Health Committee on May 7th, 2015

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

I'd be happy to do that.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

If I can just complete my comment—

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

The increase is now 30% in terms of increases—

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Perhaps you could provide us with the information in health care for the aboriginal file, Minister Ambrose.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Again, we deliver health care with the provinces for first nations. In terms of the funding that has gone into first nations health from the first nations and Inuit health branch at Health Canada, there's now an increase of 30%.

In terms of what appears in the estimates, Simon can go through the technical aspect of that, but there is no decrease. In fact, there is an increase of $168 million, and I would encourage you to ask him to explain that technicality to you so that you can see—

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Absolutely, and I would welcome that material, if you could present it in writing to our committee here.

I do want to single out one of the programs that was proven to be very successful and falls under this category that you referred to as sunsetting, which you've said is not cutting, and which I think anybody in the universe that sees the value of these programs sees as cuts. I refer to the strengthening families maternal child health program, an incredible program in Manitoba, seen as a best practice. I was told it would be sunsetted despite the fact that it responds to a major need regarding maternal and child health on first nations, a supposed priority of this government certainly when it comes to anyone outside of Canada.

So I'm wondering, here's an example of an indigenous-led health program that should be supported and grown, and instead your government deprioritized it. Will you provide stable and secure funding for this program in the future and certainly see fit to support similar programs focused on maternal child health in indigenous communities across the country?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Yes. We have made generous investments around the issue of maternal and child health on first nations. If you are referring to a program that is delivered on first nations, yes, it sunsetted but it's been renewed, so it will be in the supplementary estimates. That's what I was referring to. It might look like there's a reduction in the estimates, but we have renewed these programs under the federal aboriginal health program initiative. They were sunsetted, but they will appear in the supplementary estimates.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

That's great news. When will that begin being delivered?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Well, there's a renewal, so the funding will continue to be renewed and it will continue to be delivered.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

It's currently not being delivered in the context that was illustrated.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

We're happy to look into this specifically, but if it's a Health Canada program, the renewal will be there.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

I'd certainly appreciate the particular attention to that.

I do want to go back to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

Ms. Ashton, we're at five minutes.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

Thank you.

Okay, Mr. Lizon, go ahead, sir.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

How much time do I have, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

You keep going and I'll tell you when you're done.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Okay. It doesn't look like I have much time.

Thank you very much, Minister, and all the officials, for coming. I'll ask a very quick question.

Minister, I would like to ask you if you could update this committee on the tripartite agreement that's been in place in B.C. for about a year. I know you've been to B.C. to discuss it. Please update us. What changes do you see in the first nations in B.C.?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Sir, I'd be happy to. In fact, I am a very enthusiastic supporter of what's happening in British Columbia, and I believe very strongly that this is the policy answer for other first nations, provincial governments, and Health Canada for the delivery of health care to first nations. It's progressive, it's groundbreaking, it's integrated, and it is doing fantastic things in terms of empowering the first nations members to not only be accountable for their own health but actually be involved in the creation of their own health programs.

The transfer happened, of course, in late 2013, where British Columbia first nations now have responsibility for their own health services. Health Canada still provides the funding, and Health Canada in no way has left the table. Health Canada is there every step of the way, working with the First Nations Health Authority and the provincial government to integrate the services at the provincial level.

But what this means now is that when the Province of British Columbia speaks about health, it says it has seven health authorities, and it includes the First Nations Health Authority in all of its plans as a government when it comes to first nations health. The funding is in no way offloaded. We still are providing the funding, but it's a really transformative, fantastic way to integrate health services in a way that empowers first nations communities and integrates them into what is really the health service delivery model of the province.

We're hoping to have conversations. I've spoken to all of my health minister colleagues across the country. We are hoping to sit down soon with Saskatchewan to discuss the same model. We have been encouraged by Manitoba, but we haven't had conversations with them yet, We've discussed this with first nations in Alberta.

It's a big undertaking, but British Columbia, the first nations in British Columbia, and Grand Chief Doug Kelly have proven that it can be done. We're at the one-year anniversary, and we're seeing some very good, positive results. I met with the committee and the health authority on Monday, and I'm just absolutely thrilled to see the enthusiasm at the community level to take charge of their own health. It's really excellent.

We hope that other provinces will also be interested in talking to us about this same model.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Would you say this is a model that can be adopted across the country to provide health care for first nations?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Every province is unique. All the aboriginal communities would have to come together. It may not be exactly like British Columbia, but it is an excellent model, and we're already seeing really great things happen on the ground there. I think it's a model to be emulated, and I'm very hopeful that other provinces will start the conversation and stop the haggling over constitutional jurisdiction and start to think about the fact that every aboriginal person who lives in their province is a citizen of their province. We need to focus on that and the delivery of health care to them as opposed to who's responsible and the finger pointing. I'm very hopeful we'll be able to do that.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

Thank you very much, Mr. Lizon.

Thank you very much, Minister.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

You actually stayed a little bit over time, so we appreciate that.

We will suspend for a minute or two and then we'll come right back.