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The
CCWHC is an organization among Canada's four Veterinary Colleges that
applies the veterinary medical sciences to wildlife conservation and
management in Canada, and to develop and use knowledge about wildlife
health and disease to the betterment of human health and the health of
domestic animals. The CCWHC coordinates Canada's national program of
wildlife health surveillance and provides educational programs,
information and consultative advice to government and non-government
agencies and to the public. The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health
Centre was established and/or operates with support provided by
Environment Canada, Canada's four Veterinary Colleges and their home
Universities, The Governments of Canada's 10 Provinces and 3
Territories, Heritage (Parks) Canada, Health Canada, The Canadian Food
Inspection Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, The Max Bell
Foundation, AgrEvo Canada Inc., DowElanco Canada Inc., Novartis Crop
Protection, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Canadian Wildlife
Federation."
I. ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE.
A. Purpose and Principles.
The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC)
was established in FY 1992-93 and began formal operations in December
of 1992.
Three
fundamental principals guided the establishment of the CCWHC. The
first was that Canada required a coordinated, national program focused
on the health and disease of free-ranging wild animal populations. The
second was that a national program for wildlife health must rely
heavily on, and serve, the existing cadre of field
biologists and other field personnel in federal, provincial,
territorial and non-government wildlife agencies. The third principal
was that a national program should integrate, not duplicate, work on
wildlife health and disease already taking place. To be both effective
and affordable, a national program must be inclusive of all existing
efforts. Primarily, it should encourage and assist these and should
expand the existing national effort in selected, strategic areas.
The structure and mandate of the CCWHC are
designed to create a national program in wildlife health consistent
with these principles. A Regional Centre of Wildlife Health Services
located at each veterinary college (Charlottetown, P.E.I.; St-Hyacinthe,
Québec; Guelph, Ontario; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) provides regional
expertise across the country (). At each Regional Centre, the CCWHC
provides technical information to wildlife biologists and their
agencies through examination of specimens, diagnosis of diseases and
assistance with field investigations of disease occurrences and
related events. Consultation on a wide range of topics related to
wildlife health has become a major activity of the CCWHC and this is
facilitated by a national toll-free telephone number (1-800-567-2033).
Educational programs, such as short courses for wildlife biologists
covering various aspects of health and disease, are a part of the
CCWHC mandate. This aspect was deferred during years 1992-93 and
1993-94, and was initiated in 1994-95. Wildlife health data from a
broad range of sources (provincial and federal diagnostic
laboratories, wildlife agencies, universities and the CCWHC itself)
are gathered and stored in a specially-designed computer format to
enable analysis of these data on a national or regional scale over
time. A network of formal and informal communications among the
broadest possible spectrum of persons with expertise and/or interest
in wildlife health issues has been established by the CCWHC to
maximize the use and availability of information generated by wildlife
health workers.
B. Structure
The CCWHC consists of five subunits: four
Regional Centres of Wildlife Health Services, one at each of Canada's
four veterinary colleges, and a Headquarters Office located, also, at
the veterinary college in Saskatoon. The physical facilities of each
Regional Centre and the Headquarters Office are provided by the
respective Colleges and Universities, and include office space,
diagnostic laboratories, communication facilities, and libraries. The
regional coordinators and the co-directors are full-time faculty
members of their respective universities and receive no additional
remuneration for their CCWHC activities.
C. Personnel
The personnel of the CCWHC consists of faculty
members of each veterinary college that have particular interests and
expertise in wildlife health and disease. These faculty are
supplemented by additional professional, technical and secretarial
personnel with salaries paid from CCWHC budget. In addition, other
faculty with relevant interests and expertise at each college may
assist the CCWHC from time to time as circumstances require.
A
Regional Coordinator is responsible to the co-Directors for all CCWHC
activities and budget at each Regional Centre. The co-Directors are
responsible for the total mandate and budget of the CCWHC and report
to the Board of Directors. This Board is chaired by the Director
General, Canadian Wildlife Service. Members are representatives of
sponsors of the CCWHC, including the provincial and territorial
wildlife directors, and the Dean of one of Canada's veterinary
colleges. |
