There were a number of engagements, as Dr. Plummer was indicating, on lab testing. There were some conversations. I did have a conversation with Mr. McCain. I phoned him during the outbreak to talk from a public health perspective and to see if there were any issues we could further address or there was any information we could provide to staff and others who were affected by this, and to hear their concerns about what was happening, etc. It was not about the public health management of it.
I think the members know that I have a dual role, both as the deputy minister responsible for the Public Health Agency and as the chief public health officer, to speak independently to governments and to Canadians on matters of public health. During and through this--and back to Mr. Bellavance's question--we had daily press conferences until we felt they were no longer necessary. That's when we stopped the press conferences.
Regarding the issue of what information was provided, no one from the Public Health Agency gave me direction about what information to provide, what questions to answer, how to answer questions, or what actions to take. If they had, I would have resisted it. That is not a political role. That is clearly why this position was established with that measure of independence on matters of public health. No one from the Prime Minister's Office, not the Prime Minister nor any minister, nor any minister's office, said, “I want you to say this.”
I do take advice on all issues from a whole range of people and perspectives and expertise. I take that into consideration. I want to have the best answers, the best approaches at any time, so I talk to many people, but I take my own counsel at the end of the day, because I am accountable and responsible for the advice I give and for how I address public health issues. I want to make that absolutely clear. For the future, for any person in this role, it's essential to have that independence to actually address the matters of public health. That is very clear, and it's fundamental. If that were an issue for me, I would have to resign.