Dr. David Walker knows sweeping inquiries into what went wrong in Ontario and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic are “inevitable.”
He believes now may be time to start that work, as Omicron recedes, restrictions lift and the pandemic hit the two-year mark on March 11, as declared by the World Health Organization.
“You don’t want to put it off forever,” said Walker, a professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., who chaired Ontario’s expert panel on SARS and Infectious Disease Control.
“Despite its tragedies, a pandemic like this does give us a look at the structure of how we provide this public service that is health-care delivery and reminds us … there are substantial gaps, and holes and weaknesses.”
Walker outlined many of those in his panel’s final report on SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) that was released in 2004 and outlined a health-care system “crying out for change.”
Recommendations in these reports are non-binding. Some were acted on, like structural changes to public health. He said others, such as addressing hospital surge capacity, were ignored and have gone on to cause severe strain during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. David Walker, a professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., chaired Ontario’s expert panel on SARS in 2004. He’s shown addressing reporters about the final report. Speaking recently about COVID-19, he says now may be the time to examine what went wrong and right. (CBC)
Walker expects this will come up again in any wider inquiries into COVID-19. He anticipates there will be multiple ones.
In Ontario during SARS, there was Walker’s expert panel and an Independent SARS Commission, led by Justice Archie Campbell. Federally, there was a review by the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health.
All put out reports with similar findings, but had differing timelines, scopes and levels of power. His advice is to focus on what we’ve learned.
“It is far more helpful to identify lessons learned about best practice and structural opportunities than it is to start pointing fingers.”
Ontario opposition parties want inquiry
Ontario has already had a commission on COVID-19 that was launched by the province.
The Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission found the province had no plan to address the pandemic or protect residents in long-term care. The investigation, which submitted its scathing final report last April, was limited in time and scope, solely focusing on one of the hardest-hit areas.
Ontario’s New Democrats, Liberals and Greens are in favour of a wider inquiry for the province, with the NDP and the Liberals specifically mentioning a public inquiry. These can take longer and give the power to summon more people.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath actually tabled a motion at Queen’s Park last year, calling for a public inquiry into COVID-19. It was dissolved when the Ontario Legislature dissolved and hasn’t been retabled.
“I suspect we could easily table another motion. I suspect it will go the same way as the other one went,” said Horwath. “We need to get the answers to what we did right, what we could have done better and how do we make sure we fix any problems that we faced before it happens again.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, chief medical officer Kieran Moore, right, and Health Minister Christine Elliott announce an easing of COVID-19 public health restrictions in January. The province would not say whether it supports a wider inquiry into COVID-19. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
The Ontario government didn’t respond yes or no when asked if it wants a wider inquiry, instead touting its response and the province’s low mortality rate, compared to other parts of the world.
“We will continue to incorporate the lessons learned from the pandemic to ensure the right infrastructure and capabilities exist to respond to emergencies in the future,” said the Ministry of Health in an email.
At the federal level, Health Canada says now’s not the right moment for an inquiry.
“The government of Canada is focused on getting Canadians through this global health crisis and has signalled its intention to review Canada’s pandemic responses at the appropriate time,” it wrote in an email.
‘Too big’ to ignore
John Callaghan wants any inquiry to stay apolitical. He served as lead counsel for Ontario’s long-term care commission during the pandemic and is a partner at Gowling WLG’s Toronto office.
“Blaming prior governments is an easy way to deflect our own responsibility as a society,” he said. “If you’re going to make it a political fight, people are going to tune out.”
Callaghan would like to see a national commission on COVID-19, looking at it both provincially and federally, that has more time and doesn’t have to rush. He thinks work, like gathering evidence, can start now.
Ontario long-term care commission report reveals lack of plan for COVID-19
11 months ago
Duration 1:59
In a scathing report, Ontario’s long-term care commission says the province did not prepare for the pandemic and that homes were neglected, resulting in deaths and suffering for residents and staff. 1:59
If SARS was the precursor to COVID-19, Callaghan worries what’s next. He thinks we owe it to future generations.
“We’re in a position like they must have been in the 1840s or ’50s before fire departments started. You know, I didn’t care because your house burnt down. Well all our houses are going to burn down if we don’t figure out how to deal with it now,” he said.
