Health Committee on March 12th, 2026

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Yes.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

I reject—

[Doug Eyolfson, Liberal, Winnipeg West, MB]

That was my error. I apologize.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Yes.

Minister, is injecting fentanyl safe, yes or no?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I would say that supervised consumption sites—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

It's a simple yes or no.

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

… are there to save lives and they do save lives.

I know that you are going to tell me that treatment saves lives. I agree that treatment saves lives but supervised consumption sites save lives too. I have seen them—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

I'll ask the question one more time. It's a very—

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

... with my own eyes, in Vancouver. I have seen—

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Yes, and what you saw—was it safe?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

... ambulances come to the sites.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Was what you saw in those fentanyl injection sites safe? Was injecting fentanyl safe?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I cannot inaudible fentanyl in particular. I have not seen injections of that kind.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

That's it. I'm over time.

Thank you very much.

Ms. Chi, you're next for six minutes.

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

Thank you, Minister, and thank you, officials, for attending today. I really appreciate your time.

Minister, we are seeing artificial intelligence being increasingly integrated into health care, from medical imaging and clinical decision support tools to drug discovery and population health analysis. These technologies have the potential to transform how care is delivered across our health system.

From your perspective, what are the most promising ways in which health AI can improve care for patients and support health care providers in their day-to-day work?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I have travelled all across the country. I have visited a lot of hospitals and a lot of companies. As you know, artificial intelligence is already well developed in health care. I often tell people that, despite the challenges that we are seeing today in a health care system under pressure, major changes to the health care system are coming soon, in a few years. Artificial intelligence, which is a tool, will help. I always say that it is a tool and it is going to help to solve a lot of problems. As I said, it will help to fill gaps on the ground. Sometimes, we do not have enough people but we also have advanced technology.

Take regions in Canada's north as an example. When I was in Saskatchewan, I visited an organization that had portable instruments that it was sending to the north. For doctors, that was like tele-medicine. It was really extraordinary to see what they were doing.

When I went to Brampton recently, I saw that they were using robots in operations. Robots are also being used in the Jean Talon Hospital in Montreal and the Toronto General Hospital. You can see how the technology is developing and how it can help to ease some of the stresses in the health care system.

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

Two weeks ago, there was an announcement on cancer prevention research, which is very exciting. My mom is a cancer survivor. I think a lot of us have loved ones, friends or family who are going through treatments. Prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have in health policy. The number is pretty staggering—40% of cancers are preventable—and investments in research can dramatically improve outcomes for Canadians.

A $41-million investment to support cancer prevention research across Canada through CIHR and other partner organizations was announced. Can you speak to why prevention is so important and how investments such as this help build a healthier Canada while also strengthening our research ecosystem?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I made that announcement and I would say that the proof of its importance was that we had a survivor with us. She explained precisely the impact of the research on her life. It is often said that, in a number of areas, certainly in health care, we are reactive.

However, in health care, and more particularly in health research, we can show that we are proactive, because of the work done and the funds allocated to that cancer research by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. We are working on prevention by conducting the most groundbreaking research, with the best researchers and the best teams, in order to ease the burden of cancer on those afflicted by it and on their families.

I put a lot of hope into that funding. Later, Mr. Hébert, from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, will be able to give you more details on the various projects. I believe that 19 projects were funded in that announcement.

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

I also want to ask you about the national conversation on the well-being of men and boys, recognizing the growing concerns around mental health, social isolation and access to services. Could you explain why the conversation is so important at this juncture and how the health portfolio can help improve mental health outcomes for men and boys across the country?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Thank you for the question. I also mentioned that in my opening statement.

As I said, this initiative is very important for me, for the simple reason that, when I became responsible for this portfolio and toured around, people expressed a lot of concern on the health and mental health of men and boys. The conversation was so prevalent everywhere I went that I decided that we must consider what we were going to do. In our discussions, my provincial counterparts have confirmed that there are indeed some concerns and that solutions have to be found.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

The time is up.

Are you good? Okay. Thank you.

Go ahead, Mr. Blanchette-Joncas.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. You are kind.

Good afternoon, Minister.

Welcome to the witnesses joining us today.

Minister, here is my first question for you. I want to know who made the decision to cap laboratory fees in the Canadian Dental Care Plan, starting on October 17, 2025. Was it the department, the program's administrator, or your office?

[Marjorie Michel, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

I am going to turn to the department.

[Shalene Curtis-Micallef, Deputy Minister, Department of Health]

Sir, do you want to know who decided on the amount of the cap?