Auditor-General: Canada's Disaster Plan Unclear
Fraser Claims Feds unready for Natural Disaster, Terrorist Attack
Nov 5, 2009
Her scathing report focused on Emergency Preparedness Canada, an agency responsible for putting together the country’s response in the event of an emergency. That emergency could come in the form of a natural disaster such as the Quebec ice storms, terrorist attack like 9/11 or a disease such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
Provinces, Municipalities Should Participate In Emergency Planning
The federal government had until now taken disasters on a case-by-case basis. Auditor General Shelia Fraser emphasized the need to plan ahead. In comments published by the Globe& Mail she mentioned the need for all levels of government to be involved: “Canada needs to have a planned, and co-ordinated approach in place so that federal, provincial, and municipal agencies know what part they will play in managing a crisis.”
Parliament handed over authority for Emergency planning to Emergency Preparedness Canada in 2007. The federal government began working on an all-hazards approach in 2004 as a way to be prepared for all types of emergencies. The agency has so far returned no report. Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan is quick to defend his government’s involvement. In the same Globe& Mail article he maintained his government worked with the provinces: “We have worked well with the provinces and territories who we know are, of course primarily responsible for the delivery of emergency and disaster relief management.”
According to a Toronto Star article, Emergency Preparedness Canada, has a high turnover rate in their bureaucratic ranks is the reason they have fallen behind.
Federal Liberals Use Opposition Day To Debate Government’s H1N1 Response
The federal Liberals used their opposition day to debate the government’s handling of the H1N1 crisis. The party presented a motion calling for increased resources to fight the pandemic. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff framed the debate in a Toronto Star article: “We think we want to use the debate to make it clear that this is a government who doesn’t want to inform, that doesn’t want to lead, that doesn’t want to prepare, and the Prime Minister has been missing in action.
Toronto Liberal MP (Member of Parliament) Dr. Carolyn Bennett presented the motion. According to the Toronto Star, the exact wording called on the government to “divert money now being spent on needless, partisan advertising of government budgetary measures to a new public awareness campaign in order to keep Canadians informed with essential up-to-date information throughout the pandemic.”
Other weaknesses the Liberals have highlighted include the fact the country waited until August to order 50.4 million doses of vaccine from GlaxoSmithKlein. The drug company received a 10-year contract in 2001 to make enough of the vaccine. Federal officials have said the late notice was because Health Canada was waiting to hear back from the provincial and territorial health authorities.
 |
