Evidence of meeting #59 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was spp.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:05 p.m.
Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
Since we were coming back anyway, it made sense to do it; it's an issue for all.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Susan Kadis Liberal Thornhill, ON
I understand why there has to be a threshold for “reasonable”, because some things might not be unreasonable--if that makes sense--so they're reasonable to me. I just have a concern that it will send a message that it's not such a serious threshold to actually adhere to, or a requirement to actually adhere to, and it could in fact undermine even a little bit the integral goal of this particular act and this portion of the act, section 34.
It may in fact be contradictory, somewhat, to what we're asking people to do, because on the one hand we're saying that they will have a requirement, and on the other hand we're saying that it just may not work out. How will we know--this was raised before--how much effort has been made? It's a very qualitative or subjective kind of decision. You don't want to be unfair or extreme, but you certainly don't want to allow too much flexibility in an area that has such serious potential ramifications on Canadian soil.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
It was always implicit. It's with respect to both the charter and common law. It would be there. Even if it weren't there at all, it's still there. But it makes it clear--again addressing the concerns of operators--that if they actually do their best, we view that as legitimate.
Mr. Chairman, again, that kind of situation, in which there was not actually any kind of declaration, will not protect in that kind of situation.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
I see one more questioner.
Mr. Vincent, be specific to the amendments, please.
5:10 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Yes. We are talking about conveyances. That is a bit of a concern for me because I see in the transportation business... Are rental cars part of this bill? If I rent a vehicle in the United States and I use it to come to Canada, I may have tuberculosis.
5:10 p.m.
Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
Essentially, it is. If you rent a car and come into Canada, no, the advance notification would not apply to you. But when you actually come to the border, if you have a communicable disease or something that would pose a threat, then you are expected to declare it at the border. That was so previously, as well.
5:10 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
The person can leave the vehicle in Canada, and someone else can rent the same vehicle within a few minutes. There are agreements among brand names, as there are for trailers. People can rent them and leave them anywhere in the United States and Canada.
This concerns me, because if I rent a car here that was rented by someone in the United States or elsewhere, there is nothing to protect the next people who rent that vehicle.
5:10 p.m.
Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
First, there would not be a risk in terms of person-to-person spread in that particular setting. The same is true in Canada as it is anywhere else in terms of general public health provisions.
In terms of the issue at the border, in a personal conveyance, whether you've rented it or not, basically, you as a person have an obligation to declare that you have an infectious disease. This provision really relates to advance notification--in other words, phoning ahead to notify the quarantine officer.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Thank you.
Let's move on to a vote now. We are going to amendment G-1. Do you want to do amendments G-1 and G-2 together? Do you want to do them separately?
5:10 p.m.
A voice
Yes.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
All right. I hear the request to do them separately. We'll do them separately.
Shall amendment G-1 carry?
(Amendment agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Shall amendment G-2 carry?
(Amendment agreed to) [See Minutes of Proceedings]
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Shall clause 1, as amended, carry?
(Clause 1 as amended agreed to)
(Clauses 2 to 5 inclusive agreed to)
5:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Excellent.
Thank you very much for the good hard work of this committee.
We will not get into the CDR today.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
5:15 p.m.
A voice
Later.
