Evidence of meeting #25 for Health in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
6:15 p.m.
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
Thank you, Dr. Tam.
Are you able to differentiate numbers in any broad terms with respect to how many deaths are attributable to overdose versus a toxic drug supply?
6:15 p.m.
Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
I don't think I can answer that question. During the pandemic there's been an observation that because of the disruption in the drug supply, there are some very lethal substances out there. However, these are essentially accidental overdoses that people are not aware of in terms of what they're taking. It amounts to the same tragedy, essentially, of 20 people dying a day.
6:15 p.m.
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
Thank you very much.
I'll pivot to another topic quickly. I have less than a minute.
What are the government's activities and proposals to encourage and ensure that Canadians have access to the resources necessary to maintain healthy and active lifestyles, particularly for families and kids?
6:15 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Mr. Chair, the health portfolio, working with Sport Canada and partners across the country, is working on healthy eating, as we've discussed, as well as support for healthy living, including support for community groups. This includes groups such as Participaction and working with Sport Canada in terms of the overall support policy.
There is significant focus on public education and awareness. There is support for our grassroots community groups, the celebration of positive activities and, in particular, supporting children and youth.
6:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you, Dr. Lucas and Mr. van Koeverden.
We'll go next to Mr. Thériault for two and a half minutes.
6:15 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Dr. Lucas, I'd like to talk about gene editing. Last May, you published an update on new genetically modified foods, in which you advocated reducing the regulatory burden for foods that would be created by gene editing.
Do you think that food products derived from this process, which does have a number of virtues, should be labelled in the same way as genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, because they are?
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Mr. Chair, I'll respond and if needed we can provide further information to the committee.
The policy that the honourable member referred to was plant breeding guidance and supporting policy that distinguishes between the regulatory process for novel foods and those through accepted non-novel methods of genetic modification. As such, it's a very transparent process in terms of providing information online about various foods.
Dr. Mithani can comment on this further, but it goes back to traditional methods of grafting through to modern genomic methods and a key determination to support the transparency and utilization of regulatory review resources in areas of novel food development.
Dr. Mithani.
6:20 p.m.
President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
The Government of Canada has requirements for food labelling that include genetically engineered food, which is genetically modified food. The Government of Canada also has a very robust and strict process to evaluate the safety of these foods as well as livestock feed, plants and animals that are created through genetic modification.
Information on food products has to be factual, accurate and not misleading. The Canadian General Standards Board has guidance on the GE labelling standard. It is generally used when or if industry wants to label a particular product as genetically engineered. They can certainly do so, but the claims have to be truthful.
Labelling is really focused on making sure that labels and information on these types of products are not misleading and inaccurate.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
6:20 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
Should they be labelled, as is the case with other GMOs?
I'd like a brief answer. You can answer with yes or no.
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
I didn't hear your question, but your time is up.
Was it another question, or just a comment?
6:20 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Thériault Bloc Montcalm, QC
It was a question. It was a simple one, and I was waiting for an answer.
Should these foods from this process be labelled, as in the case of GMOs, yes or no?
June 8th, 2022 / 6:20 p.m.
President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Mr. Chair, the process that the Government of Canada uses in terms of the strict and robust evaluation of these products, which actually focuses on food safety, is the most important. Industry is able to appropriately label its products should it wish to, depending on how it wants to label them.
The focus on food safety is what we're looking at, to ensure that Canadians have access to high-quality and safe food.
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you, Dr. Mithani.
Mr. Davies, you are next, please, for two and a half minutes.
6:20 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Dr. Lucas, the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act came into force on May 23, 2018, and section 60.1 says that the Minister of Health must undertake a review of that act three years after its coming into force.
Can you tell me whether that review has been initiated? If so, when?
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Mr. Chair, indeed the review has been initiated and is under way, and is aimed at completion later this year.
6:20 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Can you undertake to tell us when that begins, Doctor? The reason I ask is that it says,
The Minister must, no later than one year after the day on which the review is undertaken, cause a report...to be tabled in each House of Parliament.
It would be helpful for us to know when that report might be expected.
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
We can indeed follow up on that to provide a specific time frame.
6:20 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you.
In August 2020, the federal government invested $126 million to construct a new biologics manufacturing centre adjacent to the NRC's Royalmount site in Montreal to produce up to two million vaccine doses per month by the following year.
Can you confirm how many doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been produced at that centre to date, if any?
Does anybody know? Could you undertake to let us know that in writing?
6:25 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
I think my colleague, Dr. Kochhar, is coming on to respond.