Health Committee on Oct. 2nd, 2025

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

You talked about measles and infectious diseases earlier. We know there's a vaccine issue, and we can come back to that, but can you assure us that you have everything you need to deal with this trend and the fact that serious diseases will resurface?

[Nancy Hamzawi]

Yes, I'm absolutely confident that we have the resources. We're ready.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much, Mr. Thériault. I'll now go to the second round.

I'd like to clarify. I understand that in the second round Mr. Thériault had six minutes, and after that he reverts to 2.5 minutes in subsequent rounds. That is my understanding.

That's okay?

He is nodding. Thanks.

I'll go to Ms. Konanz for five minutes, please, for the Conservatives.

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

Thank you so much, Chair.

Thank you to all the experts in the room. I'm excited to find out more about your priorities.

I think I will direct my first question to Ms. Weber.

In 2023, the B.C. government and the federal government created a pilot program that allowed any adult to possess illicit hard drugs in British Columbia. Since then, more than 6,000 people—husbands, wives, daughters, sons—have died in drug deaths. This has created havoc in our communities.

This decriminalization pilot program is expiring in January 2026. To date, have you received a request from the B.C. government for an extension on this deadly experiment?

[Kendal Weber]

No, we have not.

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

I think I'll ask a question of you again, Ms. Weber, if I may, through the Chair.

This was a federally approved pilot project. I'd like to know—and I'm sure the residents of B.C. would like to know—what the top three metrics are that you're using or you use to judge the success of this project.

[Kendal Weber]

The decrim—the goal of the exemption related to personal possession of certain drugs—was to reduce stigma and also reduce the fear of criminal prosecution that prevents people from seeking help. It's the first exemption of its kind, and I think what's important is that throughout the exemption and through the oversight of the pilot project, consultation continued with stakeholders. B.C. actually came in twice to seek a modification and amendment to the exemption.

As such, right now, the exemption is limited to personal possession in homes or in addiction clinics or also in overdose prevention sites. It's quite limited, and it's illegal in public places.

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

Excuse me, Ms. Weber. That's really good information, but what are the metrics you're using to judge the success of this project? We've seen thousands of people die on the streets of British Columbia. It has been recommended by many experts that this project not continue. You must have some metrics that you're using. Otherwise, it wouldn't have continued to this point.

[Kendal Weber]

We do require reporting from the Province of British Columbia on a quarterly basis. They put their reports on their website, and you'll see there that there are four dimensions to the reporting, the oversight and the metrics, the first being the utilization of health care services; then the well-being of the people who use drugs; law enforcement; and, of course, public awareness and understanding of decrim.

They report on different indicators under those four themes on a quarterly basis. That is actually published on their website for public review.

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

You believe this has been a success, or you wouldn't have continued it up to this point.

We have, unfortunately, drug-addicted people wandering the streets like zombies. They are high on drugs. Is that deemed to be an acceptable outcome as part of this pilot program?

[Kendal Weber]

We continue to monitor the exemption. It expires in January 2026. We have not received a request for a renewal of the exemption. It has been amended twice—

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

Excuse me.

If you do receive a request by the British Columbia government to extend it, will you extend the program?

[Kendal Weber]

We're not at the end of the pilot right now. When the request comes in, it will be under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and we'll assess public health and public safety and look at the indicators.

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

Right now we have had requests from multiple communities to end this program. We've also had requests from the RCMP. We've had requests from the British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, calling on the federal government to reverse its position.

Why hasn't your organization reversed this decision, when you have the opportunity to give that advice to the minister?

[Kendal Weber]

The Province of British Columbia did come in to seek amendments to the exemption. Twice we've made amendments. It's narrowed down now, as I mentioned earlier, to the four locations where individuals can't possess—

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

Excuse me.

Do you believe this program is a success?

[Kendal Weber]

The exemption is not complete. It's a three-year exemption until January 2026.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Excuse me, time is up.

I now go to the second person from the Liberals.

Ms. Sidhu, you have five minutes.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to all of the officials for appearing at this committee today to share your important insights with Canadians.

I would like to direct my first questions, on artificial intelligence, to Health Canada.

Earlier this year, the federal government announced the guiding principles on pan-Canadian AI for health. Could you please share with this committee how these guiding principles can play a transformative role in modernizing Canada's health system?

[Greg Orencsak]

The principles were developed through collaboration with the provinces, territories and federal government. They are incurred in ensuring privacy, transparency and accountability. They are also aligned with some of the international best practices in this regard. They do provide certain rules for the road in respect to the safe and trustworthy adoption of AI in Canada's health system.

By virtue of having these principles, they are promoting public trust and the responsible use of AI in health. They are also helping to ensure alignment across the country, given the broad participation by provinces and territories.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Can you share with the committee the role AI can play in the future of health systems?

Does AI adoption in the health system help increase diagnostic efficiency within primary care and emergency care, do you think?

[Greg Orencsak]

In terms of adoption, I think there are many promising ways in which AI can help transform health care in a number of different ways, from detection to better diagnostics, while maintaining high standards and an appropriate use of resources.

We're seeing a fair bit of adoption and success in terms of adoption in doctors' offices as it relates to AI scribes, for example. It's helping to relieve some of the administrative burden that practitioners are facing.

It's being used in hospitals to predict certain events. It's also being used to predict wait times.

It's also helping to support research and innovation, predicated on having good, high-quality standardized data to enable the use of these kinds of technologies in the health care space.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you.

We heard about the longer wait times. Do you think it can reduce wait times and optimize the allocation of medical resources? Do you believe in that?

[Greg Orencsak]

There have been examples of that kind of deployment in large and complex settings like hospitals, for example, so it's been deployed in that way, yes.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

My next question is for Health Canada and PHAC, so anybody can answer it.

With the present process of clinical trials in Canada, given that some Canadians are getting alternative treatment in the U.S. or other countries for a faster process, could you please share with this committee what Health Canada is doing to streamline the process while safeguarding our health standards?