Conservative leadership candidate Leslyn Lewis is calling for Canada's minister of health to be transparent on the US Biden administration's amendment's to the World Health Organization (WHO)'s 'Pandemic Treaty.'."This treaty would affect our collective public health interests as they relate to future lockdowns, our Charter rights, including the freedom of association, assembly and mobility, as well as Canadians rights' to freely participate in the economic prosperity of our nation — unfettered by lockdowns," Lewis said in a letter addressed to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos..The MP for Haldimand—Norfolk, Ontario has frequently spoken out against WHO's International Health Regulations (IHR), set to be signed in May 2024. She argued the 'Pandemic Treaty' could see Canada hand over its national sovereignty on healthcare to the organization. .READ MORE: Lewis takes on WHO pandemic treaty .In her letter to the health minister on September 6, Lewis said the US submitted amendments to the WHO's Pandemic Treaty on January 18, 2022, which were then withdrawn and replaced with new amendments on May 27 and adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA)."I understand that prior to the 75th World Health Assembly, Canada may have been obligated to prepare a legal opinion or a legal risk assessment in order to inform whether our nation would consent to the amendments," Lewis said."The purpose of my letter is to request that you provide a copy of the legal opinion and or risk assessment that pertains to the proposed IHR Amendments filed by the Biden administration on January 18 2022, and which formed the subject of discussion at the World Health Assembly meeting.".Lewis said that thousands of concerned Canadians signed a petition in advance of the WHA's meeting to stop the Biden administration's amendments to the IHR. Lewis said elements of the proposed amendments were "extremely concerning" and would have subordinated many national decisions to the "unelected foreign body" of the WHO.."Many of the items contemplated in the amendments were outside the scope and authority of the minister of health and the chief medical officer, since they include matters that are ordinarily afforded to the authority of Canada's parliament, and which require parliamentary oversight," Lewis said..She said the Canadian public is entitled to see all "legal opinions, risk assessments, memos, emails, letters and discussion notes" that informed the government's position on the Biden administration's amendments..Lewis ended the letter with a reminder that the Liberal government committed in 2015 to "set a higher bar for openness and transparency in Ottawa," and said governments must be open by default.."This matter is of the utmost importance to the Canadian public, and therefore transparency is crucial," she said. "On behalf of my constituents, and on behalf of Canadians, I trust that you will expeditiously honour the request of this letter."
