Bill C-398 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Patent Act (drugs for international humanitarian purposes)

This enactment amends the Patent Act to make it easier to manufacture and export pharmaceutical products to address public health problems afflicting many developing and least-developed countries, especially those resulting from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other epidemics.

Access to Medicines

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. The first is from the Grandmothers Advocacy Network and it has been signed by hundreds and hundreds of residents from mostly Alberta. They are asking the government to pass Bill C-398 without significant amendment to facilitate the immediate and sustainable flow of life-saving generic medicines to developing countries.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we all love our grandmothers. There is a great organization, the Grandmothers Advocacy Network, that is asking us to pass Bill C-398 without any significant change in order to facilitate the immediate and sustainable flow of life-saving generic medicine to developing countries.

This petition is on behalf of the residents in Winnipeg.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I, too, join with my colleagues to table a petition from the Grandmothers Advocacy Network signed by Canadians in Quebec and Ontario calling on this House to pass Bill C-398 later today.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to join with so many other members today in presenting about 100 pages or more of petitions also on Bill C-398, known as the medicine for all bill. I thank the Grandmothers Advocacy Network and individuals, like Mary Steeves, who have spent so much time collecting these signatures.

We have the vote tonight, so it is great that so many petitions are being presented.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions from my constituents today.

The first petition calls upon the House to pass Bill C-398 to facilitate the flow of life-saving generic drugs to developing countries.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have five petitions from members of the metro Vancouver community who are calling upon the government to pass, without amendment, Bill C-398 to enable the immediate and sustainable flow of life-saving generic medicines to developing countries.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present a petition signed by literally thousands of Canadians in support of Bill C-398. The petition was put forward by the Grandmothers Advocacy Network and it calls upon Parliament to pass, without amendment, Bill C-398 later today.

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I also have the pleasure to present a petition to the House of Commons on Bill C-398 from the Canadian Federation of University Women.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present petitions signed by concerned constituents from my riding of Oakville. They ask this House to pass Bill C-398 without significant amendment to facilitate the immediate and sustainable flow of life-saving generic medicines to developing countries. I am happy to present this petition for a response from our government.

HIV-AIDS

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the NDP, we thank the many organizations and individuals whose tireless efforts in Canada and abroad support those living with HIV-AIDS and work to prevent future infections.

The AIDS epidemic has become a global public health challenge that warrants our collective attention and demands our concerted action. Even with advances in medical science, the scarcity of life-saving drugs condemns many to a life of poverty and to dying a preventable death.

It is more important than ever that we support life-saving initiatives to fight AIDS-related deaths. For this reason, I urge my colleagues to vote in favour of Bill C-398 tonight, the medicines for all bill, which would save millions of lives worldwide.

On this solemn but hopeful occasion, we in the NDP recommit to ending the spread of HIV-AIDS at home and abroad and to supporting those who live with HIV-AIDS to ensure their dignity and rights are upheld.

Access to Medicines

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to table a petition organized by the Grandmothers' Advocacy Network.

The grandmothers point out that in sub-Saharan Africa their sister grandmothers are burying their adult children and caring for many of the 15 million children who have been left orphaned by AIDS.

The petition talks about Canada's access to medicines regime and says that CAMR was intended to provide affordable life-saving generic medicines to developing countries, but because its provisions are unnecessarily complicated, it has been used only once since 2004.

The petitioners are asking that the new bill that is before the House, Bill C-398, which would correct these problems, be passed with support from across the House. The petitioners are calling upon all MPs to do that work.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by numerous residents of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and many other parts of the province in support of Bill C-398.

The petitioners are calling upon the House to pass Bill C-398 without significant amendment to facilitate the immediate and sustainable flow of life-saving, generic medicines to developing countries.

This is a reform to Canada's access to medicines regime, which is intended to provide affordable, life-saving, generic medicines to developing countries. However, the provisions were unnecessarily complicated and the regime has been used only once. To provide for this, there needs to be reform. This needs to happen. It is a part of the drugs for all campaign, which deserves consideration by this House.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege to present two petitions today in the House of Commons. One is from a group of three students I met at Mount Allison University last Friday in Sackville, New Brunswick. Jennifer, John and Jamie have collected hundreds of signatures from students at Mount Allison and the University of Moncton and others who are urging the House to support Bill C-398 to do more to ensure that people in sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, have access to life-saving medications. I found them to be impressive young people and I would urge the government to listen carefully to what these petitioners are saying.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very honoured to rise today to present a petition signed by over 1,600 people who support Bill C-398 to amend Canada's access to medicines regime. The House will be voting on that bill Wednesday evening.

Those 1,620 people are adding their voices to tens of thousands of Canadians' who have asked Parliament to reform Canada's access to medicines regime.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to bring forward a petition from hundreds of grandmothers and women in Peterborough, Seeleys Bay, Lakefield, Keene, Omemee and Gananoque, who stand with grandmothers in Africa who are forced to watch their adult children die and then care for their orphaned children.

Petitioners are calling on the government, and all members here, to pass Bill C-398 to reform Canada's access to medications regime to provide affordable, life-saving generic medicines to developing countries. I hope all members listen to their voices.