Health Committee on Feb. 28th, 2008

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

First of all, I'd like to thank Madam Wasylycia-Leis for bringing this forward. I think this is quite appropriate. The Canada Health Act is the foundation of the cost-sharing mechanism between the Government of Canada and the provinces on matters of health in Canada, and it sets out the five principles on social medicine in Canada.

The report that's been presented to Parliament points out some problems in the administration of that act. Some provinces are not respecting it. Some are being fined retribution for that, as they should be, under the Canada Health Act, and have had some financial support withdrawn by the federal government, and we see a case of one that is not. I think the minister should be able to respond to that.

Further, we have the recent Castonguay report, some areas of which, it has been suggested, are an affront to the Canada Health Act. I agree, and I think it would be worthwhile to have the minister answer significant questions at this time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We have had discussion, and we do have another item of business. With your permission, is it the will of the committee to just take this to a vote now?

(Motion negatived)

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We'll now go on to the budget. We have a budget we have to pass in order for the witnesses to come.

Order, please, or we're going to be here a little longer.

We have to work with a budget because we do have people coming in from B.C. on the donor seminar. We have two witnesses coming from Edmonton, two witnesses from Toronto, one from Quebec, and one from Montreal, so we do have to have a budget of $15,900.

Can someone put forth a motion to pass this budget?

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Yes, I move it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you. You moved that it be passed.

Are we all agreed, or is that a question? Could I have a show of hands?

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Is that for the budget?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Yes, we are trying to get agreement to pass the budget of $15,900 today.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Madame Gagnon.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Madam Chair, Mr. Tremblay, who is Chairman of the Canadian Organ Donors Association, would like to appear before the Committee. I think there is a problem with the witness list. Is there an appropriate balance there?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

All right, I'll ask the clerk to speak to this, Madame Gagnon.

[The Clerk]

Ms. Gagnon, six organizations have confirmed that they will appear, which represents 15 witnesses. They include the Canadian Council for Donation and Transplantation, the Canadian Society of Transplantation and the Canadian Association of Transplantation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

It is going to be a very busy day with everybody, so thank you. I think this is definitely all we can do on that day, but perhaps we can look at it at yet another time. We'll leave that open to another meeting.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

On a point of information, since my motion was defeated--which means the minister won't be coming to the committee on this particular issue of the Canada Health Act--and given the fact that Parliament automatically defers the annual report of the Canada Health Act to us, which means we'll be discussing it without the minister, could I ask when that will be scheduled and how soon we could actually fit it into our schedule?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Could we put that on the agenda for the next day? We would have to find out when that would be scheduled. Is that agreed?

All right, I am going to dismiss the committee now. Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.