Health Committee on Nov. 1st, 2023

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

Do you know what the leading cause of death of 10- to 18-year-olds is in B.C.?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

I find the way in which you are posing your questions and the aggression to be—

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

The point is this: Do you know the answer to the question?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

What is your point? What is your question? What are you trying to get at?

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

No, you're not here to ask me questions. I'm here to ask you questions.

I'll say it more slowly. What is the leading cause of death for 10- to 18-year-olds in British Columbia?

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, we're used to that member not showing respect to members of this committee. I would ask that he show some respect to the minister. That was not called for.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

It isn't a point of order, as valid as it may be as a comment.

Go ahead, Dr. Ellis.

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

I've already asked the question, Chair, to which I expect an answer.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

Province by province, I can't tell you what the leading cause of death is, but I can tell you that—

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister. I'll help you with that. It's drug overdose.

How many people die on an average Canadian day, every day, due to drug overdoses?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

I don't have that figure on me.

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

You have no idea.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

How many people die on average in a day? It's entirely too many.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

I would say that what we have to do is work together, collaborate—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Excuse me, Minister. We have a point of order.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

I would say, if I could.... Is it fair to say that we need—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Minister, we have a point of order, which takes precedence.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

We need to work collaboratively and in a non-partisan way to deal with issues as extreme as being addicted to opioids—

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

Chair, this is a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Minister....

Go ahead, Mr. Davies.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

There's wide latitude for questions, but we have the Minister of Health for the first hour. We have the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions in the second hour.

Dr. Ellis is asking a question that is clearly under drug policy and about opioid deaths, which I think would be more appropriately put to the minister responsible for mental health and addictions, who we have scheduled.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

Mr. Chair, my understanding is 21.

However, if I could just say, as an appeal to decency, that if we're dealing with people dying of opioids, having a conversation, rather than...would be valuable. I've been given no opportunity to be able to elaborate on any point.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

I think you will when the next person starts asking questions.

You have barely seven seconds left, Dr. Ellis.

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

What's the average wait time for mental health treatment in Canada, Minister, to see a psychiatrist? This is for children 18 years of age or under.