Pandemic Preparedness Bill Quietly Passes Parliament
By Christine Colebeck, President CHD Canada
Bill C-293, The Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act, passed the third reading in the House of Commons on June 5, 2024, with 164 votes in favour and 144 votes against. The Liberals, NDP, and Green Party all voted in favour of this new legislation, while the Conservative Party and Bloc Quebecois voted against it. Bill C-293 has gone to the Senate, and they will decide to either pass, amend, or reject the Bill.
No one seems to be talking about what was voted out of the Bill, specifically, a clause ordering a federal review of the handling of COVID-19.
The Minister of Health was required to establish an advisory committee to review the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada in order to reduce the risks associated with future pandemics and inform a pandemic prevention and preparedness plan.
This committee review was voted out and replaced with the Health Minister who now just needs to work with a few other Liberal Ministers to develop the Pandemic Preparedness Plan, thus removing all independent oversight. See the difference between the first reading and the third amended reading here in the very first paragraph of each: parl.ca/C-293/third-reading
How can the federal government, in good faith, vote in new legislation for the management of future pandemics, while completely dismissing the opportunity to gain valuable information and evidence on the handling or the mishandling of the previous pandemic?
One Health
The plan will be required to adopt a World Health Organization, One Health approach, which is a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaborative approach that focuses on the human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health and welfare interface in addressing pandemic risk factors.
Bill C-293 also amends the Department of Health Act to provide that the Minister of Health must appoint an unelected health official from the Public Health Agency of Canada as a national pandemic prevention and preparedness coordinator.
Take Action Now
There are 105 senators who are appointed (not elected) by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. What can you do? Write a letter to the Senate, have your voice heard, and express your concerns for their consideration as they debate Bill C-293. Find the list of senator contact information at sencanada.ca/en/senators
Originally published at childrenshealthdefense.ca