Evidence of meeting #4 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was programs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Yes.
As I mentioned in answer to the previous question, Mr. Chair, we do believe that there will be better reporting to parliamentarians in the new method, but as we transfer from one to the other it is a difficult comparison to make this year. It is absolutely the case that it's not a 400-and-some per cent increase; it is just a movement from one reporting system to align to the new PAA.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So if I work hard enough I could add up those numbers somewhere else in deductions, or did they move from other departments to you?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
No, in the first nations situation, this is a realignment within Health Canada.
NDP
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm happy to be at this committee one more time under your able leadership.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
I wanted to come back to the issue that Mr. Wallace raised, as I am a little concerned.
When I look at the supplementary estimates and you take the three programs that are laid out, it appears to me that there's actually a reduction in the funding when you compare it to 2010-11 programs that were linked to first nations and Inuit people.
Can you confirm that the numbers in the estimates, even though they're in three different sectors, are actually a clear reduction in the funding allocated to first nations and Inuit people compared to the estimates in 2010-11?
I certainly understand that there may be supplementary estimates coming forward and that it is demand-driven. It's very clear to me, though, when you look at the estimates, that we are looking at a reduction.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
If you do a comparison of main estimates to main estimates, there are two areas in the department. You will see that the Department of Health is down by $75 million overall. Most of that is in the regulatory area because of the money that was subsequently announced and renewed in the budget.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Some of it is in the first nations area. Again, these are demand-driven programs. There's no change to the program, but the estimate and the final sense of how much we will put forward and expect to spend on those programs in 2011-12 will be coming forward in the supplementary estimates in the fall.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you for responding to that question.
So it is a net reduction in the main estimates. Can you confirm what the amount was for the supplementary estimates in 2010-11 for first nations and Inuit health programs?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
I don't have that figure at my fingertips. What I do recall for 2010-11 is that, as I mentioned, we had a number of programs that sunsetted, Mr. Chair, in that year. So again, some of those moneys came forward in the supplementary estimates. I have this year's mains in front of me, but I don't have last year's supplementaries.
We could certainly bring that forward to the committee, Mr. Chair.
Jamie Tibbetts Chief Financial Officer, Department of Health
I don't have the specific number. I can submit that to you shortly. Some of the things that were topped up were....
Oh, some of it's being handed to me here.
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Health
Yes.
I'm going to have to have a second to read this.
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Health
You can go back to it.
As the deputy was saying, the mains over mains, when you compare them, have gone down by $75 million, and each year we do come in with certain top-ups or program adjustments, as described.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Well, as you can understand, we're very concerned, given that there is an increase in the need for services for first nations peoples and Inuit. That we're actually looking at a net reduction in the main estimates is a matter of some concern. Perhaps you can bring the supplementaries from 2010-11 back to us when you get those figures.
My second question is around the environmental risk programs. There's been a substantial cut there as well. I'm wondering what evaluation Health Canada has done in cutting back what is a significant program around environmental risks. Was there an evaluation done of the program? What are the impacts of a significant cut in funding to that program, and what are the health impacts on Canadians?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Thank you very much for the question.
I want to reassure the committee members, Mr. Chair, that we are talking about a timing and a budget process on both of these questions. I would not want first nations people listening to this committee to be concerned that in fact there had been a reduction in the programs as outlined. This is a timing question. Some figures get reflected in the main estimates and some get reflected in the supplementary estimates. As I said, there is no change in the program, no change in this current year in any of the programs that are being cited. Again, I would not want anyone listening or following these proceedings to take what is essentially a budget mechanism issue with government budgeting about timing to think in any way that the programs had been reduced, because that's simply not the case.
Again, the situation on the environmental risk, as mentioned, is the same situation where these estimates...when we compare them to main estimates last year, we were at the end of the sunsetting programs for environmental assessment. Those have been reviewed, as was announced in Budget 2011, and the government has committed $200 million for the renewal of those programs on a go-forward basis over a number of years. The majority of it comes to Health Canada, but we work in close partnership with Environment Canada and some other departments, so that money will be allocated. I can assure the committee that we will see that budget figure reflected in individual departmental supplementary estimates.
Conservative
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the deputy minister and the other health officials who have come to this committee today to present.
I'm very pleased with the $27 million mental health initiative that was recently announced by our government to address programs for youth at a higher risk of developing mental health problems because of their socio-economic status. As you know, 3.2 million youth in this country are at risk of depressive episodes, episodes that clearly take them out of school and put them in at-risk situations because of this mental health epidemic, I would say, that's beginning to grow in Canada. I know Senator Ogilvie has put together a caucus on depression and mental health to examine and research the different aspects of it, and many of our top doctors in this country are examining this very suppressive kind of problem that is happening among our youth. The 12-year-old to 19-year-old youth in this country are the ones who are suffering from this depression.
I noticed also in the estimates that there are moneys for programs around Inuit and first nations communities to support people and youngsters who were an indirect or direct result of the residential schools. I know now they're older, but they're children of parents who had that experience, so it has a domino effect.
Could the officials please elaborate on this newly announced initiative and how the networks connect between at-risk youth and aboriginal and Inuit youth, and how our government is addressing that? I think this is relatively new on the public radar screen. I think it's prudent to have some focus on that spotlight.
Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
Thanks very much for the question.
This is primarily for the information of members who haven't sat at the health committee. Every portfolio is structured a little bit differently. In some portfolios, agencies, the financing is done by the lead department, etc. In our health portfolio we actually have separate accountabilities. We're a departmental structured entity, so for the budget items, etc., that are part of the Public Health Agency, I'm the accounting officer related to them. For CIHR it's Dr. Beaudet. That's just for your information as background.
On the mental health piece, I'll start and then Glenda will pick up with the first nations piece.
On the $27 million that was announced, there are two aspects. One is that obviously health services are provincial, and we work very closely as a portfolio with our provincial and territorial partners around how, as a country, we can address issues collectively where that makes sense, particularly on public health issues. The $27 million, though, is specifically focused, as you identified, in terms of low socio-economic status in rural and northern communities, aboriginal communities. We'll address issues such as bullying, change in law, substance abuse, and suicide and look at really strengthening how we can, through some strategic investments and supports, actually promote and support so that people have the kind of living situation that makes them less likely to have mental health challenges later on.
