Health Committee on May 9th, 2024

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Excuse me, Ms. Sidhu. There is a point of order.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is my time.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

There is a point of order, Ms. Sidhu.

Mrs. Goodridge, please present your point of order.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

I was just curious where she was going with this, but she has made it clear that she is talking about the motion she had on notice.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Very good. Thank you.

Please continue, Ms. Sidhu.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

I move:

That the Standing Committee on Health affirm its support for reproductive and sexual health rights across Canada; recognize that the right to safe and legal reproductive and sexual care is the right to health care; condemn any effort to limit or remove sexual and reproductive rights from Canadians; and emphasize the importance of protecting and expanding access to reproductive and sexual health care, including abortions and contraceptives.

I hope this motion is in order, Mr. Chair, and I hope it is not going to take much time to discuss this before I proceed with my questions to the witnesses.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Very good. Colleagues and witnesses, this motion is in order, so now the debate will be on that motion.

Mrs. Goodridge, you have the floor.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Because that motion was sent out quite a while ago, could the clerk possibly resend it to the committee members? I know we have a few new members on the committee who aren't normal members, so it might be helpful to make sure everyone actually has that.

Also, could we adjourn debate?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Sidhu and colleagues, we all know that a motion to adjourn debate is not debatable, and therefore we shall have a vote right away.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Chair, can I ask when we could vote on that? I put this on notice—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

I'm sorry, Ms. Sidhu. We're having a vote on the motion to adjourn debate.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 3)

Mrs. Goodridge, you have the floor.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think it's incredibly troubling. We have some amazing witnesses here today who have been presenting some very powerful testimony. I know I have a series of further questions that I was hoping to get on the record. Unfortunately, the government is using this as an opportunity to play partisan politics when it comes to women's health. Frankly, I think it is unfortunate.

I appreciate the fact that members opposite do want to study women's health, and this is precisely why I brought forward my motion on breast cancer screening.

It was interesting. This morning, the Canadian Cancer Society actually changed its guidelines. It deviated from what the federal government and the health task force put forward when it comes to women's health. Its official recommendation is to lower breast cancer screening to 40 years old from 50. It shows how behind the times this government is when it comes to women's health and how lacking the task force has been on health screening here in Canada. The fact that the Canadian Cancer Society had to come out and change its recommendation ahead of what the government has done because they've been sitting on their hands doing nothing, allowing more women to unnecessarily suffer with breast cancer.....

I say this because, as members of this committee know, this is something that is deeply troubling to me. I lost my mom to breast cancer. I was 21; she was 49. It is something that, as my kids get older, as I get older, I think about every single day. What would it mean if my children had to grow up without a mom like I had to grow up without a mom? My brothers had to grow up without a mom.

Every single day, I talk to people from right across the country who tell me their stories and the impact that breast cancer has had when it comes to their lives.

I think it is very troubling that this government has not acted on this. I passed a motion back in April during Cancer Awareness Month. It should be prioritized for study in the health committee.

We've had a tradition in this committee of having these very broad studies and not actually getting to the crux of any one particular issue. When it comes to having these broad studies, one of the biggest challenges is that we can't actually find these solutions.

I wasn't trying to play any politics when I moved forward—

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Madame Brière, go ahead.

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

What does this speech have to do with the motion that my colleague just moved?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Thank you very much, Madame Brière.

I think all members of committees know that we allow a lot of latitude for people who wish to speak in committee. I understand that you've not been at our committee previously, but in the spirit of Mr. Casey—who, unfortunately, is not here—we allow members significant latitude. Certainly, those committee members who have been here previously would recognize that. I realize that I don't sit in this chair all the time, but I will continue to operate in the same spirit that Mr. Casey has for the last two and a half years.

With that, I will return the floor to you, Mrs. Goodridge.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think it is actually extremely relevant to be talking about breast cancer screening, because the breasts are, in fact, a sexual organ, and they play a major role in women's health and women's health rights. This motion, which was deposited, is exactly in this space. I think this is part of the overall issue. We should be having conversations here in this committee about the tragic overdose crisis that is gripping our nation. The fact that, in nine years of this NDP-Liberal government, we've had more than 42,000 people—

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

I have a point of order.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Go ahead, Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

There is an issue of relevance. The motion is about reproductive and sexual health rights. This shouldn't even be something that is—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Thank you very much, Mr. Julian.

I think that I've already spoken about relevance.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Chair, there is an issue of relevance.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Mr. Julian, please, while I'm speaking, if you could—

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

I'm going to challenge you, Mr. Chair, on your ruling, if you do not allow members to speak. I challenge your decision.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Stephen Ellis]

Mr. Julian, please, if you continue to be—