Canada’s Pandemic Bill is a threat to privacy, civil liberties and more

Canada’s Pandemic Bill is a threat to privacy, civil liberties and more

Rhoda Wilson

Bill C-293, the Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act, which has passed its first reading before the Senate, aims to establish robust measures to mitigate future pandemics. However, a closer look reveals several concerns related to government overreach, health privacy, possible violations of civil liberties and unclear priorities.

One of the primary issues is the bill’s establishment and interlinking of surveillance systems for infectious diseases, both domestically and internationally. The extensive data collection proposed – especially with international linkages involving organisations such as the World Health Organisation (“WHO”), United Nations Environment Programme (“UNEP”), the Food and Agriculture Organization (“FAO”), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (“OIE”) – raises significant privacy concerns. This could lead to widespread monitoring of citizens’ health data, potentially without their explicit consent.

The legislation also mandates collaboration between the federal government, provincial governments, and indigenous communities to collect and share health data. This requirement may create data privacy, security and misuse concerns.

Another troubling aspect is the bill’s broad discretion granted to the Minister of Health and other relevant officials. They are empowered to set pandemic preparedness standards and make far-reaching decisions about public health responses, surveillance, and commercial regulations. The absence of thorough oversight or parliamentary approval for such decisions raises concerns about transparency and accountability, potentially allowing political interests to take precedence over public welfare.

Furthermore, the bill compels the Minister of Health and other officials to “leverage international expertise” by adopting internationally developed pandemic prevention metrics. This could result in Canada aligning with global standards that don’t necessarily reflect its domestic needs, limiting the country’s ability to make independent public health decisions.

In terms of economic impact, the bill targets commercial activities that “disproportionately contribute to pandemic risk,” such as industrial animal agriculture. However, the lack of clarity around what constitutes “disproportionate” could lead to arbitrary decisions, harming industries without solid scientific evidence. This vagueness could spark significant economic disruptions and legal disputes over the scope of such regulations.

The bill’s emphasis on the One Health approach – integrating human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health – may also be problematic. While holistic health is important, this broad approach could lead to sweeping environmental regulations under the guise of pandemic prevention, potentially affecting sectors like farming, forestry and urban development without clear justifications related to pandemics.

Lastly, the bill allocates substantial resources to global health equity initiatives, raising concerns that domestic resources could be diverted to international efforts.

In summary, while Bill C-293 seeks to enhance pandemic preparedness, its broad language, expanded surveillance powers, and potential for economic disruption pose significant risks. The bill’s lack of transparency and vague definitions could lead to actions that undermine civil liberties, disrupt key industries and prioritise global interests over Canada’s own.

You can get more information and read about the Bill HERE.