Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet have received the brunt of the criticism for the country’s vaccine shortage that has seen Canada surpassed by numerous other countries.
“Two-in-five (41 percent) say that there’s not much Canada could have done, while a majority (59 percent) point to a failure of planning,” the poll said on Friday.
The findings also shed light on increasing skepticism among Canadians and their trust in the government’s ability to deliver on vaccination promises. Trudeau has repeatedly pledged that any Canadian who wishes to be vaccinated will have the opportunity to do so, however, only 37 percent expressed confidence in his claim.
Additionally, only 43 percent of Canadians expressed confidence in the Ottawa's ability to effectively manage the distribution of vaccines, according to the poll results.
Canada’s vaccine procurement woes captured the national spotlight after vaccine producers Pfizer and Moderna slashed deliveries to the country in recent weeks.
According to the government’s vaccine distribution czar, Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin, Canada will likely experience a shortage of vaccine doses through to the end of the first quarter of 2021.