Canadian Red Cross
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Red Cross Society is a Canadian
humanitarian charitable organization
and one of 186 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.
It was established in the fall of 1896 as an affiliate of the British Red Cross Society
(then known as the National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War). Colonel Dr. George Sterling Ryerson spearheaded the organization's founding; he was earlier responsible for setting up Canada's St. John Ambulance Association in 1895. The Canadian Red Cross Society Act (1909) legally established the Red Cross as the corporate body in Canada
responsible for providing volunteer aid in accordance with the Geneva Conventions
. It is a national society and member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The Movement includes the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(Federation). The Canadian Red Cross had its centennial celebration in May 2009.
The mission of the Canadian Red Cross is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world. The Society provides disaster services programs and injury prevention services such as water safety and first aid
training. The Society, through the international network of the Red Cross, helps the world’s most vulnerable populations, including victims of armed conflicts and communities destroyed by devastating disasters. The current Secretary General and
Chief Executive Officer is Conrad Sauvé.
, the organization was removed from this position and replaced by the Canadian Blood Services
because of the nation-wide controversy when it was revealed that between 1986 and 1990 it had supplied tainted blood to patients despite knowing of a test that might have detected the infection in some cases.
In 1994, an investigation found that 95 percent of hemophiliacs who used blood products supplied by the Canadian Red Cross before 1990 had contracted Hepatitis C. According to the Krever Commission, approximately 85 percent of those infections could have been avoided.
More than 1100 Canadians were infected with HIV and 20,000 contracted Hepatitis C from blood transfusions given by the Red Cross during that period.
The Canadian Red Cross was fined $5,000 for its role in the tainted blood scandal and agreed to plead guilty to distributing a contaminated drug. It agreed to give 1.5 million dollars to the University of Ottawa for a research endowment fund as well as a scholarship for family members of those affected. In exchange, six criminal charges against the Red Cross were dropped.
The then-director of the Red Cross, Dr. Roger Perrault, was on trial for his role in the scandal. The first trial resulted in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
acquitting him on charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and six criminal nuisance charges were dropped in January 2008 when "there no longer remains a reasonable prospect of conviction in this case".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
humanitarian charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and one of 186 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.
It was established in the fall of 1896 as an affiliate of the British Red Cross Society
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
(then known as the National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War). Colonel Dr. George Sterling Ryerson spearheaded the organization's founding; he was earlier responsible for setting up Canada's St. John Ambulance Association in 1895. The Canadian Red Cross Society Act (1909) legally established the Red Cross as the corporate body in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
responsible for providing volunteer aid in accordance with the Geneva Conventions
Geneva Conventions
The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war...
. It is a national society and member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The Movement includes the International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
(ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
(Federation). The Canadian Red Cross had its centennial celebration in May 2009.
The mission of the Canadian Red Cross is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world. The Society provides disaster services programs and injury prevention services such as water safety and first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
training. The Society, through the international network of the Red Cross, helps the world’s most vulnerable populations, including victims of armed conflicts and communities destroyed by devastating disasters. The current Secretary General and
Chief Executive Officer is Conrad Sauvé.
Programs in Canada
The Canadian Red Cross has local branches in every province and territory in Canada. In addition, many authorized providers throughout Canada offer the following programs:- Disaster Management
- Family Links
- First Aid & CPR
- Swimming & Boating Safety
- RespectED: Violence & Abuse Prevention
- Home-care Services
- Health Equipment Loan Programs (HELP)
- Youth Training in Action Program (Youth TAP)
- Humanitarian Issues Program (HIP)
Krever Commission
Until September 28, 1998, the Canadian Red Cross was responsible for all blood services in Canada. On the recommendation of the Krever CommissionRoyal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada
The Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada, more commonly referred to as the Krever Commission or Krever Inquiry, was a Royal commission headed by Mr Justice Horace Krever established by the Canadian Government in October 1993...
, the organization was removed from this position and replaced by the Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services
Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories of Canada, outside of Quebec, and oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network . A separate organization, Héma-Québec, operates in the province of Quebec...
because of the nation-wide controversy when it was revealed that between 1986 and 1990 it had supplied tainted blood to patients despite knowing of a test that might have detected the infection in some cases.
In 1994, an investigation found that 95 percent of hemophiliacs who used blood products supplied by the Canadian Red Cross before 1990 had contracted Hepatitis C. According to the Krever Commission, approximately 85 percent of those infections could have been avoided.
More than 1100 Canadians were infected with HIV and 20,000 contracted Hepatitis C from blood transfusions given by the Red Cross during that period.
The Canadian Red Cross was fined $5,000 for its role in the tainted blood scandal and agreed to plead guilty to distributing a contaminated drug. It agreed to give 1.5 million dollars to the University of Ottawa for a research endowment fund as well as a scholarship for family members of those affected. In exchange, six criminal charges against the Red Cross were dropped.
The then-director of the Red Cross, Dr. Roger Perrault, was on trial for his role in the scandal. The first trial resulted in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Ontario Superior Court of Justice
The Superior Court of Justice is the superior court of general jurisdiction for the Province of Ontario, Canada. It is the successor to the former Ontario Court of Justice , and was created on April 19, 1999...
acquitting him on charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and six criminal nuisance charges were dropped in January 2008 when "there no longer remains a reasonable prospect of conviction in this case".
Investigation into alleged 2004 Indian Tsunami worker abuse
An investigation conducted by Radio-Canada (CBC), first aired on March 17, 2010 on The National, reports on the problems facing workers that were hired by contractors, under contract from the Canadian Red Cross, to rebuild communities in the Indonesian province of Aceh.See also
- Canadian Blood ServicesCanadian Blood ServicesCanadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood supply in all provinces and territories of Canada, outside of Quebec, and oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network . A separate organization, Héma-Québec, operates in the province of Quebec...
- List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage
- List of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
- Monument to Canadian Aid WorkersMonument to Canadian Aid WorkersThe Monument to Canadian Aid Workers is a monument in the Canadian city of Ottawa dedicated to Canadian aid workers who have lost their lives during foreign deployments...
- Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in CanadaRoyal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in CanadaThe Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada, more commonly referred to as the Krever Commission or Krever Inquiry, was a Royal commission headed by Mr Justice Horace Krever established by the Canadian Government in October 1993...
External links
- Canadian Red Cross
- Red Cross Society at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...