Bill C-293: establishing a new authority in Canada for the next global pandemic

Lost in the political mayhem on Parliament Hill, unbeknownst to Canadians, the Trudeau government has advanced a piece of legislation, An Act respecting pandemic prevention and preparedness (Bill C-293), which will establish a new authority and decision making process in Canada for the next global pandemic period. In June this legislation passed the House of Commons without notice and it is currently in the Senate Chamber awaiting further debate at second reading.

Bill C-293 has an expressed purpose to “prevent the risk of and prepare for future pandemics and to promote transparency and accountability in relation to the Government of Canada’s efforts to do so.” The legislation stipulates that the Minister of Health will appoint an individual from within the Public Health Agency of Canada as a national pandemic coordinator to manage all activities in a pandemic emergency. The pandemic coordinator (who could be Dr. Theresa Tam or one of her colleagues in public health) is to be given a w…