Evidence of meeting #15 for Health in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
It's because they're not legitimate. If I open a non-legitimate facility selling meat, then wouldn't you inspect me?
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Financial Officer Branch, Department of Health
I'd have to defer to him on that one.
Vice President, Policy and Programs Branch, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
I can certainly answer that. If you are processing meat and distributing it across a provincial or an international boundary without federal registration, we won't come in and inspect you, we'll come in and charge you.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Okay.
We saw this week that students in Woodstock, Ontario, walked out because they had concerns about mental illness. Mental health is not just an issue on indigenous reserves in the country, but it's a concern everywhere. Do these supplementary estimates include any funding commitments specifically to hire mental wellness teams for underserved areas in Canada, and not reserves, but just generally?
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Financial Officer Branch, Department of Health
In the supplementary estimates, no, because our mandate in this area is around first nations health, and it's more a provincial matter in the health care system.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
I'm going to use the 14 seconds. I have a question for Health Canada.
My understanding is that you have a pharmacare program. Mr. Oliver mentioned we're studying pharmacare, and you have a pharmacare program for first nations and Inuit, and you deliver that pharmacare program. Veterans Affairs has a pharmacare program. The RCMP has a pharmacare program. Corrections Canada has a pharmacare program. Citizenship and Immigration has a pharmacare program. I'm not sure who else, but I think there are six of them.
Do you coordinate your pharmacare programs with one formulary? Do you take advantage of bulk buying, or are you all separate?
Director General, Strategic Policy, Planning, and Information, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Department of Health
We do coordinate and we do talk amongst ourselves, most definitely. Obviously, with our population, there are things we're providing. I'll give you an example. For the non-insured health benefits program, a significant portion of that goes to medical transportation benefits. These individuals are in remote and isolated communities. Would that apply to those other groups? Probably not. It's unique to ours. But when things come up that we see would maybe impact other programs, we definitely do talk.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
How do you talk? Do you meet? Do all six organizations meet from time to time or just if something comes up?
Director General, Strategic Policy, Planning, and Information, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Department of Health
For the most part, I think our program is servicing a unique population with unique needs. Our main focus is working with our external partners, to be honest with you. We have a joint review under way right now at the first nations and Inuit health branch with the Assembly of First Nations, and also one with the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
When we do have those areas, it tends to be more a case when, for example, a new medicine comes on, maybe a very costly one. That is when, yes, we will reach out to one another to find out what each department is doing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
Okay.
I have another question for you, Mr. Mayers. I notice you got an increase in your budget this year. About two weeks ago, the CFIA office in Truro, Nova Scotia, announced a cutback in services for hours and delivery of service to seafood processors. This creates a real food safety risk for seafood production and makes the processors not as competitive.
Is that a national cut, or is it a local decision? Would you know that?
Vice President, Policy and Programs Branch, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
I wouldn't know the specifics of that particular issue. We do adjust inspection frequencies based on risk in different parts of the country, dependent on, for example, the level of production, the type of production, and where the product is intended to go.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bill Casey
Thank you very much. That completes our public round on today's agenda.
We will now move in camera for some committee business.
[Proceedings continue in camera]