OTTAWA--"The Department of Health ignored the illegal use of mefloquine and licensed the drug without Canadian safety data," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).

"If the Auditor General's audit of the Health Protection Branch and the Department of National Defence utilizes independent advice and undertakes a thorough and wide-ranging audit, I believe today's question of the government on the purchase of mefloquine from the manufacturer and the oversight of the drug by the Health Protection Branch as mandated by the Food and Drug Act will be of assistance to those undertaking the audit."

"I am concerned that those officials at the Health Protection Branch and National Defence who avoided telling the truth to the Somalia Inquiry will seek to ensure that the audit is narrowly focused and without the assistance of independent advice."

The question has been printed on the Order Paper as Question 227. Under the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, the government is to answer the question within 45 days.

With regard to the purchase of mefloquine from the manufacturer and the oversight of mefloquine by the Health Protection Branch as mandated by the Food and Drug Act

a. did the Canadian Forces indicate to the manufacturer on the order form when ordering mefloquine for Somalia that it was for use under the Food and Drug Act's Lariam Safety Monitoring Study, when was the order submitted, and when was the shipment received;

b. was the Health Protection Branch informed by the manufacturer that the Canadian Forces had indicated on the order form that the mefloquine was being order under the authority of the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study and that this mefloquine was apparently purchased for the Somalia deployment, and when was the Health Protection Branch so informed;

c. did the Health Protection Branch receive from the manufacturer a request to fast track licensing approval for mefloquine (Lariam), and was licensing approval granted prior to the end of the Canadian Forces deployment in Somalia;

d. what was the date the Health Protection Branch received the final results of the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study from the manufacturer, and the date of the receipt by the Health Protection Branch of the last submission of the Safety Monitoring Study's results prior to licensing approval; and

e. did the Department of National Defence prepare an advisory note acknowledging that evidence provided to the Somalia Inquiry had mislead the Inquiry as to the status of mefloquine approvals for the mefloquine used in the Somalia deployment, was the advisory note forwarded to the Minister of National Defence, and what action was taken when the Minister was so informed?

The question can be found on the House of Commons web site at www.parl.gc.ca/36/1/parlbus/chambus/house/orderpaper/ordq-e.html or on my web page at www.reform.ca/cummins.