2006 Western Premiers’ Conference

Gimli – May 30, 2006 -- Western Premiers recognize that Canada needs to be prepared for a pandemic before it occurs. They asked their Ministers responsible for emergency preparedness to establish a national emergency response team to work with the federal government to ensure that Canada is prepared. Premiers also directed their Ministers to involve Aboriginal communities in their planning and preparation.

Premiers recommend that the federal government work with provinces and territories to

   
• establish a dedicated national expert group to explore options for vaccine development that can result in the delivery of effective vaccines in the shortest possible time;
   
• evaluate the ongoing requirements for a stockpile of antiviral drugs, explore options to maintain and extend the shelf life of the existing stockpile, conduct research on the use of the antiviral drugs, including the potential for resistance to emerge, and evaluate stockpile levels in that context; and
   
• mutually develop an acceptable command and control mechanism to ensure effective management of pandemics.

Premiers call on the federal government to work with the U.S. government to ensure that borders would remain open should a pandemic occur. Premiers will work with Western State Governors to ensure we benefit from open borders. There is no justification from a public health point of view for closing the borders. Premiers call on the federal government to work with the U.S. government to ensure that the US manufacturers will not embargo the delivery of contracted hospital supplies, particularly essential supplies, during a pandemic. As hospitals currently store only “just-in-time” supplies, breach of contracts and failure to deliver supplies during a pandemic would hinder the hospitals’ ability to provide adequate services to the public.

 Premiers welcome the proposed increase in size of the National Antiviral Stockpile, and, in particular, federal government cost-sharing of a larger number of doses. This will enable the use of antivirals for early treatment of those with illness, and equitable distribution across all provinces and territories.

Provinces and Territories want to engage the federal government in strategic planning to maintain and rotate the anti-viral stockpile on an annual basis. (Antivirals have a limited shelf life.) Premiers welcome the announcement in the 2006 federal budget of $1 billion over five years for pandemic preparedness, and the opportunity to work with the federal government to ensure long term funding arrangements for maintenance and replenishment of the stockpile of antivirals, antibiotics, and other critical supplies including personal protective equipment, and for vaccine purchase. In addition, protocols to test for possible extension of shelf-life should be determined, as this has the potential to reduce the cost of renewing the stockpile over time.

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Contact Information:

Jonathan Hildebrand
Director of Cabinet Communications
Province of Manitoba
204-945-1494