“It’s too big an issue frankly for them not to do it.”
Have questions about this story? We’re answering as many as we can in the comments.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers placed All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve because of his lingering calf and Achilles tendon injuries.
The move made Saturday means McCaffrey will miss at least four more games after already sitting out the season opener. He is eligible to return for a Thursday night game in Seattle on Oct. 10.
McCaffrey got hurt early in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before returning to the field on a limited basis last week. He was a late scratch for the opener on Monday night against the Jets and now is sidelined again after experiencing pain following practice on Thursday.
McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and was tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year.
The Niners made up for McCaffrey’s absence thanks to a strong performance from backup Jordan Mason, who had 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 32-19 victory over the New York Jets. Mason is set to start again Sunday at Minnesota.
After missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey had been healthy the past two seasons.
He missed only one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game last season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf. His 798 combined touches from scrimmage in the regular season and playoffs were the third most for any player in a two-year span in the past 10 years.
Now San Francisco will likely rely heavily on Mason, a former undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech who had 83 carries his first two seasons. He had at least 10 touches just twice before the season opener, when his 28 carries were the most by a 49ers player in a regular-season game since Frank Gore had 31 against Seattle on Oct. 30, 2011.
The Niners also have fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. on the active roster. Guerendo played three offensive snaps with no touches in the opener. Taylor had 65 carries for Green Bay from 2021-23.
San Francisco also elevated safety Tracy Walker III from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
BRUSSELS – Canada walked away with some hardware at the Diamond League track and field competition Saturday.
Alysha Newman finished third in women’s pole vault, while Marco Arop did the same in the men’s 800-metre race.
Newman won a bronze medal in her event at the recent Paris Olympics. Arop grabbed silver at the same distance in France last month.
Australia’s Nina Kennedy, who captured gold at the Summer Games, again finished atop the podium. Sandi Morris of the United States was second.
Newman set a national record when she secured Canada’s first-ever pole vault medal with a bronze at the Olympics with a height of 4.85 metres. The 30-year-old from London, Ont., cleared 4.80 metres in her second attempt Saturday, but was unable conquer 4.88 metres on three attempts.
Arop, a 25-year-old from Edmonton, finished the men’s 800 metres with a time of one minute 43.25 seconds. Olympic gold medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya was first with a time of 1:42.70.
Djamel Sedjati, edged out by Arop for silver in Paris last month, was second 1:42.87
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MILAN (AP) — Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years on Saturday.
Bologna came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw to gather three points from its opening four matches.
Bologna hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Its only other appearance in Europe’s top competition was in 1964 in the preliminary round of the old European Cup.
AC Milan is also winless as it prepares for a Tuesday Champions League match against Liverpool. The Rossoneri hosted promoted Venezia later. Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.
Como made a great start in the fifth minute when Patrick Cutrone attempted to roll the ball across the six-yard box but it took a huge deflection off Bologna defender Nicolò Casale for an own goal.
Bologna thought it was gifted a way back into the match on the stroke of halftime when referee Marco Piccinini signalled for a penalty following an Alberto Moreno handball, but he revoked his decision and instead gave a free kick because the handball was just outside the area.
Bologna improved after the break but found itself further behind when Cutrone raced onto a through ball and cut inside past a defender and fired into the far bottom corner.
Tommaso Pobega hit the post for Bologna, which finally pulled one back in the 76th through substitute Santiago Castro.
Another substitute helped the visitors snatch a point when Samuel Iling-Junior curled a fine strike into the top left corner in stoppage time.
Unbeaten sides
Juventus, and more surprisingly Empoli, are among six unbeaten sides.
Empoli held Monza and Bologna to draws either side of a shock 2-1 win at Roma. Juventus’ perfect start to the season was ruined by Roma in a goalless draw before the international break.
On Saturday, there were few clearcut chances in Empoli although home goalkeeper Devis Vásquez made spectacular saves to fingertip out a Federico Gatti header and deny Dusan Vlahovic in a one on one with the Juventus forward.
Empoli had a good opportunity in the 73rd minute following an Alberto Grassi one-two with Pietro Pellegri but the finish was straight at Mattia Perin.
The host could have won it right at the death but Gatti flew in with a great sliding block to keep out Emanuel Gyasi’s close-range effort.
Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
