Evidence of meeting #68 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Anne Repetowski  Outreach Worker, Grande Prairie and Area Council on Aging - Seniors Outreach
Sherry Dennis  Director, Grande Prairie and Area Council on Aging - Seniors Outreach
Debra Hauptman  Chief Executive Officer, Langley Lodge, Langley Care Society
Catherine Leviten-Reid  Associate Professor, Cape Breton University, As an Individual
Laurent Marcoux  President, Canadian Medical Association
Meredith Wright  Director of Speech-Language Pathology and Communication Health Assistants, Speech-Language & Audiology Canada
Stephen Vail  Director of Policy, Canadian Medical Association
Chantal Kealey  Director of Audiology, Speech-Language & Audiology Canada

5:25 p.m.

President, Canadian Medical Association

Dr. Laurent Marcoux

For remote areas? I think it was true before, but now there is no such support when they are in a small, remote area. They know their neighbours. They know the community and the community knows them, but they are so isolated. They don't have time. It's good for a short period of time, but with time, after years, they become more isolated.

We have to use modern communication like the Internet. They can use it. I have an example of a woman with only one son. He lives in Europe, in Germany, and she talks with him every day via Skype. It's not difficult to do that, and she doesn't feel isolated. She's happy. When I see her, she says, “I talked to my son, and he talked about my grandson.” She's not isolated. To be isolated is to not have contact with the people who are close to us.

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bryan May

Thank you all very much.

For the committee, I just have some future business notes.

On October 31, there is going to be another panel on inclusion as a social determinant of health and well-being. On November 2, there is going to be the panel on housing and aging in place.

Thank you so very much for being here, for taking time to video conference in. All of your input is going to be used to formulate our report, and I thank you very much for participating in this study.

Thank you to all my colleagues and to all of those who made today's meeting possible and allowed us to communicate in our particular languages.

Thank you, and we'll see you next time.

The meeting is adjourned.