| October 22, 2020 — Resuming consideration of the motion of , seconded by , — That the Standing Committee on Health be instructed to undertake a study on the emergency situation facing Canadians in light of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that this study evaluate, review and examine any issues relevant to this situation, such as, but not limited to:
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| (a) rapid and at-home testing approvals and procurement process and schedule, and protocol for distribution;
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| (b) vaccine development and approvals process, procurement schedules, and protocol for distribution;
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| (c) federal public health guidelines and the data being used to inform them for greater clarity on efficacy;
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| (d) current long-term care facility COVID-19 protocols as they pertain solely to federal jurisdiction;
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| (e) the availability of therapeutics and treatment devices for Canadians diagnosed with COVID-19;
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| (f) the early warning system, Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN);
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| (g) the government’s progress in evaluating pre- and post-arrival rapid testing for travellers;
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| (h) the availability of paid sick leave for those in need, including quarantine and voluntary isolation;
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| (i) the adequacy of health transfer payments to the provinces, in light of the COVID-19 crisis;
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| (j) the impact of the government’s use of World Heath Organization (WHO) advice in early 2020 to delay the closure of borders and delay in the recommendation of wearing of masks on the spread of COVID-19 in Canada;
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| (k) the Public Health Agency of Canada’s communication strategy regarding COVID-19;
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| (l) the development, efficacy and use of data related to the government’s COVID Alert application;
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| (m) Canada’s level of preparedness to respond to another pandemic;
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| (n) the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Canada and a review of Canada’s emergency stockpile of PPE between 2015 and present;
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| (o) the government’s contact tracing protocol, including options considered, technology, timelines and resources;
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| (p) the government’s consideration of and decision not to invoke the federal Emergencies Act;
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| provided that,
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| (q) this study begin no later than seven days following the adoption of this motion;
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| (r) the committee present its findings to the House upon completion and, notwithstanding Standing Order 109, that the government provide a comprehensive response to these findings within 30 days;
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| (s) evidence and documentation received by the committee during its study of the Canadian response to the outbreak of the coronavirus, commenced during the first session of the 43rd Parliament, be taken into consideration by the committee in the current study;
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| (t) that each party represented on the committee be entitled to select one witness per one-hour witness panel, and two witnesses per two-hour witness panel;
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| (u) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes or other records from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, the office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the office of the Minister of Health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, concerning options, plans and preparations for the GPHIN since January 1, 2018;
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| (v) an order of the House do issue for a record of all communications between the government and the WHO in respect of options, plans or preparations for any future operation, or absence thereof, of the GPHIN, since January 1, 2018;
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| (w) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes and other records from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, the office of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the office of the Minister of Health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, concerning plans, preparations, approvals and purchasing of COVID-19 testing products including tests, reagents, swabs, laboratory equipment and other material related to tests and testing applications used in the diagnosis of COVID-19, since March 19, 2020;
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| (x) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes and other records from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Privy Council Office, the office of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the office of the Minister of Health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada concerning plans, preparations and purchasing of PPE, including gowns, gloves, masks, respirators, ventilators, visors and face shields, since March 19, 2020;
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| (y) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, e-mails, documents, notes and other records relating to the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and its subcommittees;
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| (z) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, e-mails, documents, notes and other records relating to the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution and monitoring strategy, including, but not limited to anticipated timelines for the distribution of an approved COVID-19 vaccine across Canada and the prioritization of population groups for vaccination;
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| (aa) all documents issued pursuant to this order (i) be organized by department and be provided to the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel within 15 days of the adoption of this order, (ii) be vetted for matters of personal privacy information, and national security, and, with respect to paragraph (y) only, be additionally vetted for information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to interfere with contractual or other negotiations between the Government of Canada and a third party, by the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel within seven days of the receipt of the documents, (iii) be laid upon the table by the Speaker, at the next earliest opportunity, once vetted, and permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Health; and
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| (bb) within seven days after all documents have been tabled pursuant to paragraph (aa), the Minister of Health, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry be ordered to appear separately as witnesses before the Standing Committee on Health, for at least three hours each. |
| Deferred recorded division on the amendment of , seconded by , — That the motion be amended by replacing paragraph (aa) with the following: |
| “(aa) minutes of meetings of the cabinet and its committees be excluded from this order and all documents issued pursuant to this order (i) be organized by department and be provided to the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel as soon as is practicable in light of the pandemic, but, in any event, not later than November 30, 2020, and, if this is not possible, the Clerk of the Privy Council may request an extension of no more than seven days, by writing a letter to the committee, (ii) be vetted for matters of personal privacy information and national security, and, with respect to paragraph (y) only, be additionally vetted for information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to interfere with contractual or other negotiations between the Government of Canada and a third party, by the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel within seven days of the receipt of the documents, (iii) be laid upon the table by the Speaker, at the next earliest opportunity, once vetted, and permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Health; and”. |
| Recorded division on the amendment — deferred until Monday, October 26, 2020, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions, pursuant to order made Wednesday, September 23, 2020. |
| Voting on the main motion — immediately after the amendment is disposed of, pursuant to Standing Order 81(16). |