Health Committee on Dec. 2nd, 2009

[Morris Rosenberg]

It's “Mr.” Rosenberg.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Well, you're “Dr.” to me.

[An hon. member]

You wouldn't want to confuse lawyers with doctors.

[Morris Rosenberg]

No.

I don't know that I can answer the question in the way that you put it with respect to a specific amount of money. I would reiterate that what we are doing is putting in place a series of management improvements. In the answer I gave to the last question, the rather rapid answer, I went through some of them. I would be pleased to provide to the committee a more detailed description of what we're doing under each of those areas and the efforts we are undertaking to deal with continuing to improve on the efficiency of the review process with respect to natural health products.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Does the department remain committed to this goal of completing the backlog and all of the registration process by the end of March 2010?

[Morris Rosenberg]

The department is making its best efforts to do that. We are constantly reviewing it. It is certainly our intention to get as close to that as possible.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Then I will accept the offer of documentation of exactly what is being proposed to change this process, which has not been working. It's a frustrating choice for consumers as to the kinds of products they feel they need for their health.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Dr. Butler-Jones, are there any comments you want to make?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

I do want to add one thing in terms of a point of clarification.

Jim has just pointed out that the reason the breast cancer research initiative is actually in here is simply because of a name change of the organization receiving the grant. It is ongoing; it is not a new grant. It is something that we have been providing previously.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you so much. We have just a few more minutes.

Dr. Carrie, you're next on the list, and then we'll have one question from the Bloc.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

I just want to ask for further clarification.

Dr. Butler-Jones, regarding the decision to single-source from GSK, doesn't that make sense, though? In a pandemic, when you're unsure of the virulence and the pathogenicity of what you're facing, given that it by definition goes around the world, doesn't it make sense for a country to make sure that they have that domestic supply for their population? Don't you think this decision has served us well?

I know there's a little controversy here around the table, but for me, the more I look at this, and to give credit where credit is due with the previous government, I think it was a very good decision.

Could you elaborate a little further on that?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

It was a very wise decision. That decision was reaffirmed by the provinces and territories before this pandemic actually occurred. In terms of having a domestic supply for vaccine, the vast majority of countries in the world have no vaccine yet.

The question that the honourable member asked about was whether we would look at other sources. We will be looking at all things related to this, as to whether we should have maybe a small contract with another source, just as a backup. There are many things we want to look at.

The point is that it has served us well. We have had the best supply of just about anybody in the world as a result of this contract. I think those who organized it should take some credit for it, actually.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

That was it, Madam Chair. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you, Dr. Carrie.

Very quickly, because we're running out of time, Monsieur Malo.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Thank you.

Doctor Butler-Jones, could you tell us the vaccination rate of Canadians to date?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

It depends where you are.

That depends on the province or territory. In the territories, between 50% and 60% of people there received the vaccine. In the provinces, the percentage of people who are now inoculated is between 30% and 40%.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

That is a long way away from the 80% target. The parliamentary secretary to the minister said that some $4.5 million were allocated to teach his daughter how to cough into her sleeve, which is all very well and good.

Would you not agree that the money should also be used to encourage 80% of Canadians to get vaccinated, as you had hoped for? Or is it simply because there is not enough money?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

The provinces use the vaccine that is produced. The campaign is ongoing, and we are saying that all Canadians who need and want to be vaccinated will get their shot before the end of the year, before Christmas. We are now on track for people who want to receive the vaccine.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Ms. Wasylycia-Leis, you have one minute. I'll cut you off if you go over it.

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

Real quick: a 30-second question.

It seems to me that big pharma is actually having a real bonanza as a result of Health Canada policies, whether it's the sole-source contract with GSK or....

By the way, the Prime Minister was the one who said publicly that there shall be, from here on in, more than one contract for any influenza vaccine.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Time's up.

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

But it's also true that Pfizer seems to have a table now at the research table.

My question is for Morris Rosenberg. Did you give any advice to anyone around the advisability of Dr. Prigent being named to the governing council of the CIHR, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research?

[Morris Rosenberg]

As you know, CIHR is a separate agency within the portfolio. They have their own relationship with the minister, and I in fact did not give advice on that appointment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

We're going to go into votes very quickly.

We're voting on the supplementary estimates.

HEALTH

Department

Vote 1b--Operating expenditures..........$4,058,174

Vote 5b--Capital expenditures..........$7,079,134

Vote 10b--The grants listed in the Estimates and contributions--To authorize the transfer of $5,393,800 from Health Vote 1, Appropriation Act No. 2, 2009-10 for the purposes of this Vote..........$1

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Vote 25b--The grants listed in the Estimates--To authorize the transfer of $100,000 from Health Vote 10, $500,000 from Health Vote 15, $2,027,213 from Health Vote 40, and $222,916 from Health Vote 50, Appropriation Act No. 2, 2009-10 for the purposes of this Vote and to provide a further amount of..........$5,573,000

Public Health Agency of Canada

Vote 40b--Operating expenditures..........$455,247,423

Vote 45b--Capital expenditures..........$4,081,620

Vote 50b--The grants listed in the Estimates and contributions--To authorize the transfer of $90,000 from Health Vote 10, and $1,000,000 from Health Vote 40, Appropriation Act No. 2, 2009-10 for the purposes of this Vote..........$1

(Votes 1b, 5b, 10b, 25b, 40b, 45b, and 50b agreed to)

Shall I report the supplementary estimates (B) to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.