Evidence of meeting #13 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was workers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Are any non-medical masks being sold to the federal government and being distributed across the country as medical-grade equipment?
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
We'll check with procurement about what they have ordered in terms of non-medical equipment. Through my department, the realm that we work in is medical equipment. Anything that's distributed through the Public Health Agency of Canada to provinces and territories has been thoroughly tested or is from a trusted supplier.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Minister, relabelling was mentioned by one of your officials here. Are you aware of relabelling from non-medical equipment to medical equipment? Are you aware of that process within your department, yes or no?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Perhaps I could speak to that issue. That may have been in reference to equipment that is coming from China, in terms of whether or not companies in China have a medical licence that has been granted by the Chinese authorities. That could be in reference to that question.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
There was some relabelling happening to non-medical product as medical product, being distributed across the country by Health Canada. Is that correct?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
In terms of Health Canada's role as a regulatory authority, we would not issue guidance to have non-medical masks relabelled as medical. Should information that this is occurring come to our attention, we would ensure that appropriate compliance and enforcement action is taken immediately.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
One of those factories in China is listed under the list of suppliers under Health Canada, and they have been approved. Some of them are being flagged because of the quality of their product. In reference to that, I will ask the question again: Are you aware of relabelling non-medical products as medical products?
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
In answer to the question, everything that we received through the Public Health Agency of Canada that's redistributed to provinces and territories goes through a verification check for safety and quality here in Canada.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Thank you very much. I'm sorry, but we're completely out of time.
We will now go to Mr. Weiler for six minutes.
Go ahead, please.
Liberal
Patrick Weiler Liberal West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd also like to thank all the witnesses for joining our committee today. Like all Canadians, I am very grateful for the work that you're doing in collaboration with provincial counterparts to help navigate us through this crisis. I'd also be remiss not to thank all of Canada's health care workers for all the work they're doing to help keep Canadians healthy and to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Along with testing, we know that contact tracing is important to get through this pandemic. Minister, how is the Government of Canada working with the provinces and territories to get stronger contact tracing done in Canada?
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
You're absolutely right. We know that contact tracing is a critical component. It's not enough just to test someone. In fact, when they are positive, then you have to figure out whom they've had close contact with to stop the spread of disease. We know that contact tracing is time-consuming and labourious and that many public health units are working flat out to do it as well as they can.
At the Government of Canada level, we have reinforced the capacity of provinces and territories to do contact tracing by training government workers in Statistics Canada to support provinces and territories to do that work. In fact, that is being utilized in Ontario and, I believe, Quebec. We will continue to offer that support to provinces and territories.
It is an incredibly important component of stopping outbreaks.
Liberal
Patrick Weiler Liberal West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Minister, you mentioned some of the research being done and the $158 million that's been invested in that regard. How is Health Canada working with other departments within the federal government on both research on vaccines and treatments for COVID-19?
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
I'll give a few brief comments and then I'll turn to the deputy. We are working with many departments, but most profoundly with Innovation, Science and Economic Development on the research and development of products and equipment that can be sourced and created in Canada, but also on vaccine development and therapeutics.
I'll turn to Deputy Lucas to say a few words about that.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Indeed, building on Minister Hajdu's comments, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency are working with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the National Research Council and other partners not only to do the fundamental research, as Dr. Strong spoke about, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, but also to work to build the manufacturing capacity in Canada to enable that.
Indeed, over $1 billion in funding has been announced, and investments have been made in companies to support the development of candidate treatments and vaccines.
Liberal
Patrick Weiler Liberal West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
That's great.
I know there are at least five distilleries in my riding that are producing hand sanitizer. What work has Health Canada done to get products like hand sanitizer to market faster to address COVID-19 while at the same time protecting the health and safety of Canadians?
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
I'd like to thank the officials at Health Canada and PHAC for working so hard during this pandemic to accelerate processes that would sometimes take much longer. In fact, as of May 16, Health Canada has authorized 80 disinfectants, 2,200 new hand sanitizer products and over 1,500 new site licences for over-the-counter drugs and natural health products.
You can see the speed at which the department is working to ensure that the Canadian companies that are stepping up to be a part of this solution, whether with products or with medical devices, have answers quickly.
Finally, I'll just say that the department also works very closely with these manufacturers and developers to make sure that their products can actually receive Health Canada approval. Sometimes it can be a tweak in a process or a slight change to the formulation that is required, but Health Canada has been extremely hard-working to ensure that these hard-working Canadian companies have the support they need to have success on the licensing end.
Liberal
Patrick Weiler Liberal West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Thank you.
Mr. Chair, how much longer do I have?
Conservative
Liberal
Patrick Weiler Liberal West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
It's West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
Conservative