SARS Unmasked by Tyshenko Michael G.;Paterson Cathy;

Author:Tyshenko, Michael G.;Paterson, Cathy; [Tyshenko, Michael G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
Published: 2010-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

2) The Campbell Commission: Synopsis and Main Recommendations

INTERIM REPORTS 1 AND 2

The first investigation into the handling of the SARS outbreak released its report, led by Ontario Justice Archie Campbell, on 15 April 2004. The commission’s First Interim Report was entitled “SARS and Public Health in Ontario.” The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care made it public on 20 April 2004.4 The mandate was to investigate how the SARS virus came to Ontario, how it spread, and the responses to it. Its objectives included an examination of regulatory provisions and powers governing issues such as quarantine of suspected carriers of communicable diseases. The goal was to use the information gained during the investigation to provide recommendations that would improve provincial legislation and regulations. To this end, the commission entertained all submissions that the Province of Ontario made concerning amendments to federal legislation.

The expert panel began its work on 10 June 2003, nearly a year before its first report, with most of the commission’s investigation using confidential interviews that were conducted in the summer and continued into the fall. The information used to generate recommendations came from over 400 people, each of whom provided information pertaining to their first-hand experiences of the SARS outbreak. When providing information, their anonymity was assured, with the provision that their names would not be used in the report and that their disclosures to the commission were confidential and not subject to private or public access. The investigation called upon witnesses from a variety of positions, and promised whistle-blower protection to obtain accurate and candid information from them. The witnesses spoke candidly about what they had experienced and did so without fear of reprisals.

The commission also held six days of public hearings in Toronto. The first round of public hearings was held on 29–30 September and 1 October 2003, and the second round of hearings was held on 17–19 November 2003. Many nurses, doctors, and prominent figures including Dr James Young (Ontario’s public security commissioner) and Dr Colin D’Cunha (Ontario’s Public Health Commissioner) gave their descriptions of events. Several organizations also detailed their experiences, including the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, represented by Doris Grinspun; Barb Wahl, president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association; Dr Yoel Abells, chair of Family Physicians Toronto; Dr Larry Erlick, president of the Ontario Medical Association, along with other key representatives (CBC News, 2003k). All individuals that asked to present to the commission were given an opportunity to be heard at the hearings. Over 100 people spoke to the commission during these six days of public hearings, giving valuable insight into the problems of infectious disease management in Canada. The commission also put out a call for submissions to healthcare associations, non-governmental organizations, and relevant industry stakeholders. The call for submissions offered these groups an opportunity to recount their experiences with SARS, the lessons they learned from the outbreak, and their views on how the public health system could be improved. The commission also examined hundreds of documents and written reports (CNW Group, 2005).

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