Evidence of meeting #10 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was health.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:25 a.m.
Conservative
9:25 a.m.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for your presentation. You are undoubtedly aware that the UN will be releasing, this morning in New York, its third three-year report on world water development. The UN is very critical about oil sands and water. One author of the report states that the use of water by the oil companies working in the oil sands is extremely inefficient and therefore, absolutely not sustainable. That is what the UN has said, as we are working here in committee.
I would like to know whether you participated in this UN report. I have trouble reconciling these results with the department's findings, when you state: “Environment Canada provides advice in support of federal environmental assessments. This advice includes [...] cumulative environmental effects of oil sands development on water and sediment quality.”
What was your contribution to this study that will be unveiled this morning at the UN? Is it being taken into account? I'm trying to understand.
9:30 a.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
As far as we know, we haven't been involved with that UN study. I haven't seen it, so I don't know if they cite some of our published literature. All of our science, of course, is published in peer reviews. I don't know if they've used that or not.
9:30 a.m.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
As concerns health, Dr. O'Connor sounded the alarm in 2006 when CBC, among others, announced that five people had died in Fort Chipewyan from a rare tumour. Health Canada's only answer was that Mr. O'Connor was frightening Canadians needlessly. I'm not making this up, Health Canada said that.
A mandate was given to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and an inquiry was launched to follow up on Mr. O'Connor's report.
This morning, you told us that, according to the results of a study conducted by Alberta's health services agency, released in February 2009, the number of observed cases of colon and bile duct cancer is within the expected range. However, the report shows an increase of 30% of cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan as compared to the provincial average. So you're telling us that everything appears normal, whereas in fact, the cancer rate is 30% higher in Fort Chipewyan than in the province on average.
How can you look us in the eye this morning and tell us honestly that the number of cases is within the expected range?
9:30 a.m.
Medical Officer, Director, Health Protection, First Nations and Inuit Health, Alberta Region, Department of Health
The Alberta Cancer Board did a rigorous study that was reviewed by peer reviewers from across the world on the methods used and the results. Every single peer review is published on public websites. You can read the reviewers' comments on the study.
We at Health Canada have concurred with the findings of this study. We believe the number of cases is definitely within the expected range. First nation cancer rates are usually below the provincial average for cancers across Alberta, except for cholangiocarcinoma. Cholangiocarcinoma is known to be higher in native Americans and indigenous people around the world, and in Alberta the rate of cholangiocarcinoma is two to three times higher than for the rest of Albertans.
So it definitely is the case that it is within the expected range. The fact that two cases happened one after the other in the next year is probably, likely, due to random variation and chance because of the small size of the population.
As for the colon cancer, the physician submitted 12 cases of colon cancer that he said he'd seen. From the 12 he submitted, only three were confirmed to be colon cancers. Because of the rigorous work of the Alberta Cancer Board, they found another three that he had not submitted.
There definitely are small increases in the rates of the other cancers that the board reviewed--blood cancers, lymphatic cancers, soft tissue carcinomas. However, even for those cancers, these are the number of cancers, not the number of people. Some people have actually more than one cancer.
I submit to you that the findings are valid. They have been very well reviewed by independent people. They're the cancers we need to follow. That's why we at Health Canada concur that we need to continue monitoring the cancer incidence.
If these rare cancers happen again, that truly will be a cause for concern and follow-up in a more rigorous way. That's why the Alberta Cancer Board has made a great effort to visit the community and sit down with the local physician who currently is actually reporting cancers. Dr. O'Connor did not report these cancers when they happened. Now this current physician has the form, and he currently reports everything to the board.
I submit to you that the next step, for sure, is to continue monitoring closely to see whether these are true increases in rates or these are true random variations, as many cluster investigations like these have found around the world.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
March 12th, 2009 / 9:35 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Dr. Yacoub, I'm a little bit concerned about what you're suggesting here. Are you suggesting that the only problem with health in Fort Chipewyan is Dr. O'Connor? You're suggesting, first of all, that Health's Canada's response was to file complaints with the College of Physicians and Surgeons. I understand that four of those five complaints were found invalid. The only one outstanding is your complaint that he caused undue alarm. Is it not true that had it not been for Dr. O'Connor's interventions there wouldn't have been any investigation whatsoever initiated into this?
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
The purpose of today's meeting is to research oil sands and the water. None of us is encouraged to cross-examine witnesses in a Perry Mason style of interrogation.
9:35 a.m.
NDP
9:35 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
--is suggesting that Dr. O'Connor did not do his work properly, so I am inquiring about that.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
I have to rule against that point of order, because Ms. Duncan is following up on comments that Mr. Yacoub made. So I will give the floor to Ms. Duncan to continue on with her questioning.
I didn't deduct any time from you for that point of order. Please begin.
9:35 a.m.
Medical Officer, Director, Health Protection, First Nations and Inuit Health, Alberta Region, Department of Health
Thank you for the question.
The number one priority for us in Health Canada is to protect first nations and Inuit health. The response of Health Canada, as soon as Dr. O'Connor phoned us, was to immediately instigate an investigation to follow up on the claims of a cluster of cancers. This was done in cooperation with Dr. O'Connor, and actually it has been three years to the day as of yesterday since we did that. We immediately flew, upon his agreement, to Fort Chipewyan to meet with him, which happened on May 17, 2006, at which time Alberta Health and Wellness, Public Health Agency of Canada, and Health Canada representatives met with Dr. O'Connor to investigate his concerns. At no time did we suggest that his concerns were invalid or anything like that.
We pursued with the college other things that caused us concern, because we are all members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and under our ethical and professional obligations, which we all meet as physicians, we spoke with the college. The college rulings have not been made public. In particular, the one you refer to is still pending investigation.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Is that not because your charge is outstanding? Is it not true that the community of Fort Chipewyan has unanimously asked that Health Canada withdraw that allegation?
9:40 a.m.
Medical Officer, Director, Health Protection, First Nations and Inuit Health, Alberta Region, Department of Health
Health Canada never laid charges.
9:40 a.m.
Medical Officer, Director, Health Protection, First Nations and Inuit Health, Alberta Region, Department of Health
There were complaints, but not charges, and the complaints were based on ethical and professional issues related to conduct.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Thank you.
Dr. Cooper, I am very encouraged by your statement that you think it is very important to focus on the source water and on preventing the contaminants from getting into the river. Does Health Canada, in cooperation with Environment Canada, have any intention of initiating studies on the source water, particularly in the area of Fort Chipewyan, in comparison with water upstream of Fort McMurray?
9:40 a.m.
Director, Water, Air and Climate Change Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Department of Health
I'll probably turn to my colleagues at Environment Canada.
While we very actively promote source water protection as a means of ensuring safe drinking water, we have to rely very extensively on provincial and territorial jurisdictions and the roles of Environment Canada that have a lead in terms of water management in the lakes, rivers and--
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Perhaps Mrs. Wright or someone would respond. I understand that under the Canada Water Act, Environment Canada has an extensive mandate to look at source water and water management.