Health Committee on March 12th, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

I call this meeting to order.

I'd like to welcome everyone to meeting number 25 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.

The committee is meeting today to study the supplementary estimates (C), 2020-21: votes 1c and 5c under Canadian Food Inspection Agency, vote 5c under Canadian Institutes—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Chair, I'm sorry, but there is no interpretation. I am on the right channel.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you.

Is the translation coming through now?

Let me start again. We'll see if we get a thumbs-up from Mr. Thériault.

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 25 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.

Is there still no translation?

The clerk is going to check on that.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Jean-François Pagé]

You can go ahead. It's been resolved.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Clerk.

Once again, I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 25 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.

The committee is meeting today to study the supplementary estimates (C), 2020-21: votes 1c and 5c under Canadian Food Inspection Agency; vote 5c under Canadian Institutes of Health Research; votes 1c and 10c under Department of Health; and votes 1c, 5c and 10c under Public Health Agency of Canada.

I would like to remind everyone that you have the right to participate in these proceedings in the official language of your choice. I would emphasize that in the event there is difficulty hearing translations, I ask you to please bring it to my attention as soon as possible, as Monsieur Thériault has just done, so the matter can be resolved.

I would now like to welcome the witnesses.

Today we have the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health. Supporting the minister today are, from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Dr. Siddika Mithani, president; from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Ms. Catherine MacLeod, acting president; from the Department of Health, Dr. Stephen Lucas, deputy minister; and from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Mr. Iain Stewart, president; Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer; and Major-General Dany Fortin, vice-president, vaccine rollout task force, logistics and operations.

With that, I will invite the minister to give her statement. You have 10 minutes, please.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I will do my speech in English to avoid having to flip back and forth between the channels.

I appreciate the invitation to appear before the HESA committee. I will let you know that I have many departmental officials joining me today, including Dr. Stephen Lucas, deputy minister; Iain Stewart, president of the Public Health Agency of Canada; Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer; Major-General Dany Fortin, vice-president, vaccine rollout task force, logistics and operations; Dr. Siddika Mithani, president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; and Catherine MacLeod, acting president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

When I appeared before the committee last month, I provided an overview of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy. Today I would like to begin with a brief update on COVID-19 vaccinations and the situation in Canada right now.

So far we've delivered more than 3.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to provinces and territories. More than two-thirds of these—a total of 2.6 million doses—have already been administered. We expect these numbers to rise quickly as deliveries from vaccine manufacturers continue to ramp up this month and in the months to follow. The recent authorizations of the AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines by Health Canada give us two more tools in the fight against the pandemic.

Following the authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement announced that Canada has secured two million doses through an agreement with Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc., Canada, and the Serum Institute of India. This is in addition to the 20 million doses already secured through an earlier agreement with AstraZeneca.

The Janssen vaccine is administered in a single dose and can be stored and transported at regular refrigerated temperatures. Canada has an agreement with Johnson and Johnson for 10 million doses of this vaccine between now and September.

Although we've seen a decline in COVID-19 activity from mid-January through mid-February, daily case counts have since only levelled off, and COVID-19 variants could threaten the progress that we has been made if we relax public health measures too soon. That's why we all need to keep following public health measures that we know help identify and stop the spread of COVID-19. This includes testing, screening, contact tracing, and of course isolation. We also need to keep doing our part to protect each other. That means continuing to wear masks and limiting our interactions with other people.

Canada also has strong restrictions for travellers arriving in the country. In addition to being tested for COVID-19 before they arrive, travellers must now take a test on the day they arrive in Canada, and another on day 10 of their quarantine. All positive tests are evaluated to determine whether there are variants of concern. These strengthened requirements help protect the most vulnerable Canadians, and I want to thank the many Canadian travellers who are doing their part to protect their neighbours by following these new rules.

From the very first day, this pandemic has required us all to adapt and change our behaviours to protect public health. Canadians as individuals have had to do it, and so too have governments. As the pandemic has evolved, the federal response has evolved as well, and our budgetary needs reflect this.

I will now provide you with a financial overview for 2020-21 as set out in supplementary estimates (C). Through this exercise, I'm seeking $684.5 million on behalf of the health portfolio, which includes Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This increase over the 2020-21 main estimates will complement work that is already under way in a number of important areas.

