Evidence of meeting #27 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Members speaking

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 27 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health. We recognize that we meet on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe peoples.

Today's meeting is taking place in a personal format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Before we continue, I will remind you about all the instructions with regard to your phones, earpieces, interpretation, etc. Don't speak until the chair recognizes you, etc., and put up your hand if you want to speak.

This meeting is requested pursuant to Standing Order 106(4) to discuss the March 12, 2026, production of document motion. So we are meeting to respond to Standing Order 106(4).

Before proceeding, I want to quickly inform members that on March 10, the clerk circulated a budget of $7,250 for the meeting with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction; and a budget of $14,500 for the study of Bill C-224, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act.

Will the committee adopt those budgets?

Some hon. members

Agreed.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Thank you very much.

I now want to open the floor to members to discuss the order of today, which is the Standing Order 106(4) motion requesting documents.

Are there any hands up for members to speak to this?

Dan.

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Riding Mountain, MB

Thank you, Chair.

For several hours of committee time over the last month, Liberal members of this committee have been filibustering the document production order motion moved at this committee on March 12. They have been blocking these documents, avoiding transparency and keeping the truth from Canadians.

This motion covers several documents, but two documents in particular are clearly why the Liberals have staged this cover-up.

First, there is a $250-million PrescribeIT scandal. Canadians deserve to know how a quarter of a billion dollars was spent before the program was terminated. This is a scandal that could be far bigger than ArriveCAN was.

Second, there is the audit of the Canadian dental care plan. If this program is being managed properly by the Liberals, they should have no problem in producing the audit and letting Canadians see the facts.

After some discussions behind the scenes, I will move the following motion in the hope that it will move us closer to a resolution. I would ask that instead of the Liberals filibustering today and reading from their computers they work collaboratively with us to pass this motion so Canadians can get the transparency they deserve.

The motion reads:

That the committee order the production of the following complete and fully unredacted documents:

a) the audit conducted by MNP that assessed the design of the financial controls framework for the Canadian Dental Care Plan;

b) all briefing notes, recommendations and documents provided to the Minister of Health or the Minister's Office regarding the October 17, 2025 change to reimbursement criteria for laboratory fees under the Canadian Dental Care Plan;

c) the number of Canadian Dental Care Plan patients who received prior authorizations for treatments involving laboratory fees before October 17, 2025 but received reduced reimbursement after that date;

d) all correspondence between Health Canada and Sun Life Financial regarding the change to reimbursement criteria for laboratory fees under the Canadian Dental Care Plan;

e) all analysis conducted on the impact the Canadian Dental Care Plan will have on dental schools in Canada;

f) all applications and corresponding signed agreements, except with Quebec, including appendices and annexes for the Substance Use and Addictions Program since 2020 as requested by the committee on December 9, 2025;

g) all applications and corresponding signed agreements, except with Quebec, including appendices and annexes for the Emergency Treatment Fund since 2020 as requested by the committee on December 9, 2025;

h) all applications received by the government to administer the Vaccine Injury Support Program, including all recommendation documents provided to the Minister's Office on the applicants;

i) all documents related to PrescribeIT, including: the 2017 contract between Canada Health Infoway and TELUS Health; all amendments, renewals, and change orders since 2017; all intellectual property ownership agreements; the 2026 termination notice and all clauses, provisions, or records relating to terminations and penalties; a list of all payments made by Canada Health Infoway to TELUS Health since 2017; and all recommendation documents provided to the Minister's Office regarding PrescribeIT funding, operations, and termination;

j) all agreements between Canadian Blood Services and Grifols related to the manufacture, processing, or supply of both blood and plasma-derived products, including all amendments and related agreements;

k) all quarterly reports and underlying data submitted to Health Canada's Office of Controlled Substances by provincial or territorial Ministers of Health, except from Quebec, pursuant to the subsection 56(1) class exemption for Urgent Public Health Needs Sites.

And that these documents be submitted, unredacted and in both official languages, to the committee clerk no later than two weeks after the adoption of this motion, and that any failure by the government to fully comply with this order be reported to the House forthwith.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Are there any hands up of those who wish speak to this issue?

We have Maggie and Helena.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

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

Did you say that I'm first?

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

No, Maggie put her hand up. I saw your hand up immediately after that. I'm sorry.

Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON

I did get on the speaking list. The clerk did acknowledge me.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Go ahead, Maggie.

Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON

Thank you, Madam Chair.

What are we doing here?

Dan, your staff is talking to the clerk.

Can we suspend to review the motion?

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

I'm sorry. I can't hear you.

Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON

Can we please suspend for a quick moment to review the motion?

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Yes, certainly.

Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON

Thank you.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

The meeting is suspended.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

Ms. Sidhu's hand is up.

Ms. Sidhu, go ahead.

Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON

Madam Chair, I received the motion. It looks similar to what we had. Most of the motion is similar.

I do want to spend some time on this, because I think paragraph (i) of the motion carries more weight than it might initially appear. The more closely I review this, the more concerns I have—

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Riding Mountain, MB

Madam Chair, I have a point of order.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

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

It was Maggie and then me for the speaking order.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Riding Mountain, MB

Yes, the speaking list....

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

We are now talking about the motion as amended, so I have a new list.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

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

It was Maggie and me. Do you remember?

I was second, Clerk.

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

It was Ms. Chi and then you?

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

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

Yes, Ms. Chi. I'm sorry.

Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON

I raised my hand, Madam Chair. Madam Clerk noted that.