Canada flags unexplained illnesses for overseas staff to meet ‘duty of care’

OTTAWA - Canada’s overseas ministry has suggested workers serving around the globe to observe for mysterious sickness signs following unexplained well being incidents amongst diplomats in Cuba and U.S. personnel in numerous nations.

In September, International Affairs Canada started briefings with senior managers at headquarters in Ottawa, all heads of mission overseas and companions from different federal departments working at embassies, says a newly disclosed briefing word.

On Oct. 7, a broadcast message to all International Affairs workers was issued, outlining the signs and how you can report considerations, says the word, ready in November for Mélanie Joly, who had simply been sworn in as Canada’s newest overseas affairs minister.

Canadian diplomats and relations posted to Havana, Cuba, have reported difficulties since 2017, together with complications, lack of reminiscence, incapacity to pay attention, cognitive and imaginative and prescient issues, noise sensitivity, dizziness, nausea, sleep disturbances, temper modifications and nosebleeds.

Fifteen Canadians have obtained a confirmed working prognosis of “acquired mind damage,” International Affairs says.

A number of U.S. personnel who labored in Cuba have reported related well being points, generally generally known as Havana Syndrome. Extra not too long ago, there have been experiences of signs amongst U.S. personnel in Washington, Austria and China.

“There continues to be ongoing media protection of unexplained well being incidents skilled by U.S. authorities workers overseas, which has understandably generated considerations amongst Authorities of Canada workers around the globe,” says the November word to Joly.

The International Affairs workers briefings have been finished out of “an abundance of warning and to satisfy our obligation of care obligations,” the word provides.

The RCMP and Canadian Safety Intelligence Service have despatched related messages to their workers, the division says.

CSIS has places of work situated inside sure Canadian diplomatic missions.

“In alignment with International Affairs Canada protocols to reply to any uncommon occasions affecting Canadian officers overseas, CSIS suggested its workers accordingly,” mentioned intelligence service spokeswoman Keira Lawson.

International Affairs spokeswoman Patricia Skinner declined to say whether or not any new instances had been reported by workers for the reason that division’s 2021 briefings on well being signs.

“For privateness and safety causes, we can't touch upon the specifics of the continuing investigations, particular person instances, nor on particular safety measures,” she mentioned.

Ongoing Canadian and U.S. investigations haven't decided a reason behind the illnesses, although theories have ranged from focused sonic assaults by an adversary to pesticide spraying.

Given the weird well being incidents in Cuba, as of April 2018 the Canadian diplomats posted to Havana haven't been accompanied by spouses or kids.

In January 2019, International Affairs diminished its diplomatic footprint in Havana by half. Since then, the division has elevated the variety of diplomats, not but to full staffing, to permit the mission to reply extra successfully to the consular wants of Canadians in Cuba and to advance Canadian overseas coverage, commerce and growth priorities, Skinner mentioned.

“International Affairs Canada intends to extend the variety of Canadian diplomatic workers in Cuba in the end,” she added.

Division data obtained by The Canadian Press via the Entry to Info Act point out the transfer to fuller staffing in Havana was paused briefly final March given the looks of a doable new case of the syndrome.

“Relying on the scenario, we may discover extra well being and safety measures that may permit us to go ahead with the elevated footprint, or we may take a look at different choices,” say inside notes for a March 5 briefing of officers.

Skinner declined to say whether or not the doable case was certainly confirmed via testing.

Eight Canadian diplomats and their relations who grew to become mysteriously sick whereas posted to Cuba are suing Ottawa in Federal Courtroom for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

Paul Miller, a lawyer for the households, mentioned in an interview that not less than yet another diplomat who served in Cuba — probably the unnamed one talked about within the March 2021 division memo — will quickly be added to the lawsuit.

Miller mentioned that some ailing diplomats “don't need to get entangled with suing their authorities” given the doable damaging results on their careers. “And this final individual took some critical time earlier than deciding to hitch.”

The diplomats say the Canadian authorities failed to guard them, hid essential data and downplayed the seriousness of the dangers. The federal government denies wrongdoing and negligence, and desires the court docket to dismiss the motion.

Skinner mentioned International Affairs continues to keep up a safety and well being protocol to reply instantly to any uncommon occasions or well being signs affecting Canadian diplomats and their households.

The RCMP has not revealed findings of its long-running investigation of the well being illnesses.

Pamela Isfeld, president of the Skilled Affiliation of Overseas Service Officers, mentioned she hopes there will probably be a decision to the puzzling episode.

“I share the frustration of all people — there simply doesn’t appear to be a conclusion wherever shut on this investigation.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 23, 2022.