Finance Committee on Dec. 3rd, 2007

[Kaaren Neufeld]

I would say practically, no problems, simply that it's not moving fast enough. We seem to be having great difficulty moving information and communication technology into the health sector.

It boggles our minds at times, why it seems to be so difficult to move that into a sector where, if we were able to improve access, that is one of the things that would make the productivity and the efficiency of our sector work so much better.

It is difficult for a family physician to have access to information when his patient is admitted to a hospital in this country. Once you have fragmentation of care like that, it's hard to have the kind of coordinated system that we need. But we are supportive of--

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

So it's not fast enough. That's the answer I'm looking for, to be brief. Thank you.

Ms. Jessen, how do we reconcile this climate change versus preservation? Obviously, marine life, water, wilderness, ocean, marine, all of this is being affected by climate change. It's not a secret. But investing money trying to preserve our wilderness and water and things like that, will it really help? It's a natural phenomenon. Are we fighting climate change, or what will the investment do in trying to preserve our environment?

[Sabine Jessen]

What the scientists are saying is that ecosystems that are more intact and have what they would call more resilience can actually better withstand the impacts of climate change.

As well, if you have networks of protected areas and you have connected the protected areas across the landscape by doing things like that, you provide for some mobility among the species that are being affected by climate change, so there are places where they can still go.

The other aspect of climate change on the terrestrial side is that our forests store a huge amount of carbon. By keeping that carbon there in the forests, that is actually a mitigation aspect. So there's the adaptation side--

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

So to control the habitat a little bit better.

[Sabine Jessen]

Yes.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

What I'm envisioning is what happens if the north begins to be affected, what do we do with our polar bears? If we bring them down south, that's kind of tough. Do we bring them farther up north?

[Sabine Jessen]

It's not going to save every species, and it's going to depend then on how far climate change goes and how severe the impacts are we face. We're not going to save all the species. I too am worried that maybe that one is not going to make it unless we do something soon.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

Thank you.

Mr. Salmon, you spoke about Bill C-293. My colleague, Mr. McKay, is the sponsor of the bill. I assume you're in favour of it, but have you heard why it hasn't been moving more quickly?

[Blaise Salmon]

Yes, there's been some discussion. It seems that actually all parties are basically in favour, but it may be more of a partisan thing. It did almost make it through the Senate once, then when the throne speech started, they had to start again. Now it's....

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

But you haven't heard anything other than what we've heard.

Quickly, and this may be more a philosophical question, how do you reconcile your request for international aid and increasing the aid or specific aid for international purposes when you have somebody sitting to your right who has some domestic issues or national issues? How do we reconcile that?

[Blaise Salmon]

I think with the surplus, which will be close to $20 billion, there's enough to go around.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

That's the rumour.

[Blaise Salmon]

Certainly the bulk of it will stay in Canada.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

There should be enough money to go around.

[Blaise Salmon]

Yes.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Massimo Pacetti]

On that note, I want to thank all the witnesses. This is our last panel in the city of Victoria. Thank you for hosting us. We look forward to meeting you in the future.

The meeting is adjourned.