Health Committee on Nov. 4th, 2009

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Thank you for being here.

I apologize that I've missed much of the presentation. We were dealing with a very important motion on H1N1 in our attempts to get the resources that we believe the provinces and health authorities need to do their job and get the mass vaccinations done.

As some of you know, I'm very interested in this issue. The Lung Association released information that, I believe, 80% of Canadians feel that pet-free flights should be offered. Has industry been briefed on that? What was their response, and to what degree have you worked together with industry to find a solution?

[Jennifer Schenkel]

We have briefed industry and we've placed numerous calls and written letters to both the airlines. WestJet has expressed interest in having a discussion with us. We haven't heard anything from Air Canada. We've been pursuing open dialogue and collaboration on the issue, but at this point we haven't managed to solidify any discussion.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Are there any other organizations that have had dialogue with the airline industry?

[Dr. Robert Schellenberg]

Well, I had some dialogue with a number of the executive vice-presidents of Air Canada at a reception they had in Vancouver. I thought I'd better go and try to make some contact. One of them, actually, was allergic to cats, interestingly, but he was in another area of the industry and basically never took planes, so he wasn't exposed.

Most of the others didn't really give me a response, I must admit, and my letter to the CEO came back with platitudes, basically saying others all do it, so we're obligated to do it, which I didn't accept. As I mentioned, others don't all do it.

Thank you.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

I have some experience, having been a provincial environment minister, in being in the middle of difficult issues that have advocates on opposite sides of an issue. I used to often find there appeared to be no third door. There was one door or the other door, but when there was a requirement to sit down and find a way, a third door often was figured out.

What would be an ideal process, in your view, for the advocates for pet-free flights and the industry to actually get together so that everyone who needs to be at the table is at the table and to find a way forward?

[Jennifer Schenkel]

I would ask for a subsequent meeting and to have the airlines present. In the absence of having any representation from the airline, there may be a solution that's not obvious to us, that we're missing. I think you're right that when parties are forced to come together to come up with solutions, there may often be a third door that opens that may not be apparent to us. We would be more than willing to sit down and hammer out a solution.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Whom do you see initiating an invitation like that? I don't necessarily think a committee meeting like this is where solutions can be hashed out, but who could initiate a mediated meeting, or a process like that, amongst the parties?

[Joan MacDonald]

If I may, the agency does offer mediation services. We are in the midst of the judicial proceedings vis-à-vis the four allergy complaints before us, but it doesn't mean they can't come off that track and go to mediation. However, it does require all parties to be willing, and that has not been the case so far. That's not to say it couldn't still be a possibility. A request can be made and we can turn to the carriers and offer that, but in order for us to mediate, we need the agreement of the parties. We'd certainly be willing to try that, if indeed it's option we could pursue.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Judy Wasylycia-Leis]

The time is up. I'm sorry.

Cathy McLeod.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair

Again, I would also like to thank all of our witnesses today for some excellent presentations. You've certainly put your perspective very clearly to us.

I guess the first thing I'd have to say is that when I heard that the airlines were opening up this pets-in-the-cabin policy, I was actually quite stunned. What immediately came to mind was people having allergic reactions. I can't believe it's not actually a huge risk management issue for them if someone has an acute asthmatic reaction triggered on a flight by a nearby pet. It has to be a huge risk management issue. But I guess that's something the airlines must have considered.

To me, it's fairly clear that the safety of the travelling public should be a huge concern and priority. I also appreciate that people want their pets to be able to travel safety, so the thing I would like to ask about—I guess this question would have to go to the Canadian Transportation Agency, and ultimately I will certainly want to ask the same question of the airlines—is what were the issues with pets travelling in the cargo hold, and were those issues easily overcome? You said you had a few complaints in that area.

[Joan MacDonald]

Those complaints related largely to the size of the animals. For example, Air Canada has a cut-off of 70 pounds for the weight of both the animal and the carrier. Then the animal has to get shipped by cargo. There are problems in that your animal may not necessarily be on the same plane as you; it could go on a different plane and it could come a day or two later.

We heard another complaint about a medium-sized animal that was not allowed in the baggage compartment, as the airlines discontinued allowing these animals to go there. You previously could have your dog, say, go as checked baggage or cargo, but that was discontinued. The agency ruled in that particular case that the tariff was unreasonable. We try to balance the rights of passengers for a reasonable tariff with the carrier's commercial, statutory, and other operational obligations.

So there have been a variety of cases, but we have certainly heard of problems with the stresses that animals undergo in the belly hold of an airplane.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

I know that if you go to Spruce Meadows, you will see these beautiful multi-million dollar horses that have travelled in the belly of airplanes and then compete.

