Health Committee on Nov. 22nd, 2007

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Agreed, but I would like to get a complete answer.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you.

Madam Kadis.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

Minister, the residents of my riding of Thornhill are very concerned—as was also said by Ms. Davidson—about the use of pesticides, particularly on our food. In the last session many of us raised the issue at this committee of reports on the amount of pesticide residue permitted on fruits and vegetables--that it may be increased as part of the SPP.

My concern as well is that any of the $3.4 million that's being increased for our pest management control will be used in any way to increase the maximum residue of pesticides on our food.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I can only reiterate to you and the committee that all pesticides in this country are stringently regulated. That has been the case, is the case, and will be the case. No changes to regulations will occur if they affect the health and safety of Canadians. That must be our top priority.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

So Canadians will not see a lowering of our standards as part of the harmonization.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Unlike some people, I need to have regard for science. If the scientists tell me that something is safe and does not impede Canadians' health, that's what I have regard for. I know you have constituents; I have constituents too. But at the end of the day we have to be ruled by fact rather than emotion.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

So you can't confirm today that we won't lower our standards on the amount of pesticide residue allowable on our foods.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

We will make evidence-based decisions that will protect the health and safety of Canadians. That's my commitment.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

I just want to make sure, and I think everyone wants to make sure, that we do not lower our standards.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

We will not lower our standards.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

There's too much pesticide in our food now.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Now you're into opinion rather than fact.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

That is what I'm hearing from my residents. I'm sure many others are too.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I know you are. But I'm in a science-based department, and I have to rule on these things based on science.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

Then what you're saying is we're going to have to very closely monitor this issue for the health and safety of Canadians and perhaps have the minister back and those involved directly in the SPP discussions revolving around pesticides on our food.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I don't know what discussions you are referring to, but I know there have been a lot of conspiracy theories engendered by the Liberal opposition.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

We had officials here in the last session. There was legitimate concern, and we had officials here, and I believe this bears--

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

We have MRL discussions. We do, and I'm not denying we do.

[Susan Kadis, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

--close monitoring. I haven't heard definitively from you that we will not lower our standards on the pesticide residue level on our foods.

Thank you.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

You know, this is silly. That's just partisanship. I'm sorry you're reacting that way. I know a lot about health, Madam.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Are you finished, Madam Kadis?

Okay, Mr. Fletcher.

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, this government has done a lot in the area of heart disease, cancer, and mental health. You've talked about mental health already, but we haven't heard yet today about the progress in the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. I wonder if you could provide the committee with an update on that very great initiative.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I think that's important. Obviously it's one of our signature initiatives as a government. Cancer is a national epidemic. The previous government ignored this fact and stonewalled against working together with cancer agencies, provinces, and territories for a national cancer strategy. We moved ahead. I was very proud of the Prime Minister when he announced in Montreal the establishment of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. It is not a top-down approach. Everyone is at the table, similar to what we have here. Everyone—provinces, territories, cancer survivors, oncologists, researchers, cancer agency individuals, and federal government representatives--is at the same table so that we can develop a national strategy.

Obviously the provinces must continue to play their role. Where the federal government fits in is on establishing better national surveillance, sharing of best practices, health human resources—which has been an issue at this committee today—and establishing better strategies for health human resources in the cancer area. These are all ways that we can be helpful through establishing the table and sharing the best practices.

It defies imagination, but it is true that some parts of our country and some provinces have some really good ideas that somehow never get transposed to other parts of the country. So some parts of the country get left behind in certain areas. This is our opportunity to share best practices and to deliver, I think, better cancer treatment, better cancer research, and better cancer prevention ultimately.

The experts tell us that if we adopt this strategy, we will be able to prevent something like 431,000 cases of cancer that would be deadly from being deadly, and that there are literally hundreds of thousands of other Canadians that would not get cancer in the first place if we follow this approach. I think this holds great hope that we can do better on the cancer front than we have been able to do in the past.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you, Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Ms. Wasylycia-Leis, for reducing your time so we can finish on time. You're next.