Windsor-West MP Brian Masse says a cross border vaccination initiative between Manitoba and North Dakota could work on a larger scale.
North Dakota recently opened a clinic offering free COVID-19 vaccinations to Canadian truck drivers transporting essential goods. The state has a surplus and hopes to inoculate 2,000 to 4,000 Canadian drivers.
Masse says it's reasonable to assume more states would be interested in a similar program.
"Start to work with Michigan, New York and other states where we actually have people going past places with surpluses," he says. "Especially since we have council general offices and trade offices all over the U.S.."
The New Democrat says both sides of the border benefit from having essential workers vaccinated.
"I've been on the phone and in Zoom meetings with Congress and Senate members who have openly supported Canadians getting extra vaccinations when they have surpluses," he says. "The reality is that they are way ahead of Canada."
He says agreements could come together quickly if the federal government gets behind a plan.
"The federal government has all this infrastructure with council general offices and trade offices as well as all our connections through our foreign and global affairs offices," says Masse. "We have all these things right there but we have to have the political will to act on it."
Masse brought the idea of working with states on vaccination programs forward in session before the weekend.
Liberals told the House of Commons the initiative would need to be spearheaded by provincial governments, according to Masse.
— with files from AM800's Kristylee Varley.