Evidence of meeting #53 for Health in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was child.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Thank you.
I saw a lot of nods from Mr. Georgiades.
Can you comment on that, as well?
12:55 p.m.
Director, Offord Centre for Child Studies
Absolutely. I echo Professor Afifi's comments.
The idea of taking an ecological approach to health and resiliency is about not thinking about children as individuals who are isolated from family, community, peers and the larger society. It's thinking about them in a developmental way. That why what we call longitudinal studies, at the national level, are becoming more important, especially in light of this pandemic.
Taking an ecological and developmental approach to understanding health and functioning as well as resiliency and how that can be promoted is very important.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Thank you.
You both talked about the emphasis on research and how research could guide us around some of the policies that we could develop, whether it's on regulation or government policies for providing better access to services.
Can you talk about some of those policies—specifically federal government policies? How could we marry the research that you've done, specifically around resiliency and protected categories, with federal government policies?
You both have about a minute and a half to go.
We can start with Professor Afifi.
February 9th, 2023 / 1 p.m.
Professor, University of Manitoba, As an Individual
Thank you.
I think it's really important that we translate the data into policy and practice.
How do we do that? We do that with having open partnerships with the people who are going to use the data. We develop the research questions at the very beginning with the community organizations, the decision-makers and the policy-makers, so that we're producing the questions that are relevant to those who need to use the data.
When I started research, I was just the researcher. I did the work, I published it and I walked away. That's not my job anymore. My job is now to take the data and put it into the hands of the people who can use it and make it come to life.
We still don't have that connection very well between doing the research and translating the research into both policy and clinical practice.
There are lots of mechanisms in place now where we can build those relationships so that we're all working together to produce the information that we need. Then when you ask me how we know if kids are doing worse because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll know this because we have data. Researchers are answering the questions that the policy-makers and the decision-makers want to know, so we can turn that data into policy and into practice.
1 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I know I'm over five minutes, but I'd appreciate feedback, if time allows, from Mr. Georgiades as well.
1 p.m.
Director, Offord Centre for Child Studies
Very quickly, I echo Dr. Afifi's comments.
I am just going to say that I've lived in Europe, I studied in the U.S. and I live in Canada. I can tell you we have some of the best scientists and clinicians in the world.
My hope—and I'm very encouraged by the meeting today—is that our representatives in all levels of government, especially the members of this committee, will continue to work together, take the information in the testimonies of all the experts and stakeholders, and do something with it so that Canada can become the best country in the world to grow up in and for children to become useful and healthy citizens who contribute back to their community.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Dr. Georgiades, I'm really glad we gave the extra 30 seconds. That was an excellent note on which to finish. Thank you so much for that.
Thank you, to all of our witnesses, for sharing your expertise and experiences on the front line. It will be of significant value to the committee.
There are a couple of administrative matters that I need to raise with committee members.
Witnesses, you are welcome to stay, but you're free to leave. We're very grateful to you for your attendance today.
I have three things to raise with you, colleagues. I know Mr. van Koeverden has something.
First of all, yesterday another private member's bill, Bill C-293, was referred to us. I know that our plan is to complete the work on this study before we consider whether we're going to private member's bills, but just so you know, we now have three that are waiting.
The second thing is, during the meeting today I received a notice from the whip that the Board of Internal Economy is going to be meeting on February 16, which will bump our committee out of its time slot. How that's going to be resolved is not yet determined, but I just wanted to let you know that there may be a problem with the meeting on February 16. We'll work on it between now and then. That's just for awareness.
Mr. van Koeverden, you had something.
1 p.m.
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the indulgence.
I have two things, very briefly.
The first is just a point of clarification for all members of the committee and anybody else. All federal funding for Gymnastics Canada and Hockey Canada has been frozen by the Minister of Sport in light of those allegations and investigations that are under way by the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner.
Second, this was an observation I made earlier in the meeting. I feel that when we have hybrid meetings with witnesses both online and in person, the natural inclination for us as MPs is to focus on the people here in the room, which is normal, but it puts people online at a disadvantage.
I would recommend that in the future, if possible, we dedicate one hour to the people who are online and one hour to the people who are in the room, or only host meetings that are online or in person, because it was challenging sometimes to engage. I know that hybrid meetings have their advantages, but it's an observation that I just make today and pose to the committee.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
We've opened the discussion and I can't very well terminate it without hearing from others who want to speak, but just be conscious of the time.
Mr. Garon and Ms. Goodridge want to speak to this point.
1:05 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC
My intervention is on another topic. It's not related to what Mr. van Koeverden said.
My whip's office tells me that it would be possible to hold the next meeting next Thursday evening. Has that been discussed with you, or is it still being discussed?
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
There are problems with that. I don't think we need to address them now. I'm aware of that suggestion, but in my case, it means I have two committees at the same time and there are other people with issues there. Let's try to resolve this off-line and then come back. I think that is best. I'd rather not get into a prolonged discussion on it now.
Ms. Goodridge.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
Mr. Chair, I would suggest that if we have conversations around the formatting of meetings, it would be appropriate to have them in committee business, as is the typical practice of this committee and others.
With that, I move to adjourn.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
1:05 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.