Canada’s top public health officials, including Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam, were among dozens of federal managers required to sign secrecy pledges during the pandemic that barred them from disclosing information that could cause embarrassment to the Liberal cabinet, newly released documents reveal.
Access To Information records show that at least 29 managers across multiple departments — including Public Health, Foreign Affairs, Health, Industry, and National Defence — signed the confidential agreements.
Blacklock's Reporter says the oaths were tied to Canada’s procurement of COVID-19 vaccines and emphasized that any unauthorized disclosure, especially to competitors or the media, could bring criticism, embarrassment, or legal issues for the federal government.
One 2020 email from vaccine supply manager Alan Thom noted that so many employees were being asked to sign that the Department of Public Works eventually determined separate non-disclosure agreements were unnecessary, as public servants were already bound by official codes of conduct.
The oath reiterated the need for discretion, stating that breaches could “jeopardize Canada’s supplier relations and procurement processes.”
Officials confirmed these pledges were in place during a period when the Department of Health signed $8 billion in vaccine contracts with seven companies, including Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.
Commons committees were repeatedly denied access to the terms of these contracts. In one appearance before the public accounts committee, then-president of Pfizer Canada Najah Sampson warned MPs against forcing disclosures, citing potential risks to Canada’s reputation and future negotiations.
While other countries paid between $14.50 and $19.50 per dose, Canada’s Auditor General reported an average cost of about $30 per dose.
That disparity drew sharp criticism from Conservative MP Garnett Genuis, who told the committee, “It makes me wonder, what is so damaging?”
Despite calls for transparency, cabinet has refused to launch a public inquiry into pandemic spending. A 2023 health department memo noted that more than 20 internal audits uncovered “critical weaknesses and gaps,” but none of the findings have been publicly released.
