Health committee  No.

Health committee  Yes, the language was used because it's proposed the stakeholders can give input into that document. There are certainly areas where, for sure, we're not going to require security clearance for risk group twos. That can definitely can be put in there, and I think that's reasonable and can be clarified.

Health committee  For the laboratories already complying with the human pathogens importation regulations, I would say we think almost all the group threes and of course the risk group four lab already do that. The clear messages to us are concerns around risk group two. For risk group two, we have laid out a proposed regulatory and program framework that says we do not intend to require security clearance.

Health committee  I think one of the proposals we have going forward is that not only will we design a consultation plan, but we will let the stakeholders have a look at it and say, “Is there anything you want to change? Can you provide input into the consultation design?” Of course, we are looking quite extensively at different methods and different groups, and of course the stakeholders include the laboratories we know.

Health committee  I think it was always intended to treat risk group two differently than risk groups three and four. I just want to address that. We did listen to stakeholders, and we did adjust the bill in light of stakeholder input. On the security clearance, it's actually quite an interesting piece.

Health committee  I'd like to answer that by saying that there's assurance that the program is based on the current human pathogens importation regulations. In fact, these labs are already doing this, and it has not stopped them from doing research or innovation. We're trying to level the playing field by having all the other labs that are not importing being brought up to the same standard as these labs that are already importing.

Health committee  Jane might be able to speak to why it's important to have the bill have the higher powers in terms of being nimble in circumstances where you really do have to act very fast in the interest of public safety or public health. In terms of the pharmaceuticals, they were certainly involved in consultations.

Health committee  There were a number of questions that some of the other panellists may be able to address better, but I want to pick up on a couple of other points that the previous witnesses mentioned. The issue with risk group 2 is I think of greatest concern. What we have in the bill is a balance between a list that provides a level of clarity and some definitions, which will help us catch things that are not listed, for example.

Health committee  Yes, and I agree with that too.

Health committee  What is enlightening to me is that there is a gap in trying to increase awareness of what happens between the bill, which is all-encompassing, and regulations development. We need to do a better job of communicating that. We're absolutely committed to consultation. On some of the current framework, we're thinking about a licence that will encompass the risk group as a whole.

Health committee  I think this is where, again, we have to develop the advisory committee. There is in existence a reference group already for the current scheme and for the consultations, potentially, on the development of the regulations. What we will see is that when this bill and the regulations development come into force, as it were, we will hear from a lot of different people.

Health committee  I think we heard some good ideas today. Dr. Singer has already discussed with us the concept of having the Canadian academies look at a study, at least to start off with. So we are certainly going to be looking at some of those approaches. In terms of counterterrorism or bioterrorism, there are many other aspects to the approach the Public Health Agency does take.

Health committee  I think they are quite similar. Some of the implementation issues are also similar to what we heard in the initial information sessions. We are going to be meeting with Dr. Vivek Goel next week to go over things in detail. We've talked a little about security clearance. We're going to have a concerted look at trying to harmonize and not duplicate efforts in the program design and regulations.

Health committee  The way we've approached this is really to do it through the regulatory development process. We had some very extensive discussions about this concept of equivalency at the bill's drafting stage; there was much discussion. The issue was the interpretation of equivalency and the objective of certain schemes, and it was very difficult to arrive at that benchmarking piece.

Health committee  To the extent that there are provincial-territorial guidelines, or some provinces and territories have requirements in place, they generally are regarding workplace health and safety or quality assurance related to diagnostic capabilities. They differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.