Evidence of meeting #14 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was spots.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dr. Houston, I'd like to go back quickly to the human rights issue.
In an effort to successfully conclude an agreement with Saudi Arabia, and to avoid frustrating and offending Saudi Arabian representatives, the Prime Minister recently said his international policy was no longer feminist.
What percentage of women residents come from Saudi Arabia and the other countries we have agreements with?
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
I do not have that number, but I would be happy to provide it to you.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
That's perfect.
You talked a little about percentages and other sources of funding for your university. Would your faculty be willing to transform some of the residency positions funded by foreign states into positions for Canadian permanent residents and citizens?
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Absolutely. We are ready and able to expand our capacity.
We are expanding to Scarborough, which is an under-serviced area, and we have recently expanded to the Simcoe-Muskoka region with the opening of two family medicine teaching units, one in Orillia and one in Midland. They have a capacity to expand even further.
Bloc
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
As we expand our programs with provincially funded learners, we will absolutely be creating those physicians and health care providers to serve the province of Ontario. They will not bring in the tuition, $100,000 a year, that the internationally funded students do bring to us, so there would be a difference in the funding to the University of Toronto if all of those positions were replaced by Canadians and permanent residents.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you.
Now I go to Mr. Bailey for the Conservatives.
You have five minutes, please.
Conservative
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Dr. Houston, the University of Toronto's mission statement reads:
The University of Toronto is dedicated to fostering an academic community in which the learning and scholarship of every member may flourish, with vigilant protection for individual human rights, and a resolute commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, equity and justice.
Do you think that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shares these values?
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
I can't comment on that.
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
I haven't looked at the mission statement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Conservative
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
No, that's your university's mission statement that I just quoted.
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
I understand that, and I'm very supportive of our mission statement.
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
As part of our mission, we work with multiple partners around the globe.
Conservative
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Okay. Will you condemn the human rights abuses committed by the countries you've received funding for? Yes or no?
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
I choose not to respond.
Conservative
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
I don't see that it is something that I need to answer to.
Conservative
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
I want you to know that you've really given us great answers. We've had a whole bunch of witnesses, and I really appreciate the information you've been giving us.
What I am trying to determine is, if a Saudi Arabian person can take that spot, what does it take for us to get an IMG in that same spot? Is it $100,000?
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
No, it's provincial funding.
Conservative
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
So it's not $100,000.
Conservative
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
When we see this budget that has just been set out, how many extra spots are we going to create across Canada? I'm thinking, well, $97 million could possibly create 1,000 more medical specialist graduates if we used the money correctly.
Some of my questions are trying to get to that answer. Are we using this money correctly? You mentioned that you have all these spots. Now, I'm going to call the Saudi ones extras, and we're going to call the ones that you currently have medical students for as domestic spots.
Vice Dean, Medical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
That's correct. I call them domestic and supernumerary.