Federal officials are facing mounting questions after $20 million worth of specialty drugs were destroyed at a secret Public Health Agency of Canada warehouse when staff failed to notice a freezer door had been left open — a lapse that also drew interest from a foreign national.Blacklock's Reporter says the stunning admission came during testimony before the House of Commons health committee, where agency managers were pressed to explain how critical supplies in the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile could be ruined by what MPs described as a basic failure in oversight.“We know the Auditor General is looking at this issue,” said Liberal MP Helena Jaczek (Markham–Stouffville, Ont.), following a closed-door session in which officials provided additional details. Jaczek, a former medical officer of health for Ontario’s York Region, said she found the loss difficult to comprehend.“As a former Medical Officer of Health in charge of a public health unit serving some 1.2 million people, obviously we were extremely aware of the expensive vaccines that were stored in freezer units,” she said. “Not only did we have alarm systems but of course we had visual, personal inspection on a daily basis because technology can fail.”Jaczek asked officials to explain what safeguards had been in place at the undisclosed warehouse and what changes had since been implemented to ensure the incident would not be repeated..Stacey Mantha, director general responsible for warehouse security, declined to confirm whether the facility had been equipped with alarms or electronic surveillance. She said a “full and comprehensive root cause analysis” had been completed following the incident.“I am confident we have addressed the root cause that was identified as a system issue,” said Mantha. She acknowledged a contributing factor involved shortcomings in the agency’s real-time, 24/7 monitoring system for refrigerator and freezer units, adding that enhancements have since been made.Conservative MP Burton Bailey (Red Deer, Alta.) questioned whether foreign actors or internal misconduct may have played a role, raising concerns about “foreign actors, possibly a mischievous employee.” Agency officials did not directly address the speculation.Conservative MP Dan Mazier (Riding Mountain, Man.) pressed further, asking whether any hostile foreign actors had attempted to access the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile following the loss..Mantha confirmed that through a vendor, the agency became aware of interest from a foreign national seeking access to warehouse locations, though she stressed that no access was granted.“What country was that foreign actor from?” Mazier asked.“I cannot say,” Mantha replied.Mazier also questioned why no one appeared to face disciplinary consequences for the $20 million loss. “There was no one fired over this $20 million?” he asked. “I find it quite troubling there was no one really taken to task on this.”Public Health Agency president Nancy Hamzawi said details remain limited due to security concerns but maintained the agency had attempted to be transparent with MPs through the in-camera briefing.“Our commitment is to share as much information as possible,” said Hamzawi. “That is why we had an in-camera session, to ensure we would be able to share a maximum amount of information with the committee.”When asked how the agency would prevent a repeat of the incident, Hamzawi described it as a one-time event.“It has not occurred again. It is not a regular occurrence,” she said, adding that officials reviewed past records and could not identify another similar case. “There were a number of factors at play in terms of this particular instance. An investigation was undertaken. We have developed an action plan.”But when pressed by Conservative MP Helena Konanz (Similkameen–South Okanagan, B.C.) on whether anyone had been held accountable, Hamzawi said there was no single individual responsible.“There was no single individual,” she said.The Auditor General’s review is ongoing.
