Health Committee on April 30th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

You have two minutes and 14 seconds.

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

Thank you.

That brings me back to my questions, Ms. Reimer.

The pharmaceutical and life sciences sector task force is made up of many big pharma representatives.

Was the Public Health Agency of Canada consulted on who would be part of this recently created government task force?

[Joss Reimer]

I'm sorry, but can I ask you to clarify which working group you are referring to?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I'm going to stop the watch and give the time back to Mr. Blanchette-Joncas.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In March, the government created the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector task force.

I want to know whether the agency was consulted on the task force.

[Joss Reimer]

Any consultation would have occurred before I began in the role. That is something I will have to ask the agency, as I would not have been part of it at that time.

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

Ms. Reimer, do you think it's appropriate for this key round table to have pharmaceutical industry representatives, but no patient representatives or independent experts?

[Joss Reimer]

Again, I'm sorry, but can you clarify the question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I'll stop the watch.

Mr. Blanchette-Joncas, go ahead, please.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I know these aren't easy questions.

The task force is made up solely of pharmaceutical industry representatives.

The makeup of the task force isn't balanced. Patients and even independent experts aren't represented on the task force. Do you think that could undermine how they view the situation?

[Joss Reimer]

Thank you so much for the clarification.

Regarding the committee, this is not something that is within my mandate. I am very happy to speak to other issues, but I don't have the background to be able to speak to that committee specifically.

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

All right.

How much time do I have left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

You have 45 seconds.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Reimer, in the economic update it released this week, the government talks about food security, affordability, groceries and food production. We also see that spending on government operations is being cut.

Has the Public Health Agency of Canada measured the potential impact on public health capacity, given this reduction in the resources it has to operate properly?

[Joss Reimer]

My understanding is that some of the previous financial commitments for running the Public Health Agency of Canada were reinforced in this economic update. However, the agency did go through a workforce adjustment prior to my taking on the role, so that has already occurred in the agency with respect to their budget.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you, Mr. Blanchette-Joncas.

We will go to the next round, and we will start with Mr. Mazier for five minutes.

Please go ahead.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Thank you, Chair.

Welcome, Dr. Reimer. Congratulations on your new position as Canada's chief public health officer—good for you.

I'll start with a simple question. Is consuming illegal fentanyl safe, yes or no?

[Joss Reimer]

The toxic drug crisis is a complex situation, and it requires a complex response—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

It was a pretty simple question.

Is consuming illegal fentanyl safe, yes or no?

[Joss Reimer]

While I understand the question, I believe that it is a complex question that requires a more complex answer, which I would be happy to provide, but—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

You can't—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Let her finish first, Mr. Mazier.

I have stopped the watch. I would ask Dr. Reimer to finish off, and then we'll start the watch.

Go ahead, please, Dr. Reimer.

[Joss Reimer]

The consumption of any medication or drug, illegal or legal, is—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

That wasn't the question, though. It was a very simple question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I'm not going to stop the watch.

Go on, Mr. Mazier.