Debates of Sept. 15th, 2014

Ebola Outbreak

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank my colleague from Laurier—Sainte-Marie for requesting that this emergency debate on Canada's response to the Ebola epidemic be held tonight.

Today, three countries in West Africa are facing an exponential Ebola epidemic crisis. These are Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Doctors Without Borders reports 600 new patients every week in those countries. The World Health Organization is projecting that 20,000 people will be infected in three months. Cases have also been identified in Senegal and Nigeria. We must not wait for this epidemic to spread and claim even more victims.

In her speech to the UN on September 2, Dr. Joanne Liu said:

Leaders are failing to come to grips with this transnational threat. The WHO announcement on August 8 that the epidemic constituted a “public health emergency of international concern” has not led to decisive action, and states have essentially joined a global coalition of inaction.

This situation is simply unacceptable. As a doctor by training, I can only be moved by this statement. Canada is a developed country with considerable financial means compared to the countries in the grips of Ebola and yet the government was slow to act. When it did take action, the measures were inadequate.

This epidemic knows no borders. We cannot take action just to protect our borders. We must attack the roots of the epidemic to eradicate it. Releasing funds is not enough for this. This humanitarian emergency needs trained medical personnel to actively detect new cases. It also needs the proper structures, treatment centres and safe isolation facilities.

Doctors Without Borders has pointed out that its personnel had to turn patients away because they had no space. In Sierra Leone, infected people are dying in the streets because they cannot get to a medical centre. In Liberia, the victims are stopped at the hospital doors. Because of a lack of capacity, the hospitals cannot admit them.

We have civilian, logistical, technological and even military capabilities to help the organizations on the ground. That is where the containment action can be taken. That is why the Canadian government should deploy the Disaster Assistance Response Team with the ability to use all the resources it needs. This should be done in close collaboration with the affected countries.

In support of this argument, I would like to remind members that the entire health care system in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has been undermined. More than 150 health care workers have been infected, 79 of whom have died. These deaths decrease these countries' capacity to respond to the crisis. Some health care professionals are afraid to go to work because they might catch the virus.

Health care facilities have therefore been abandoned, leaving the population on its own to deal with the virus and other illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea and other common diseases that unfortunately cannot be treated. Providing support on site and increasing the number of secure isolation facilities will help to ease the burden on health care systems that today can no longer respond to the demand.

It is also important to set up an efficient information system. I would like to tell members what I heard at a meeting with the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association. I did not ask permission to share this information, but in the Ivory Coast, people will no longer touch each other. The minister told us that people greet each other without touching. That is because there is a lack of information. It is important that we go and help these people. By so doing, we would also protect ourselves. That is some background on what is happening in those countries, and it shows that an efficient information system must be implemented.

People also need to have access to information, otherwise mistrust of medical personnel will only grow, resulting in more violence. We agree that Canada cannot do this alone. A cross-government response is required.

The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting this Thursday. Decisions will be made regarding what action to take and what measures could be implemented. I would like to know how the government intends to get involved in the solutions that will eventually be implemented even if it cannot participate in the meeting.

We have been slow to act, but we can remedy that by taking immediate action. When we hear Liberia's national defence minister tell the UN Security Council that Liberia's existence is seriously threatened, the situation is more than urgent. The longer we delay, the greater the threat to the future of an entire generation.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, The New York Times is reporting tonight that tomorrow President Obama will be going to the CDC to hear first-hand what the situation is from its point of view and appoint an Ebola czar to coordinate the efforts of the United States internationally.

Does the hon. member think that having the minister of heritage and culture do a press conference on the Ebola virus is an appropriate response by the government, or whether, as was the original understanding of Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, it should be Canada's doctor speaking to the people of Canada explaining what this disease is and the risks? How can we ensure that politics is out of this and information about a serious infectious disease is delivered by physicians and medical people as opposed to politicians?

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her relevant question.

She asked a two-part question. The first part has to do with Canada's participation in the Security Council. Unfortunately, we all know that we lost our seat on that council. Up until now, no application has been made to try to join the council.

