Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #33 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #33 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
We go now to Dr. Powlowski.
Dr. Powlowski, please go ahead for six minutes.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Marcus Powlowski Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
As much as I, like everyone else, has been fixated on COVID for the last year or so, I actually want to ask the minister something that is related to COVID but not totally related to COVID, and that is the issue of money for substance abuse, drug addiction and the opioid crisis.
For those who don't know, Patty and I are the two members of Parliament for Thunder Bay, and I think we both share a background and a familiarity with the issue of substance abuse and the opioid crisis.
I, as a long-time doctor in the emergency room, saw a lot of cases of overdose over the years. They're a dime a dozen in the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and Patty, I know, has worked with substance abuse programs and in setting those up in Thunder Bay.
We have a common interest in this. I think, moreover, that both of us found—at least I did, and I'm sure you have the same experience in going door to door—that some of the most passionate pleas were from people who asked us to do more in terms of addressing substance abuse and addictions, and to try to decrease the number of overdoses. I certainly met at least a few people who'd lost their children to overdoses, so this is a really important issue.
My understanding is that in the budget we've allocated more money to substance use and addiction programs, SUAP. Could you tell us a little more as to how much money it is, and where that money is going to be going?
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
First of all, thank you for talking about the crisis of opiate overdose and of substance use overall. I know that you spent many years in emergency rooms in Thunder Bay, so I think that we would probably have worked with some of the same individuals who struggled with substance use over many years.
I am extremely proud of this government in restoring harm reduction to the Canada drug strategy, and restoring what I would say is compassion to an approach of working with people who use substances. Of course, the work that we did through the SUAP—and I'll let Deputy Minister Lucas speak about the specific amount of money—and the work that we've done with providing supports to communities is, I think, the most critical in terms of supporting people who use substances. The money goes directly to community-based organizations that are working on the ground. In some cases, they are integrated with the community and know exactly how to protect community members so that they don't die and we can save lives. Then we can alleviate suffering.
I know, Dr. Powlowski, that you saw a lot of that in the years that you were in emergency rooms. These are folks, in many cases, at that scale of problematic substance use, who are really suffering. They're traumatized individuals. They're often long-standing problematic substance users.
I'm very excited that budget 2021 continues our investment in innovative mental health projects and substance use programs that are community based. As you know, we have a commitment to transferring billions of dollars to provinces and territories and working on mental health standards. All of that is important, but I think that getting money to community groups that are looking at new ways of finding folks and supporting folks is really important.
It's also really important to draw a distinction between the previous government's approach to substance use and ours. The previous government thought that it could criminalize its way out of this problem, that it could throw people who were struggling and suffering in jail and that this would solve the problem. That government in fact intentionally removed harm reduction from the Canada drug strategy and penalized groups that were actually working in communities.
As a matter of fact, I received funding from the Health Canada folks—not me personally, but the Thunder Bay District Health Unit—to do the Thunder Bay drug strategy. It was a real challenge to get that money, because at that time the Harper Conservatives did not even want the health unit to talk about alcohol or prescription opiates.
Can you imagine that, Dr. Powlowski? What do you think are the two main problem substances in our community? It's those two things. Health Canada officials worked really hard with the public health unit to make sure that the application could be funded and that we could have a community-specific drug strategy, and it is saving lives.
Maybe, Dr. Stewart, you could speak a little bit about the SUAP funding and our commitment to ongoing mental health and substance use treatment that is community grown and community delivered.
1:25 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Thank you, Minister Hajdu.
In budget 2021, the government proposed to provide an additional $116 million over two years, starting this fiscal year, in the substance use and addiction program to support a range of innovative approaches at the community level to fund harm reduction, treatment and prevention. This builds on an investment in the fall 2020 economic statement of $66 million in that program.
In addition, as Minister Hajdu noted, the government has invested $4 billion over 10 years in mental health and substance use supports provided to the provinces through bilateral agreements, and in addition has invested in other tools in the budget, including Wellness Together, to support Canadians across the country with substance use challenges.
1:25 p.m.
Liberal
1:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Sorry; you have seven seconds, so let's say no. Thank you, Dr. Powlowski.
Mr. Thériault, the floor is yours for six minutes.
