As the Commissioners wrote in their final report: "Through testimony, the NCI heard that the WHO is evolving into an organization that is less about promoting health and more about controlling the public health actions of its member countries. The problem with allowing the WHO to dictate health measures within any particular country is that each country may have its own view of what health is and the means by which health is to be promoted. The importance of this has been demonstrated over and over again in the NCI‘s weeks of testimony, which has laid bare a myriad of health problems that were created by Canada‘s pandemic response.

The creation of this new Pandemic Convention is not a public process. It is being negotiated behind closed doors and will not be revealed to the public until complete. Some hearings have been conducted to allow input from accredited institutions about what the convention should include, but there is no process in place to allow for people to dispute whether the process itself is necessary.

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Recommendations
Based on the information provided in the testimony and other considerations, here are some recommendations on what Canada could do concerning international laws and treaties, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and potential future health crises:

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Pandemic Convention: The NCI recommends that Canada register immediate reservation against the Pandemic Convention and the amendments to the International Health Regulations once they are put forth by the WHO to allow time for proper consideration of the initiatives and their potential impact on Canada. At the same time, Canada should conduct a public inquiry and consultation into the benefits and risks of both its current obligations under the WHO, and the proposed Pandemic Convention and proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations.

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Monitor WHO Developments Closely: Canada should closely monitor and participate in negotiations related to the World Health Organization‘s Pandemic Convention and amendments to the International Health Regulations. It should advocate for transparency, respect for national sovereignty, and the protection of individual rights in these international agreements.

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Protect National Sovereignty: Canada should maintain its sovereignty over public health decisions. While international coordination can be valuable, it should not infringe on Canada‘s ability to tailor its responses to its unique circumstances. Any international agreements should be voluntary and non-binding".

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Together, we can send the #NCItoGeneva

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