As for the second part of the question regarding the possibility of having a doctor who is specialized in these urgent cases, my colleague knows that I am a doctor by training. I think it would be a good idea for doctors to be explaining the Ebola virus, which is known as a hemorrhagic fever in medical jargon. It would make a lot of sense for public health officials and a doctor, as the member said, to explain things and avoid causing panic. As I already explained in my speech, there is a lack of information about this disease.

[Alain Giguère, NDP, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since my colleague is a doctor by training, I want to ask her to tell us about the potential risk of this disease spreading exponentially.

She said today that there were 600 new cases a week. However, in a relatively short period of a few weeks, how easily could 600 cases become 6,000 cases or more? At what point is it essential to deal with this problem now when the number of cases is still relatively low? If it grew to 10,000 or 20,000 cases a week, we would lose all control.

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for another relevant question.

This is currently an epidemic. As we have heard, this infection is spreading exponentially. I am not an epidemiologist or a biologist—I am a family doctor—but to my knowledge, the best thing to do to prevent this disease from spreading would be to work on the ground. We need to help people by providing information and making people aware of proper hygiene practices. We need to create a system to treat people and perhaps even set up an air corridor so we could send infected patients to regional centres where they would be treated.

Therefore, it is very important to target this disease in West Africa before it becomes a pandemic.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights]

Mr. Speaker, before I start, I would like to indicate that I will be sharing my time with my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development.

About two weeks ago, I went to Nigeria to attend a ministerial conference on security. This was my third visit to Nigeria. As is normal, one enters the country without fear of any issues. However, what was different this time was that as I entered the airport, there was a person with a little machine pointed at my head. I stopped and asked what she was doing. She said she was testing my temperature to see if I was infected with Ebola. Nigeria is one of the countries, regretfully, that is affected by Ebola, although on a smaller scale. It immediately reminded me of the danger of this disease. For a minute it created a fear minute in me that things have changed with this deadly virus.

As we know, the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in West Africa to be a public health emergency of international concern. The Ebola outbreak is putting a strain on already fragile nations. Of greatest concern are the condition of health systems in the most affected countries and the lack of knowledge about Ebola, which have created conditions for its spread. Security forces that have been deployed to deal with the outbreak have little or no experience in dealing with such a threat. The use of quarantine as a preventive measure is causing alarm, and public fears based on misconceptions about the disease have spread to others.

Against the advice of the WHO, regional and international airlines have cancelled flights to affected areas. Border closures are creating supply shortages and impeding the transfer of laboratory specimens, equipment, and supplies necessary for the response. Responses by neighbouring countries and the fears of investors would likely accelerate the economic impact of the crisis.

It is vital for Canadians to be aware of the risks in travelling to the affected countries I just mentioned. As always, the safety of Canadians is of highest priority. We strive to prepare our citizens for international travel by providing information and advice on the safe travel to foreign countries and to help Canadians abroad in handling consular difficulties or emergencies.

The Government of Canada's advice and information on travel abroad can be found on travel.gc.ca. The website should be the first step for all Canadians planning a trip abroad. It offers a wealth of information and tools to help travellers make responsible and informed decisions. This includes travel advice and advisories on more than 200 countries, which gives an overview of the security situation in the country, information on entry and exit requirements, health recommendations, contact information to the nearest Canadian office, and much more. Canadians can also use this website to register with the registration of Canadians abroad service. This free, quick, and confidential service allows travellers to receive updates on any local developments that may affect their safety and security.

Several PHAC travel health notices have been issued to Canadians in the affected areas. The registration of Canadians abroad service alerts them to the changing travel advisories, border closures, and flight suspensions, and it reminds Canadians of where to call if they need assistance. We will continue to work closely with PHAC to ensure Canadians receive the latest information. We also provide public communication and outreach products to educate Canadians on how to travel safely and responsibly. Ultimately, the decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller, who is best placed to make appropriate choices about his or her own safety.

Due to the Ebola outbreak and its impact on mobility and access to quality health care, the Government of Canada recommends against non-essential travel to Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The Government of Canada's ability to provide consular assistance is extremely limited in the affected regions. We urge Canadians whose presence in the region is not essential to consider leaving by commercial means while it is still possible, as it becoming increasingly difficult to do so.

