Finance Committee on Nov. 2nd, 2009

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

When we talk about enhancing, what would that be?

[Marg McAlister]

By $1,000 a year.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Would all that be refundable?

[Marg McAlister]

We would suggest the next step would be to make those credits refundable as well.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Would you have a total amount of how much that would cost?

[Marg McAlister]

No, we don't have that number.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Okay.

I have a quick question for Mr. Maduri in terms of when the next spectrum would come up for the next bidding.

[John Maduri]

I believe the expectation is somewhere around 2011 or 2012.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Wouldn't that be too late? Everybody has been making promises that rural broadband should be available everywhere. Wouldn't that be too late? Isn't there something that could be done in the next little while?

[John Maduri]

Like any business, we have a lot of work to get done in the next three years. But we also have to be looking forward as to how we bring more and more capacity. That is the challenge of broadband. It's not only getting the subscription to the customer, but over time giving them more and more capability.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Mr. Pacetti.

We'll go to Monsieur Laforest.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My question is for Mr. Padmos, from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

You made two or three recommendations. Among other things, you would like the federal government to increase research funding for biomedicine, health and the psychosocial sciences.

Could you explain to us in greater detail what the psychosocial sciences are?

[Dr. Andrew Padmos]

Thank you.

The support referred to in the psycho-social environment refers to those factors that determine health, often referred to as the social environment and the determinants of health. The psychic part of that has to do with the mental health and the psychological diagnoses and conditions. This makes all health matters more significant, more difficult to treat, and more expensive.

Research in these areas has often lagged behind molecular or basic science research, often directed at new drugs or new technologies used to treat. We recommend a balanced approach to research, because it's not only the medication or the procedure, it's the environment, the caregivers, and the system that often make an important difference to the outcome of treatment and care.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Many groups have come to ask the federal government to implement measures or programs to combat poverty. They've told us they've observed a fairly significant correlation in certain segments of the population between increased poverty and the number of psychosocial, even psychiatric illnesses.

Have you also made that observation?

[Dr. Andrew Padmos]

Yes, we do confirm and would endorse the view that there's a direct and linear relationship between poverty, mental health challenges, and the degree of physical health impediments people have.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Thank you.

That's all, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Merci.

We'll go to Mr. Kramp, please.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

I have four questions, if I can get around to them.

I have one quick statement, actually, for the representative from Barrett. I totally agree with you on the broadband, of course. It's absolutely imperative. The days of not having it are gone.

I took a look at my area of eastern Ontario, where we are significantly under-serviced--a $170-million proposal just to prove we're finally going to have some service. It's essential, obviously, for delivering health care right up to a competitive economy.

The one point you made that I take a little bit of issue with is the concept of tax credits to consumers to adopt or buy in--in other words, basically an incentive to participate. Wouldn't that penalize those who are already online?

[John Maduri]

Just quickly, with the example of health records, ultimately we have to get to 100% broadband availability, and I think we're already well down that path.

One hundred percent of Canadians having access to cost-effective and up-to-date computer technology, and one hundred percent of government services online--there are a bunch of one hundred percents we have to get to as a country, if we're going to support things like e-health and medical records online.

I can't speak to the inequity of what it means if somebody bought a computer.... That's not my business. Ultimately we have to be working towards those 400% or 500% that then encourage and make it possible for us, as a country, to have medical records, e-health programs and initiatives, all those sorts of things that make us leaders in the digital world and strengthen economic and social development.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Thank you.

My next question will be to the Association of Canadian Community Colleges. Under the knowledge infrastructure program, we addressed some of the past efficiencies when we went with 70-30 funding, and for the first time dedicated funds to the college system, which we're pleased to see. Traditionally most of the universities have handled the direct R and D. Now you're suggesting that a number of the colleges could participate both in R and D and in incubation, even leading towards commercialization. What gives you the confidence in that statement?

[James Knight]

Thank you for the question.

It's already happening. In our search this year we found almost 3,500 college and private sector partnerships on applied research themes of the nature you just described. This receives almost no support from the Government of Canada. We think it's an important part of the innovation economy.

We have a problem getting our innovations out the door. Colleges are there to help do that, and they are doing it. It's happening spontaneously and with increasing frequency.

By the way, we have done important work on national electronic health records. It's in your document.

Also by the way, it didn't turn out to be 70-30; it was more like 38-62, simply because the demand in colleges is so great. The provinces recognized that, and they twisted your arms to give more to colleges than you expected to.

Thank you.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Thank you.

Ms. McDonald, I appreciate the timing on the Muskoka summit. In your statement you noted that you want us to utilize our G-8 presidency at that time to take concerted and coordinated actions on reproductive, maternal, newborn health. What actions do you have in mind specifically?

[Katherine McDonald]

Specifically, to work with the other leaders of the G-8 and G-20 to put in a framework that would allow them to reach millenium development goal five, which is to reduce the rate of maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. There would have to be immediate accelerated action to fund efforts to eradicate maternal mortality.

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Okay, thank you.

I have a quick question to Ms. Pearson. Following up on the theoretical stretch tax credit led by Imagine, what makes you believe the middle class would be more inclined to contribute, when they've been hardest hit by this recession?

[Hilary Pearson]

I think what is extraordinary about the data on charitable giving is that it's actually the lowest-income people who proportionately give the most of their income. We have every expectation that middle-income Canadians would be generous. They certainly do respond to tax incentives, and they've told us that, so we expect there would be a significant impact from this.