1:25 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to our witnesses.
Madam Minister, I'm sure you have no doubt about the topic I am going to discuss with you. I am going to ask a little question about what you said in your speech.
You said that you are keen on investing in research. However, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have seen a reduction of 22.6%, whereas we know very well that messenger RNA vaccines are the result of decades of basic research on RNA.
How do you justify that reduction, when we should be doing completely the opposite to make sure that we retain our best minds and continue to be leaders in research?
1:25 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Thank you, MP Thériault.
Mr. Chair, I'll just say that they are incorrect assumptions. Budget 2021 investments include $500 million for the Canada Foundation for Innovation; $250 million to create a new tri-council biomedical research fund; $92 million for adMare to support company creation, scale-up, and training activities in the life sciences sector; $59.2 million for the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization to help develop its vaccine candidates—
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
and on and on, Mr. Chair. I could turn to the minister—
April 30th, 2021 / 1:30 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
In 2020-2021, the figure was $1,619,967,785. The funding is now $1,253,906,530. That is a reduction of 22.6%. If you want to champion basic research, you should at least make provision for the same budget and not repeat the errors of the past.
We could go on arguing for ever but I don't want to waste time. The figures have been published and come from the analysts of the House and the Library of Parliament. The figures are good.
Officials from the Federation of Medical Specialists of Quebec and the Canadian Medical Association, cardiovascular surgeons, hematologists, oncologists, gastroenterologists and radiologists have all come to tell us that dark clouds are gathering on the horizon.
You have provided money to deal with the pandemic. You often talk about an amount of $19 billion for COVID-19 patients. However, non-COVID-19 patients are going to end up in a precarious situation.
All those doctors came to tell us that, in the next 10 years, we will see the results of the offloading and the lack of diagnostic tests, and that the mortality rate will increase by 10% per year. From a medical point of view, they are talking about the two most frequent causes of death in Canada, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
From an economic point of view, costs are going to explode. If recurring investments are not made starting immediately, which is the very reason for the health transfers, we are going to be paying a lot more tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, not to mention the human drama that will ensue.
What are you waiting for to do your share? The provinces are investing $200 billion and the federal government is investing $42 billion. What we are asking from you is an additional amount of $28 billion.
You spent $340 billion last year. This year, you anticipate spending $154 billion. Are you not tempted to transfer those $28 billion as a matter of urgency, so that we can immediately start dealing with the patients who do not have COVID-19?
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
If I have a moment, I'll first of all pick up on the last part of the conversation and indicate that not only is it direct research that's being funded, but that through the biomanufacturing sector there are also investments of $1 billion over seven years for the strategic innovation fund so that we can fund research in domestic life sciences and biomanufacturing firms, $250 million over three years to increase clinical research capacity—
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
—and $50 million on a cash basis over five years to create a life sciences stream.
Mr. Chair, I'll say that our commitment remains strong to support research through a number of different arms of the government and in a number of different ways with different partners.
On provincial transfers, as the member opposite knows, the Prime Minister has been very clear that he is committed to having conversations about increases to transfers, but first we stay focused on getting the country through COVID-19.
We have not hesitated to be there with money—
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
—when money is needed, and we'll continue to have—
1:30 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Madam Minister, this is not the time for conversations. This is what people have come to tell us. There are impacts on people's lives and on the quality of their lives.
A colonoscopy costs $1,000. Early detection of cancer is critical. In Québec alone, 155,000 patients are on waiting lists. If nothing is done, 200,000 patients will be waiting by the end of the year.
If recurring investments are not made now, lives will be lost and the costs of the system will explode. It's not logical from a medical point of view, an economic point of view, or a budgetary point of view.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Mr. Chair, I know Dr. Strong is here. I wonder if I could turn to him for a moment to respond to the research investment so that he can speak about budget 2021.
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Pardon me, Minister, while we check the interpretation.
Is there interpretation now, Mr. Thériault? Do you hear interpretation at this point?
1:35 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
How much time do I have left after all those interruptions, Mr. Chair?
1:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Your time is actually up. You're about a half minute over, but we'll let the minister or the various witnesses respond to your questions fully.
Go ahead.