Health Committee on March 21st, 2022

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Which mandate do you have in mind?

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

All of them, sir.

Is there a plan in the works?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

It would be irresponsible to say yes or no. To be responsible means that we need to follow the evidence, the science and the precautionary principle and adjust and analyze the policies as things evolve.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Dr. Ellis.

Mrs. Brière, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to thank the ministers for being here.

My question is for the Health Minister.

Of course, we are all very anxious to get back to a more normal life, free of COVID‑19. A big part of that normalcy is being able to travel the world and welcome visitors from abroad and our family members who live abroad into our homes.

Can you tell us about the easing of restrictions at the border that will come into effect on April 1?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

The main reason it will be possible to ease restrictions is that the COVID‑19 infection rate is falling. It's not quite where we hope to see it in the next few weeks, but it is fast approaching that.

Second, it was not magic that got us here. We're able to ease restrictions because many people have been getting vaccinated and following public health measures to limit transmission, infection and hospitalization.

The really good news is that, as of April 1, testing will no longer be required to enter the country. However, there will be random testing at the border among returning travellers. First, this will accurately determine the number of people returning with COVID‑19. Second, it will show us if new variants are entering the country. Third, we will know which countries we should be watching more closely and where we should put our resources. We will also know if variants are coming in faster or easier from certain countries and, if so, in what proportions.

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Thank you.

On a completely different note, we know that Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia in Canada. This disease obviously has a significant impact, not only on those living with it, but also their family members. I have experienced it first-hand, as my mother‑in‑law has had Alzheimer's for two years. It has changed her life and my father‑in‑law's life, but also our own lives.

We're seeing an increase in Alzheimer's cases among people 65 and older.

Can you tell us, Mr. Minister, what is being done to support people with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Mrs. Brière, it's extremely important that we support these people. An aging population is a good thing; more and more of us are getting older and we are generally in better health. However, we must recognize that with aging comes a greater incidence of dementia. Some, like you, and me as well, experience it with their families and loved ones.

About 450,000 Canadians age 65 and older are now living with some form of dementia, whether it's Alzheimer's or something else. Fortunately, since June 2019, we've had a national dementia strategy in Canada, with roughly $212 million in investments over five years. If we had more time, we could ask Dr. Strong to talk about that in more detail. In short, the strategy is about finding ways to not only combat dementia, but also care for people with dementia and the caregivers and families who are also there to help and love these individuals.

[Dr. Michael Strong]

Thank you very much, Minister.

Thank you for the question. I would be happy to answer if you request it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

You have one minute left, so you can decide how to use it, Mrs. Brière.

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Go ahead, Dr. Strong.

[Dr. Michael Strong]

We do have an integrated dementia research strategy in the country, both by ourselves, our Institute of Aging, and working with the Public Health Agency and with a number of research groups across the country. We are looking at everything: how to improve health care for individuals who are afflicted by Alzheimer's disease, as you have indicated, and for their family members, but also very robust programs looking at underlying causes. As we move forward, we are seeing evidence as well that's already suggesting that we may see an earlier presentation of a number of diseases because of long COVID.

It's a very active research area, and I would be happy to comment further at any time.

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mrs. Brière.

Mr. Thériault, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Madam Minister, once again in Health Canada's 2022‑23 departmental plan, with respect to medical assistance in dying, it says that Health Canada must “support policy development that may be required coming out of the independent expert review of MAID for persons suffering from mental illness”.

Have you received the independent expert panel's report? If so, when will you release it? Time is of the essence. Among other things, it could inspire the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying, which has not met since the last general election.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

Thank you for the question.

It's very important that we hear from experts and people with experience in this area to build a mental health strategy across Canada. It's also important to talk to my provincial and territorial counterparts, as well as experts and researchers from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, such as Dr. Strong, who is president of the CIHR, and Dr. Weiss, scientific director of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. These individuals are heavily involved in all of our work.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

My question was specific. An independent committee was struck at the same time as the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying. Have you received the report from the independent expert panel? If so, when will you be releasing it?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

I'm sorry, but I didn't hear.... Medical assistance in dying...?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

I'd like to make a few comments on this and then I will ask the deputy minister to provide further details.

Yes, the parliamentary committee has work to do, and we will be there to assist them when the time comes and in the manner that they desire.

In terms of when the expert panel report will be tabled, I will ask the deputy minister, Mr. Lucas, to provide details about that.

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

The committee is continuing its study. It has almost completed it. We can expect the report to be tabled in the coming weeks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Mr. Thériault.

Our last questioner for today will be Mr. Bachrach, for two and a half minutes.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Dr. Tam, there's now considerable data, including data from the CDC, that shows that those who have been infected with COVID-19 and have recovered are at least as protected, as if not better protected, from infection, serious disease and death compared to those vaccinated with mRNA vaccines. This is a question that several constituents have asked me, and I'm curious as to what the answer is.

Why don't we recognize the protection conferred by infection-acquired immunity in Canadian COVID-19 policy?

[Dr. Theresa Tam]

Thank you for the question.

Mr. Chair, this is an area of ongoing scientific studies. Variants actually also differ in the amount of immunity that they confer. For example, we do know that those who just got the infection and haven't been vaccinated are not as well protected as those who got two doses of vaccine, for example, and then subsequently got an infection.

The omicron virus variant is also under study at the moment. There is certainly some preliminary data showing that the immunity conferred by this variant varies from person to person. That is why the National Advisory Committee on Immunization still essentially recommends vaccination, even if you have had COVID-19 or if you think you got infected, after a suitable time period, depending on whether you're looking at the primary series or a booster dose, for example. Those who got infected just recently can wait three months before getting their booster shot because of this variability we're seeing in infection-conferred immunity.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Thank you, Dr. Tam.

If I may, I'm going to try to squeeze in a question for Minister Duclos.

As you probably know, Dr. David Naylor, the co-chair of the federal COVID-19 immunity task force and former chair of the federal review of the SARS epidemic, has called for a public inquiry into Canada's COVID-19 response “so that we actually get a dispassionate review.” He's calling for it to be “led by international experts”.

Will you make a firm commitment to launching an independent public inquiry into Canada's COVID-19 response?