Mr. Speaker, I have grave concerns respecting the current status of infectious disease notification in Canada. Without regard for their personal safety firefighters, police and ambulance workers routinely provide emergency medical treatment in unsanitary field conditions on patients they know nothing about. As a consequence they can be exposed to an increasing variety of dangerous, contagious and sometimes deadly diseases.
Is it asking too much that these brave men and women be entitled to notification about possible exposure to an infectious disease? Is it asking too much that our emergency response personnel themselves be given the right to early treatment? Is it asking too much that their family, friends and literally everyone they come into contact with be protected from further transmission?
The answer is obvious. I implore the government through Health Canada to set the standard for uniform notification protocols in conjunction with those provinces that have endorsed national guidelines. The confidentiality of patients can and will be protected. The health of our emergency response personnel can and must be protected.
Canadians are entitled to nothing less.