These recommendations are intended to inform Canadian travellers and to make it easier for health officials in these countries to dedicate their resources toward controlling the outbreak. Greater public education and awareness will alert Canadian travellers and Government of Canada employees to the fact that risks to public health workers are high in the affected areas, as most human infections result from direct contact with the body fluids of an infected patient.

There may also be difficulty in accessing health care services due to an increased burden on the health care system. The WHO has reported that more than 240 health care workers have been infected with the Ebola virus disease and more than 120 of them have died.

While no Canadians have contracted Ebola to date, a growing number of Canadian health care workers are on the front line providing treatment. Their work puts them at an increased risk of exposure, and we must be prepared for the possibility that they may contract the disease. In the event that Canadians are infected, officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, abroad and in Canada, will direct the patient to the closest medical provider and refer them onward as appropriate. These officials would discuss medically appropriate recommendations for the return to Canada of the patient and his or her family, based on advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the patient's treating doctor. Protocols for the treatment or transfer of Canadian health workers are in place based on the level of exposure to the virus, and they would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The Government of Canada will work with allied governments and international organizations, including the World Health Organization, the United States, United Kingdom, and Spain, at civilian and military levels, on the conduct of their medical evacuations in Ebola-affected countries.

Beyond medical evacuation planning, there are necessary security concerns in the affected areas which require more detailed contingency planning. While commercial options for the departure in Ebola-affected areas continue to exist, capacity is significantly reduced from normal levels due to the suspension of flights to European and African destinations. While we are not currently contemplating an evacuation of Canadians from any of these areas, our embassies in the region are monitoring the security situation, verifying the status of flights and land borders, and observing how governments are maintaining medical services and other public institutions, as well as how quarantine measures are being implemented. The goal of WHO is to stop Ebola transmission in the affected countries within six to nine months. This can be achieved with proper and effective infection prevention and control measures.

The Government of Canada is fully committed to supporting international efforts to control the Ebola virus outbreak. The assistance we are providing to affected countries in West Africa will not only contribute to preventing further spread of the disease, it will also help to safeguard the security and well-being of Canadian citizens, whose safety is of the highest priority.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the United States has already contributed $100 million, and it will spend up to $75 million more to provide 1,000 treatment beds in Liberia, the worst-hit country, and 130,000 protective suits for health workers. The Obama administration has asked Congress for another $88 million to send additional supplies and public health experts to develop potential Ebola medications and vaccines. The CDC has 103 staff in West Africa working on outbreak control, and plans to send another 50.

I am wondering if the government accepts that the international response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been inadequate and that we must dramatically scale up the response. Will the government respond to the WHO's request? It needs $600 million to respond.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as I said in my intervention, Canada is working with the WHO and with our international partners to fight this Ebola outbreak. We all recognize that this is an international emergency and it requires internationally coordinated efforts.

My colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, will shortly be speaking on what Canada and International Development will be doing and has done to date. I can assure the member that Canada will be at the forefront of this international effort and will continue fighting against this terrible disease.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleague spoke during his speech about travel and the travel precautions that Canadians need to take. I wonder if he could restate for the Canadians who are watching this debate the urgency of contacting Foreign Affairs and how they would get in touch with the Department of Foreign Affairs when they are planning to do any travelling. Where could they get the statements on countries that they need to be cautious about visiting?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, for bringing forward this important question.

Let me say again, Canadian advice on information on travel abroad can be found on travel.gc.ca. This website should be the first stop for all Canadians planning a trip abroad.

In addition, Canadians can also use this website to register through the registration of Canadians abroad service. This free and quick confidential service allows travellers to receive updates on any development in affected places, including how to contact, where and when, Canadian officials in an emergency to help them should they require any information, or by very bad luck are infected, or for any other reason.

Again, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Let me repeat that: travel.gc.ca, registration of Canadians abroad.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to join the debate tonight on the Ebola virus disease. I will be focusing my comments on the actions Canada is taking to support international efforts to control its spread.

This is the largest Ebola outbreak in history, eclipsing all the Ebola outbreaks together since 1976, when the virus was discovered. It is the first for West Africa. It is also the first time that Ebola has become widely transmitted in urban areas.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 4,300 people in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone have contracted the virus since March and over half of those have died of this disease. As one would expect, the global community is on high alert, particularly since the WHO declared in early August that this is a public health emergency of international concern, and rightly so. According to the organization, cases could rise to 20,000 within six to nine months, a development that would be catastrophic.

