CARP has produced a new 60-second TV commercial that dramatizes Canada’s dismal record on rolling out vaccines and other new medicines.

The commercial shows a hospital waiting room where a number of individuals – each representative of a different country – wait to be called in to receive their vaccine. Just as the Canadian arrives to check in, Israel is called to receive a vaccine, and then other countries are called in, one by one, ahead of Canada. Exasperated, the Canadian asks the receptionist when his turn will come. She says she doesn’t know; he’ll just have to wait. “Canada,” she sighs, rolling her eyes.

Unfortunately the commercial is deadly accurate. Israel leads the world in the speed, efficiency and completely of its vaccination program, while Canada languishes near the bottom.

VanGorder emphasizes that C.A.R.P. is holding governments accountable for a level of performance that other countries have achieved. “We’re not dreaming up some impossible standard here,” he said. “We’re simply asking why Canada’s health care system can’t deliver what other systems can, and do.”