Health Committee on June 15th, 2010

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Nunavut, NU]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We're in the process now, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, of identifying how we will spend that funding originally earmarked for the CHVI initiative. Again, that's in partnership with the Gates Foundation, and we'll be making those announcements sometime, perhaps over the summer or in the fall.

Thank you.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

So currently the intention is to keep it for HIV/AIDS work?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Nunavut, NU]

Yes, absolutely.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Thank you.

I was hoping that the minister could tell us what Health Canada or its various agencies are doing to deal with the sale of eggs and sperm in Canada. We know that their sale is illegal, so I'm wondering what Health Canada is doing to combat it.

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Nunavut, NU]

Madam Chair, I'm going to refer that to Dr. Hamm, the chairperson of the agency.

Thank you.

[Dr. John Hamm]

Thank you very much, honourable member, for the question.

The sale of eggs and sperm--reproductive material--in Canada is one of the issues that is addressed in our legislation and our regulations that are to come down on this particular subject. Having said that, even in the absence of regulations, the agency has set up a mechanism whereby it takes complaints, assesses the facts, and then takes the appropriate action. If, in fact, it receives information that this has occurred, then it follows that procedure, and if it is indicated, refers the case to the RCMP.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Are you able to tell the committee if that has happened?

[Dr. John Hamm]

It has.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Thank you.

My next question, regarding CIHR, may actually be for Mr. Beaudet. I have in front of me the 2010-11 main estimates, as well as those of 2009-10. The way it's written out, the money is categorized by different topics, such as health knowledge, health and services advances, and health researchers, in one budget year, but then in another budget year, the categories shift to strategic priority research, commercialization in health research, and national and international partnerships.

I wondering what that shift of priorities is. What's responsible for changing how the money is structured and given out?

[Dr. Alain Beaudet]

It's more a shift in the organization of the presentation than a shift in priorities.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

So what's happening has actually not changed?

[Dr. Alain Beaudet]

No.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Okay.

Can you help me understand commercialization of health research? What is that called now? Which category would that fit into?

[Dr. Alain Beaudet]

We don't have that information here. I'd certainly be happy to forward you the information. It's really a re-shifting of the structuring of the presentation and where it falls.... I can make sure you get it. I just don't have it with me.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Sure. Thanks very much.

I would like to go back to the health minister.

How much time do I have, Madam Chair?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Half a minute in all--question and answer.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Okay.

Minister, we had some questions earlier in which the chair of the board for Assisted Human Reproduction Canada said he would take it under advisement to take back to the committee opening up an audit of Assisted Human Reproduction Canada. Would you be willing to do an audit back further than 2009-10 of Assisted Human Reproduction Canada?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Nunavut, NU]

The chairperson, Dr. Hamm, has, through the board, committed to doing an audit of the organization. I support that. Based on that, I would wait to see what report comes back before I commit to anything beyond that. But at this point in time, the agency has committed to doing the audit for the organization, and I support it.

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

Thank you.

It's Ms. McLeod's turn.

You have 10 minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

To start, for the record, I do have to say that since this committee came into being in this session of Parliament, I have never seen any time where we have denied a witness an opportunity to make an opening statement.

[A voice]

[Inaudible--Editor]

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

We are in a different session. We have 9 to 10 and we have 10 to 11. They are separate sessions.

To deny a witness, and in particular the minister, I think is absolutely disrespectful of this committee and unprecedented. I just needed to say that for the record.

Anyway, to start—

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Joyce Murray]

A point of order, Monsieur Malo.

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

With all due respect to Ms. McLeod, I must say it is not true that we have always given ten minutes to our witnesses for their opening statement, as Mr. Carrie said. On numerous occasions, the committee chair has told witnesses to shorten their presentation and to do so in the time they have been given.

If we want to talk about respecting witnesses, it would be really important to allow witnesses appearing before this committee in the future to make their statement in a period of time that recognizes the fact that they are here in a committee setting.

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

The minister forfeited it. She said her officials could do opening remarks.