Health Committee on March 10th, 2026

[Julian M. Somers]

Yes.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

It's incredible.

[Julian M. Somers]

Part of my confidence in my answer is that prior to the past decade, there was a much more well-rounded base of evidence informing direction and policies in the field of addiction. I'm old enough and my career is long enough that I've lived through more decades of openness and more purposeful forward innovation in Canada than the last decade represents. It's been slightly surreal.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Dr. Somers, when you gave that short answer, “yes”, about what you see nationally, what have you observed from the federal government in terms of maybe not heeding the best scientific evidence?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Be very brief.

[Julian M. Somers]

It's a case of belated steps back—a belated step not to renew the safe supply pilot programs last year, a belated step not to renew the so-called decriminalization experiment in B.C., and no statements regarding what we're going to be doing instead.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Thank you.

Ms. Chi, bring us home.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

My question is for Innovative Medicines.

Health Canada is advancing regulatory modernization through initiatives like the reliance order, as we mentioned before, and a modernized clinical trial framework. From your perspective and that of your members, how important are these reforms for strengthening Canada's life sciences ecosystem? How would they help ensure or translate into more research, investment and innovation in Canada as a whole?

[Bettina Hamelin]

The reforms at Health Canada are very important to create an environment that is clearer, more predictable and that provides access to medicines faster than currently. The reliance is, as it suggests, on trusted regulatory agencies around the world like in the U.S. and Europe. It is not compromising in any way the safety and the commitments that Health Canada has to Canadians.

What is really critical in this work of Health Canada is to ensure that there is connectivity with the downstream agencies. After it arrives at an approval, then do another round of clinical reviews, a health technology assessment, etc. It's really important that there's a downstream impact of the great work that Health Canada is doing. Our members are applauding the work of Health Canada, and we're working closely with them to help them with any data or evidence they need from us.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

To your point, Bettina, it does provide a lot of predictability to the sector. As you know, we've also made significant investment in life sciences through research funding, biomanufacturing initiatives and innovation programs.

From your perspective and your members' perspectives, where are we already seeing these investments make a difference in attracting pharmaceutical research and innovation to Canada?

[Bettina Hamelin]

The federal government has made investments in research, and does this every year through the research councils. There are investments in the biomanufacturing strategy. There was a recent announcement of the defence strategy with the life sciences fund, and a recent announcement of NRC around medical countermeasures. These are all really important investments that help the sector.

I want to emphasize that several of our members are also in the manufacturing space. Organizations like Sanofi have partnered with the federal government to support the development of a vaccine facility that is multi-functional, so that during a pandemic these facilities can actually help out in Canada directly. Gilead is doing APIs in Alberta. GSK is producing vaccines in Quebec.

These investments are really important. We need to make sure that these investments carry the fruit they're intending to be, in that they attract continued investment by our members, by the pharmaceutical industry. What is needed in the context of MFN is that we create these policies that ensure that we decrease the time to the patient, and we make this environment more predictable. Other jurisdictions do just that. They compete. They build out their life sciences infrastructure and strategies, and they create predictable environments for the pharmaceutical industry to launch their medicines here. In Canada, as I cited earlier, that is at risk.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

I think a number of them were mentioned before. The sector really spurs the economy and creates jobs. From your perspective, how important is our talent attraction pipeline in also attracting pharmaceutical investment?

[Bettina Hamelin]

Talent is absolutely critical. It is one of the things our members use to sell Canada to their global organizations. We have the highest levels of education in Canada. We have top-notch universities across the country. We have incredible talent. We want the industry to flourish here so that we can hire this talent, and it can stay here in Canada.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Thank you. I believe that's my time.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Thank you, Ms. Chi.

That brings that segment to the end.

I do have one more question. I'm going to take the chair's prerogative as per section 20.147, for those who are paying attention to those.

Dr. Somers, are the pharmaceutical companies here today making money off safe supply, and is this a conflict of interest?

[Julian M. Somers]

Honestly, I don't know the answer to that question. I'm sorry.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Thank you for that.

Thank you to all of the witnesses for coming in today.

Thank you to the committee.

We'll adjourn until next Thursday.