Health Committee on Oct. 9th, 2025

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

There you go. Thank you.

Well done. You were only a second over in that sentence.

Mr. Thériault has the floor, for four minutes.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Orencsak, you have set up a committee of public servants to look into establishing a registry. How many experts are on this committee?

[Greg Orencsak]

The committee is made up of provinces and territories. There are, to my knowledge, nine provinces and territories participating—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Am I to understand that there are no experts?

[Greg Orencsak]

They are—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Are there any, yes or no?

[Greg Orencsak]

The committee has the ability to ask for expert advice, but the committee members are provinces and territories.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

That's not the question I'm asking you.

It would be nice if you could answer the questions promptly. I only have four minutes of speaking time. Okay? Stop beating around the bush. Thank you.

How many long-term independent industry studies did you refer to or base your conclusion on that there is no causal link between breast implants and breast implant illness? I want to know how many. That's the question.

[Greg Orencsak]

I apologize. Can you repeat your question?

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

How many long-term, non-industry-sponsored studies did you consult to determine that there is no causal link between breast implants and breast implant illness?

[Greg Orencsak]

Health Canada has put out a safety review that is public, and—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

That is my question.

How many studies have you looked at or done? How many studies did you base your findings on? Tell me how many.

[Greg Orencsak]

I will have to get back to you in terms of how many studies were reviewed as part of the safety review.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you.

At this point, I can only assume that you are unaware of how many long-term studies may have led you to dismiss a causal link between breast implants and breast implant illness.

Let's now move on to the issue of breast cancer guidelines.

The Standing Committee on Health tabled a unanimous report calling on the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care to reverse its decision not to recommend expanding breast cancer screening to women in their 40s. The minister took action. We urged him to intervene.

What about that recommendation? What did you do with it?

The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care current website still has the same recommendations: It does not recommend screening for women in their 40s.

[Nancy Hamzawi]

This working group has been put on hold. That decision was made in the spring.

With regard to those guidelines specifically, discussions were ongoing when that study group was put on hold. So everything is on hold at the moment and will remain so until the working group's modernization process is complete.

We have learned a great deal through this decade of experience, including in the context of these guidelines specifically. This issue will be revisited when the working group is reinstated.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

That's it. She burned up your last question.

Ms. Konanz, go ahead for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Chair.

I have a couple more questions concerning decriminalization. There are some MPs around the table who might feel that this isn't important, but I think that this is of very high importance in British Columbia. This is what is being spoken about on the streets and in the stores. People are extremely worried about this. I think that shows that this is a very serious situation.

I will ask Ms. Weber this: Have any other provinces applied to join this program or asked for this exemption?

[Kendal Weber]

We do not have any other exemption requests in for review at Health Canada.

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

Can you stipulate why there might be no other requests at this time?

[Kendal Weber]

Each jurisdiction is taking a unique approach to how they're addressing the overdose crisis depending on the needs of their communities. In B.C., when they came in, it was to put forward a comprehensive approach that included treatment, recovery and harm reduction. Coming in for the exemption for personal possession was something that the province felt was important to its response. Each province comes in based on its needs.

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

Okay. It looks as if no other provinces are interested, and I think it's because it's been a disaster in British Columbia. I think we all know that. That's been repeated by Premier Eby, but also by MP Danko in the House of Commons last Thursday, who said it was a terrible policy.

I have another question for Ms. Weber. I did want to ask this of the minister, but unfortunately I ran out time.

I went to your website and, according to the subsection 56(1) class exemption that British Columbia is now following, under “Suspension or Revocation”, it says, “This exemption may be suspended without prior notice if the Minister determines that such suspension is necessary to protect public health or public safety.”

The minister has the ability to stop this at any time. I was wondering if you were aware of this, Ms. Weber, and if you believe that the minister is aware, because she did repeat over and over again that she had to collaborate with the province on this. However, on your website, it says that she can make that decision herself.

[Kendal Weber]

For these types of exemption requests, it is important that we hear from the jurisdiction and the organization when they seek the exemption. In B.C., we've made two amendments to the exemption at the request of B.C., and we've acted very quickly in response to those requests—

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

Excuse me; I don't have a lot of time.

You're saying that, even though it says on your website that the minister can make that decision, she's not going to because...so that needs to come out of there or be changed. It looks like it's in stone here that the minister can make that decision without consulting with the province.

[Kendal Weber]

It's important that we hear from British Columbia. They came forward with two amendment requests. We acted very quickly—

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

Thank you. I will cede my time to Mr. Strauss. Thank you.