Auditor finds Canada unready for disaster

OTTAWA, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Canada's national government is unprepared to lead a coordinated response following a terrorist attack or other major disaster, a top official said Tuesday.

The report from Canadian Auditor General Sheila Fraser said failure to adopt Public Safety Canada's federal emergency response plan means the department doesn't have authority to coordinate other federal departments, provinces and territories to prevent confusion during natural or man-made disasters, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

"Until that (plan) is approved, it is very difficult for Public Safety Canada to fulfill the role it has been given," Fraser said at a news conference.

The department was created in late 2003. Fraser said she has "no idea why" the plan hasn't been endorsed.

Her report said the department has yet to determine what critical national infrastructure should be targeted for protection when disaster strikes. Food, water, energy, health and financial services, and communications networks are among the basic infrastructure needs still to be addressed.

The auditor's report said the government also hasn't developed a strategy to counter cyber attacks on key computer and communications networks, the CBC said.

"These are issues that have been identified for at least five years or more," Fraser said.