20.7°C Vancouver 20.7°C Vancouver
Jun 15, 2021 3:38 PM -
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.
