Health committee  If you don't mind, I'll let the people from CIHR speak to that.

Health committee  Thank you for the question. Basically, treatment as prevention is actually an old concept, which is secondary prevention. It's early identification and treatment to minimize the impact of any disease, whether it's through screening, and then early treatment, or, in this case, with HIV/AIDS, the recognition....

Health committee  It does not cure the disease. It is secondary prevention.

Health committee  It's a very important thing, but it's not a substitute. In clinical trials, well-controlled clinical trials with close follow-up, we know that it does work. In a population level where people sometimes take their drugs but don't consistently take their drugs, it's not a substitute for not being infected in the first place.

Health committee  Oh, no, absolutely, and we're very much supportive of that identification and coupling it with all the other measures as well. It's a very important finding, there's no question about that. It is not the answer to HIV/AIDS, though; ultimately that will be the vaccine for it.

Health committee  Clearly it's one of the options. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the WHO says this is the one thing. It is an important tool, and it really requires assessment in the right context for how you're using it. It's very promising. I'm not arguing with you; it's very promising. But it is not the only answer.

Health committee  Thanks very much for the question, because it's one of those eternal questions. The principles that underlie the recommendations in terms of priority are those who are most likely to be seriously ill or die, so protecting life, and then protecting essential functions. Clearly police, fire, first responders, central services, etc., obviously come into the category of essential services, trying to minimize disruption in the face of an outbreak, etc.

Health committee  There are a number of things. As you know, there are particular challenges in the north, most notably in Nunavut, in terms of everything from infectious disease to social determinants to the increasing burden of chronic disease. There is actually a range of things that will all have an impact, all of which are key—the government's initiatives around housing and around Nutrition North, as well as providing the expertise we provide based in the territories to support public health programming.

Health committee  False.

Health committee  There are rumours and there are rumours, and I can't keep up with the rumours, but the reality for this government is that HIV/AIDS support and addressing it in the context of the many factors, from the social determinants on, is absolutely key.

Health committee  This is one of those areas in the portfolio where we have tobacco as it relates to chronic disease prevention and Health Canada is the regulator. So I'll just start and then I'll turn it over to Glenda to respond on behalf of the regulator. We've seen dramatic progress, with fewer individuals smoking, better access to smoke-free spaces, and the recognition that second-hand smoke carries a risk not only for the smoker but also for the smoker's family and others.

Government Operations committee  While Glenda is finding the specifics, I'd just say that we had the ultimate test in 2009-10, and the communities responded actually brilliantly at the end of the day.

Government Operations committee  Just to supplement on the reference to 171, that is specifically focused on public health training. It is not a duplicate of the others.

Government Operations committee  That's correct.

Government Operations committee  Thanks very much for the question. This is primarily for the information of members who haven't sat at the health committee. Every portfolio is structured a little bit differently. In some portfolios, agencies, the financing is done by the lead department, etc. In our health portfolio we actually have separate accountabilities.