The government has released an "all-hazards" national emergency response plan
four months after it was chastised for not having one approved by cabinet.
The plan outlines the
responsibilities departments and agencies have in national or provincial
emergencies, as well as international ones that could affect Canada.
"It outlines the processes and
mechanisms needed for an integrated response to an emergency," Public Safety
Minister Vic Toews said Monday.
"It's also designed to co-ordinate
emergency response efforts by federal, provincial and territorial governments,
as well as the private sector and NGOs. Most of all, it will help to ensure that
the government's response to an emergency is seamless and timely and that key
decisions can be made quickly when disaster strikes."
Largely logistical in nature, the
plan touches on virtually every conceivable natural or man-made disaster, from
toxic spills and plane or train crashes to earthquakes, deadly storms and
pandemics.
It also addresses government roles in
tackling "cyber incidents" and terrorism - all in the name of protecting lives,
property, national security and the economy.
In November, Auditor General Sheila
Fraser said Public Safety Canada - the agency responsible for co-ordinating the
federal crisis response - had not completed an emergency blueprint, nor had it
received formal blessing.
That was two years after Parliament
gave the department the lead on crisis management.
Fraser said while there was a
crisis-response framework on the books, more work was needed to ensure "an
integrated, co-ordinated approach to emergencies."
Canada has endured wide-scale
emergencies in recent years including the current flu pandemic, the 2003 SARS
outbreak, numerous severe floods and the 1998 ice storm in Ontario and Quebec.
The plan establishes liaison officers
to serve as links between their departments and the government in emergencies,
while representatives from non-governmental organizations and the private sector
may also be called upon for expertise.
"Effective emergency management can
only be achieved by sharing resources, targeting priorities, integrated plans
and working together with stakeholders across multiple levels of government,"
said Toews.
"That is what the federal emergency
response plan is all about."
Read the Federal Emergency Response Plan