Health Committee on May 7th, 2026

[Doug Eyolfson, Liberal, Winnipeg West, MB]

Thank you, Chair. I'd like to move the following motion:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Health undertake an urgent study on the rising rates of HIV infections in Canada, with particular attention to the recent declaration of a public health emergency by the Province of Manitoba related to the spread of HIV, including the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous peoples, women, rural and northern communities, and individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and substance use disorders;

That the study examine federal programs, funding, prevention strategies, access to testing and treatment, harm reduction initiatives, public awareness efforts, and intergovernmental coordination related to HIV prevention, care and support services;

That the Committee hold no fewer than two meetings on this subject;

That witnesses include officials from the Public Health Agency of Canada, representatives from Manitoba Health, Indigenous health organizations, frontline community organizations, medical and public health experts, and individuals with lived experience;

And that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Thank you.

Ms. Sidhu, you have the floor.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair. I thought I was on the speaking list after.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Are you going to speak to that motion?

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Absolutely, yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Then go ahead.

We will have Mr. Strauss, Mr. Mazier and then Ms. Sidhu.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair. When Mr. Eyolfson started reading the motion, I raised my hand three times.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I agree. Ms. Sidhu, if they are going to speak to this motion, because their hand was up as well, I have to give them the floor, and then I will come back to you. If it's not related to this, then I can only override and then come back to you.

We have the speaking list right now. I just want to make sure that everybody knows who is speaking when. We have Dr. Strauss, Mr. Mazier, Ms. Sidhu and Ms. Konanz.

Dr. Strauss, please go ahead.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

If I may, I'll begin by congratulating Dr. Eyolfson for a really important study proposal that I would be pleased to support in due time. I think it's much better than the previous study proposal. There actually is expertise on this topic at this table, which was not the case for the AI study that was proposed. I am pleased that the AI study was withdrawn. I also commend the member opposite for keeping it to two meetings. We can get a lot done in two meetings. That's all really important.

We have to put everything on the correct timeline. We have done three studies. We have not prepared any reports. The House is rising in four weeks. When we get back, I'm not going to remember all of the testimony that we heard. If we want to prepare the best reports possible, then we should prepare the reports for the studies that we've already done before entertaining new studies. That's basic; let's get our homework done. This is an extremely important topic that Dr. Eyolfson has proposed, but so were the last three.

I have this issue of getting the proper work done at the proper time. I also have the issue of basic fairness. When this committee was first composed, the vice-chairs met, and a member from each party agreed that there would be a Conservative study, a Bloc study and then a Liberal study. We had a majority—the Bloc members and ourselves—at that time. Out of collegiality, we agreed to let the Liberals have a study, and I'm surprised that degree of collegiality is not being extended to us now that they have a majority. We did not insist; we didn't pass any motions to do our study before they had determined which study they wanted to do. We agreed all at once, all together, to do those three studies. I think that's the sort of collaboration and basic respect that Canadians expect to see from all members of this House and all members of this committee.

Although it's a really important study that he has proposed, it just has to be said that it was done without discussion. I don't know if the vice-chairs were convened. I don't know if they asked us what study we would like to do. It feels a lot like butting in line.

There still remain these questions about the testimony that this committee has already heard being false. It's a really important study that he wants to do. I want to make sure we have procedures in place and the expectation in place that when witnesses come to testify to his study on HIV, those witnesses give true information.

Just a few weeks ago, a CEO of a non-profit came and gave false information, and there have been no repercussions for that. In fact, our attempts to raise this as a matter of privilege in this committee were rebuffed. I don't think we have, as a committee, the integrity to deal with a topic as serious as the one Dr. Eyolfson has proposed.

Bearing those three things in mind—getting the work done in terms of our homework for the studies we've already completed, the basic fairness issue of doing their study but also doing ours, and this issue of whether the committee is hearing true or false testimony and, if it's false, what we are going to do about that—I would like to propose the following amendment to Dr. Eyolfson's motion.

That the motion be amended by adding, after the words “That the committee hold no fewer than two meetings on this subject”, the following:

“That the committee not commence this study until the Minister of Health has appeared before the committee for no less than two hours to testify on the Liberal government’s failed PrescribeIT program, including the program’s costs, governance, termination, adoption failures and intellectual property arrangements, and the minister’s oversight of Canada Health Infoway.”

That ends the text of the amendment.

I want to say that this amendment is a quick—I hope no one will say slapdash—way to at least get at the issue of the vice-chairs not having convened.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

First of all, the amendment you are proposing is not related to that motion, so I call the amendment out of order.

I'm going to move on to Mr. Mazier to speak to Dr. Eyolfson's motion.

Please go ahead.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

It's very much related. I don't understand what you're even saying. How is it not related, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

He's talking about AI right now. The motion is on the—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Strauss, could you please reread that amendment to the motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Can you send a copy of the motion right now, so we can read it?

In the meantime, I'm going to suspend for two minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

I call the meeting back to order. The honourable members got the copy of the amendment. Mr. Eyolfson brought a motion forward:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Health undertake an urgent study on the rising rates of HIV infections in Canada, with particular attention to the recent declaration of a public health emergency by the Province of Manitoba related to the spread of HIV, including the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous peoples, women, rural and northern communities, and individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and substance use disorders;

That the study examine federal programs, funding, prevention strategies, access to testing and treatment, harm reduction initiatives, public awareness efforts, and intergovernmental coordination related to HIV prevention, care and support services;

That the committee hold no fewer than two meetings on this subject;

That witnesses include officials from the Public Health Agency of Canada, representatives from Manitoba Health, Indigenous health organizations, frontline community organizations, medical and public health experts, and individuals with lived experience;

And that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House.

There is an amendment brought by Dr. Strauss:

That the motion be amended by adding, after the words “That the committee hold no fewer than two meetings on this subject”, the following:

“That the Committee not commence this study until the Minister of Health has appeared before the committee for no less than two hours to testify on the Liberal government’s failed PrescribeIT program, including the program’s costs, governance, termination, adoption failures and intellectual property arrangements, and the minister’s oversight of Canada Health Infoway.”

When I look at the motion brought forward by Doug Eyolfson and the amendment brought by Dr. Strauss, I see that the amendment brought by Dr. Strauss is not related to the subject of HIV. In fact, it is talking about PrescribeIT, which we are not studying now.

I will call this amendment out of order, so we are back to—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

I have a point of order.

You sound impressed. This is directly....

We're talking about the study not commencing until we get the PrescribeIT settlement done, so it's directly related to the subject at hand.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

That is your understanding, Mr. Mazier.

This amendment is not in relation to the subject of HIV, so I called the amendment to the motion out of order.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

I'll challenge the chair on that one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

The chair is challenged, and we'll take the vote.

(Ruling of the chair sustained: yeas 6; nays 5)

We are back to the motion brought forward by Mr. Eyolfson.

Madam Sidhu, please.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Doug Eyolfson, Liberal, Winnipeg West, MB]

It was Dan next.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

If you want to speak, it's only on this motion.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

The list is there. Look right there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Those were on the amendment.

The amendment is out of order, so now we have Mr. Mazier and Ms. Sidhu.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Then we'll have Madam Konanz.

Mr. Eyolfson, do you want to be on the list, too? You raised your hand. I just want to make sure.