Evidence of meeting #42 for Health in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
We're going to go on to the next question if you can't address the chair, Mr. Dosanjh.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Excuse me, Mr. Dosanjh, this is very rude. I just want you to give the minister a chance to finish her answer, so you can get your answers, please.
Can we continue and then ask your next question? I'll give you extra time here.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Minister, can you try to answer his question right now—if he'll give you a chance.
Conservative
Leona Aglukkaq Conservative Nunavut, NU
Progress has been made under the national pharmaceutical strategy, and the provinces and territories are working on their own priorities. I'll use one example in the Atlantic provinces, where there is a bulk purchasing by three jurisdictions to address some of those types of challenges.
We continue to work with provinces and territories to address our common interest, and the federal government is part of that. We're a huge purchaser of this as well, for first nations health, and we are making progress in increasing access to a number of drug therapies for our population.
In terms of one plan for every jurisdiction, it's not that easy. Each jurisdiction has tackled the national pharmaceutical strategy collectively—British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan being one, the Atlantic provinces being another, and Ontario is examining with Quebec as well.
So there are different steps being undertaken by jurisdictions that deliver health care and have primary responsibility for these programs.
Liberal
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
I thank you very much, and I'm actually coming to the primary responsibility.
I want to ask what progress you have made on the catastrophic drug coverage, nationally, with the provinces.
Secondly, and more importantly, quite often you answer a question in the House by saying it's a provincial responsibility. I want to know your view of the federal role in health care, other than the fact that the federal government deals with public health, delivers aboriginal health, delivers health to the armed forces and the RCMP. I understand that is the federal role, but other than that, what do you think is the federal role in health care?
Conservative
Leona Aglukkaq Conservative Nunavut, NU
Thank you for that question.
I support the Canada Health Act and to implement the Canada Health Act across the country. Health is a collective responsibility—federal, provincial, and territorial—as you know very well. Provinces and territories deliver health care and abide by the Canada Health Act. I'm in full support of the principles of the Canada Health Act, and I will continue to do that.
In addition, this government has also made significant investment in a number of other areas, such as electronic health records and reducing wait times, examples of improving the way provinces and territories deliver health care. We will continue to do that.
Thank you.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Minister, you talked about the $15.7 million for tobacco. I would argue that over the last four years forty cents on the dollar of that has been diverted, and I can provide those figures for you.
What I'm interested in, and what I would like to know, is what warnings were recommended by Health Canada staff, and could those be tabled at this committee, please?
Conservative
Leona Aglukkaq Conservative Nunavut, NU
Thank you for that question.
We did a number of studies across the country on what's most effective in terms of warning labels, tobacco reduction, and what not. Again, through that review, we looked at how to target prevention—young people, contraband, flavoured cigarettes, and so on—and our legislation is an example. We looked at a number of ways to improve the tobacco legislation and labelling.
You cannot address tobacco and cancer rates associated with tobacco by the packaging of a cigarette pack. You have to look at it from the broader context of how we keep the tobacco industry from marketing tobacco to youth—through our legislation, as an example.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Minister, if I may interrupt, these were picked up five minutes away from the Hill this morning. The question I have, and it's a very specific question, is what warnings came forward from the Health Canada staff, and could they be tabled with this committee?
I'll move on to the next question. I'd like to know how much money has been spent on the renewal process and what agreements were in place regarding provincial quit lines, the numbers for which were to be on cigarette packages.
Conservative
Leona Aglukkaq Conservative Nunavut, NU
As I said earlier in response to your colleague's question, I am reviewing how we market and label tobacco before proceeding in light of the fact that we have many ways to advertise and target prevention initiatives. I said I have never taken the renewal of labelling and what not off the table, but I am taking a step back.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a step back to re-examine whether the investment is being made in the right place to make the biggest difference within our prevention strategy for young people.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Minister, I'll ask another question. Given the decline in smoking rates, and the government's goal of reducing smoking prevalence to 12% by next year, how can the government justify reducing program initiatives and expenditures, including the elimination of the mass-media component of the tobacco control strategy ?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
We have, as part of our 2009-10 expenditures, over $40 million directed towards tobacco. That's in addition to what we have seen over time, which is that many partners, including provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, have stepped up local and regional efforts on tobacco.
In fact, the total expenditures are quite significant when you combine the federal expenditures with those of the provinces, territories, and other parties. Again, there is over $40 million in 2009-10 directed towards tobacco. We also have partners in the public safety area, such as the RCMP, which spends additional dollars targeted at contraband.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Before I finish, I'll just bring this to the attention of the minister. You mentioned that the four-year national population health study of neurological conditions would end in March 2013.
Conservative
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
I will, thank you.
Our neurological subcommittee has passed a motion regarding the Year of the Brain. It's a galvanizing effort. Canada is hosting the World Parkinson Congress in 2013, and the European Brain Council will be—
Conservative
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Welcome, Minister.
Madam, Sir, it’s always a pleasure to have you with us to discuss supplementary estimates (B).
Madam Minister, I will not be asking all of the questions on cigarette package warnings that were raised by my Liberal colleagues, but I must say that this announcement floored us. We knew that for many years now, the Department of Health has been reassessing the need for warning labels and, we believed, and I am sure you agree, that this was necessary as businesses tend to avoid repeating the same ad campaign over and over. Businesses well know the importance of changing their ads often, very often, so that they may continue to have an impact. Otherwise, people just don’t notice them anymore.
However, one of the things you mentioned in your response to the Liberal members sticks in my mind. Essentially, you haven’t abandoned but merely suspended the renewing of warnings so as to permit you to study the question as a whole and to present, rapidly I hope, a global plan to ensure that the number of people addicted to tobacco will continue to fall. Indeed, as we all know, cigarettes are harmful.
My question is quite simple. When will you clearly announce your intentions and when will you present, as you say you will, a global intervention plan that will have sufficient clout to address the problems related to tobacco use?