Dr. Stephen Ellis, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, released the following statement regarding nationwide shortages of oral antibiotics:

“Canada’s healthcare system is broken and the Trudeau government is to blame. 

“The website Drugshortagescanada.ca, which tracks shortages of medication in Canada, has reported that every oral antibiotic that is commonly used to treat upper respiratory tract infections in children is now in short supply.

“This news could not have come at a worse time. Canadian parents are struggling to deal with a devastating shortage of children’s Tylenol and Advil, and emergency rooms are overflowing in almost every province.

“After seven years in power, it’s clear Trudeau’s Liberal government cannot be trusted with improving our health care system, let alone ensuring an adequate supply of basic medication for Canadian children. They have fallen asleep at the wheel and allowed our pharmacy shelves to go empty at our time of need. 

“Canada’s premiers have pleaded with Justin Trudeau to convene a meeting to address the health care crisis and he has refused. Instead of supporting our plan to speed up the qualification of foreign trained doctors and nurses to alleviate the staffing shortage in our health care system, the Trudeau Liberals seem eager to hamper improvements at every turn.

“This lack of oral antibiotics will only contribute to our clogged up hospitals throughout the holiday season. Spending Christmas at the emergency room is a heartbreaking memory for any child, but unfortunately too many Canadian children will have to experience it this year thanks to the inaction of this faltering government.”