Canada: Conservative MPs react to audits on government's COVID-19 response – December 6, 2022

Conservative critics Jasraj Singh Hallan (finance), Pierre Paul-Hus (Quebec political lieutenant), Stephen Ellis (health), Kelly Block (public services and procurement), Tracy Gray (employment), and Adam Chambers (national revenue) hold a news conference on Parliament Hill following the release of Auditor General Karen Hogan's two reports on the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The auditor general's office assessed the procurement and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, and also examined the handling of COVID-19 benefits. The government spent approximately $5 billion for 169 million vaccine doses by May 2022. More than 13 million doses expired before they could be donated. The auditor general also concludes overpayments of $4.6 billion in pandemic benefits were made to ineligible individuals, and that at least $27.4 billion of payments to individuals and employers should be investigated further.