First, I want to thank you all so much for your amazing work. A special thank you to those of you who are in B.C. I am a B.C. MP, and I know exactly what time it is there, so I thank you so much for being here with us so early in the morning.
I want to first mention that in 2012, former NDP MP Gravelle introduced Bill C-356, a national dementia strategy, in Parliament. Unfortunately, his bill was defeated in May of 2015 by a single vote. It was a vote of 140 to 139. I think it was a really sad day for many of us. The Canadian Medical Association called this defeat “a lost opportunity to make lasting progress in the serious and growing problem of dementia in Canada”. The bill was opposed by a majority of Conservative MPs, including the member for Niagara Falls, who is the sponsor of today's bill, Bill C-233.
New Democrats, we will support Bill C-233, but it is less ambitious in its scope and implementation provisions than the former Bill C-356. Some of the concerns we have are around the establishment of the advisory board. In Bill C-233 there's a statement that says: “The board is to advise the Minister on any matter related to the health care of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.” But unlike Bill C-356, the legislation offers no remuneration for the work of the advisory board members, nor any reimbursement for travel costs.
I come from a very rural riding, and I understand that the experiences of people across the country are very different. In your view, could this impact the formation and work of a national advisory board?