The developing world is ill equipped to manage a health emergency of this kind. The crisis is evolving in a context of chronic fragility, in places of high poverty, and after decades of conflict and civil strife. In Liberia and Sierra Leone, health systems have simply collapsed as the virus keeps spreading through the population. People are dying of Ebola, but they are also dying of malaria, diarrhea, or of complications during childbirth because they cannot access the health system. It has become nearly impossible to keep up with the growing medical needs of populations that grow more ill by the day and that is not mentioning the strain that the virus has put on economic activities in these areas. The disease and efforts to contain it have disrupted trade and the rain-fed agricultural season, both primary livelihood sources. It is costing jobs, it is stealing incomes, and it is keeping people from supporting themselves and their families.

Traditional cross-border and inter-country supply routes have also been rendered largely impassable as entire geographic areas are cordoned off and other countries in the region close their borders and restrict access by sea, land or air. As a result, financial analysts are predicting significant GDP losses for the affected countries and for the region as a whole. Border closures and service disruptions are also keeping equipment and supplies from reaching the sick and those working to keep them alive. This situation is very serious.

Right now, this outbreak has the world's attention. The fear of the unknown can do that. However, if history has taught us anything it is that few foes can stand up to the might of a united and committed global community. In the face of unprecedented challenge, the world is capable of unprecedented action. That is where we find ourselves, at a time of action.

On August 29, the WHO launched the Ebola response road map. It is not an appeal but a framework quantifying the required response to an outbreak of 20,000 cases over the next six to nine months. It outlines the World Health Organization's requirements, as well as those of affected national governments, the World Food Programme, UNICEF, Médicins Sans Frontières, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The single greatest need identified remains qualified medical staff, both international and national. These are proving difficult to mobilize or even deploy, due to air option restrictions and issues of medical evacuation. Tragically, already more than 300 health care workers have been infected and just under half of them have died from the disease.

However, this is not just a health crisis. It is now resulting in other humanitarian needs. The World Food Programme and UNICEF are scaling up their operations. The WFP will be augmenting its food assistance operation to help feed some 1.3 million people for an initial three-month period. Canada is an important contributor to the WFP, the third largest in the world.

For its part, UNICEF will be expanding its activities in the affected countries and countries of concern, including Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Senegal. UNICEF will focus on social mobilization, health and hygiene promotion, the provision of psychosocial services, the establishment of a system to identify and care for children orphaned by Ebola, and the distribution of soap and chlorine.

As a valued international partner, the Government of Canada is fully committed to supporting the international effort to combat this disease. Ours is a whole-of-government approach, which includes contributions from our embassies in affected regions; the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; and the Public Health Agency of Canada. To date, we have been among the largest donors to the crisis response, having contributed nearly $5.4 million to support humanitarian and security interventions to help contain the spread of Ebola through West Africa.

Some of these funds are supporting the WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières, and local Red Cross organizations as they engage in their respective responsive activities. We have contributed medical expertise, an experimental vaccine, and financial assistance. We will continue to assess our contributions as the global push to bring this outbreak under control intensifies.

Canada is fortunate to be among the countries that need not fear Ebola. Our health systems are modern and strong, and medical professionals and experts have said that the epidemic is unlikely to go beyond West Africa. Indeed, the public health risk here remains low, and no Canadians have been infected to date.

Still, that does not deliver us from our responsibility to help. Canada prides itself on being there for friends and neighbours in their time of need. It is, quite simply, the Canadian way. This is one of those times when our experience and expertise can help to save lives abroad. Canadians should be very proud that their government is standing up to help.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech and her general understanding of the gravity and seriousness of the situation. It is a situation that is so serious that the UN Security Council is going to meet on Thursday to discuss it.

My colleague said that Canada is one of the largest donors to this crisis, having contributed more than $5 million. However, the United States, for example, has already announced funding of $100 million in response to the WHO and UN requests, which is a significant contribution. We know that President Obama will travel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tomorrow and announce an even more ambitious plan to deal with the crisis raging in those countries.

