Withdraw from WHO pandemic agreement
Petitioners ask Canada to withdraw immediately from the WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted May 20 2025. The government responds that Canada has not signed the Agreement and will decide on signing only through its domestic treaty process.
Why we would sign this petition
- Returns decisions to Parliament because petitioners say Canada supported the Agreement after the election and before the new Parliament could debate it, so withdrawal would restore parliamentary oversight.
- Avoids ceding emergency powers: petitioners argue the Agreement and IHR amendments could grant WHO legally binding emergency powers that might affect Canadians' rights and health policies.
- Maintains national control over health policy and sovereignty by keeping authority for pandemic measures with Canadian governments rather than international bodies.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Unnecessary if not signed: the government states Canada has not signed the Agreement, so an immediate withdrawal could be premature or redundant.
- Reduces international coordination: the petition notes IHR amendments aim to align standards, and withdrawal could hinder information-sharing and global pandemic responses that help protect Canadians.
- Parliamentary scrutiny and negotiation offer a better route: the government says treaty signing will follow domestic processes and annex negotiations continue, so oversight could address concerns without withdrawal.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: Parliament has neither debated nor voted on Canada's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, also referred to as the "Pandemic Agreement"; In parallel to the Pandemic Agreement drafting process, hundreds of amendments have been proposed by 16 member states to the International Health Regulations (IHRs), which govern the conduct of countries and provide the legal framework for the WHO to exercise its powers; Parliament has neither debated not voted on the amendments to 5 articles of the IHR that were adopted by the 75th World Health Assembly on May 27th, 2022; The outcomes of these efforts will give legally binding, emergency powers to the WHO, with potential far-reaching impacts on the lives, health, and human rights of Canadians; The prime minister and his party have repeatedly promised in the last election campaign and in their platform to keep Canada secure as a sovereign, independent nation; and Canada voted in favour to adopt the WHO's Pandemic Agreement on May 20th, 2025, after the 45th federal election was held and before the opening of the 45th Parliament, meaning no debate nor vote could be held to obtain the consent from Parliament elected by Canadians. Therefore: We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately withdraw from the WHO's Pandemic Agreement adopted on May 20th, 2025.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Health Signed by Maggie Chi Canada has not signed the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement. While the Pandemic Agreement text was adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly by WHO Member States in May 2025, Member States are continuing negotiations on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex, which will form an integral part of the Pandemic Agreement. Canada will continue to engage with internal and external partners and stakeholders to inform the development of its negotiating positions on the PABS Annex. Once the PABS Annex has been adopted by the World Health Assembly, the Pandemic Agreement will be open for signature and ratification. Canada would then determine whether to sign and ratify the Agreement consistent with its domestic treaty adoption process, assessing how the Agreement would be implemented by Canada, provinces and territories, and other stakeholders. Any treaty signed by Canada would be tabled in Parliament. Canada will always maintain sovereignty over its health care, and WHO does not have jurisdiction in the territory of Member States. The WHO’s role is advisory in nature only. Canada remains a key contributor to global efforts to enhance pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, which helps safeguard the health and well-being of Canadians. Canada was an active participant in negotiating the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) amendments, which helped ensure that its priorities and interests were reflected. These amendments help bring the rest of the world up to Canada’s standards when it comes to information sharing and transparency, and will allow for greater international coordination and collaboration in responding to events that are at risk of becoming, or have become, a pandemic. The IHR amendments were tabled on February 27, 2026 to allow the House of Commons 21 sitting days for their consideration, per the Policy on Tabling of Treaties in Parliament.