Eye to the Future by Looking at the Past:
Senate Social Affairs Committee Tables Report on
Canada's Response to the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic

Ottawa (December 29, 2010) – The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology today tabled its 15th Report, Canada’s Response to 2009’s H1N1 Influenza Pandemic.  The review was requested by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, P.C., Minister of Health, on June 15, 2010.

"The 2009 H1N1pandemic was a major test that stretched our pandemic response to the limit,” said Senator Art Eggleton, chair of the committee.  “Our report offers practical ways to increase our efforts because it is not a matter of if there will be another pandemic but when. We must be prepared."

The first cases of H1N1 in Canada were confirmed on April 23, 2009. Less than two months later, the virus had spread to all regions of the country.

“Canada managed very well compared with other countries,” said Senator Kelvin K. Ogilvie, deputy chair of the committee. “I was impressed with how far we have come in national preparedness since SARS. We had a remarkable degree of cooperation across national, provincial and municipal jurisdictions.”

Key recommendations include:

The Government should explore ways to have a backup supplier for the country’s vaccine supply in the event of a pandemic (recommendation 7);

Funding should be renewed for pandemic preparedness planning in the 2011 Budget (recommendation 3);

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) should clarify and harmonize local, provincial, and federal government roles with respect to real-time policy decisions, communications and messaging across media including social media (recommendation 4);

With the three levels of government, the committee recommends that PHAC revise the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector to make it scalable to mild, moderate and severe pandemics and implement regular and rigorous plan testing (recommendation 2);

The Public Health Agency of Canada should monitor the status of the scope of practice of pharmacists and paramedics across Canada with a view to enhancing their front-line contributions during future influenza pandemics (recommendation 11);

First Nations and Inuit communities face ongoing conditions that make communities vulnerable to communicable diseases. Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch should continue to work with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and PHAC to address these on-reserve conditions (recommendation 15).

Members of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology include the Honourable Senators David Braley (Ontario), Catherine S. Callbeck (Prince Edward Island), Andrée Champagne, P.C., (Grandville - Quebec), Jane Cordy  (Nova Scotia), Jacques Demers (Rigaud - Quebec), Lillian Eva Dyck (Saskatchewan), Nicole Eaton (Ontario), Art Eggleton, P.C., chair (Ontario), Yonah Martin (British Columbia), Pana Merchant (Saskatchewan), Kelvin Kenneth Ogilvie, deputy chair (Annapolis Valley - Hants - Nova Scotia), Judith Seidman (De la Durantaye - Quebec).