Health Committee on Sept. 29th, 2016

Evidence of meeting #21 for Health in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cost.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Development of a National Pharmacare Program

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Jean-Denis Fréchette Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament

Carleigh Malanik Financial Analyst, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament

Mostafa Askari Assistant Parliamentary Budget Officer, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament

Peter Weltman Senior Director, Costing and Program Analysis, Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament

10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

Mr. Kang, go ahead.

10 a.m.

Liberal

Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB

I agree with Ms. Harder and Mr. Oliver. I think we have some amendments on the floor. I think we should deal with the motion first and maybe amend it; then we send it to the PBO, and the PBO comes back with the amended motion. They can get a better direction from there.

10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

We'll do committee business after the PBO, and we'll discuss that.

Dr. Carrie, go ahead.

10 a.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I agree with everything that was said, but perhaps it would help us out a little to ask the PBO to inform us of what challenges and obstacles they have, perhaps in getting some of the information. You mentioned international data. It may cost a little, but whether we are going to be spending $17 billion or whether there is $7 billion of savings in there and it's $10 billion, it is still a large amount of money. Maybe it would be worthwhile, before we spend $10 billion, to get some good snapshots and ideas of what's going on. They could come back and just give us advice on what their obstacles are in terms of gathering this information for us.

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

All right.

Are there any other comments?

Mr. Kang, go ahead.

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB

Mr. Chair, let's not put the cart before the horse. Let's deal with the motion and send it to the PBO, and then those things will come afterward.

September 29th, 2016 / 10:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bill Casey

Also, we can communicate with the PBO as things unfold here at the committee and provide them with information as it comes forward.

Is that it for everybody? All right.

Thank you very much for coming, and thank you for not just saying, “No, we won't do this.”

The meeting is adjourned.