Evidence of meeting #24 for Health in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was women.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Who would like to take that question or that comment, and make a comment on it? There's one minute left.
Dr. Ureten, would you like to address that?
Founder and President, VIP Breast Imaging
Well, staffing is a problem everywhere. I would still say we can train or educate women, maybe not using health care professionals, but using real survivors.
I was really surprised in October and November when I attended two women's health shows. I couldn't believe there were so many Susans and Feathers out there. They approached me and said, “I am a survivor. My cancer was missed by a mammogram and it was diagnosed at a later stage.”
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Thank you very much, Dr. Ureten.
I want to thank all the witnesses for their presentations today. It's been very insightful and very helpful to a lot of people. And of course I want to thank and congratulate Mr. Brown for bringing this to the forefront. This is a very important discussion this morning.
We're going to suspend for one minute. The witnesses may stay, but please take your seats elsewhere. I would like the committee to prepare for the clause-by-clause.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
I call the committee back now, and I will ask the witnesses not to carry on conversations during this time if they wish to stay, because we do need to get to this bill and get it organized.
Let's take a look at the bill right now, committee.
Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), we're going to postpone the preamble and the short title.
We will now go into the amendments. We have the first amendment here in a package, and we have a subsequent amendment that will be added on at the bottom. So for the NDP, on page 1, the first amendment is brought forward by Ms. Quach.
Would you like to speak to it, Mr. Quach?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Excuse me one minute. Does everybody have this package in front of them? I want to make sure you all have it. This is what we're working from to deal with these amendments. I notice some of you don't have them out, so I'll start over again.
Ms. Quach, go ahead.
NDP
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
It is just to make sure that it will be considered for all women. As we were saying earlier, there is a lack of information among women with denser breast tissue, but there is also a lack of information among Canadians in general. Mr. Cole came to testify to the fact that this is an area where even men could help.
If everyone could be aware of the consequences of heterogeneous or dense breast tissue, I think it would be useful.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
I want to thank my colleague for her amendments. We have looked them over, and I appreciate her getting them to us in a prompt manner, but we don't support the amendments to the bill.
The amendments would change the intent and scope of the bill.
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Madam Chair, are we not just dealing with one amendment? I think we should just focus on the one—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
We're doing one amendment. Be patient, Ms. Davies.
Dr. Carrie, we'll focus on just this amendment right now.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Okay.
Basically, it would force the federal and provincial governments to spend money on surveys, information gathering, and on awareness campaigns. The bill, as it stands now, raises awareness of dense breast tissue with existing resources and funding.
As Mr. Brown was saying earlier, it's very important that the bill gets through as it is. Otherwise, women with dense breast tissue become the side thought, whereas the original purpose of the bill was to raise awareness of dense breast tissue. The provinces and territories already have policies in place to screen women with breast cancer.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
I'm just trying to get to people. Other hands have gone up, so you kind of just have to trust me to put the names down--
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Okay. I thought you were moving on to the next one.
So on this amendment--
Conservative
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
So on this amendment, I'm actually not clear, Mr. Carrie, why you think this amendment is beyond the scope of the bill. My understanding of the amendment, as Ms. Quach explained it, is to ensure that just as we want to make women who have dense breast tissue aware, we need to make sure that this is part of the overall screening--so for all women.
I think it's really just a clarification. I cannot see how it changes the scope of the bill. I'd ask you to offer some direct evidence or something about how it changes the scope of the bill. I think it's more of a clarification to make sure that it includes all breast screening.
If we could maybe get that--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Dr. Fry is next on the list. Would you mind just holding your comments for a moment?
Dr. Fry.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
Thank you.
I just wanted to suggest that I agree: it does change the scope of the bill. The bill at its very inception, as shown on the very first page, says it's “An Act respecting the awareness of screening among women with dense breast tissue”. So to move into breast cancer screening in general really does change the scope and the intent of the bill.
I can't support this either.
Conservative