Globe: Alberta signed deal to import medication from Turkey despite recommendations against it
Briefing notes prepared by Alberta Health officials in November, 2022, for then-health minister Jason Copping and Ms. Smith outlined three options to import five million bottles of pediatric ibuprofen and acetaminophen from Atabay Pharmaceuticals amid a North American shortage for children’s pain relievers. The documents detailed the downsides of each path.
The government chose the riskiest option: to sign a deal to import medicine before receiving regulatory clearance from Health Canada, despite warnings that the province could be left on the hook for a product that would no longer be needed or would not be approved.
It explained at the time that Alberta signed a contract for five million bottles – roughly eight times the province’s annual demand, according to figures presented in the briefing documents – because it was the minimum purchase order set by the supplier.
Lockheed Martin, the U.S. defence giant that builds the F-35 fighter jet, has offered to create more jobs in Canada if Ottawa buys all of the jets it said it would when the contract was announced in 2023.
Canada agreed to buy 88 warplanes but has a legal funding commitment for only 16 aircraft, the first of which is due to arrive in 2026. It does not have to purchase the remaining 72 from Lockheed Martin.
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The source said Ottawa now has some leverage over Lockheed Martin since it is not obliged to buy all 88 aircraft. The second option is the Saab JS 39 Gripen fighter jet build by Saab of Sweden. The Gripen was the runner-up in the competition to replace Canada’s aging fleet of CF-18s, whose winner, the F-35, was announced in early 2023.
Canada should cancel the remaining order as “not fit for purpose”.
Palmer Report: Yep, Donald Trump and Elon Musk really are going after your Social Security
Michael Steele, former chair of the RNC and current host on MSNBC, discussed what’s happening with SSA on his show. He asked the audience, “Folks, take a moment. Do you really trust Elon Musk to get you your checks on time? Well, the most recent commissioner of the social security administration definitely does not.” I’m not worried about timing as much as I am concerned about getting them at all, but Steele got to that. O’Malley believes: “Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days.” We have already seen it. Remember Ned Johnson? He’s not the only senior who has experienced this, but it gets worse. The more confusion Musk can create, the easier it will be for money to go “missing.”
Last Updated: 20.Mar.2025 17:37 EDT
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