I would like to know whether Canada is ready to follow the Americans' lead. That is my first question.

I have a short second question. My colleague also mentioned the shortage of health care workers on the ground to deal with the crisis and the transportation issues. I know that we have a small team on the ground, but I would like to know whether the government is considering sending more medical specialists. Will it provide help with transportation? Will it also deploy our Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the first thing I would like to do is take this opportunity to thank all of those health care workers who are on the ground in the affected areas, people who have taken the risk and put their lives in significant danger to assist people who are in such desperate need.

As I said earlier, Canada has been a major contributor to this effort. It is a World Health Organization lead. We are going to continue to work with all of our partners in this. We will continue to assess on a go-forward basis.

As the Minister of Health announced tonight, there was a call for some additional assistance from the WHO, and Canada immediately announced our assistance. At seven o'clock this evening, the Minister of Health made that announcement.

We will continue to assess. Canada is there. Canada stands ready to help.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization says that every 70 beds devoted to Ebola patients require between 200 and 250 staff to care for them properly. Many of those workers could be local, but there is an enormous need for outside expertise as well.

Médecins Sans Frontières has facilities throughout the region. It says that the Ebola cases are surging and it cannot keep up, “They were turning [away] between 30-40 people a day in Monrovia alone...This is...untenable”.

Cuba has offered to send 165 doctors, nurses and specialists to aid the outbreak in Sierra Leone. We thank all those who put their life on the line to help.

How many specialists Canada has sent? If medical specialists want to help, what is the government doing to allow them to do so?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I again respond by saying that this is lead by the WHO.

The World Health Organization is doing the assessments. It is putting out calls for assistance. Tonight Canada announced its contribution. As soon as the WHO called for the masks and the proper equipment, Canada stepped up to the plate.

We are working very closely with the WHO. We will continue to make those assessments as it makes the call. Canada stands ready to help.

[Tyrone Benskin, NDP, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have listened with interest to a number of interventions this evening on this very scary and dangerous event that is happening in the world today.

I remember a number of years back reading a novel called The Hot Zone. It was a terrifying true story written by Richard Preston. It is a non-fiction novel recounting the fear that came about when the Ebola virus was found in monkeys in Reston, Virginia and the warning signs that this sent off. I remember the fear I felt when reading the book of Ebola skipping borders and come into the world that I knew. I started looking into it back then. The book was written in 1995 and I read it when it came out. Even back then, Ebola had already done a lot of damage.

The first time that Ebola came into western consciousness, as we know it, was in 1976 with an outbreak in DRC. At that time, it was the Zaire strain. It had an 88% mortality rate. Since then, four other strains have joined the Ebola virus arsenal. The Zaire strain still stands as being the deadliest, ranging from the mid-50% up into the high 90% as far as mortality rates are concerned.

There have been some 24 outbreaks of Ebola on the African continent since 1976 with various strains. There are Sudan, Zaire, Thai and Bundibugyo strains, with the Zaire and Sudan strains being the most prolific.

I have heard much of what we are doing in the here and now. We have talked about what Canada and the World Health Organization are doing. We have touched on what other nations around the world are doing. However, my intervention will be based on a question.

Since 1976, there seems to have been very little research or work done in terms of preparation for the eventuality of an outbreak that we now face. It is an outbreak that has crossed borders. As I understand it, this is one of the first times that we have had a multi-border crossing of this disease. The question I would put out there to ruminate on is why we in the west have not progressed further in terms of our understanding and preparedness for not the possibility but the eventuality of one of these diseases, be it the hantavirus, Ebola or Reston disease, crossing borders and entering into other countries that up until this point had not seen this disease.

I would like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to let you know that I will be splitting my time with the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

In the days of the black plague, this disease ravaged Europe to the tune of two-thirds of its citizens. There was no understanding at the time of how this disease was jumping borders until it was understood that it was being transported by rats that stowed away on the ships doing commerce between the affected countries. This understanding helped curtail the spread of the black death to the point where it only destroyed two-thirds of the population of Europe.

In the days since then the airplane has been developed, even ocean liners, which traverse the world a lot faster. They travel to so-called Third World countries, undeveloped countries, crossing into developed nations from the continents of Africa, Europe and North America.

