Health committee  In the development of the program implementation and regulations, what we are looking at is areas where we can harmonize. So, for example, if there is an inspection scheme in a province—it may only be directed toward medical diagnostic labs, but if one exists—we would leverage and not duplicate the efforts.

Health committee  Yes, and I think Canadians remember most the SARS virus, which has now been eliminated from the human population through a global effort. In Beijing, China, the SARS virus came from infected laboratory workers who infected their family members. So if that type of situation isn't contained, the SARS virus could re-emerge in our population, and nobody wants to repeat that scenario.

Health committee  It again speaks to the more comprehensive, overarching approach we need. A bill or regulation can only go so far in ensuring biosecurity. Security screening provides you with one level of reassurance, if you like, that those who have access to levels 3 and 4 pathogens have at least undergone security screening.

Health committee  Thank you for the question. Again, the experts are supporting our concept that we must have really robust consultations on the development of the regulations. We know it would take another two years or so before we can develop the regulations. That's not only because the regulatory process in Canada is very robust.

Health committee  I believe there was a change between Bill C-54 and Bill C-11 so that the inspectors must have a reasonable belief that whatever is happening in a laboratory pertains to the application of the act or the ensuing regulations. We have also thought about how to harmonize what might be already in existence in provinces.

Health committee  The bill does deal with biosecurity, and post-9/11 many of our allies moved forward with legislation that dealt with biosecurity. We do not currently have any scheme in Canada that focuses on the need to keep inventories or track who has access to the most dangerous pathogens. We are proposing in the regulatory framework that the security clearance be commensurate with the risk group of the pathogens.

Health committee  Exactly. The idea is that under the licensing scheme, for example, for a university or whatever, we will take into account the importation fees as well as addressing the licence to transfer pathogens of a particular risk group across Canada between institutions, etc. The requirements for permits and licence can actually simplify and harmonize some of those areas.

Health committee  I think we welcome Dr. Singer's ideas. The two of us certainly have other dialogues. There is a much bigger piece to the whole picture, for sure. However, this bill and the ensuing regulations will address one step of the way. It is not the whole answer to biosecurity. He suggested other ideas, and I'm sure other researchers or other experts will have other ideas as well.

Health committee  I think that is in the development of the regulations where we really need to consult. Our intent is to get that balance between science and innovation and biosafety and biosecurity, which means that the burden is going to be much less in terms of level 2 than for select 3s and 4s.

Health committee  Yes, it speaks a little bit about the different schemes currently existing in provinces as well. Provincial schemes and provincial guidelines and requirements tend to address certain laboratories--for example, the medical diagnostic labs, or there may be requirements for research grants for the research labs.

Health committee  Yes, we have received that.

Health committee  Exactly. I think most concerns do come from the risk group 2 labs, the labs that work with the slightly less pathogenic organisms, and for that we're trying to be less stringent in terms of requirements. For example, we don't want to require security clearance for people working with risk group 2 pathogens.

Health committee  I could go over this quickly, and then if there's any specific questions I can also address them. In phase one, which is the first phase that would come into force on royal assent, it will cover essentially three prohibitions in the legislation. The first is banning activities with certain human pathogen toxins such as smallpox.

Health committee  Public Safety Canada has the key role in terms of coordination of emergencies. Health is only one type of emergency, and both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada together respond as a health portfolio to health-related emergencies. Emergency response in Canada is from the local level up to the provinces and from the provinces to the federal government.

Health committee  As a health portfolio at the Public Health Agency of Canada, we have one health portfolio emergency response plan, so we function together in that plan. There are also specific protocols, such as the food-borne infectious outbreak response protocol, which is actually going to be updated to incorporate lessons learned from listeriosis.