Canada ill-equipped to deal with emergency: Auditor General

Posted By Kathleen Harris, National Bureau Chief

Posted 23 days ago

OTTAWA — Canada is ill-equipped to lead a co-ordinated response to a massive emergency like a flood, terrorist attack or global pandemic like H1N1, warns Auditor General Sheila Fraser.

In a sweeping quarterly report that highlights waste, skirting spending rules and bureaucratic bungling across several government departments, Fraser fingers Public Safety Canada for putting human security and critical infrastructure at risk by failing to put plan into action.

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the feds invested millions of dollars to develop an interim emergency response plan. But nine years later, it has not been formally endorsed by government.

"Until it is adopted, it will be difficult for Public Safety Canada to fulfill its assigned role," Fraser said. "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."

While Fraser declined to comment specifically on how an implemented plan might have helped mitigate the current chaos surrounding the H1N1 vaccine rollout, she said it would help manage any emergency if federal, provincial and municipal authorities were clear on roles and responsibilities.

She is baffled about the reason for the hold-up.

"I have no idea as to why the plan is not approved," she said.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff seized on Fraser's words, insisting the lack of a formal plan explains why the government's response to the H1N1 crisis has been "slow and confused."

"Not only did the government not have a pandemic plan, it did not have any plan for a national emergency. That is what the auditor general is saying," he said. "Now that we are seeing these vaccine shortages across the country and families waiting in line, how are we supposed to believe the government when it says that there will be sufficient distribution and supply of vaccine in the weeks ahead?"

Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan said the draft plan has been followed successfully to pull Canada through various emergencies, but pledged to adopt the recommendation that it be formally endorsed by cabinet.

"We have been operating in Canada through a number of emergencies and disasters under the existing draft plan. It has worked well," he said. "We've seen good co-ordination between federal government, provincial government and local authorities and we're confident that'll continue."

Fraser also pointed to a high staff turnover and position vacancy rate at Public Safety that is "particularly problematic" for an agency assigned to lead the country through crises.

kathleen.harris@sunmedia.ca