Health Committee on Oct. 26th, 2026

Evidence of meeting #39 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was mental.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Opioid Epidemic and Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada

Members speaking

Marie-Hélène Gaudreau

Before the committee

Zivojinovic Journalist, As an Individual

Alexander Caudarella Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction

Kennell Vice-President, Policy, Partnerships and Advancement, Canadian Mental Health Association—National

Smith Chief Executive Officer, Peel Dufferin Branch, Canadian Mental Health Association

Farihah Ali Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Principal Investigator, Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters, Population and Global Health Institute

Patricia Conrod Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction, Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, As an Individual

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal

Thank you very much.

On behalf of the committee members, I would like to thank Dr. Conrod and Dr. Ali for the valuable information that they shared.

Also, thank you to our analysts, clerk, interpreters and support staff for the work that they do to make these meetings successful.

With that, before I give you the floor, Mr. Bailey, I have to say something here. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 28, on the draft report of the immigration study.

Witnesses, you can log off. Thank you.

Going forward, I suggest that the drafting instructions for committee reports be discussed during in camera meetings rather than via email. This would allow the committee to provide collective directions to the analysts and avoid conflicting instructions. Members could still submit recommendations via email afterwards.

This was the committee's previous practice and may provide a more efficient and transparent drafting process.

I would recommend that members have their drafting instructions for this study ready for the analysts on Wednesday.

After immigration version one, we will give drafting instructions for the study on the opioids.

With that, I am going to give the floor to Mr. Bailey, because he has a routine motion.

October 26th, 2026 / 1 p.m.

Conservative

Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB

Thank you, Chair, for allowing me to speak, and for running such a good meeting today. I know it was a little behind schedule.

I'm seeking unanimous consent for a motion that we brought up last meeting.

That, notwithstanding the usual practices of the committee concerning access to and distribution of documents,

a) up to three associate members of the committee per party be authorized to receive the notices of meetings and notices of motion and be granted access to the digital binder;

(b) the associate members be designated by the offices of the whips of each recognized party and sent to the committee clerk;

(c) the offices of the whips of each recognized party may each designate one staff member from their office to be included on the committee's distribution list; and

(d) the provisions of this motion remain in effect for the duration of the 45th Parliament, unless otherwise ordered.