Health Committee on Dec. 2nd, 2009

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

I think that's for me.

Thank you very much for the question.

As it relates to the estimates, the resource is from the contingency fund. Of the original $1 billion, $600 million was dedicated to us, CFIA, and Health Canada for preparation around the pandemic, including cost-sharing, purchase of the stockpile of antivirals, planning for first nations, and a whole range of activities that has put us in a better position to respond once we face it.

In addition, $80 million a year was a revolving contingency fund that would allow a rapid response in terms of access to resources. We accessed the first $80 million, and you can see that reflected in the estimates here. That has allowed us again to beef up our response and to respond more effectively to it, whether it's in communications or in other ways.

In addition to that there is, as you know, the funding for the vaccine. There have been some substantial investments, all of which has put Canada in a much better place.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

You have some more time, Mr. Uppal, if you would like it.

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

No, I'm fine.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you.

Monsieur Dufour.

[Nicolas Dufour, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Things are moving more quickly than we imagined.

Mr. Rosenberg, during her presentation, the minister talked about bill C-32. I have always been very concerned by the economic issues. We understood that the bill could create some problems, on the international front as far as the WTO is concerned, given that it may violate certain WTO rules.

I would like to know how you see this issue. Will we make it enough of a priority to ensure that it complies with international rules?

[Morris Rosenberg]

Thank you for your question. First of all I want to make it clear that whenever we develop a policy and legislation, we ask ourselves if it complies with our international trade obligations. We did this in the case of bill C-32. I think that NAFTA and the former GATT recognize that there are exceptions for valid reasons, such as health and safety concerns.

Given all of the evidence we have of the damage caused to children and adolescents by tobacco, in my opinion—and according to experts in that domain—the measures contained in this bill are justified.

[Nicolas Dufour, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

In your opinion, there won't be any repercussions if we take this position.

[Morris Rosenberg]

There are two issues; we have to make the distinction. Can someone try and attack Canada on that? I have no control over that. On the other hand, do we believe we are in a good position to justify and defend the law? I believe we are. Can I guarantee anything? The answer is no, obviously. In a litigious world, we cannot guarantee anything, but I believe we have adopted a position in good faith, which in this case is reasonable and totally justified.

[Nicolas Dufour, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Thank you for your answer. This is an important issue, and your position is comforting, at the very least.

Last week, we met with Ms. Sheila Fraser, the Auditor General of Canada. Her report on the Canada Health Infoway stated that specialists estimated the total cost of implementing a national system of electronic health records at more than $10 billion, which is also the opinion of Canada Health Infoway. Until now, the federal government has invested $1.2 billion in this Health Infoway file.

Does the federal government intend to continue providing the necessary resources to Quebec and other provinces for the Infoway project?

[Morris Rosenberg]

We recognize that the Infoway is a project that has to be done in stages. All of the experts recognize the need to move forward carefully as far as managing these resources are concerned, and we want to see progress in one stage before moving on to the next. We believe, as does the Auditor General, I think, that the Infoway management practices comply with that, all in all. It is not perfect. No report by the Auditor General give any organization a mark of 100%. There are shortcomings that need to be dealt with. They are in the process of doing so and we are working alongside them.

I therefore cannot make any commitment. I am not the government, but we are working with Infoway to seriously carry out this work and try to make progress.

[Nicolas Dufour, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

In the end, the government is going to move step by step in order to ensure that everything is done appropriately, before sending extra funds to the provinces to finish setting up the program.

[Morris Rosenberg]

Yes, there are lessons to be learned from other less positive experiences with large information projects and, especially, recent experiences in Ontario that give us good reason to be increasingly prudent.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Thank you so much, Mr. Rosenberg.

We will now go to Mr. Brown.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

My first question is on the $1 million for the modernization of the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, for the Public Health Agency of Canada. Could you explain what the benefits of this investment are?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joy Smith]

Dr. Butler-Jones.

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

That's actually just part of a project to modernize the handling facilities there to basically improve efficiency and throughput.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

I remember last year, when we were looking at estimates, one of the biggest areas of growth was the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. I notice there doesn't appear to be changes this year. Were you satisfied in the last year with how their increase was utilized? I remember there were several questions around the table last year when we did the supplementary estimates.

[Morris Rosenberg]

There is nothing in these supplementary estimates this year on the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. My recollection was that there had been, after years of steady state operation, a significant shift, or a significant increase, in the number of contested proceedings that were taking place before that board, and that the amount in the estimates was really meant to deal with that workload increase. My sense is that has ameliorated the situation.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

A couple of things stuck out for me when I was looking at the estimates on page 177: transfers for a renewed Canadian task force on preventive health care and funds to establish an influenza research network.

I'm curious about those two investments and what they entail.

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

The preventive services task force some of you will remember, and those of us who are physicians who were training in the seventies and eighties. Canada was a leader in guidelines around preventive services in clinical practice. That was a compendium that was developed, a process that was developed. It's now been renewed and focused on not simply the production of guidelines but also the dissemination, application, etc. We're really quite excited about this moving forward. In addition, it will also look at broader community-based programming as well, which again I think will take it to the next level.

In terms of the pandemic research network, that is related to what we're in the midst of now, with some additional resources to look at different groups with immunization, the effect of immunization, response in different populations, everything from pregnant women to persons of aboriginal descent, etc.

Again, as others have spoken to before, research in the midst of the pandemic is really key to understand it, and this will help to elucidate a lot of questions as we move forward, dealing with infectious diseases generally but specifically with influenza, about which we need to know much more.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

There was a lot of interest around the table with neurological disorders. We have a subcommittee on neurological disorders now.

I notice on page 99 of the supplementary estimates that there is $2.885 million for the study of neurological diseases. Could you, or whoever is appropriate, maybe expand on that to let us know the benefits of that investment? That's for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

There are a couple of things, one around lung disease and the other around neurological diseases, and $15 million over four years for a study on neurological diseases, really to get some important baseline data, understanding of prevalence, risk factors, use of health services, economic costs, and really to get a more comprehensive understanding of neurological diseases, their impact, risk, and how you might actually intervene. That will set the stage, then, for future work moving forward.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

What is the relationship of the national lung health framework and the neurological study?

[Dr. David Butler-Jones]

They're two separate things. One is the national lung health framework in terms of looking at issues for management of lung disease, prevention of lung disease, and so on. That's one project. Then there are the neurological diseases.

Those were two chronic-disease focuses that came together at the same time, but they are separate processes.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Thank you.