It seems to me that at least since 1976 there may have been an opportunity to think of what would happen when diseases like this eventually did cross borders. This is the situation we are facing today. We have transcontinental transportation. Individuals who may be infected with the disease in the morning could be on a plane in the afternoon and on a completely different continent. We are not prepared for this. We are finally realizing that there needs to be an ongoing holistic approach to controlling outbreaks of diseases of this sort.

I would venture to guess that many other types of diseases are living in animal populations all around the world and they will eventually be transmitted to humans in one way or another. How prepared are we?

We are now in a situation where the UN Security Council is going to be debating actions on this crisis this Thursday, which I believe is the first time the council has been involved in a health related crisis. We are in a situation where countries where Ebola has happened before are now unprepared to deal with both the containment and treatment of this disease. I applaud the fact that Canada is stepping forward and doing its share and I applaud the fact that other developed countries are doing the same.

I would like to think that this is a warning for the future in terms of small outbreaks. When we see small outbreaks of diseases like this, we should take the opportunity to invest and learn about them so we can prepare for these diseases eventually crossing borders and possibly oceans.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for raising the question about research and development.

I wonder if he would like to stand and congratulate the people who developed the vaccine in Winnipeg and did trials on the vaccine that is currently being used in the Ebola crisis. There was some deliberation over whether it was ethical to use a vaccine that had not been properly clinically tested, but would he like to congratulate our Canadian scientists on the work that they have done to help find a control for this terrible disease?

[Tyrone Benskin, NDP, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I do indeed congratulate the Canadian scientists for the work that has been done in the development of vaccines as well as all the other individuals across the world who continuously work on these types of vaccines.

As the world gets smaller through the Internet and through travel, what are we doing to create a more coordinated effort so the vaccines that are being developed can be tested and ready to use in a larger scale when crises like these happen?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a few days ago the World Health Organization issued a plea for more health workers. The key to beating the disease, said the World Health Organization's Margaret Chan, is people power. Pledges of equipment and money are coming in, but 500 to 600 foreign experts and at least 1,000 local health workers are needed on the ground. The number of new patients is moving far faster than the capacity to manage them. We need to surge at least three to four times to catch up with the outbreaks.

I am wondering if my hon. colleague knows how many specialists Canada has sent. I did not get any answer. Is that number enough? If there are Canadian specialists who want to go, is the government helping them to be able to do that?

[Tyrone Benskin, NDP, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague's question would be best asked to the government as it would have the answers as opposed to myself. It stands to reason or logic that if the plea is going out for more bodies, more people, and more experts to deal with this situation, whether all those experts come from Canada or whether Canada has a share of those experts, I hope and trust that everything is being done to make sure that the resources Canada has to offer in terms of expertise and specialists in this area are being put forward and are being put forward swiftly.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his very interesting and learned speech, particularly about how diseases can travel. I like to say a virus does not need a visa to travel. Nowadays communications and travel are more and more frequent and this is a big issue. Canada and western countries outside of Africa are not affected right now in this current crisis, but I would like my colleague to expand a bit on the issue that we have to tackle in West Africa before running the risk that it touches other regions, be it Europe, Asia, North America or Latin America.

[Tyrone Benskin, NDP, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, containment of any sort is a must. The issue of containment is a very tricky and troubling one, especially when we inject human nature, culture and practice. Today we had a meeting with representatives from the Ivory Coast, the foreign affairs minister, and we did touch on that question. They have taken very strict measures in terms of border control to stop the influx or the potential for disease coming in, but there is only so much they can do.

A disease is not something that people knowingly get. The culture of embracing one's loved one, a lost member who has died of this disease. This disease lives after a person is dead. The embrace, saliva, tears, anything, this is how we contract the disease. As I said earlier, a person can contract the disease in the morning, get on a plane in the afternoon in whatever country, and we will not know until such time as that person is showing systems that he has the disease.

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, before I begin my speech, I would first like to welcome everyone returning to the House: staff and MPs, regardless of what party they belong to. There are so many people around that it is like a bustling city.

When I heard the hon. member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie request this emergency debate earlier today, I did not wait a second to put my name down to deliver this speech. I will start with a little story about another well-documented epidemic, the Spanish flu.

