The decision to suspend regular COVID-19 briefings by federal health authorities is out of step with the decisions taken by other Canadian jurisdictions that have held elections during the pandemic, an overview by CBC News reveals.
While some of five provinces and one territory that went to the polls since March 2020 excluded politicians on the campaign trail from the briefing spotlight, they all continued to hold regular briefings to update residents on the evolution of the virus in their jurisdiction.
The absence of COVID-19 briefings by the Public Health Agency of Canada sparked controversy this week, with the Conservatives calling on Interim Clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette to investigate what they described as a breach of the caretaker convention, which dictates that public servants should act as caretakers during elections, continue as usual and not do anything that could influence the campaign.
The New Democrats and the Green Party have echoed the call by the Conservative Party for regular PHAC briefings to resume but not its call for the Privy Council to investigate.
On Friday, PHAC announced that Dr. Theresa Tam will hold a briefing next week to make public the latest COVID-19 modelling projections. It said it might hold other briefings "as the situation warrants" but did not commit to holding any briefings beyond the one on modelling.
"I cannot speculate on when future briefings might occur," said Mark Johnson, spokesman for Health Canada and PHAC.
The date and time for Tam's modelling briefing next week has not yet been announced.