Pandemic Preparedness Bill Approved by House

June 7, 2024 TruthUSA

The House of Commons has approved a bill aimed at enhancing Canada’s readiness for future pandemics. However, a provision calling for a federal review of the handling of COVID-19 was removed.

Bill C-293, The Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act, was passed on June 5 with 164 votes in favor and 144 against. The Liberals, NDP, and Green Party supported the legislation, while the Conservative Party and Bloc Québécois opposed it.

Introduced by Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith in June 2022, this private member’s bill aims to learn from past pandemics and implement a collaborative approach to pandemic planning involving various sectors and disciplines.

The bill outlines the need for a pandemic preparedness plan that involves coordination with provincial governments, establishment of disease surveillance systems, support for local public health capacity building, training of healthcare workers to manage sudden increases in patients, reporting on manufacturing capacities related to pandemic readiness, and identification of key pandemic risk factors and how Canadian activities contribute to these risks.

Additionally, the bill mandates the Ministers of Agriculture and Agri-Food, as well as Industry, to take measures to reduce antimicrobial resistance risks, regulate activities such as industrial animal agriculture that can contribute to pandemics, and promote the production of alternative proteins with lower pandemic risks.

Within two years of the bill coming into effect, the health minister must prepare a report on the pandemic preparedness plan, present it to the House of Commons, and publish it on the Department of Health website.

Related Stories

WHO Pandemic Agreement Faces Scant Opposition in Canada, as UK Rejects Current Text

Canada’s COVID-19 Experience ‘Far From Positive’: Think Tank’s Response to Trudeau’s ‘Better Pandemic’ Claim

The bill would amend the Department of Health Act by appointing a national pandemic prevention and preparedness coordinator from officials at the Public Health Agency of Canada and assigning them relevant powers and duties as deemed necessary by the Minister.

An earlier version of the bill proposed the creation of an advisory committee to evaluate the public health and pandemic response capabilities of all levels of government and agencies. However, this provision was removed as the NDP indicated they would not support it if included.

During a debate on June 3, NDP MP Peter Julian emphasized the need for a public inquiry, rather than an advisory committee, to conduct a thorough review of the government’s pandemic response. He stated that an advisory committee, as envisioned in the bill, would not be sufficient for the scale of action required.

Opposition

In the same debate, held on June 3, 2023, Mr. Erskine-Smith highlighted the bill’s significance in holding accountability across current and future Parliaments to avoid reliving past pandemic experiences.

Bloc Quebecois MP Sylvie Bérubé announced opposition to the bill due to various contentious elements. She raised concerns about the federal government collaborating with provincial and municipal bodies to assess their public health and pandemic response capabilities, citing an overreach of federal authority.

Conservative MP Richard Bragdon expressed reservations about the bill’s adoption of the “One Health” approach outlined in the legislation. One Health is described by the World Health Organization as a holistic strategy that balances and optimizes health for humans, animals, and the environment, focusing on food safety, pollution management, nutrition, and combatting antimicrobial resistance.

He emphasized the importance of safeguarding national sovereignty over health crisis management strategies and learning valuable lessons from the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bill C-293 now moves to the Senate for further review.

Source link