Health Committee on March 12th, 2026

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Okay.

Let me continue with you, Mr. Ianiro. Was there any internal analysis or investigation before it was decided to close that food inspection centre?

[Robert Ianiro]

I would say that, in the analysis, we looked at what types of tests were being done at the facility, and there was no introduction of any food safety or public health issues. I would say the answer is yes to that question.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Can you send the Committee all the documents, the data and the analysis that led to that closure?

[Robert Ianiro]

Yes.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

That's it for this round.

We have Mr. Bailey for five minutes, please.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Minister, because I didn't understand or get the full answer to my colleague's question, I'd like to re-ask it. Is injecting fentanyl safe?

[Shalene Curtis-Micallef]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the question.

I believe it—

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

The question is for the minister. Thank you.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I am going to repeat once more that supervised injection sites save lives. But there are no federal services in those centres. It depends on the province in which a centre is located. I can't give you an answer because—

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Okay. This is why I asked the question. I was trying to go about it in a nice way, but I saw this CoRE report.

Now, as you know, I'm from Red Deer. Red Deer shut down the opioid injection site. They paired it with another site that was still open, and they did this study. Have you gone through this study? Has your department seen it? I brought copies, if anyone would like one.

This injection site decimated Red Deer's downtown. The damage it did to Red Deer over the last 10 years has changed the way Red Deer people walk around.

My point is that the Alberta recovery model is working well in Alberta. Will the federal government look at this model and start to implement it in other provinces?

You're shaking your head. Is that a yes or a no?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I'm listening to you. I'm listening to your ideas.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

With this study telling you that opioid injection sites are not doing what everyone says they should—I can give you examples, if you like, but I'm not sure whether you've read it—will you look at the Alberta recovery model and start to implement it in other provinces by shutting down opioid sites?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Yes, I am familiar with the model in Alberta. But it is Alberta's model, not the federal government's. As I have already told you, at the last meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers, we decided to share best practices. So the provinces did share their best practices. The decision to provide treatment is provincial. I am here to work with the provinces as best I can.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Thank you.

We, as the federal government, then, are not going to give the provinces any direction. They are on their own.

It's evident that drug consumption sites are not only making communities worse. They're making Canadians suffering from addiction worse. I'd like to know why the government keeps promoting this when evidence shows they don't help Canadians break free from addiction.

As my colleague pointed out, you have the power to close these sites. Why wouldn't you be advising the provinces that this is the direction we're going in, that we're not going to enable anymore, that we're going to focus on recovery?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

As I have said several times, I think prevention must be done, lives must be saved and treatment must be provided, all at the same time. I think that you are talking about one study. I will look at it closely and the department will analyze it as well. But I should tell you that, not so long ago, I read studies proving that—

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Thank you.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

They proved the extent to which supervised injection sites could save lives. I don't approach this with a closed mind.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

No studies have ever compared two identical communities as this study has. That's what's so unique about it.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I will look at it more closely.

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

It's on 100,000 in Red Deer and 100,000 in Lethbridge. They are the same types of people.

There is a lot more to this study than just saying you can compare it to the United States.

Minister, do you believe that Canadians who are struggling with drug addiction should visit safe consumption sites to continue using illegal drugs or that they should be treated for their addiction?

Should we continue to enable, or should we be looking at recovery? I want a straight yes or no—enabling or recovery.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

We have programs to support everything. Not everyone is at the same stage. People have to be ready to receive treatment. If they are not ready to receive treatment, we still have to save their lives. I do not think that one precludes the other. Of course I want people to be treated. Do you think that anyone can be the Minister of Health in the country, in Canada, that is?

[Burton Bailey, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Well, I find it very encouraging that you are going to look at the Alberta recovery model. The first thing I learned about recovery is that you cannot enable.

Thank you very much for your time, Minister.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Ms. Jaczek, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

Thank you so much, Chair.

Welcome to the health committee, Minister.

As you know, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have a critical responsibility to protect Canadians by ensuring health products are safe, effective and of high quality. Certainly, at this committee, we have heard many stakeholders say they want a regulatory system that keeps pace with science and innovation, so new products can reach patients in a timely way.

We've heard that there is some effort to modernize some of the regulatory approaches of Health Canada to improve efficiency while maintaining strong protections for health and safety.

Could you detail for us some of the work Health Canada is doing to speed up some of this regulatory compliance?