Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to go into more detail regarding my question to the Minister of National Defence on February 4 when I raised concerns about the governments administration of the Anthrax vaccine to members of Canada's armed forces in the Persian Gulf last spring.
Details of this matter came to light as a result of the treatment of Sergeant Michael Kipling of Winnipeg who refused to submit to the Anthrax vaccination last March. He was subsequently sent home, cited for breach of the National Defence Act and is now awaiting a court martial.
It is our view that Sergeant Kipling had every right to refuse the Anthrax vaccination and that his case has revealed serious negligence by the Canadian government in the administration of the vaccine generally.
We have several concerns, which are as follows.
The Canadian government did not take the proper safety precautions to ensure the vaccine given to the troops was safe.
We know from the FDA in the United States that the company which produced the vaccine relabelled an outdated lot of drugs. That is particularly interesting since today it is our understanding that there is no viable vial of Anthrax vaccine left in the country.
The Canadian government did not test the vaccine itself and relied on the testing done by the company itself.
There was no independent testing done. Mitretek simply used the results of the tests by the company in question.
The FDA in the United States has shown that there have been no studies done on the long term effects of this drug.
The Anthrax vaccination has been linked to the gulf war syndrome yet this country continues to dismiss, and is probably the only country in the world to dismiss, this syndrome and reduce it to a matter of stress on the part of the troops.
The lack of involvement by the health protection branch was noticeable and nothing was done to certify the vaccine. It is just another indication that the government is reducing its regulatory responsibilities and dismantling the health protection branch.
We have several recommendations. One, that the government investigate the administration of the anthrax vaccine. Two, that it initiate a review of the policies vis-à-vis vaccinations to allow for some method of waiver and some choice. Three, that there be an involvement of the health protection branch to get a scientific assessment of this vaccination and any other inoculation used on our troops. Four, that the government stay the charges and stop the court martial proceedings involving Sergeant Michael Kipling.
Sergeant Kipling has had an exemplary record during his 26 years of service in the Canadian armed forces. He raised serious concerns about the health and safety of the Anthrax vaccination. It would seem to us that, given his safety concerns, given the facts we have learned subsequently about the case and all the circumstance involved in this issue, surely it is unfair for the government to proceed with a court martial for Sergeant Michael Kipling.