Health Committee on Feb. 12th, 2008

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

By all means.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

I then proceeded to ask how it was that information that went to an official in a neighbouring department that you work with closely did not get to health department officials and right through to you, the minister, on the day of this crisis. That is the question at hand.

I am not making judgments. I am not second-guessing you. I am asking you, now that you know that you didn't hear something until December 5 that was known to your government on November 22, what you have put in place to make sure you get that information in the future. That's the question.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

I spent twenty minutes answering that question in my opening remarks.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

You have not answered that question.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

We have an expert advisory committee. We have a new protocol. That's how we're answering the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Okay.

Mr. Tilson.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Point of order.

I understand that in these committees there's always a certain amount of leeway for cross-examination, but Ms. Wasylycia-Leis is getting into badgering a minister of the government, and I don't think it's appropriate for this committee to get into that sort of conduct with a minister of the crown.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Oh, who's badgering who?

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

He has stated his position, and she continues to badger him.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you, Mr. Tilson. That's not a point of order. It's a debatable question.

I would ask Ms. Wasylycia-Leis if you would just allow the minister to answer your questions without being interrupted.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

All right. I have a straightforward question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

And you have a minute left.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Yes, let me answer the question. The answer is that we formed an expert advisory group, which is continuing to advise us. And indeed, we're having another big meeting coming up at which we can move forward on this on a proactive basis.

Also, we established a protocol for communications, so I think we've done everything that we need to do to fix what I agree should have been tighter communications within government when the situation became clear. I totally agree with that position, and I've never disagreed with that position.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

All right. Let me ask about the protocol, since we have to look at this and make a report to Parliament about the effectiveness of this strategy.

It seems to me several things are missing. Number one, one of the big problems in this whole issue was that the physicians of nuclear medicine heard from their suppliers. They didn't hear from government. They didn't hear directly. There was no alert.

In your protocol, you tack on your consultation with the health care community at the end of a long list of things you will do once the situation arises. It seems to me that it's not paramount there that you would ensure that you're the first means of communication to the medical community and that your alert goes out expeditiously. I think we need some explanation about the protocol.

My last question simply is--

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

You're running out of time. Could we just have the minister answer that?

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Fair enough.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Sure, I can answer that one and assure this committee that indeed we will be contacting experts and medical practitioners simultaneously as we contact provinces and territories, the Canadian Society of Nuclear Medicine, and the CMA. So we're doing it simultaneously, not after the fact.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Do I have time for one more question?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you.

Ms. Bennett, you had your hand up.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Madam Chair, I wonder if it would be possible for the committee to agree to ask the minister to table the Health Canada clippings from November 22 on, to see if indeed the Canadian Press article of December 1 and the CBC Halifax press report of December 4 were in the clippings. If they were, then someone in the department or in the minister's political office should be held responsible.

They say the department didn't know. I cannot believe those were not in the clippings or in his office.

I would like the Health Canada clippings tabled from November 22 until the day we passed the motion in the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Mr. Fletcher.

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

Madam Chair, I don't think that is an appropriate request at this time.

We want to have our opportunity to ask the minister questions if there is time left, and if there is not time left, the meeting needs to be adjourned. It's that simple.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

If that's a motion, I'll second it, and maybe we can have a vote.

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

No, we'll make it for our next meeting, but we would like to have our time to ask the minister questions if there is time.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

We can just do it as we go along.