OTTAWA —
Seeking to stamp out confusion over what should be made of the advice coming from a federal panel of medical experts that second COVID-19 vaccine doses should be delayed by up to four months, federal health officials say that the latest guidance is meant to “complement, not mirror” the official Health Canada authorizations for use of these vaccines and that Canadians should expect the advice around the best administration strategy to keep changing.
Late Wednesday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) issued new guidance advising that the window between shots for all three of the currently approved vaccines—Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca—can now be delayed by up to four months, while still being effective.
The approach of holding off on administering all second doses by four months is in contrast with what Health Canada’s authorization of these vaccines initially indicated: that the second Pfizer dose was to be delivered around 21 days after the first, that the second Moderna shot was to be given around 28 days after the first, and that the AstraZeneca second dose should be given between four and 12 weeks after the first.
Seeking to offer some clarity around the role Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)’s COVID-19 vaccine usage advice is supposed to play, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo said Thursday that the latest guidance is meant to “complement, not mirror” the official Health Canada authorizations for use of these vaccines.
Njoo said that the difference in messaging from the two national bodies is different by design, indicating provinces should consider both the Health Canada directives and expert advice in plotting their ongoing vaccine rollout strategies.
“You have likely noticed that NACI’s recommendations are sometimes different, possibly broader or narrower than the conditions of vaccine use that Health Canada has authorized. As the regulator, Health Canada authorizes each vaccine for use in Canada according to factors based on clinical trial evidence, whereas NACI bases its guidance on the available and evolving evidence in a real-world context, including the availability of other vaccines,” Njoo said.
NACI says it’s come to this conclusion after considering evidence from recent scientific studies and “real world effectiveness,” that show high levels of protection after one shot. Though the data remains limited and is still evolving around the best time frame to administer the first and second shots of the three currently approved vaccines, which are all two-dose regimens.
Seeking to further explain the process and why there appears to be contrasting guidance coming from the national level, Health Canada’s senior media adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said that while the messaging would be simpler if there was one set of data and it never changed, “that’s not what science does.”
“We want to make sure that people have confidence in the decisions that are being made about vaccines, whether it’s at the level of the regulator or broader recommendations from NACI or the provinces and the territories… It’s really important that people know that this is going to be changing. We’re in this place now where we have multiple vaccines that are authorized, we have huge mass vaccination campaigns that are ongoing around the world, and the responsible thing to do is to make sure that we get all that information and incorporate that into our decision making,” she said.
PROVINCES PIVOT
While NACI’s advice are recommendations and not rules, which allows provinces to continue to tailor their vaccination rollout campaigns to fit the pandemic reality in each region, the new suggested approach has already been adopted by several provinces in recent days.
Njoo explained Thursday that while it seems the major change in goalposts of the vaccination strategy seems like it happened very fast, it followed NACI briefing provincial health authorities over the weekend.
“What happened then is that some provinces… have come out publicly in terms of moving forward with obviously the good information and evidence that they heard on Sunday, and so you’re seeing that play out in real time, with various provinces that already are coming forward with their thinking based on the information and the evidence that NACI presented on the weekend,” he said.
NACI’s new guidance makes the case that with limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, prioritizing first doses would allow jurisdictions to maximize the number of people being immunized with a first dose offering an initial amount of immunity earlier on, though it remains to be seen how the logistics of the rollout would have to be adjusted to adopt this approach.
Speaking about his provinces decision to delay the second dose by up to four months during a press conference with other premiers on Thursday, British Columbia Premier John Horgan said the decision was “a pretty simple” one to make.
“We want to get as many first doses in place as we can, and as the procurement of the federal government starts to ramp up in quarter three is the time to go back and get those second shots in place,” he said. “We believe this is the right way forward.”
Similarly, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said that while NACI’s guidance was a factor, there has also been real-world examples in countries who are farther ahead in vaccinating its citizens indicating a longer window between shots is an effective strategy.
Kenney also pointed to the slow rollout of doses so far, saying the provinces have “no choice” but to extend the interval between in order to “get more people covered” to move towards a larger amount of population immunity quicker.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said adopting the second dose delay will help see that province’s borders open up. “We’re focused on this spring and getting ourselves back to normal this spring, and I think we can do that,” he said.
Maj-Gen. Dany Fortin who is leading the national logistics of the vaccine rollout said Thursday that it’s possible that coupled with additional vaccines being approved and larger shipments coming in the months ahead, the overall timeline could be accelerated. But, but for now the end of September remains the target they are planning to meet
CTVNews.ca has reached out to Health Minister Patty Hajdu’s office to inquire whether the federal government has a comment on the shifting approach of prioritizing first doses for more people before moving to inject second doses months later.
In response Cole Davidson, a spokesperson for the minister, said that the Liberal government “will always support evidence-based decision making based on the latest data from experts.”
WHO IS IN THE NACI?
The infectious diseases, immunology, pharmacy, epidemiology, and public health experts who make up this advisory body are considered arms-length to the government. The panel makes recommendations to the Government of Canada for the use of vaccines approved for use in Canada based on analysis of “the best current available scientific knowledge at the time.”
The body has been in existence since 1964 advising on various new vaccines, but since the onset of the pandemic, it has been predominately focused on COVID-19 vaccines and the prioritization of them. It reports to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Branch of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Njoo said that NACI will continue to monitor evidence on the effectiveness of a delayed second dose and “will adjust recommendations as needed.”
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.
The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.
The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.
Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.
Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.
Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.
Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.
Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.
Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.
Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.
Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).
Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.
June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.
Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”
Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.
July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.
Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)
TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.
Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.
The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.
As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.
TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.
TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
