Health Committee on March 31st, 2020

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Dr. Jaczek.

We go now to Mr. Thériault for two and a half minutes, please.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you.

We know that the key to success in fighting the coronavirus is the ability to act quickly.

Mr. Lucas, you mentioned earlier that companies could register online. What I'm interested in is how many companies have been converted so far? How many companies have received permission to convert and how many are waiting at this time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

This question is to whom?

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

The question is for Mr. Lucas.

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, with work supported by the National Research Council, as I've noted, has received well over 3,000 indications of companies that have an ability to contribute to domestic supply production. Each of those is being looked at rapidly. A number of—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

I'm sorry to interrupt, but how many have been converted as we speak?

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Today and in recent days the Prime Minister has announced a number of companies that are producing equipment. Thornhill Medical, Medicom and Spartan are three examples. Others are being looked at to ramp up production, from ventilators to masks.

We're certainly happy to provide further information as it becomes available. All opportunities are being looked at aggressively. In particular, where they're ready to go to production, we will secure production orders and procure those products.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Go ahead, Mr. Thériault. You have a few more seconds.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

I'm good, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Thériault.

We're going to go to Mr. Davies for two and a half minutes, please.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We know that millions of Canadians report unmet mental health care needs each year. We know that the Mental Health Commission of Canada's mental health strategy for Canada recommends raising the proportion of health spending that's devoted to mental health to 9% by 2022, over the current 7%.

Earlier this week I spoke with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. They said to me, “You don't need a crystal ball to forecast increased mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, perhaps even suicides or attempted suicides due to job loss, money problems, social isolation, etc., over the next months.”

I heard a reference to setting up a phone line, but Mr. Lucas, will the government be committing any additional resources to an expedited implementation of a Canadian mental health strategy, in light of the COVID-19 stress on Canadians?

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Indeed the government is certainly committed, as indicated in the mandate letter of Minister Hajdu, to support and work with the provinces and territories and other partners to increase the financial support and resources to help Canadians get mental health services and, indeed, develop standards so they know what to expect. That commitment stands.

The government will work forward on that, building on the investment of $5 billion through bilateral agreements going back to 2017 providing direct support to provinces for things such as increased support for children and youth.

In addition, the immediate focus now is ensuring that the resources are available and accessible to Canadians as they stay at home and self-isolate if they are symptomatic. In that regard, as I noted, we will be launching soon, working with a consortium of companies, a mental health app that provides access to needed services.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Thank you.

If I have time to squeeze in one more quick one, there are some indigenous bands in Manitoba that don't have access to health care professionals and have requested assistance from Cuban physicians. Cuba has offered to send some doctors to help serve these areas that don't have a physician. In fact, one of the bands is waiting for a doctor from Cuba and it's just a visa that needs to be issued.

My question is for the foreign affairs deputy minister. Is there any reason why Canada wouldn't be accepting assistance from Cuba to send in physicians to areas where we desperately need them?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

That is for Mr. Lucas, I guess.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

No. That would be for Ms. Jeffrey, the deputy minister of foreign affairs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

I'm sorry.

Ms. Jeffrey, go ahead.

[Heather Jeffrey]

I am sorry. Could I ask the member to repeat the question? Unfortunately, the line cut out as I was listening.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Go ahead, Don.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Sure.

Ms. Jeffrey, a number of indigenous nations in Manitoba don't have access to physicians or medical care and are desperate. They are seeking to have Cuban doctors come help them. One band, I think, has received a specific offer from a particular Cuban doctor and it's just waiting for a visa.

I understand Cuba has offered to send doctors if Canada will accept them. Is there any reason why Canada wouldn't accept physicians from Cuba to help areas or indigenous nations that don't have access to health care professionals, and if not, why not?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Ms. Jeffrey, go ahead.

[Heather Jeffrey]

Mr. Chair, unfortunately, with respect, the question is outside of my mandate. It would be more appropriately answered by IRCC. We don't really have a role in granting visas.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

That wraps up our third round.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for joining us.

As always, you have provided excellent information. We appreciate your time and all the work you're doing on this crisis.

I would like also to acknowledge again the House of Commons conference service, which has taken on this challenge of providing, for the first time ever, a fully virtual committee meeting. It has never happened before. There are certainly challenges, but I think we've been able to work through them quite successfully. There are particular challenges involved with doing a meeting of this kind that are not found in normal business communications, such as having to interface with ParlVU for public access, as well as having three different channels for language and translation, so I appreciate their effort. I know they are working around the clock to get us a video conference solution, hopefully for next week. I would like to thank them for responding so quickly. They have had less than a week to work on this, so I really appreciate what they are doing.

Members of the committee, I would like to remind you to get your priority list of witnesses for the next meetings to the clerk, hopefully by 4 p.m. eastern time tomorrow. The analysts will collate them into a single document and I will have my staff arrange a conference call among the members of the subcommittee to discuss witnesses for the next meeting.

With that, I would like to thank everyone for participating. I hope we're all doing well during this crisis.

The meeting is adjourned.