Health Committee on Nov. 22nd, 2007

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

That's right—one, two, three.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Madam Wasylycia-Leis, did you have a suggestion?

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

Yes. I think we probably can agree, even if we go after 11 a.m., that we will still have time for the votes. I think it's important that each party get five minutes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Okay, so we'll give each party five minutes. So you're willing to go after 11 a.m.

We have to bring this.... We're supposed to adjourn at 11 a.m., because other people have other things.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

You've wasted five minutes, Madam Chair, by not listening to the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

I will give each person, each party, two minutes, to try to give you some leverage here—

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

It should be five minutes, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

—and then the minister will conclude, and then we will do the vote.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

You're just making this up as you go.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Would everybody agree to that? We have to finish by 11 a.m.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

No, it should be five minutes, five minutes, five minutes. It's very clear. Don't make this up.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Okay, Minister, if you don't have any concluding remarks, then, we can use that.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

That's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Okay. Is that a consensus, then, that we'll not have the minister's concluding remarks?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

We never do. We never have. Where'd you make that up?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Madame Gagnon, you may go.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Thank you, Minister. I apologize, we will agree on clearer rules in the future.

I would like to talk again about the important issue of silicone breast implants, Minister. The United States have simply given up. They amended the follow-up protocol for breast implants, and that resulted in a lowering of the American standards. There is a Democratic senator who is very concerned, and she sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration. The manufacturers agreed that there would be a study conducted of each patient who received a silicone gel breast implant. The FDA no longer wants this requirement in place.

We are very concerned about this, Minister. The Bloc Québécois was opposed to this procedure which is dangerous to women's health. Are we going to base our standards on the new American standards? Will Canada also be reducing its requirements having to do with the Health Canada protocol on silicone breast implants?

[Morris Rosenberg]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Last year, the decision was made to award licences to authorize breast implants. These licences came with various conditions, including the requirement to conduct studies. There has been no change in that regard.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

[Editor's Note: Inaudible] in the United States. They applied pressure to have this requirement removed. It would no longer be required to follow up on patients who have received breast implants. We are very close to the United States, and often we are inclined to make the same decisions it does.

Could manufacturers apply pressure to Health Canada to try to get it to relent?

[Morris Rosenberg]

I cannot speak about what the manufacturers will do. All I can say is that the current conditions for obtaining a licence will remain in place.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

I am just giving you a warning, because this could happen.

I would like to come back to the issue of nutritional labelling. Some municipalities have called for a moratorium on the implementation of new standards on nutritional labelling for small manufacturing businesses of one million dollars or less. We have had a great deal of trouble following this issue, because not all small producers have been reached, or they do not really understand how these new standards work.

I am somewhat surprised at your answer. These municipalities sent you a request for a moratorium and you replied to them, or one of your assistants did, by saying that this was out of the question. You tell me that this involves Agriculture Canada. And yet, this letter from Health Canada was sent by your office.

This is extremely complicated. Throughout the summer, I tried to understand myself how this regulation would be enforced. We heard that the laboratory analysis would cost $800 for each product, and that otherwise, it would be analyzed using software. The cost of the software varies between $500 and $3,000. There is a whole range of steps that can be taken, but you will appreciate that small producers may not have all the tools they need to do the analysis and proceed properly. What should small producers do in order to comply with your nutritional labelling standards?

They called for a moratorium. The officials have told us that there might not be any sanctions, but that is not clear. Could you issue a directive in the interest of helping out small producers?

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

It is important that this question receive a full answer. Honestly, I do not think this involves my department, but it is nevertheless important to answer your question.

We need regulations that will protect the health of Canadians. If there is a problem with one company, of course, I am...

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Is William King your chief of staff?

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

Yes.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

He is the one who said it was out of the question. He said in his letter that he was sorry he could not agree to the request. The letter came from your office.