Health Committee on June 20th, 2006

[Penny Priddy, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It seems to me that across the country people are very concerned about wait times, as is the government, and I think all opposition members. It was certainly one of the platforms of the Conservative Party and the Conservative government. Across the country we are seeing a lot of different kinds of examples of ways in which people have been able to reduce wait times.

Everybody has heard of the Alberta model, or most people have by now, and the Pan Am Clinic in Winnipeg. There are some very innovative models in Quebec. But we mostly hear about them by going to a conference or sitting around a table. There are big ones, but there are also small ones, like my own local hospital, which made quite a difference in wait times through some very simple things.

I'm concerned that we do this, because I think it will help a lot of hospitals that are looking for ways to do this. I am open to any kind of friendly amendment or an amendment to this:

Be it resolved that the Standing Committee on Health call on the Minister of Health to establish within Health Canada a national publicly-accessible database of innovation around reducing wait times within the public system.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

There's the motion.

I believe we have a friendly amendment.

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Yes. By the way, I think this is a very good motion. The intent is certainly very good as well.

Would the mover be open to, after the word “to” after the “Minister of Health”, saying “work with Health Canada and the provinces to create a publicly-accessible database”, blah, blah, blah?

[Penny Priddy, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

I certainly accept the “blah, blah, blah” part, and I consider the other part friendly too.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

You're basically asking for it to be in conjunction with Health Canada and the provinces.

[Penny Priddy, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Right. There may be some other friendly amendments. I don't know.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Is there any discussion on the motion or the amendment? The amendment is part of the motion because it's friendly.

Is there any discussion over here?

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Mr. Chairman, we intend to vote against the amendment and against the motion. We certainly have no desire to give more powers to Health Canada. We already have many reservations about Health Canada and its involvement in various matters. We also wouldn't want to see any undue pressure put on governments that already have innovative, forward-looking policies in place. Each provincial government has different health programs in place to address the specific needs of their populations, given different conditions and demographics. All of this must be taken into account, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

I'm not sure. Just as a clarification, I don't believe it has anything to do with undue authority; it's just a database of excellent innovations, let's say, that have happened across Canada. That's my understanding of the motion or what the mover is asking for.

Is there any other discussion on the motion?

Okay, if it's necessary, Ms. Dhalla.

[Ruby Dhalla, Liberal, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

It's always necessary.

I just want to support the motion. I think having a national, publicly accessible database is important. I know Ms. Demers thinks it's going to put undue pressure on Health Canada, but I think we do need to have targets that are out in the open, and we need to have targets that are achievable. And I would hope that the current Minister of Health and the new Conservative government would make the investments required to ensure there is a wait times guarantee established in this country.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Thank you very much.

Monsieur Laforest.

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

Like Ms. Demers, I too plan to oppose the motion which would only result in an increase in the number of officials at Health Canada. That's certainly not what the Bloc Québécois and the Government of Quebec want to see, since health care is a provincial responsibility.

Moreover, there's talk of a national data base. May I remind you that Quebec refers to itself as a nation, a fact that has been acknowledged by the Government of Quebec. Therefore, as far as Quebec is concerned, the word “national” is used to qualify something that applies to Quebec.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

We understand that.

Okay, very quickly—

[Penny Priddy, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Sorry, I thought that was protocol.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

It is.

[Penny Priddy, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

The motion certainly isn't intended in any way whatsoever to put pressure on anybody; it's intended to take some pressure off, so they don't always have to figure it out for themselves. I don't know how important the word “national” is, or whether removing the word “national” would make any difference to your vote or not.

Secondly, perhaps we could have a word back at some further stage about how you intend to carry it out—if this carries—because if we had to have another level of bureaucracy to do this, my son will offer....

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

So that closes debate on this.

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

I have a beautiful statement I'd like to read, but—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

I'm sure you do, but I think the debate is closed.

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Thank you.

We have two quick housekeeping motions with regard to funding for witnesses again, and I believe Mr. Batters is going to move those.

[Dave Batters, Conservative, Palliser, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to move that the proposed budget in the amount of $10,300 for this study on prescription drugs be adopted.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Okay, Mr. Batters.

[Dave Batters, Conservative, Palliser, SK]

Secondly, Mr. Chair, in reference to our prior meeting on childhood obesity—the last meeting—I move that the proposed budget in the amount of $6,100 for the study on childhood obesity be adopted.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Now we'll go in camera for the study.

[Proceedings continue in camera]