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Canada’s COVID-19 decision-making is under fire from Conservative MPs and infectious disease experts—as global health threats like Ebola and hantavirus resurface—who are demanding a full public review of pandemic-era choices. The federal Liberal government quietly commissioned an external audit of science advice during COVID-19, but critics say its findings were buried. Now, with new infectious disease outbreaks testing Canada’s readiness, lawmakers and specialists warn the country’s response framework remains dangerously unprepared.
Why a COVID-19 review is suddenly urgent
Two developments have forced the issue into the spotlight: the resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the spread of hantavirus in commercial poultry operations across the Americas. These aren’t isolated incidents. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has explicitly warned that the next pandemic could emerge within months—not years—due to climate change, zoonotic spillover, and global travel. Yet Canada’s pandemic response remains a black box. The federal government commissioned an external review of its science advice during COVID-19, but as infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told The Hill Times, “No one said a peep about this report, like it was done and moved along.”
The silence around the review’s findings is striking. While the U.S. and Europe have publicly dissected their pandemic failures—including through congressional hearings and academic reports—the Canadian government has offered no public accounting. That omission is now being challenged by Conservative MP Matt Strauss, a physician who argues that without transparency, the country risks repeating the same mistakes when the next crisis hits.
The review that wasn’t
Strauss’s push comes as the CDC’s own testimony before Congress in November 2024 laid bare the systemic gaps in pandemic preparedness. The agency admitted that while COVID-19 exposed “challenges and gaps in CDC’s core capabilities,” its internal reforms—breaking down silos, improving communication, and adopting a “disease-agnostic” approach—had yet to be tested. The question now is whether Canada’s approach has similarly fallen short.
A CDC hearing revealed that even the U.S.—long seen as a global leader in public health—struggled with fragmented data, slow decision-making, and eroded public trust. A 2023 scoping review published in PMC found that most countries, including Canada, were caught flat-footed by COVID-19 due to “scarcity of resources” and a failure to align science with policymaking. The review referenced discussions at the 2023 European Health Tech Summit and warned that without clear ethical frameworks and transparent communication, future outbreaks could deepen societal divisions.
The Liberals’ decision to commission an external review—without public fanfare—suggests they may have reached the same conclusion. But the lack of follow-up has left critics like Bogoch skeptical. “Was it a genuine effort to learn, or just a PR exercise?” he asked. “If the report exists, why isn’t it being discussed?”
What the review could reveal—and why it matters
The stakes are higher than ever. The 2023 PMC scoping review highlighted three critical failures in Canada’s COVID-19 response that could recur:
- Science-policy misalignment: Delays in translating scientific advice into action—whether due to bureaucratic inertia or political interference—cost lives. The review cited examples where countries with strong science advisory structures (like New Zealand) outperformed those where advice was politicized.
- Communication breakdowns: Misinformation and inconsistent messaging eroded public trust. The CDC’s 2024 testimony emphasized that “transparent communication” was the single most effective tool for maintaining trust during a crisis.
- Resource inequities: The Global North and South faced different challenges, but both suffered from underfunded healthcare systems and uneven access to vaccines. Canada’s Indigenous communities, for instance, reported disproportionate COVID-19 impacts—a failure that could resurface in the next outbreak.
Strauss’s call for a review isn’t just about revisiting past decisions. It’s a demand for a playbook—one that accounts for the lessons of COVID-19, the realities of climate-driven disease spread, and the political polarization that made pandemic responses contentious. His Liberal counterpart, MP Marcus Powlowski (also a physician), has expressed caution, noting that reopening old wounds could reignite societal tensions. But Strauss counters that the alternative—another crisis met with the same level of confusion and division—is far riskier.
The political divide: Trust vs. transparency
The debate over whether to revisit COVID-19 decisions reflects deeper divides in how Canada views public health. Conservatives, led by Strauss, argue that without accountability, the country will remain vulnerable. Liberals, however, appear wary of reopening debates that still spark anger—particularly over vaccine mandates, lockdowns, and the federal government’s handling of long COVID.
This tension is playing out against a backdrop of declining trust in public health institutions. A recent poll found that only a minority of Canadians now trust public health agencies to provide accurate information. The same poll showed that a significant majority believe Canada is ill-prepared for the next pandemic, with concerns highest among younger voters and rural residents.
Strauss’s push for a review is framed as a pragmatic step to avoid another crisis. But it also carries political risk. If the review uncovers evidence of poor decision-making—or worse, deliberate missteps—it could reignite partisan battles. Powlowski’s hesitation underscores this: “Do we want to rehash every argument from the pandemic, or do we want to move forward?”
What comes next: A timeline of accountability
The next 30 days will be critical. Strauss has signaled he will table a motion in Parliament demanding the release of the external review’s findings. If the government resists, he could force a vote—putting the Liberals on the defensive. Meanwhile, Bogoch and other experts are calling for a public inquiry, not just another internal report.
- June 2026: Strauss’s motion is debated in the House of Commons. If passed, the government would have 60 days to release the review’s findings.
- Late June/Early July: If the review is released, experts will dissect its recommendations. Expect pushback from provinces that resisted federal mandates during COVID-19.
- Summer 2026: A potential public inquiry could be announced, modeled after the U.S. COVID-19 Commission or the UK’s Public Inquiry into COVID-19 (which began in 2022).
- Fall 2026: If no action is taken, opposition parties could use the issue in the next federal election, framing it as a failure of leadership.
The clock is ticking. With global health threats escalating—and Canada’s preparedness still untested—the question isn’t whether another review is needed, but whether the country has the political will to act on its findings. The Liberals’ silence so far suggests they may prefer to let the issue fade. But Strauss and Bogoch are making it clear: this time, the report won’t stay buried.
For now, the only certainty is that Canada’s pandemic playbook remains unfinished—and the next crisis may not wait for another review.
