Today, Mr. Trudeau’s tweet account shows part of his daily speech, saying to healthcare providers: “…… Know that we are there for you. Our government will continue to work hard to ensure you have the personal protective equipment you need”.
Beautiful words that sound reassuring. Go Canada go!
However, the reality on the ground may not seem to be that efficient, especially in a world of harsh competition for medical supplies sold by China.
Talking about China, the latter is doing good business nowadays after its own tragedy, followed by OURS here/around the world. Perhaps this tragedy has been significantly delayed after the Chinese authorities tried to hide the pandemic from their own people and from the rest of us (through the WHO). Anyhow, what is done is done…
Bearing this comment in mind, before presenting a translation of the Journal de Montréal (March 4, 2020)’s article below, Bambi thinks the following: Perhaps Canada must first act FAST to bring equipment and deal with quality testing/check upon arrival at our end. This would perhaps help remove Canadian self-barriers to efficacy.
This being said, here is the original article (in French) followed by a quick translation:
https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/04/03/masques-bloques-en-chine-par-le-canada
“Masks blocked in China … by Canada [Masques bloqués en Chine… par le Canada]
The 300,000 products are intended for hospitals.
“A Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu entrepreneur who ordered nearly 300,000 masks from China in the hope of supplying Québec health workers is furious that Canadian authorities are blocking his cargo transport on the pretext that he does not have not the required permit.
“This is a complete disappointment for me,” said Dominique Plouffe, the owner of Marine Service Canada. I do not make a penny with that, I buy them and I sell them at cost, I really do that to help. “
Talking to one of his suppliers, the businessman realized about a week ago that it was possible for him to order thousands of masks and receive them quickly. Seeing the crying need, he made calls to offer assistance to the provincial government.
Many orders
A lady from the Montérégie Integrated Health and Social Services Centre [“Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre”] finally confirmed to him that she would buy 100,000 equipment from him. Then, organizations in his region also ordered them to make donations in healthcare system.
However, the situation became complex when the Americans began to buy masks, destined for other countries, directly on the tarmac of Chinese airports.
To make sure he received his order, Mr. Plouffe found a Québec-based transport company, which is located in China, that agreed to bring the masks directly to a Canadian cargo plane.
No certificate, no masks.
The products were to arrive in the country Friday morning, but Canadian authorities would block the process on the pretext that Mr. Plouffe does not hold the certificate of importer of medical equipment.
“We are now filling out a 15-page-long form which we will send to the government, which will analyze our request within three to five working days. If we pass the test, we will end up having our masks, but the deadlines are ridiculous when there is a need here, “he said, deploring this unnecessary bureaucracy in times of crisis.
Dominique Plouffe has already received numerous requests to order more, particularly from certain hospitals and residences for the elderly.”