Beginning with Health Canada, I'm seeking an additional $603.1 million. This will increase the department’s statutory spending by $553.6 million and its voted spending authorities by $49.5 million. This funding will be used to address pressures associated with Canada’s COVID-19 response, as well as our obligations under the Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020. This includes investments in long-term care, mental health and substance use in the context of COVID-19, as well as supporting innovative approaches to COVID-19 testing.

For the Public Health Agency of Canada, I'm requesting a total increase of $66.5 million. This reflects an increase of $5.634 billion in voted authorities, which is offset by a decrease in statutory spending of $5.567 billion.

The increase in voted authorities will go towards innovative research and the procurement of testing technologies related to the pandemic, surge capacity and support for mental health and substance-use initiatives.

For the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, or CFIA, I am seeking $13 million. This will increase the agency's statutory spending by $1.8 million and its voted spending authorities by $11.2 million. The majority of this funding will go towards improving existing domestic and import safety control systems through increased surveillance and inspection, supporting Canadian exports through the inspection and certification of goods, and the ongoing digitization of the agency's internal and public-facing business.

Another $1.5 million will support the Canadian food safety information network, which will improve confidence in the food safety system by connecting authorities and laboratories across jurisdictions.

Finally, for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, I'm seeking $2 million. This will decrease its statutory spending by $126.7 million and increase its voted spending authorities by $128.7 million. These research investments will contribute to our overall understanding of COVID-19 and will continue to inform Canada's public health approach.

Mr. Chair, it has been a long road, but with vaccination under way across the country, we are closer than we have been in a long time to a more hopeful future. The Government of Canada is working steadily towards that future with actions that protect Canadians and safeguard the progress we've made.

Health Canada and the agencies of the health portfolio are proud to lead these efforts. Our resourcing plans reflect our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. My colleagues and I will be happy to take your questions.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Minister.

We will now start round one of our questioning with Ms. Rempel Garner. Please go ahead for six minutes.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Long time, no see—from last night.

Minister, how many members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be mobilized to help provinces administer vaccines in the next two months?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I'll turn to Iain Stewart at the Public Health Agency of Canada to talk about some of the planning under way to support provinces and territories if they need it.

[Iain Stewart, President, Public Health Agency of Canada]

Mr. Chair, a lot of work is under way for planning in that regard. It's going to be needs-based, in effect. It's difficult for me to speak, though, with respect to the plans of the Canadian Armed Forces for supporting provinces. What I can say is that the Canadian Armed Forces are supporting us here, and as you know from Major-General Fortin's presence, we do have a contingency supporting us here.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Would it be fair to say that there are no plans to mobilize any members of the armed forces to administer vaccines at this point?

[Iain Stewart]

No, it would not be fair to say there are no plans. I think perhaps it would be appropriate to have the Canadian Armed Forces talk about their support to this initiative.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I just want to know—I'm a minute and a half in—how many members of the armed forces will be deployed or mobilized in the next two months to help administer vaccines.

[Iain Stewart]

Dany can speak to how many are currently deployed with the Public Health Agency, and then you're asking us to speculate on what would be required.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

That's fine. I got what I needed.

Minister, across Canada how many pharmacies will be administration sites for vaccines by the end of April ?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Chair, through you I will say that the provinces and territories, as you know and as the member knows, are responsible for administering vaccines. We work closely with them to ensure that they have the capacity and the supports they need. I'll turn to Major-General Dany Fortin to speak about some of the tabletop exercises with the provinces and territories.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

That's okay. That's fine.

Minister, do you have any idea of how many pharmacies will become administration sites for vaccines by the end of April?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

I think the member likely realizes that provinces and territories administer vaccines, and of course we've been supporting the provinces and territories with their planning. I have an official who is actively involved in this planning and would be happy to share more details with you.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I would be happy to have that plan tabled with committee.

Minister, is there any money in the supplementary estimates here to support provinces setting up administration sites at pharmacies? You're basically saying it's not your role, right?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

No. The member has a habit of putting words in people's mouths. That is not accurate.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

The minister has a habit of not answering questions, so I'll go on to the next thing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Ms. Rempel Garner, I would ask you to let the minister answer questions.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

It is my time, and I know the Liberals don't like it when I own my time, but I'm going to keep doing that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Actually, when the chair wishes to intervene, it's the chair's time. I'm not taking this away from your time, but please do let the minister and her officials answer the questions you ask them.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you.

Are there any plans, Minister, to deploy federally supported mobile vehicles and pop-up clinics to deliver vaccines?