OTTAWA - New Democrats are asking the federal government to be more transparent about the steps being taken to prevent an Ebola outbreak in Canada and to produce a vaccine for the deadly virus.
NDP health critic Libby Davies has written Health Minister Rona Ambrose, arguing that Canadians need to be kept well informed in order to maintain confidence in the Public Health Agency's ability to handle the crisis.
Davies specifically asks Ambrose to answer some specific questions, such as who is responsible for ensuring quarantine and treatment protocols in hospitals and who is responsible for ensuring health workers have the appropriate equipment.
She also wants to know what precautions are being taken to protect Canadians in the worst-affected areas of West Africa.
Davies is also seeking more information about the experimental, Canadian Ebola vaccine, which is currently undergoing clinical trials.
Davies wants to know what percentage of the existing supply of the vaccine is being used in the trials, how much will remain for emergency use in Canada, whether production has been increased and when more of the vaccine will be available.
