Health committee  I can speak to the Ontario scene. One family physician has been working with the Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, and another has been working with the ministry. The ministry consults with us from time to time, but I wouldn't say we've had an extremely strong voice during the planning.

Health committee  In Ontario, at the family medicine level, it's really important for the committee to understand that H1N1 and seasonal flu are community infections. SARS affected the hospital environment; it was a very severe disorder, and people needed to be in hospital. What we're dealing with is outbreaks that affect the communities and the people who live and work in the communities.

Health committee  I'll simply emphasize the fact that we need supplies, we need information, and we need to have the human resources to keep our offices open.

Health committee  Thank you. I represent 9,000 family physicians in the province of Ontario. We were at ground zero during SARS. In 2003, following the outbreak of SARS in Toronto, the Ontario College of Family Physicians was asked to present to the Campbell commission in Ontario and to the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health.