Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Again, this is an attempt to amend the legislation in a way that will allow the chief public health officer of Canada to be independent and be free to speak as required to set the course that's required for someone who fills this position of great responsibility of the chief public health officer.
I know I'm not a member of this committee, but I sure would have wished to have known what Dr. David Butler-Jones, our chief public health officer from 2004 to 2014, would have thought of this amendment. I know what the current appointee thinks, but I think we would have been well served to find out what our first chief public health officer would have thought of seeing the position emasculated in this way.
My amendment PV-12 would ensure the inverse of what I attempted to do under proposed section 5.2. Under clause 255, proposed subsection 6(1), I would replace the words denigrating the chief public health officer to a mere officer of the agency to confirm that the chief public health officer is deputy head of the agency, with the rank and status of a deputy head of department.