Skip to Main content

10.73°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Jun 15, 2021 3:38 PM -

Trudeau visits Pfizer on final day of international trip

Share On

trudeau-visits-pfizer-on-final-day-of-international-trip

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent his last day in Europe visiting the Pfizer facility in Belgium. Pic courtesy-Twitter/@justintrudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent his last day in Europe thanking leaders and local workers for getting COVID-19 vaccines to Canada.

Trudeau visited the Pfizer-BioNTech manufacturing facility in Puurs, Belgium, where Canada's vaccine supply was produced until the United States started shipping doses early last month.

His main message to those at the plant was ``Thank you.''

Trudeau repeated it multiple times to workers during a brief walking tour of the facility, as well as to Pfizer's managing director.

He listened as officials showed the deep freezers where vaccines are stored, then walked up a separate production line to see where the doses are boxed and shipped.

Around 11.6-million vaccines produced at the facility made their way to Canada after being approved last December.

Earlier today after a summit with European leaders, Trudeau said getting everyone around the world vaccinated as quickly as possible is complex, due to the rules around COVID-19 vaccine patents.

The prime minister says there are complexities that need to be worked through.

The Canadian government has confirmed it's in on World Trade Organization talks around waiving vaccine patents, but after being asked repeatedly, Trudeau has yet to reveal Ottawa's position.

Latest news

ottawa-to-extend-2-cap-on-alcohol-excise-tax-increases-through-2028

CanadaMar 31, 2026

Ottawa to extend 2% cap on alcohol excise tax increases through 2028

The federal government is set to extend its temporary cap on annual alcohol excise tax increases for another two years, according to a senior government official who spoke to The Canadian Press on background ahead of a formal announcement. Excise duties on beer, wine and spirits are normally adjusted each April 1 based on inflation. Since 2023, the Liberal government has limited those increases to a maximum of two per cent annually. That cap was scheduled to expire this year, but the official said it will now remain in place until 2028. The government is also planning to extend for two years a

canada-post-moves-ahead-with-plan-to-phase-out-door-to-door-delivery

CanadaMar 31, 2026

Canada Post moves ahead with plan to phase out door-to-door delivery

Canada Post says it is proceeding with a federally mandated restructuring plan that could see the permanent end of door-to-door mail delivery across the country. In a statement to media Monday, the Crown corporation said the transformation is intended to adapt its operations to changing demand while avoiding ongoing financial pressure on taxpayers. According to the statement, the plan includes changes to delivery standards and a shift toward community mailboxes. The direction follows a federal announcement in September, when Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement J

AlbertaMar 31, 2026

Alberta proposes blackout period for citizen-led referendum petitions around elections

Alberta’s government has introduced legislation that would restrict when citizens can launch petitions for constitutional or policy referendums, including a blackout period before and after provincial elections. Justice Minister Mickey Amery outlined the proposed changes in a bill now before the legislature. According to the minister, the bill would prohibit initiating referendum petitions in the 12 months leading up to, and the 12 months following, a provincial election. Amery said the intent is to ensure voters can focus on making decisions at the ballot box without overlapping referendum

nenshi-distances-alberta-ndp-from-new-federal-leader-avi-lewis-over-energy-policy-differences

FeaturedMar 31, 2026

Nenshi distances Alberta NDP from new federal leader Avi Lewis over energy policy differences

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says his party is not aligned with newly elected federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis on energy policy, following Lewis’s victory at the party’s national convention. Speaking at the Alberta legislature on Monday, Nenshi said the divide between the federal and provincial wings of the party on energy issues has existed for years. “It was important for Albertans to remember that for many years now, the New Democrats have not been fully aligned, particularly on energy policy,” he said. Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was elected Sunday in Winnipeg

police-investigate-suspected-extortion-linked-shots-fired-at-cloverdale-business

Police investigate suspected extortion-linked shots fired at Cloverdale business

Surrey RCMP’s Provincial Operations Support Unit is investigating after shots were fired at a business in the 5400 block of Production Boulevard, with police saying the incident is believed to be linked to extortion. According to RCMP, officers were called on March 30 at about 9 a.m. after a report that multiple gunshots had been fired sometime overnight. Investigators have since confirmed the shooting occurred at approximately 12:49 a.m. that morning. Police and the business owner reported damage to the exterior of the property. No one was inside the business at the time and no injuries wer

Related News

Ottawa to extend 2% cap on alcohol excise tax increases through 2028

Ottawa to extend 2% cap on alcohol excise tax increases through 2028

The federal government is set to extend its temporary cap on annual alcohol excise tax increases for another two years, according to a senior government official who spoke to The Canadian Press on background ahead of a formal announcement. Excise duties on beer, wine and spirits are normally adjusted each April 1 based on inflation. Since 2023, the Liberal government has limited those increases to a maximum of two per cent annually. That cap was scheduled to expire this year, but the official said it will now remain in place until 2028. The government is also planning to extend for two years a

Canada Post moves ahead with plan to phase out door-to-door delivery

Canada Post moves ahead with plan to phase out door-to-door delivery

Canada Post says it is proceeding with a federally mandated restructuring plan that could see the permanent end of door-to-door mail delivery across the country. In a statement to media Monday, the Crown corporation said the transformation is intended to adapt its operations to changing demand while avoiding ongoing financial pressure on taxpayers. According to the statement, the plan includes changes to delivery standards and a shift toward community mailboxes. The direction follows a federal announcement in September, when Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement J

Nenshi distances Alberta NDP from new federal leader Avi Lewis over energy policy differences

Nenshi distances Alberta NDP from new federal leader Avi Lewis over energy policy differences

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says his party is not aligned with newly elected federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis on energy policy, following Lewis’s victory at the party’s national convention. Speaking at the Alberta legislature on Monday, Nenshi said the divide between the federal and provincial wings of the party on energy issues has existed for years. “It was important for Albertans to remember that for many years now, the New Democrats have not been fully aligned, particularly on energy policy,” he said. Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was elected Sunday in Winnipeg

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital