwer said. “In response to our attempt to place a significant order for these rapid tests for use here in Manitoba, we were advised that the Government of Canada had blocked the direct sale of these rapid tests to provinces and territories. This is a completely unacceptable action by the federal government.”

These tests, Helwer said, are to supplement the existing tests but not replace them. The rapid tests are quicker, but they are less accurate than the regular tests.

According to Helwer, the issue was raised by Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister during an interprovincial call between premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday evening. Additionally, Pallister has written a letter to Trudeau expressing the province’s disappointment with the move and calling for an end to the blockage.

The minister also criticized the federal government for getting the United States government to seize an order of two-million N95 masks worth $12 million made by Manitoba earlier in the pandemic and redirect them to Ottawa. He said Manitoba has only received a fraction of the masks it had ordered but did not provide a specific figure. He later said the province would order as many as they could get.

He also criticized Ottawa for cancelling $55 million of funding earlier this year that would have gone toward improving fibre-optic internet access in northern Manitoba.

Asked by reporters to specify how many of the rapid tests had been ordered, Helwer said Manitoba had not even gotten to the point of discussing figures when they were informed of the blockage. In response to a follow-up question asking how many tests Manitoba wants to order, Helwer said the province doesn’t know.

In an email to the Sun Friday afternoon, a representative of federal health Minister Patty Hajdu disputed the province’s assertions.

“We have not blocked any provinces or territories from making their own orders independently of the federal government. … This week, we announced the purchase of 7.9 million Abbott ID NOW rapid point-of-care tests. These tests will be distributed to provinces and territories in the coming weeks using the same agreed to approach we have used since the beginning of the pandemic, while working to ensure that tests are going where they are needed the most. We have been working on bulk purchases with provinces and territories throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so.”

The Sun was also told that the federal government’s contract with Abbott does not prevent provinces from purchasing the rapid tests.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Friday, federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Ottawa’s approach will ensure all provinces get the number of tests they need.

“Our objective is not to block provinces from accessing supplies,” LeBlanc said.

“It would, in fact, be to work collaboratively with provinces and territories to ensure that all Canadians — and all orders of government — have the necessary supplies to keep Canadians safe.”

LeBlanc said the federal government will follow up on Manitoba’s concerns, but did not commit to any specific action.

Late Friday afternoon, a spokesperson from Helwer’s office reiterated in an email that the province was told they could not purchase any of the tests because of the federal procurement policy.

“As the Premier stated in his letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, we urge the federal government to enable Manitoba to purchase these tests directly,” they wrote. “We look forward to formal confirmation that the federal government has reversed their policy and that Manitoba will be permitted to place an order with Abbott.”

Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont sent out an emailed statement on Friday once again saying Pallister’s government is trying to deflect blame for its own management of health care by blaming the federal government.

“The Pallister PCs are complaining they can’t yet buy a test that was only approved by Health Canada 24 hours ago,” he wrote. “This is a deliberate attempt to once again blame the federal government for their inaction and lack of proper pandemic planning as COVID testing line ups continue to get longer. Helwer already has a track record of blowing money on unapproved health products, including spending $1.2-million on bootleg hand-sanitizer made from fuel-grade ethanol that was recalled as a health hazard. Brian Pallister and the PCs keep saying the federal government shouldn’t meddle in health because it is provincial, then demand federal funding and don’t spend it. “

» cslark@brandonsun.com, with files from the Canadian Press

» Twitter: @ColinSlark