PHAC head says Privacy Act prevents explanation for firing of two scientists

OTTAWA — The president of the Public Health Agency of Canada is refusing to explain why two Canadian government scientists were let go 18 months after being escorted from Canada’s highest-security laboratory.

Iain Stewart had been given a deadline of today to provide an explanation to members of a House of Commons committee for why PHAC terminated the employment of Xiangguo Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, in January.

He has instead sent the MPs a letter saying that the Privacy Act does not allow him to share “employment or labour-relations matters concerning public servants.”

Moreover, he says questions about an RCMP investigation into the two scientists should be directed to the Mounties.