Evidence of meeting #42 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was provinces.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
And there was no new signal from the new government about whether or not these funds would be restored or increased?
Chief Executive Officer, Regroupement des centres d'artistes autogérés du Québec, Mouvement pour les arts et les lettres
The current government did announce an increase of $20 million for this year, which will end in April 2007, and an increase of $30 million the following year.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
You're not happy with these amounts of $20 million and $30 million?
Chief Executive Officer, Regroupement des centres d'artistes autogérés du Québec, Mouvement pour les arts et les lettres
No, not really, because since it had been established last year and as is still true this year, we need to at least double the budget of the Canada Council, that is, raise it to $300 million. Currently, it's $156 million. It will be $176 million if the $20 million we're expecting any day now are confirmed.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Thank you. Our time is limited.
Dr. Francoeur, I wanted to avoid asking you any questions because I can't pronounce the words "obstetrician" and "gynecologist". However, your three points are very interesting. I wasn't aware of this. I wanted to ask you whether or not this was a matter of provincial jurisdiction.
In the first point of your presentation, you state:
We want the federal government to support the provinces in setting up a Canada access plan that will be comparable from one province to another and that will provide women, who now have an average of 1.4 children—
Does this involve research only, or rather the entire operation of...?
President, Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Quebec
It depends on the position you want to take. We can let the provinces take on the burden of decreeing what is important for the women in that province. To my mind, if we have a Canadian vision, women from coast-to-coast should have access to the same standards.
For example,with regard to prenatal diagnostic, Canadian society is introducing standards that Quebec can never achieve. I've already made many representations in this regard to the Quebec Health minister, Mr. Couillard. He said this was interesting and it would desirable for women to have access to the same things as they do in Europe, but that the money simply wasn't there.
Unfortunately, one can acknowledge that free access no longer exists in Canada, but women have to be told this. In my opinion, the proportion of women of reproductive age who do not require a lot of care compared to younger and older women must be protected and must have access to the available technology.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
I'm sorry, I must interrupt.
Mr. Paquette, you have the floor for five minutes.
Bloc
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Congratulations on your presentations. There's an enormous amount of material here, and unfortunately, we have very little time to discuss it.
My first question is for Ms. Francoeur.
In my opinion, if the federal government assumed its responsibilities for health care funding and if it achieved at least the objectives of the Romanow report, that is 25% of expenditures, that would answer a substantial part of your concerns.
President, Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Quebec
Absolutely.
We are an organization dedicated to defending women's rights. We will try in every way possible to have contemporary, comparable health care to that provided in other countries these days.
When we as doctors, and especially as specialists, go in tertiary centres in other countries, our training is impeccable and the care that's provided is excellent. However, we don't follow the progress and development, be it in terms of reproduction, the genome or prenatal diagnosis, the gap will widen more and more. Unfortunately, this gap quickly becomes exponential, and we'll never catch up. It will be women who suffer, quite simply. Since women represent 50% of the population, they should not be forgotten.
Bloc
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Of course.
Mr. Robitaille made reference to 50% cutbacks to the Museums Assistance Program. Indeed, there were no justifications for this. As you mentioned, there was also an $11.8 million-cut to the public diplomacy program.
My question is for Ms. Hébert, Mr. Robitaille and Mr. Gilbert. The minister has stated that these cutbacks, particularly those for the public diplomacy program, would have no impact on tours by ballet, theatre or orchestra companies. She clearly stated that this would have no impact.
I'd like to hear your opinion on this.
Executive Director, Regroupement québécois de la danse, Mouvement pour les arts et les lettres
We'd like to know the real facts. For example, all the dance companies who applied for grants in August have still not received an answer, despite the fact that they're already in the field, in Europe or Asia. Is there any money left in this envelope or not?
Secondly, those cuts of some $11 million affect international missions and therefore all those who work to promote and supervise Quebec and Canadian artists on the international scene. It's very difficult to evaluate the consequences of these cuts in the medium term, with regard to developing markets and positioning Quebec and Canadian artists on major world stages.
Another topic I'd like to broach is related to the Canada Council for the Arts. If the Council could afford to support international distribution, we wouldn't be currently occupied trying to understand what happens to these funds earmarked for international distribution. There is no evaluation committee; there are no peers. These funds from the Department of Foreign Affairs are managed in an incomprehensible way.
Bloc
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Excellent.
So if I understand correctly, you're asking that the funds made available to the Canada Council for the Arts be doubled. Right now it's $100 million.
In the case of Genome Canada, you're asking for $380 million for the next three years.
Could you remind us of your current level of funding? Why are you asking for $380 million and not $350 million or $400 million?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Genome Canada
To answer your question regarding $380 million requested, a strategic plan was prepared for Industry Canada and, upon request of the department, as is the case for any budget or grant application. The costs are assessed line by line, request by request.
Right now, the financial situation of Genome Canada is simple. Genome Canada is not a federal organization, so we are not part of annual budgetary allocations. We receive money to cover term periods. The last time, it was $225 million for three years. That period ends around September 2007.
As is more or less the case for the Canada Council, when researchers or companies file applications with Genome Canada, there is a process which lasts about a year. They have to describe a grant application, a jury of peers must analyze this, and all that takes a year. The process cannot be started if you don't have the money in the bank.
Right now, there are $7 million left in the coffers of Genome Canada out of the $1.4 billion that we collected over the past six years. We will therefore not be able to operate like this in the future.
It also has to be remembered that Genome Canada—
October 25th, 2006 / 9:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
I'm sorry sir, the time is up.
We must continue by giving the floor to Mr. Luc Harvey.
Welcome, sir. You have five minutes.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
All right, we'll proceed quickly.
First of all, please finish what you were saying.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Genome Canada
It's important from an economic standpoint. Let's say Genome Canada receives $1 from the federal government. We are then under obligation to obtain an equivalent sum from other sources.
We receive $600 million over six years and we collected $840 million from other sources. Believe me, those sources are not the provinces. They contribute about 20% of the total.
When we apply abroad, to foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wallenberg Foundation in Sweden, or Wellcome Trust in London and we want new investments to be made in Canada, we better have money in our bank account.
We currently have $7 million left. It's therefore impossible for us to do—
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
I gave you some extra time, but please don't use it all up.
How many workers are there at Genome Canada exactly?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Genome Canada
Genome Canada has 17 employees. It's an investment fund.
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Genome Canada
We have about 100 projects, and over 2,000 people are directly affected by the contributions of Genome Canada.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
All right.
How much is a vaccine against the human papilloma virus? How much does it cost to treat one person?
Director, Public Health Policy and Government Relations, Merck Frosst Canada Inc.
Right now, in the public health care system, the vaccine is sold for under $134.95 a dose. It's a three-dose treatment. So we're talking about approximately $405.
Conservative