Health Committee on March 23rd, 2023

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I have just one comment, Minister, really quickly.

You spent $30 billion on COVID vaccines. You're spending $32 million on your SUAP program. The stigma's right there in the spending to respond to this crisis.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Your time is up, Mr. Johns. Thank you.

We have just a couple of minutes for questions before we need to do the votes. It isn't enough time for a full round.

Minister, if you can stay with us, the Conservatives are going to ask you one question and the Liberals are going to ask you one question, and then you're free to go.

I'll go over to the Conservatives for one question.

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

Thank you, Chair. I appreciate your flexibility with this.

Minister, what we know is that in 2016, 2018 and 2020, the numbers of overdose deaths have been increasing. This decriminalization experiment—as one of my colleagues has called it—has been ongoing now for at least two years, in deference to what my NDP colleague said.

How many deaths per day are enough to stop your failed experiment?

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

I would say that I would disagree with you totally on this. The office of public prosecutions asked people to stop charging people years ago. This has been going on for a long time. We have to take the stigma down and get people to treatment.

It's not a failed experiment; it's that the drug supply is totally toxic and poisoned with fentanyl. Now, with benzodiazepines and xylazine, the naloxone isn't working as well. This is a toxic supply. We have to get people to stay alive long enough to be able to get to treatment or live a better life.

This has nothing to do with decriminalization. Cops have been not charging people for years now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Minister.

Ms. Sidhu, you have the last question.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister and officials, for sharing your important update.

Minister, I want to speak about a round table we did in Peel. They raised the fact that the wait time in Peel for counselling and therapy for those under 18 years of age is up to at least 566 days and is over two years for more intensive mental health services.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada reported on the mental health impact of COVID-19 on youth. Especially for youth, it can lead to “social isolation, family stress, increased risk of exposure to abuse and systemic racism”. Many face disproportionate challenges to access mental health supports. This all came into the report, and you heard it first-hand in Brampton, too. There's a need for integrated youth services.

You made an important announcement of $1 million for Indus Community Services, but how do you think this is ensuring youth access that is more culturally appropriate or sensitive, so youth can get all those services?

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

Thank you for that, and thank you for hosting the round table. I think we learned a lot there about the need for culturally safe care.

Last week in Surrey, we were with our colleague, Sukh Dhaliwal. He said on the idea of even detox and withdrawal that home visits, based on the South Asian community and their cultural reality, were really important. I think for us to have the $1 million for Indus, for that community, focused on youth, is going to be really important, because the stigma in your community is very high, and we have to find culturally safe ways of decreasing the barriers so that people, particularly young people, can ask for help.

What I'm hearing from our colleagues is that it will be the youth who will persuade their parents and their grandparents that it's okay to talk about mental health and that we need to focus on mental health that's culturally safe. That's why integrated youth services are so exciting coast to coast, because, again, it is that stepped care model, with peer support. People with lived and living experiences are the first people they meet at the door, and they're able to get them attached to primary care, social work and psychology. This is a very exciting approach. I think that with the $100 million that was part of those communities most affected by COVID-19, it is very exciting to be able to see the results of that and for us to move forward for those in most need.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you very much, Minister, and thanks to all your officials for being here with us today and for being so patient with us.

We're now going to move directly to votes, but please know that we absolutely appreciate all the information that's been provided here today and the manner in which it has been presented.

With the time we have remaining, we need to vote on the main estimates.

First of all, we have 11 votes in the main estimates 2023-24. Unless there is an objection, I'm looking for unanimous consent to group the votes together for a decision, as opposed to doing 11 votes.

Okay. I see thumbs-up all around the room.

The question, then, is this: Shall all votes referred to the committee in the main estimates 2023-24, less the amounts voted in the interim estimates, carry?

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$643,834,807

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$47,529,437

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

CANADIAN INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$72,521,635

Vote 5—The grants listed....................$1,270,253,442

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$1,032,415,062

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$27,991,054

Vote 10—Grants and contributions..........$2,858,624,470

(Votes 1, 5 and 10 agreed to on division)

PATENTED MEDICINE PRICES REVIEW BOARD

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$15,740,193

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA

Vote 1—Operating expenditures.......... $3,654,335,640

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$41,347,000

Vote 10—Contributions..........$461,905,392

(Votes 1, 5 and 10 agreed to on division)

That is carried on division.

Shall I report the main estimates 2023-24, less the amount in interim supply, back to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

I think that is all the business.

Is there any further business to come before the meeting?

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

I move to adjourn the meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Do we agree to adjourn?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

The meeting is adjourned.

Thank you.