Health Committee on May 14th, 2009

[Morris Rosenberg]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I think this is actually a really important initiative, and it's a really good example of how the federal government can play its role in collaboration not only with the provinces and territories, but also with other partners, basically to get information earlier and more comprehensively on the impact of drugs in the marketplace. It's consistent with the approach we want to take to have a life-cycle approach to drugs. Rather than simply approving them at the front end, we want to actually monitor the performance of pharmaceuticals in the marketplace, as we get more and better information. In fact, we expect to be issuing the first call for projects on the drug safety and effectiveness network this autumn.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond, BC]

Thank you very much.

Do I have more time?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

You have half a minute.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond, BC]

What does Health Canada do for official language minority communities?

[Morris Rosenberg]

Thank you.

We and government think that a really important instrument for reinforcing the strength of official language minority communities is the ability to have health services available in the language of one's choice. So between 2008 and 2013, Health Canada will invest more than $174 million to improve access to health services in the language of choice of the more than 2 million Canadians in official language minority communities. With this investment—

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Thank you, Mr. Rosenberg. Your time is up.

Ms. Wasylycia-Leis, it is your turn.

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

Thank you very much.

I think I should quickly go back to the questions I raised at the end of my last round, one dealing with the request made by the virology lab to actually have an additional $125 million for expansion.

Dr. Butler-Jones, I know you mentioned the $24 million that came out of the $250 million for all federal labs. Does the $24 million deal with the need for space and equipment that scientists and researchers need to prevent their exodus?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

That original look was related to the addition of another high-level pod. That's a long-term planning issue. As some will know, we have acquired a former provincial lab and are currently renovating that. That will free up substantial space for the high-level containment work as well.

In the short term, we are addressing those. In the long term, obviously, we continue to plan.

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

Some of the reports suggest that researchers have left Winnipeg from the national laboratory because of lack of space and resources. Can you confirm that at all?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

We've had movement in and out of the lab in terms of research. It is a premier facility internationally. It's a very attractive place for people to work. People do not spend their whole career in one place. Depending on the nature of their research, sometimes they find somewhere else where they're more comfortable. We see that from time to time.

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

And sometimes they leave with the vials?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

Well, normally, no. In fact, that's an unusual circumstance.

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

Unusual. But you do have $5 million in the supplementary estimates for establishing a stronger safety and security regime to protect the health of Canadians. Is that enough to deal with the risks involved in terms of laboratories?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

This is in relation to the human pathogens legislation and the following regulations, etc., that will go with it. So it's about laboratories across the country.

Again, I just want to say the infectious materials within the lab are secure and people are limited as to who can handle them and see them. This was not an infectious disease issue, but we're examining that as we go forward.

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

Was one of the reasons for the expansion at the laboratory to actually build this facility to test for materials for hospitals that would not carry germs? It would help hospitals deal with infections?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

No, that was simply an increased containment, to add to our containment facility in terms of space. The other that you're referring to is one of the concepts that's been discussed and looked at in terms of other things we might do into the future around research and practical research.

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

Let me ask both of you, Dr. Butler-Jones and Dr. Rosenberg, what other specific steps are being taken to deal with the serious problems of infections being transmitted in hospitals? I'm referring specifically to a report that was done by CUPE in January of this year. Is there any specific strategy to deal with that?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

Yes, certainly. But again, because the application and management of hospitals, etc., are provincial, it really does depend on close collaboration with them and their work. We provide guidelines. We bring together expertise in terms of best practices.

The biggest challenge in hospitals in relation to this is where they do not apply the existing guidelines. It's not about new; it's really about basic things. If doctors and nurses are not washing their hands, we—my colleagues and I—are spreading diseases from patient to patient.

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

On the question of FAS and FASD, the reports referenced in the media earlier suggest that there has been a significant underfunding of the FASD budget. This is based on an ATI, and media covered it quite extensively. Do you have any explanation for the underfunding in this area?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

Essentially, what occurred with the funding in this area is that we have maintained it: there is no change in funding for the program or activities. What we were able to do is decrease the overhead in managing that program.

I think the federal role in this has been clearly recognized in terms of providing guidance, advice, and best practices, and developing guidance so that practitioners can apply it. The provinces have now become increasingly engaged, as have territories, in delivering programs. We help to coordinate that activity, which is an appropriate federal role.

[Morris Rosenberg]

If I could just add to that, FNIHB is obviously involved in that as well. There has been an annual investment of $16.7 million ongoing since 2001-02. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research funds academic institutions for FASD-related research through grants based on priorities and successful applications to the institutes.

Beyond that, I'll say that FASD is a really good example of an issue that transcends the health system and plays on other systems, including justice and corrections. I'm happy to say that working with the Public Health Agency and ourselves are the Department of Justice, the Correctional Service of Canada, and a number of provinces—notably the Yukon Territory—that are very concerned about it. We're trying to come up with a concerted approach to deal with FASD and some of its impacts.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Thank you, Mr. Rosenberg.

We have one more questioner, and that's Mrs. McLeod.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Would the funding for the work that is going to be done on our government's commitment to tobacco, the flavoured tobacco, be under “Strengthen Public Health Capacity”? I would presume that it would be within that budget. If so, where is that particular piece of legislation going?

I know it was a very strong topic within our Bill C-6, but I understand there are some thoughts that it is appropriately in a different place.

[Morris Rosenberg]

Thank you.

As you're aware, there was a campaign commitment made by the Conservative Party with respect to cracking down on flavoured cigarettes: setting minimum packet sizes for cigarillos so they would be less affordable for children; prohibiting flavouring additives that would appeal to children; and banning all tobacco advertising and promotion in print and electronic media that may be viewed and read by youth. That was translated, I think, into a commitment to move forward with legislation, and we're hopeful to move forward with legislation on this very soon.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Great. Thank you.

The other thing we have talked about is some significant increase in terms of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. I understand it will get about $4.5 million more. Could you please chat about what the increase in funding is going to be used for and how it's all going to connect? We certainly know that mental health and the appropriate services have a huge impact in terms of our acute care system. Obviously, dealing more appropriately with mental health issues earlier.... What is the federal role in the Mental Health Commission? Where is it going with the new funding?