Health Committee on May 14th, 2009

[Morris Rosenberg]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Through the 2007 budget, there was a commitment of $130 million over 10 years to establish the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and consistent with the Treasury Board submission, funds allocated to the commission are as follows: $5.5 million in its first year of operation; $7.5 million in 2008-09; and $12 million in 2009-10. We'll increase it to $15 million per year starting in 2010-11.

That approach, that kind of escalating step-wise approach, was established in recognition of the fact that the first three years would be start-up years for the commission. So these incremental increases will assist them in achieving their mandate by maximizing available resources.

The increased funding for this fiscal year will be used to further ongoing activities, including the development of a national mental health strategy, the launch of the anti-stigma, anti-discrimination campaign, and the establishment of a knowledge exchange centre. Funds are also being used to support advisory committee projects and a new “partners for mental health” strategy that was recently developed in response to the need for a strong social movement, volunteer-based, to transform the mental health system.

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

Thank you.

My colleague asked, if I have a minute, if I could let him jump in. So I will hand it over.

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB]

Thank you, and thank you, Madam Chair.

I'm just going to jump in with a question. As our country grows, there are emerging health trends. I just noticed one, because I've been invited to a seminar on diabetes in the South Asian population--Indo-Canadians. Is there something Health Canada is doing to look into whether there are certain cultural communities, such as the Indo-Canadian community, that are, for whatever reason--hereditary or dietary--getting diabetes more than others?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

There are a couple of aspects to that.

One is that ethnicity and risk do go hand in hand with diabetes. The indigenous peoples in North America and around the world, Africans, and presumably South Asians, as you say, have high rates of diabetes. In general, as the population grows bigger, in girth, we are seeing much more diabetes, even in young people, who normally wouldn't have diabetes until they're much older.

There is a lot of research going on about that. A lot of it then also relates to diet and changes of diet. Certainly in the aboriginal community in Canada, as western diets moved west and north, the diabetes epidemic moved with it. So we are coming to understand more about this. We do have a diabetes strategy, working with community organizations and different communities of different backgrounds as well in terms of how to best address that. There are funds available, which community groups can and do apply for, if they meet the criteria, to help deal with that.

The research piece is something that is much broader, but we're also engaged and interested in that and in making sure that people understand just what the research tells us.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Thank you, Dr. Butler-Jones.

That's the end of the second round of questions. The business in front of the committee right now is to pass the estimate votes. We've had one of the committee members request that we not do that business today due to the absence of the tabling of documents she had requested, so we have a choice before us.

I've consulted with the clerks. There is time before the deadline for the completion of the estimates. They must be reported by May 31. We could do the passing of the vote May 28, at the beginning of that meeting, and continue today with one last round of short questions of two to three minutes each, or we could continue and complete the estimates today rather than do more questioning.

I'd like to hear comments from the committee.

Go ahead, Ms. Wasylycia-Leis.

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

Thank you, Madam Chairperson.

I think it would be irresponsible of us to pass or to vote on the estimates when we have not received the information we requested from the department. I would suggest that we hold this over until May 28 and devote at least half an hour of that meeting to estimates, both in terms of dealing with the votes and of having at least one of the officials back to answer any questions about the information we've been waiting for.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Ms. McLeod, would you comment?

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

Madam Chair, although we don't have specific details, we do have the figures, and although I appreciate the frustration of Ms. Wasylycia-Leis in terms of having those specific numbers, I think we should go ahead. I know the staff have made a commitment to get those numbers to her, and I am sure, in terms of consultation, they will provide feedback to her, so I would suggest that we go ahead with our tasks.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Go ahead, Mr. Uppal.

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB]

I'd also like to point out that we did have an opportunity today to discuss it more. In some of my questioning I gave them time to discuss those numbers, and it was open to the committee members to do that with their time as well.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Thank you.

Dr.--

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

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

We had a serious request by this committee to the department for details of $167 million in cuts. A little bit of that may have dribbled out today. We didn't have a chance to analyze it or to ask questions about a serious matter. We should not allow that kind of disregard of a committee's request, and under no circumstances should we be voting on something when we have not had the proper information before us.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Excuse me, Ms. Wasylycia-Leis; this is a discussion about that very issue.

Dr. Butler-Jones, would you like to comment? Then Dr. Duncan will follow.

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

Madam Chair, it's just a technical point. The strategic review is not reflected in these estimates because it was post-estimates. It will be reflected in supplementary estimates, but it's not reflected in the numbers you have before you.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

It has a different deadline. I believe it's at the end of June.

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

I'm not sure exactly what the date for supplementary estimates is, but they will be reflected in the supplementary estimates.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Go ahead, Dr. Duncan.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

I would like to respect my honourable colleague's request as well. We've been told that the numbers are coming, but we haven't seen them. I understand they will be forthcoming, but in order to make informed decisions, I would like to see that information. I also think there are some more questions that need to be asked that haven't been answered.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Would you comment, Dr. Bennett?

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

I believe there has to be some sanction for not fulfilling the request of a parliamentary committee. I think it would be better for us to be able to look at the document that was requested in February before we vote on the estimates.

We can vote on the estimates on May 28. In the meantime, Dr. Duncan has the same question that she has asked about nine times; it has still not been answered to her satisfaction, and I prefer that we use the time doing that.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

As a point of information about the May 28 meeting, there are two large panels. It's an extended meeting to accommodate the health human resources witnesses.

Are there any other comments?

Go ahead, Ms. Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We have the estimates before us; that's what this meeting is for. We've had all of the people here explaining the estimates. We've had every opportunity to ask questions. As Dr. Butler-Jones has stated, the document required is not in these estimates.

I think you should call the question.

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

We might have had some questions; therefore the quality of this afternoon was diminished by the fact that we haven't seen it.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Is there anyone who hasn't had a comment yet?

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

Why are the tourists at this committee trying to direct the work of the committee?