Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Let me start by commending you for your questions. They are excellent.
I want to say that I support technological advancements in genomics research. I believe they are key to the future of health care, both in Canada and around the world.
Dr. Meulien, you did not reassure me, however, regarding the problem mentioned by my colleagues, Dr. Fry and Dr. Sellah. They raised the issue of discrimination based on genetic information and the fact that, unlike other developed countries, Canada has no anti-discrimination legislation. I'm glad Dr. Fry talked about private insurers, which you did not discuss. It's a good idea to examine that aspect.
This morning, I met with representatives from a collective of organizations called Neurological Health Charities Canada. They told me just how much discrimination their members can face when they suffer from degenerative neurological conditions. For example, they described discrimination encountered by family members of individuals with Huntington's disease when those family members apply for jobs and attempt to access employer insurance plans.
That kind of review of genomic information could lead to discrimination because not only could the person be denied coverage under a private insurance plan, but the employer could also consider it to be legal. Most people have a private insurance plan to cover various costs that are not paid for under the public system. Someone could be discriminated against for genomic reasons. An employer may not want to hire that person because the employer knows that certain risk factors are inherent to the individual's medical condition, which could end up being very costly for the employer down the road.
You said that a number of people do not agree with you and do not think we are well protected in Canada. You did nothing to reassure me. Can you make a stronger argument than that? Otherwise, I will still have serious reservations.