My mother was 12 years old at the time and lived through the pandemic. She later became a nurse. I am telling you about my mother because she often spoke to us about the Spanish flu and the toll it took. According to the Pasteur Institute, this virus claimed close to 30 million victims around the world. People now say the number is probably higher.

One of the stories my mother told us was about Johan Beetz, for whom the village is named. Johan Beetz raised foxes and lived on the north shore in Quebec when the Spanish flu epidemic became a pandemic. Anyone familiar with the north shore in Quebec knows there were no roads back then. There still are not many.

Everything arrived by boat back then, including food, but Johan Beetz refused to have the boats resupply the small village. There were no cases of Spanish flu in the small village. I am relating this anecdote because one way to avoid a pandemic is to isolate populations. Isolation can occur in two ways. The affected populations can be isolated or we can isolate ourselves. Johan Beetz decided to isolate himself.

Everyone dreams of being rich and healthy, but not everyone's dreams come true. The African population is growing. Average projections by the United Nations indicate that Niger's population may reach 50 million in 2050, compared with 12 million in 2004, and that the populations of Mali and Burkina Faso could reach 40 million, compared with 13 million in 2004. Ivory Coast's population may reach 34 million in 2050, compared with 18 million in 2004.

A rapidly growing population, problems with poverty, and a lack of health infrastructure and drinking water are just a few of the factors fuelling the disease. I want to share with the House my concerns about the spread of the Ebola virus epidemic.

By the end of July 2014, the World Health Organization had sounded the alarm to say that the virus was out of control in West Africa. Indeed, the Ebola virus is spreading very quickly in West Africa. The virus is deadly in 25 to 90% of cases. The epidemic was first declared in Guinea, then in Liberia and Sierra Leone, two neighbouring countries. At the end of July, those three countries combined had at least 1,200 cases, including 670 deaths. It should also be noted that there is no treatment for this hemorrhagic fever.

As of September 12, according to the World Health Organization's most recent figures, the number of deaths had doubled to roughly 2,400 and about 5,000 people were infected. The WHO predicted that the number of cases would reach 20,000, which is quite worrisome. The data may vary across the different speeches delivered by others, according to the photos taken or the references used. Today, the spread of the disease is such that the most affected countries are now considering taking extreme measures such as imposing a lockdown on their citizens.

In addition, on September 12, 2014, the Cuban government announced the deployment of 165 health professionals to provide care to those with the Ebola virus in West Africa. In Canada, there are no known cases of Ebola, which is excellent news. Border controls are in place, namely the screening of sick passengers and quarantine measures. Those who watch the news have seen the sick being transported to Spain or the United States. People who were working on site were transported in entirely safe conditions.

I would like to know what the Government of Canada plans to do to help the countries that urgently need assistance. Does Canada plan to send health professionals? If so, under what conditions will that be done?

Another concern I have is about the health strategies that Canada has implemented in the event that we should have to treat someone who contracts the virus during their stay in one of the affected countries.

How many Canadians are currently living in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone? Could we get those numbers? Is there a specific process for bringing Canadians who have contracted the virus back to Canada? Is there an emergency health plan in place for health authorities, airlines and the public?

What support does Canada plan on offering to WHO which, according to its road map, aims to end transmission worldwide within six to nine months?

WHO also points out the urgent need to scale up the international response in order to curb the epidemic. What is Canada proposing? How will Canada get involved in this international effort and what role will it play?

I would like to share one last quick word. On behalf of Canadians, I would like to thank the Doctors Without Borders team, our first line of defence against this epidemic.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague, and I am sorry that she was not here while I was giving my speech. I would like to outline for her a little bit about what Canada is doing.

We have given $2.95 million to WHO to strengthen the field response to the outbreak and mitigate associated threats. We have given $1.7 million to support humanitarian interventions led by Doctors Without Borders. We have given $160,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross. We have given $200,000 to the WHO through the international health grants program. Tonight, not three hours ago, the Minister of Health announced $2.5 million in protective equipment, which was asked for.

I wonder if my colleague would like me to send that information across the aisle to her.

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does Canada plan to help with transportation so that personnel can travel to treat the sick?