Evidence of meeting #28 for Health in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pet.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Rob Beanlands  Director, National Cardiac PET Centre, Chief of Cardiac Imaging, University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Jean-Luc Urbain  President, Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine
Terrence Ruddy  Professor, Medicine and Radiology, Chief of Radiology, Director of Nuclear Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute
François Lamoureux  President, Quebec Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists
Albert Driedger  Emeritus Professor, University of Western Ontario
Sandy McEwan  Medical Advisor to the Minister of Health, As an Individual

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Thank you.

Yes.

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

On a point of order, Madam Chair, I'm wondering if I could just test the floor of the committee to see if there's unanimous consent for the following motion, that pursuant to the current isotope crisis, the Standing Committee on Health recommends that the Government of Canada immediately convene an international expert panel to advise on the potential of MAPLE 1 and 2 reactors to produce isotopes within a reasonable period of time.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Mr. Trost.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

Madam Chair, I'm not sure if Ms. Wasylycia-Leis understands the difference between the health committee and the natural resources committee. This is a natural resources motion that she was putting forward.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

She's been here a bit longer than you.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

Yes, I do understand committees can do anything they want. But this issue is being debated. There have been expert witnesses at the natural resources committee. There have been nuclear engineers. There have been physicists there, TRIUMF. The reactor people from McMaster in Hamilton have been there. There's been ample discussion over at the natural resources committee.

As I noted earlier today, AECL actually did go outside of its own expertise and sought international expertise to consult on the MAPLEs. So I think Ms. Wasylycia-Leis should research some of those items before she moves such a motion.

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

Madam Chair, on that issue--

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Is there consent to deal with the motion?

5:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

There's no consent.

I want to say to our guests--

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

I have one. Let me try one.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Excuse me, I want to--

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

On a point of order.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

No, just excuse me for a minute while I say something.

I want to thank the people for coming today. You've been just--

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

I don't think you get to do that when I have a point of order, Madam Chair, with due respect.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

You know, I would like this committee to have the decorum we need to have. We don't need to do political things here right now. What we need to do--

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

It's not a political thing; it's that I asked Dr. McEwan if he would table or map out the source and supply alternatives and the capacity to help across the country. I think there has been consent for this around the committee. I think it would really be helpful to all Canadians to just know that there is this central place that's tracking all of this. With unanimous consent, it would be fantastic if everybody would agree that we would ask for that mapping and for Dr. McEwan to be able to do it.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Mr. Trost.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

I'm not quite sure. Is she just asking for the gentleman to table his report that he already has produced, or is she making a motion to ask him to produce such a given item? I'm not quite sure what Dr. Bennett is asking.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Do we have unanimous consent to table this?

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

No, not until I know what I'm being asked. I'm opposed.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

I think it's what Ms. McLeod had described. It would be very important for the people of Canada to know where the 245 sites across the country get their isotopes from and how much they're expecting over the next number of months. They should know what their access to alternatives like PET scanning would be, and their capacity--like in Quebec, for Gatineau to help Ottawa or whatever it needs to be. It's just so there is a feeling of a plan on a monthly basis, so that people can get us through this short-term time.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Dr. Carrie.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

I am just going to ask if she is trying to move a motion on a point of order. Is that what we're doing here?

5:30 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

She's seeking unanimous consent for the point of order.