Evidence of meeting #20 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was obesity.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Yes, and that was my intent when I said that they be given an opportunity to appear. It wasn't to make it definitive. It was to give some suggestions from the list.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Okay, let's drop the list. That gives them freedom. We're going to have four meetings and we're going to....
Okay, everyone's clear, I think, on the intent and the motion, and we will call for the vote, then.
Conservative
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
I could address that as a friendly amendment so that you don't need to vote on the amendment separately, if you would like to do that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Okay, then we'll do it all together, as it's seen as a friendly amendment.
All in favour of the amended motion...?
Pardon me?
NDP
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
That's true, so we're just going with it all included in the motion. This is on the motion that already has a friendly amendment.
The Clerk
I will read it again.
It is proposed “That the Committee undertake four additional meetings, in addition to the current work plan, and that during these final four meetings the Committee hear testimony relating to childhood obesity from experts and representatives”--and I'll put a period there because we're leaving the rest out.
Conservative
Liberal
Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Chair, we should have just kept the original 12 meetings without having to go through this session after session.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Exactly.
Let's go to the second motion, which is Madame Gagnon's motion.
Bloc
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Could we say, for example, given that the committee has decided to undertake four additional meetings, I ask the committee that one of the meetings be set aside to meet with representatives of Health Canada to discuss the food guide? Could we come to such an accommodation?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
You're amending your motion to say that?
The clerk is saying she'll take it exactly as you just said it, from the transcript, and we just have to vote on it.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
That takes us to the last motion.
Ms. Keeper, do you want to introduce it?
Liberal
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
Yes. My motion is that, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Health recommends that the government continue funding the first nations and Inuit tobacco control strategy at the fiscal 2005-06 level and that the chair report the adoption of this motion to the House forthwith.
As we've heard over the past number of weeks, there need to be comprehensive approaches to health, particularly in the aboriginal community. The first nations and Inuit tobacco control strategy has been an effective program. In fact, under the first nations and Inuit health branch, first nations and Inuit people have access to no other funding sources on this issue.
There have been a number of partnerships created throughout the territories and throughout the provinces that have been very effective, including partnerships with the Canadian Lung Association and the Canadian Cancer Society. In fact, the Minister of Health and Social Services for Nunavut has reported that there has been a 12% drop in smoking among youths over the past two years. This program has been a five-year strategy—the commitment was for five years—and with the loss of this money, there will be no dollars for the first nations and Inuit tobacco control strategy in the upcoming fiscal year.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
She has introduced the motion. Mr. Fletcher, do you want to speak to the motion?
Conservative
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
Yes, I'll speak to the motion.
Mr. Chair, I appreciate the member's motion. It is disappointing that we have seen smoking rates increase in the aboriginal community in the last decade or so. In fact, I understand that the smoking rate is up to 60% in one of the youngest demographics, and that was under the previous government.
Canada's new government invests about $2 billion annually in the area of first nation health and Inuit health. We made investments in the last budget that will have a real impact on improving the quality of life of first nations and Inuit, an impact that will be both lasting and measurable. Improving the health of all Canadians is a shared responsibility, and this government is committed to do its part and to work with others. We are equally committed to improving access to health care and close the gap in the health status for aboriginal Canadians.
This government has expressed its commitment to continue working with health professionals and first nations and Inuit representatives to find a better way of improving the health outcomes of first nations and the Inuit. A new approach will require a greater focus on outcomes, and not simply dollars, to make measurable gains that will improve the quality of life and health of first nations and Inuit.
Therefore, we cannot support this motion.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
NDP
Penny Priddy NDP Surrey North, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I find it a bit puzzling. I'm not doubting anybody, but we have one figure from Health Canada about the fact that it has increased, that there's been no success rate. I hear from other organizations working with aboriginal or first nations youth that they are seeing a difference with programs such as BLAST and BLAST 2.
I was very active in the anti-smoking campaign in British Columbia and took a case to court. Given the fact that we saw a drop, it took quite a while, because those messages had been coming out, not just while we had the youth team and were working like that, but those kids had been hearing those messages from television, from posters, and so on. I'm not sure that first nations children had been hearing those messages for quite as long, so to make a decision in that short period of time concerns me.
If it's only about outcome, I have no argument about outcome. If the money is renewed, then certainly there should be outcomes. There should be a way of designing outcomes, but they need to be designed in the context of what has previously happened with those youth.
Bloc
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I agree with what was just said. Earlier, we heard that Health Canada had invested millions of dollars over 30 years in a program it had never assessed. And now, officials want to show that the program that has only been established for a few years does not work, when there has not been enough time to evaluate results. I believe we should give people the opportunity to really use the program, get to know it, take advantage of it and be exposed to the messages enough times to really benefit from it.
I therefore would support the motion.