麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Canada expected to address vaccine patents at upcoming WTO meeting

Share
Ottawa -

International Trade Minister Mary Ng will attend the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, where her office says she plans to address the waiving of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines.

A temporary suspension of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement would allow low-income countries with less buying power to produce vaccines locally.

In the spring, the federal government opted out of supporting a TRIPS Waiver proposal brought forward by India and South Africa and backed by 100 countries.

In a statement to CTVNews.ca, Alice Hansen, a spokesperson for the minister鈥檚 office said 鈥淭RIPS is a key part of the on going Trade and Health discussion, and Canada will play a leadership role in Trade and Health discussions at the upcoming MC12 meeting.鈥

The statement went on to say that the minister has been working with international partners to reach 鈥渃oncrete solutions鈥 to trade and health.

Opponents of the proposal, including pharmaceutical giants, say waiving patents could hurt innovation and prevent companies from recovering their investments in research and development.

The 12th WTO ministerial conference will take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 in Geneva, Switzerland. It will be chaired by Kazakhstan鈥檚 Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov.

The NDP have been calling for a suspension of the patents on COVID-19 vaccines to help with global supply.

鈥淭hat would be a more long-term solution that would actually help countries get their populations vaccinated immediately and for the long-term. That鈥檚 something I would support,鈥 leader Jagmeet Singh said on CTV鈥檚 Question Period on Sunday.

Global health experts have long argued that efforts now should be directed towards increasing the rate of first and second doses administered in developing countries.

The federal government has made several donations to COVAX, a global initiative for the procurement and equitable distribution of vaccines.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected