In recent weeks, Canadians have been faced with SARS, a new and emerging infectious disease.

Nowhere has the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome been felt more keenly than in Ontario, particularly Toronto, which has been on the front lines in the ongoing battle against this new disease. Yesterday, the World Health Organization recommended, "as a measure of precaution, that persons planning to travel to Toronto consider postponing all but essential travel."

The government of Canada does not support the position of the World Health Organization and has clearly made its views known. We do not believe that the advisory issued by the WHO in relation to Toronto is appropriate based on our understanding of the circumstances on the ground, and we are going to work very strenuously with the WHO to get this travel advisory issue clarified.

As Canada's Minister of Health, I am confident that Toronto is a safe place to visit and I myself will be in Toronto on Monday.

Canadian officials are not alone in our assessment. In fact, the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports our position. In its recent assessment of SARS in Canada, the CDC states that: "Currently, all cases in Toronto are linked to Toronto's original index case and spread has been through person-to-person contact. SARS transmission in Toronto has been limited to a small number of hospitals, households and specific community settings."

We do have a clear understanding of the specific settings in which this virus has been transmitted in Canada, and Canadians can be confident in the steps being taken by governments and health-care workers to manage infection control in the Toronto area and throughout all of Canada.

I would like to give Canadians a picture of the efforts being taken across all levels of government to deal with this virus.

Since the SARS outbreak began over a month ago, there has been tremendous collaboration between the government of Canada and the provincial governments in the fight against SARS.

A number of epidemiologists and infectious disease experts have been deployed to Toronto, and Ontario has been provided with some critically needed equipment and supplies, such as mobile X-ray machines and masks. A significant number of staff have been placed at various airports through the country -- most notably in Toronto and Vancouver, and health alert notices and information cards are being made available so that Canadians and those travelling to Canada have appropriate information about the symptoms of SARS.

In terms of research and science, a number of efforts are ongoing. Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg is analyzing specimens from SARS- affected individuals and is actively seeking the cause of this virus. This laboratory, and numerous others in Canada and internationally, continue to search for a diagnostic test, while, at the same time, they are considering the potential development of a vaccine.

Also, this week Health Canada announced that it will lead an investigation into the recent outbreak among Canadian health-care workers. With technical assistance from the Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta, this collaboration between Health Canada, the CDC and Ontario, will lead to recommendations to help further protect our front-line health-care providers.

To reduce the financial hardship of individuals who have had to go into quarantine after being exposed to SARS, on April 4 the federal government waived the two-week waiting period and need for medical certificate to ensure that those in voluntary isolation can receive Employment Insurance benefits immediately.

I want to assure Canadians that the government of Canada will do whatever is necessary to ensure the health and safety of all Canadians. It has always been, and remains, our No. 1 priority.

Anne McLellan, member of Parliament for Edmonton West, is Canada's Minister of Health.