Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her question.
I recognize that certain allegations have been made against the health protection branch of the department of my colleague, the Minister of Health.
The Ministry of Health is taking a number of measures to restore trust and morale among staff and credibility with the public. I repeat, credibility with the public. This includes the establishment of expert advisory committees to guide scientific decision making and resolve scientific disputes.
Over the longer term, the Minister of Health will examine the function of public health protection in the context of an integrated federal role. He will then have to consider three important issues.
First, we need a process for decision making that delineates each step in the development of risk management strategies.
Second, we need to expand the traditional communications function to have a broader public affairs orientation.
Finally, we need to address fundamental human resources and organizational culture issues, such as the need for scientific staff to understand the larger context in which their work takes place.
The Minister of Health is looking at the best possible standards of service to protect public health and safety, which is—I repeat—an objective that we share.