Health Committee on Nov. 8th, 2023

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you for bringing that up, Mr. Chair, because it was starting to curl my hair, even though it's very short.

We certainly did a colossal job on the first version of the report regarding the monitoring of medical devices used for breast implants. We adopted all the recommendations. I think the committee's adoption of this report is just a formality. It would simply be a matter of the analysts sending us the latest version. We could then read it and adopt the report very quickly. I think we've waited long enough, and women have waited long enough too. We need to finalize this.

I propose that we settle this issue at the next meeting, which is November 20. If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Chair, the process requires that you then present the report to the House of Commons within 48 hours. It would be important to sort this out.

This may be self-serving, but I'm convinced that if everyone does their work beforehand, before we get to committee, I think we could even finish dealing with this report in half an hour. To miss out on that would be irresponsible, in my opinion.

I just wanted to raise that point.

For the rest, I'm open to proposals, but not on this issue. For once, we have worked effectively, quickly and consensually. I think women deserve that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Ms. Sidhu.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Chair, I like Mr. Thériault's point because this is such a confusing agenda.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We'll have Mr. Davies and then Dr. Kitchen.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I'm sorry, I missed a little bit of what Mr. Thériault said. I'm sure that I'm going to agree with the thrust of it, which is that we want to finish at least two of the reports that are very close to being finished. They are the breast implant registry and the children's report. Both have been going on for a long time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

His preoccupation was with the first one.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

If we act in good faith, we can finish both reports in an hour for each. The only amendment I would make to the suggestion of Dr. Kitchen is that on November 22, which is the Wednesday we come back, we don't have to start the women's study there. We should have that meeting dedicated to the children's health study and the breast implant registry study and endeavour to finish those two off.

The PMPRB study is one that we can kick off in the new year. At least we can finish the two studies that have been done. We haven't even started the PMPRB yet. It was my motion and the issue is largely academic at this point, so that can wait. The breast implant registry is something that we ought to finish. The children's health study has been over a year. I don't even want to say when we first started it.

That would be Medicago on Monday the 20th, finishing those two reports on November 22, and then the rest would be as Dr. Kitchen has specified. Women's health would start on November 27 and 29. December 4 would be the opioids for two hours, then one hour of Medicago.

Again, I think we need to clarify whether we can do that extra hour on the Monday. I'm happy to do it, but I know it's a question of resources.

Mr. Chair, I raised this at the last meeting. I think you very prudently exhibited some reservation on that. I don't know if you have any more news to share with us about whether we can get an extra hour on Monday. Assuming we can, then the women's study is on the 6th, and then opioids for two hours and one hour on Medicago on the 11th. Then it's the women's study. That gives us four on the women's study, two on the opioids. It allows us the chance to finish the two reports and to honour the motion we just passed today on Medicago.

I think it satisfies everybody's interest to a large degree.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

If I can summarize what I think is a consensus, on the 20th, we will start the examination of the study that we just adopted today, the one with respect to the advance purchase agreements. On the 22nd, we would meet in camera to deal with children's health and with the medical devices reports.

Bear in mind, please, that the children's health report is version one. Once we get through version one, there will be a version two, which we may be able to deal with quickly and maybe not. Anyway, the 22nd will be an in-camera meeting for draft reports.

The 27th would be the departmental officials on women's health, and the 29th would be women's health.

On your question with respect to getting an extra hour, the suggestion that's been put forward leaves us with enough time to make the ask. As soon as we have an answer, we'll let you know. It's possible but not guaranteed is what I would say.

The 4th would be two hours of opioids and one hour of the advance vaccine contracts. The 6th would be women's health, the 11th would be the same as the 4th, two hours on opioids and one hour on advance vaccine, and then the 13th would be on women's health.

One outstanding matter that we can deal with when appropriate, and probably the best slot is the 22nd, is that we are planning to do an opioid study for which there has not been a motion adopted. We're going to need to set the parameters, whether it's the motion that was debated but not passed by Dr. Hanley or something else. We've debated a few of them.

Dr. Hanley.

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Quickly, I was just going to suggest that we adopt the motion that I previously brought to committee. We could endlessly debate the wording. I know that Dr. Ellis loves to play with some of the words and—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

There has been a motion put on notice. It has been debated but not adopted.

Is it the will of the committee to adopt the motion of Dr. Hanley that has been put on notice on the subject of the opioid crisis?

Mr. Davies.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Can it be read quickly?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108 (2), the Committee undertake a study of the opioid epidemic and toxic drug crisis in Canada and specifically look at the impacts of measures that are being taken, and additional measures which could be taken, to address the toxic drug crisis, reduce harm, and save lives. That the Committee holds a minimum of eight (8) meetings on this study, including one (1) meeting with an explicit focus on the toxic drug crisis in indigenous, rural, northern, and remote communities, and that at least two (2) meetings be conducted after September 30th, 2023 to allow for the committee to hear evidence related to British Columbia’s drug decriminalization experiment. That the committee present its findings and recommendations to the House and that the committee request a comprehensive response to the report by the government.

Is there any debate on that motion?

Go ahead, Dr. Hanley.

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

I'm wondering whether the dates as written are still relevant, because there's a mention of December.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

The only date that's mentioned in the motion is September 30, and the only reason it's there is to say that the study, to the extent that it talks about British Columbia, should happen after that. It's fine because we're past it.

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. Davies.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Since violent agreement is breaking out this evening, I'll keep that train running, I hope.

I was going to suggest that in order to facilitate the opioids study, we generally commence every study with a report from department officials. It would help the analysts, I'm sure.

Why don't we slot in the report from the department officials on December 4 on opioids?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Is everybody okay with that?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Let's pick a date for getting witnesses in. Maybe all we need to do is submit witnesses for the 11th. It's only one meeting. We'll be breaking through January anyway.

If we can just agree on a date to get witnesses in for the 11th, we can pick out a date later on to get witnesses in for the remaining seven meetings.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

I suggest the Friday of the week we come back, by noon.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

That is the 24th at noon, for the first tranche of witnesses on the opioid study. This is for the witnesses who are going to appear on the 11th, please.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Chair, we can all put in witnesses beyond that, too, if we want, but all we really have to schedule for is the 11th, and I'd rather get that done tonight.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

We'll get some witnesses by the 24th, please.

Go ahead, Dr. Powlowski.

[Marcus Powlowski, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

There are two things.

One is, on the opioid study, we previously had conversations about travel for that. I think this is one study that would really benefit from us finding out what other jurisdictions have done. We've already talked about Portugal. I would say Vancouver, Portland or other places we may want to visit. I know we need to have all-party agreement, so maybe the opposition can think about whether they're willing to do that and where we would want to go.

The other question was on the Medicago study. That means on Monday the 20th, we're going to have two hours, with or without the ministers.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

For the 20th, we have a list of witnesses we need to invite, and it will depend on their availability. I think there are two ministers on that witness list. My expectation is whenever the ministers say they're available, that's when we'll take them, and we'll take everyone else...anyone we can get.

If one or both the ministers are available on the 20th, great. If not, we'll fill it with the rest of the list.

Also, travel involves quite a bit more than just agreement here. There's another level of approval required, so if there's going to be travel, there should be some discussions held among committee members as to what it might look like, how long it might take and when it might happen, because this committee then has to make a proposal to another body in order to access those funds.

I appreciate you raising the topic, but there's going to need to be some work done before we can advance that.

Go ahead, Dr. Ellis.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thanks, Chair.

Certainly, if Dr. Powlowski wants to submit a proposal for that, we'd love to see it and we're happy to entertain it.

I motion to adjourn, Chair.