Evidence of meeting #27 for Health in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was know.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Dean Allison
All right. I will just let people know that we're now in public.
I had Ms. Leslie on the list, so we'll work through it, and then we want to get to the letter.
You had a couple of comments, Ms. Leslie. Then I'll see if there's any other business before we adjourn.
Ms. Leslie.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
I just had a couple of things I wanted to share with the committee in light of our round table discussion on nanotechnology.
First of all, there was a question on the order paper to the minister about nanotechnology. I have it here. It's pretty thick, as you can see, but in the answer, there are actually answers to quite a few of the questions that were raised during our round table session. If people are interested in having a look at it, it's question 177. I just wanted to share that with members of the committee.
I also wanted to share another fact. I don't think this came up during our round table, but on March 2, Health Canada actually adopted an “Interim Policy Statement on Health Canada's Working Definition for Nanomaterials”. This is open to the public for comment. So if any of your constituents or if any of you are interested in having a look, they're asking for written feedback to be submitted by August 31.
Finally, still on nanotechnology, I just wanted to share with my colleagues that there is a bill in the House right now, Bill C-494, which is an act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and it is about nanotechnology. It sets up a pretty solid framework about the safe introduction and use of nanotechnology in Canada. I just thought those would be of interest to the committee.
Conservative
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I just want to repeat that Elizabeth Dowdeswell, of the Council of Canadian Academies, did send me a copy of her report on nanotechnology. I think the website is Scienceadvice.ca. It's quite a decent little book. I think we felt that the witnesses last week sort of supported the ideas in there, so maybe we could make sure that all members of the committee get a copy.
Conservative
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
We have the letter to the minister on rare disorders and the letter to the minister on MS, because of the take note debate, and because of the fact that the subcommittee would have to report through this committee to send a letter to the minister.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
It doesn't go to the House. I was just wondering if the committee was willing to send letters to the minister both on rare disorders and on MS.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Dean Allison
I'm just informed by the clerk that the letter for the rare disorders has been drafted and, I believe, sent to the members already, so you should have a draft copy of that. So maybe we're looking at an additional letter as well.
Dr. Carrie.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
I was going to suggest that as we did have the take note debate, I think any members who were in the House were able to articulate their opinions on it. However, if it is the will of the committee, perhaps we should actually have the Subcommittee on Neurological Disease decide if it wants a letter or not or discuss it at that level, because I wasn't at those meetings where you actually had the discussions. Much of the committee was not there. I think that would be something the subcommittee should discuss, and if it would like to bring that forward, so be it.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
I well aware of those two letters because I also sit on the Sub-Committee on Neurological Diseases. However, I just would like to know what would be the process should one want to make changes to those letters. We did not discuss it together and I understand that we will adjourn for the summer. It means that we will not have any other meetings. Shall we wait until fall to produce the two letters or should we submit them to all members through e-mail? This is a very technical question as time is short.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Dean Allison
As a matter of fact, the letter will need to be discussed at committee if it's coming from committee, so it's going to limit what we're able to do in the near future, unless, of course, you decide to meet next week.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Dean Allison
I'm not on this committee. I'm just joking. I'm sorry. I wouldn't do that to you.
I have a list here: Dr. Duncan, Ms. McLeod, and then Dr. Bennett.
Dr. Duncan.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I guess we're concerned that we are breaking, and I know everyone is. Unfortunately, while we're breaking, their disease continues to progress. It is going to mean a potential delay until we get back in the fall. Just because we're breaking...this is not fair. As some of the members on this committee know, there are people who are in hospital dying at the moment. The reality is that 433 people die each year of this disease.
And a three-month delay for some is going to mean the difference between walking and not walking, between living on their own or with assistance. I would really like to ask, because we do not have another meeting of the neurological subcommittee.... There would be a lot of power coming if there were a letter from this committee to the minister asking that....
I think there was a wonderful consensus in the House on Monday night, which is that there needs to be federal and provincial cooperation. One of the strong recommendations is that if the minister could pull the provinces and territories together to work out how to do diagnosis and treatment of this, we could get this moving.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Dean Allison
Thank you.
I have Ms. McLeod, Dr. Bennett, and Dr. Carrie.
Ms. McLeod.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
So in order to facilitate it, given that we are at the nth hour of our committee, perhaps if we agreed that there would be consensus for one member from each party, then we would move forward with it.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
[Inaudible--Editor]...e-mail circulation can--
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I think Dr. Duncan has a sort of draft letter done. I guess I'd just like to know from the clerk whether it can be agreed to by e-mail and then sent to the minister. If everybody signed off on it, would that...? It doesn't have to be tabled in the House or anything. When everybody's comfortable with it, could it be sent?
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Dean Allison
Okay. I guess the question would be that if each person is going to put someone on this, who exactly that group would be and what would form a consensus.... That is a possibility, for sure.
I have Dr. Carrie on the list.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
I'm just wondering about the process. My understanding is that, first of all, the entire committee would have to decide on the letter to send it out. Even if we drafted a letter today, we're not looking to get back together until the fall anyway.
My understanding, as you heard from the testimony—because I know you were there for the full debate—is that the minister is bringing a group of experts together over the summer. I believe there's going to be some type of provincial representation at that think tank that's going to be held over the summer.