MP Dan Albas is the master of half truths
I chuckled when I read MP Dan Albas’s indignation that the Liberals “manipulate data to create a distraction” (Courier/ Herald, Feb. 12).
Unlike too many “honourable members,” Albas’s personal integrity and honestly makes it difficult for him to lie. Instead, he has become a master of the half truth, of selective fact presentation, and, in fact, manipulation of data to create a distraction.
On Feb. 10, Albas described the COVAX partnership between the World Health Organization and GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance) and the May announcement of Canada’s contribution.
What he did not report is the news released Sept. 26 from the Prime Minister’s Office that outlined details of our participation in the COVAX program which clearly states that half the funding is for the purchase of vaccines for low and middle-income countries and half to procure up to 15 million doses for Canadians.
COVAX pools funds from wealthier countries to help buy vaccines for themselves and low-income nations and increase bulk buying negotiating power, so we are doing what we said we would do.
But wait. Albas says we are the only G7 country to access vaccines through COVAX. What Albas does not say is that as of Dec. 15, there were only three G7 countries that have signed commitment agreements with COVAX: the UK, which has stockpiles of vaccine, Japan, which just started its vaccination program on Feb. 16, and, one of the largest COVAX donors, Canada.
The Biden administration has announced America’s intention to participate, and the European G7 members contribute as part of their own single purchaser “Team Europe.”
Any Team Europe vaccine access may be lumped in as “non-UN member states.”
Further, what Albas does not say is that COVID-response superstars New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore are also drawing part of their requirements through COVAX, as is our NAFTA partner Mexico. These are considered wealthy nations.
I think the half truths and omissions are to create a distraction and generate party donations.
David Flater Okanagan Falls
LOS ANGELES — Sam Burns wanted to pay respect to tough Riviera by playing it safe. It led to a 5-under 66 to tie the 36hole record at the Genesis Invitational and build an early five-shot lead.
Burns kept his bogey-free day in tact toward the end of the round when he came up short of the eighth green, his 17th of the morning. He chipped it about 10 feet short — anything too strong could lead to trouble — and made a par putt.
He also handled two of the par 5s, and picked up so much roll on the firm turf at the 476-yard 12th hole that he had only a pitching wedge into the green and made a 5-foot putt.
“Whenever we were kind of in a tricky spot, just kind of took what the golf course gave us,” Burns said.
Burns was at 12-under 130, matching the record last set in 2004 by Mike Weir and Shigeki Maruyama.
Tyler McCumber and Jason Kokrak each shot a 68 and were five shots behind. Another shot back was Jordan Spieth after a 68, the third straight week Spieth has been in the mix going into the weekend as he tries to win for the first time since the 2017 British Open.