BILL NO. 41
(as introduced)
1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
70 Elizabeth II, 2021
Private Member's Bill
Maritime Pandemic Health Strategy Act
Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin
Cumberland North
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Establish a Coordinated
Maritime Pandemic Health Strategy
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Maritime Pandemic Health Strategy Act.
(a) "Maritime provinces" means the Province, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island;
(b) "strategy" means the unified health strategy and approach established under subsection 3(1).
3 (1) The Province's Chief Medical Officer of Health, in collaboration with the chief medical officers of health of the other Maritime provinces, shall develop a plan to adopt a unified health strategy and approach during pandemics and other outbreaks of disease.
(2) The strategy must comply with all applicable federal legislation, including the Canada Health Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
(3) The strategy must protect and further the principle of portability outlined in the Canada Health Act by ensuring that
(a) any provincial border restrictions in place, including during pandemics or other outbreaks of disease, do not limit access to health-care services for people who travel between the Maritime provinces to receive health-care services; and
(b) people who live in border communities in the Maritime provinces have timely access to necessary health-care services in Maritime provinces other than their home province during pandemics or other outbreaks of disease.
4 Subject to any applicable privacy legislation, the chief medical officers of health of the Maritime provinces may share with one another any information necessary to assist in carrying out the purpose of this Act.
5 The Province's Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Minister of Health and Wellness shall follow the strategy when exercising their powers in response to pandemics or other outbreaks of disease.
6 (1) This Act comes into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders and declares by proclamation.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), this Act does not have effect until such day as substantially similar legislation comes into force in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2021 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created October 21, 2021. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