Over the years, how many complaints have you dealt with regarding pets and travel issues?

[Joan MacDonald]

Not a lot. I would say maybe four or five. It's not a lot.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

So that's been over many years, and you've had four regarding allergies in a much shorter time?

[Joan MacDonald]

No, we did have some allergy complaints related to Air Canada back before that airline changed their policy in 2006 to discontinue.... Those individuals then withdrew their complaints. When Air Canada re-instituted its policy, it wasn't very long before we started receiving complaints again.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

I guess the other question for you, and perhaps for the Lung Association and some of the other witnesses here, is whether there is value in some of the people they work with making a whole lot more complaints to you. I'm thinking of your decision-making here.

[Joan MacDonald]

There's that possibility. Generally what we'll do is that if the complaints are similar, we can join a couple of them. Or we'll stay them if we're currently dealing with the issue. Once a decision is issued, the direction is given, so the other complaints can be readily dealt with after that. It really does depend; but quite often, we'll just put the others in abeyance and hear the main cases so as not to slow down the process.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Judy Wasylycia-Leis]

Thank you very much.

Before we wrap up, let me just see if Jill has anything she wanted to add. It's awfully hard being here, yet at a distance.

Please go ahead.

[Jill Frigon]

At this point, I strongly agree with what the panel has said.

I just want to again take this opportunity to thank you so much for allowing me to speak to you today.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Judy Wasylycia-Leis]

Thank you.

I have one quick question: who stopped the smoking on airplanes? Was it the government or the agency or the airlines?

[Joan MacDonald]

It was not the agency.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Judy Wasylycia-Leis]

Okay, we'll look into that.

Have any of you thought about taking this matter to the Canadian Human Rights Commission? The right to breathe clean air seems a human rights issue to me. Anyway, that's a rhetorical question to think about.

As a committee, we have talked about having another session. The unfortunate part is that we may not be able to do that until the new year, which means that we're going to have to go through the holiday season with this issue hanging over our heads and people dealing with it. But we thank you very much for opening up the whole discussion and bringing it to our attention. We will complete this discussion by bringing you back with the airlines, and then doing a report to Parliament.

Thank you very much for your time.

The meeting is suspended.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, August 12, 2009, on the study of H1N1 preparedness and response, I would like to welcome our witnesses today to speak with us and to bring us up to speed on the situation with H1N1.

Dr. Butler-Jones.

[Dr. David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada]

Thank you.

I am pleased to provide a brief situation update. Over the past two weeks, there has been a considerable increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths. While this trend is increasing, it's still lower than the peak period of the first wave—the first three weeks of June 2009.

Since October 29, 175 new hospitalizations and 6 new deaths have been reported. Since the outbreak began, we've seen a total of almost 1,800 hospitalized cases, of which 351 were in intensive care and 101 have died, unfortunately.

While there may be many things we know about this virus, the future remains a bit uncertain. We have a comprehensive approach. Ultimately, vaccine will be our best defence and by Christmas there should be enough for everyone who wants it. We also have national, provincial, and local plans. We have a stock of antivirals sufficient to treat all who need it, and we have enough backup supplies to provide any necessary support to provinces and territories.

This is thanks to a great deal of foresight from governments over many years. Canada's agreement for the domestic production of pandemic vaccine dates back to 2001. Canada entered into that contract to ensure capacity in Canada, so that we would be capable of meeting our needs for a large supply of vaccine produced domestically in a limited timeframe. The company had an established record in the production of seasonal flu vaccine. When this agreement was secured, it secured Canada's supply of H1N1 vaccine for all Canadians who need and want protection.

Other countries did not have such agreements in place, and some have had to buy multiple vaccine products from multiple suppliers, each with different indications. As it turns out, while we would all hope for more, Canada actually has the most secure and complete supply of vaccine in the world, with one of the world's highest percentages of people in the process of being immunized.

I'd like to clarify something that was said yesterday about the security of our domestic supply. GSK is devoting its entire domestic production capacity to producing and bottling vaccine to fill the Canadian order. The manufacturer cannot export finished pandemic vaccine in vials to any other customer, and it has not done so. The certainty and stability of supply from GSK has meant that, unlike other countries, Canada did not have to scramble to find a supplier. GSK has produced more antigen than it can bottle in Canada.

Rest assured that there will be enough vaccine for the whole population.

I'd like to express my sincere appreciation for the hard work and long hours that public health officials, health care workers, individuals, and governments at all levels are putting in across the country. This is no easy task. In under two weeks, we have immunized as many Canadians as we would normally do in two months. Rest assured, there will be enough vaccine for all.

Thank you.