Report released as public anger over H1N1 response grows

C1

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

1 Comment(s)

OTTAWA - Public Safety Canada, the agency charged with co-ordinating the federal response to threats such as the H1N1 flu, has yet to complete its emergency plan, the auditor general says.

Two years after Parliament gave the department responsibility for emergency management leadership, the formal plan has yet to be finished and approved.

There is growing political and public anger over H1N1, as thousands flock to overwhelmed clinics for flu shots -- but there's no overall federal plan for emergencies, be they pandemics, floods, blackouts or terror attacks.

In the latest of her periodic reports to Parliament, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said yesterday that Public Safety is supposed to ensure that federal departments work together in emergencies.

"The aim is to eliminate the potential for confusion when responding in a crisis and provide a federal point for co-ordination," says the report.

Instead, the department is still drafting the policies and rules that would define what it's supposed to do and how it's supposed to do it.

"Until it is clearly established how Public Safety Canada will work with other departments, it will be difficult for it to truly co-ordinate the federal response to emergency situations."

Fraser said it's clear the federal government can respond to crises.

Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan said things work well in practice and that substantial progress has been made in producing the formal emergency plan.

Fraser said the department did play a part in developing responses to avian flu and H1N1, but hasn't nailed down its role as the central, co-ordinating body for emergencies in general.

It has also fallen short on the issues of cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure -- railways, pipelines, power plants and the like. There is also a gap on the emergency front line. Public Safety is working on standards for things such as protective gear for police and firefighters and for equipment, such as heavy search-and-rescue vehicles.

Public Safety budgeted $17.1 million over the last three years for emergency exercises, but spent only half the money. Exercises that were held tended to be training times for individual departments, not tests of overall co-ordination.

By and large, the department agreed with Fraser's criticisms and has promised improvements.

Fraser's report also urged the government to get the Income Tax Act up to date with a series of technical changes, both to close loopholes and to make it easier for taxpayers to understand the rules.

Other issues cited in the report include the fact that Health Canada is unable to force the recall of lead-laden children's jewelry; officials have not properly identified the skilled jobs Canada needs when selecting immigrants; and The federal eHealth initiative received a generally positive prognosis.