From: brewnoser2@gmail.com   
      
   One has to ask why the aboriginals in Canada cannot find a way to avoid   
   getting covid-19 by using the same methods the rest of Canada does: safe   
   -distancing, wearing masks, washing frequently and not gathering in groups.   
   . . . Especially since those in 'remote areas' have less problems with   
   visitors and crowding. And especially if those who live in cities have access   
   to the same facilities and vaccines that other Canadians do.   
   _______________________________   
   CBC News · Posted: Mar 13, 2021   
      
   Entrepreneur quizzed by RCMP says she won't stop trying to land COVID-19   
   vaccine doses for First Nations   
      
   An Ontario businesswoman says after months of work to obtain COVID-19 vaccines   
   outside of federal government channels, she is now close to securing a batch   
   of doses to be used by First Nations in Saskatchewan.   
      
   Her efforts have come to the attention of the federal government, which has   
   called in the police after raising concerns over the legitimacy of the vaccine   
   supply.   
      
   But Carrie Liddy, who has already been interviewed by the RCMP, said she has   
   nothing to hide.   
      
   Liddy, an independent consultant and entrepreneur from Woodbridge, Ont., said   
   she expects to receive verification documents next week on doses of Covishield   
   vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India for importation to Canada.   
      
   Covishield is the brand name of a Health Canada-approved, biologically   
   identical version of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine that is produced at the   
   Serum Institute.   
      
   "All the arrangements are exactly duplicate to what the federal government is   
   undertaking. There is no fraud. There's no scam," Liddy said in an interview   
   with CBC News.   
      
   Call from RCMP   
      
   Liddy said she has been working for months with the Federation of Sovereign   
   Indigenous Nations (FSIN), a group that represents chiefs in Saskatchewan, to   
   secure its own supply of COVID-19 vaccines. They have narrowed down possible   
   supplies from three    
   sources, she said, with the Serum Institute emerging as the most immediately   
   viable.   
      
   Sask. Indigenous groups support letter of intent submitted to obtain 6M doses   
   of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine   
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   She said the work has been stymied by federal ministers who have publicly   
   questioned her team's vaccine procurement efforts and asked the RCMP to   
   investigate — leading to a phone call from a detective about three weeks ago.   
      
   "That put everything on hold," she said.   
      
   Liddy said the interview with the RCMP investigator lasted over an hour and   
   she explained everything.   
      
   The federal government has issued fraud warnings since February over the   
   attempted sale of vaccines outside of the government procurement process.   
      
   Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller on Wednesday publicly questioned the   
   legitimacy of vaccines sourced by Liddy and the FSIN.   
      
   "These are false allegations. These vaccines are going to be authenticated   
   prior to any money whatsoever exchanging hands. And the funds are going to go   
   directly from First Nations to the manufacturer of the vaccine," said Liddy.   
   [authenticated?]   
      
   FSIN leadership did not return texts, emails and phone calls from CBC News   
   requesting comment.   
      
   The organization, which is funded almost entirely by the federal   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   government, would need money from Ottawa — which has already questioned the   
   legitimacy of the vaccines — to purchase doses.   
      
   Liddy said she has a contact with a direct link to the Indian government who   
   can arrange the deal. She said her contact would invite the Canadian   
   ambassador to ascertain the legitimacy of the vaccines.   
      
   "This has reached the highest levels of procurement of vaccines in the world,"   
   said Liddy. "They are all helping First Nations. They are all moving forward   
   to make sure that First Nations get vaccines — except our Canadian   
   government, who has provided    
   one roadblock after another."   
      
   The Serum Institute of India could not be reached for comment.   
   AstraZeneca says no private sector sales   
      
   Liddy said her group is also entertaining two other possible sources for   
   vaccines — one from the U.K. with possible access to AstraZeneca-Oxford   
   doses, and a Texas company called Davati Medical Supplies, whose owner says   
   they are also working on    
   securing access to a supply of AstraZeneca-Oxford.   
      
   CBC News spoke with Herman Cardenas, owner of Davati, who confirmed   
   communicating with Liddy about obtaining vaccines.   
      
   AstraZeneca said in two emailed statements to CBC News that there is currently   
   "no private sector supply, sale or distribution" of its vaccine.   
      
   The pharmaceutical firm said it investigates any reports of "counterfeit   
   sales" and shares its information with law enforcement.   
      
   "At this time, the RCMP cannot comment on potential or ongoing i   
   vestigations," said an emailed statement from the Mounties.   
      
   Howard Glase, CEO of Verity Pharmaceuticals, west of Toronto, which has   
   partnered with AstraZeneca, the Serum Institute of India and the federal   
   government to deliver two million doses of Covishield to Canada, said he   
   doubts the institute would supply    
   vaccines to Canada outside government channels.   
      
   "They're certainly not getting it from the Serum Institute of India. I speak   
   to these individuals three or four times a day," said Glase.   
      
   "They would never risk their multibillion-dollar business by shipping even a   
   couple of million dollars of this drug. It's just unimaginable anyone would   
   ever take the risk."   
      
   Glase said Oxford University licensed the vaccine to AstraZeneca and its   
   partners as a not-for-profit product.   
      
   Importing vaccines is very complicated   
      
   Dr. Anna Banerji, who specializes in Indigenous and refugee health with the   
   University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, says Indigenous   
   communities have the right to import their own medicine.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
      
   However, she said, there are health and safety implications that need to be   
   considered when it comes to importing a COVID-19 vaccine, including   
   transportation, storage temperatures and handling.   
      
   "How are they going to monitor for effectiveness and side-effects?" she said.   
      
   "There's a lot of things that they need to have in place to make sure that   
   it's safe for the population that needs it."   
      
   Indigenous Services Canada's latest data shows vaccinations are underway in   
   538 First Nation and Inuit communities across the country, with 166,084 doses   
   administered as of March 12. The federal government says it has prioritized   
   vaccines for those    
   communities because of their higher vulnerability rates to COVID-19 infection.   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)