Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Feb. 3rd, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Thank you.

I made a mistake.

Mr. Wrzesnewskyj, you have another minute. I apologize, sir.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Monsieur Deschamps, professor emeritus of medicine at McGill University Norbert Gilmore stated publicly that numerous patients have already stopped their treatment. Would you agree or disagree with that statement?

[Albert Deschamps]

There may be a few. There have been.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you.

So there have been patients who have stopped their treatment.

He goes on to say:

...and without it, their health will deteriorate quickly. “The end result--all too avoidable, but seemingly inevitable--will be greater morbidity, mortality, suffering and costs”....

This is the consequence of this current situation.

You've pretty much entered into agreements and understanding with 300-odd members of a syndicate, an association, a union. Those individuals had obligations to their union as well. Is this in a certain way an attempt to break this syndicate?

[Albert Deschamps]

If I understand your question correctly, the way the AQPP is interacting with us, or how we're trying to interact with them, would break the syndicate.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

That's my question to you, sir.

[Albert Deschamps]

Our intention is to come to a solution. We sat down with them this week. We acknowledged them as an entity to deal with. As was mentioned by my colleague, what we don't want is to enter into a renegotiation of the terms of the coverage.

If we can agree on what an agreement would look like, which would not jeopardize or remettre en question the coverage....

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

That's a very long answer to a pretty simple question.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You're out of time.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Very briefly, we have a situation that appears to be an attempt to break a syndicate. On the other hand, they've turned around and said not to sign up for the electronic system. The end result of this situation is that people are not getting the medicine, and people may suffer greatly. In fact, it's referenced here publicly that morbidity, mortality, and suffering will be the result of this.

We plead with the minister to find a resolution.

[Albert Deschamps]

I don't think the situation is that alarmante for now.

There were exceptional cases that I think were identified. With the stakeholders in the region, I think, again, we were able to find solutions for these people to be accommodated. I don't think these people are going without medications for a long period of time.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

I'm sorry, you're well over now.

Go ahead, Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

When do you see the discussion and negotiation concluding with AQPP? I know you signed a contract with Blue Cross on January 17. That's done. But what about with the pharmacists' organization? Do you have an end date by which you would like to tidy the whole thing up and have it sorted out? Would it be within a month? Would that be a target you'd be setting? Would it be a year?

[Albert Deschamps]

It would be wonderful to have it in days as opposed to months, yes.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Well, you have a target, do you not? You would prefer to be done as quickly as possible.

[Albert Deschamps]

Yes. We would prefer to have a resolution with them as soon as possible.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Do you have a target date? How long do you think it might take?

[Albert Deschamps]

Again, we just engaged in our discussions this week. I think there are areas of consensus. It's just a matter of agreeing to all the details. If we can do it within some weeks, that would be what we would hope for.

[Dr. Danielle Grondin]

I'll just mention that my department is now working to put together a draft to summarize what is already there, to be certain the AQPP understands that. We aim to work to present that later this week or early next week, and then we'll move on from there.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

The minister is going to be with us on February 17. That's several weeks from now. I assume this issue will not be in this forum anymore. It will be sorted out in your good hands.

[Albert Deschamps]

That would be a wonderful réalisation.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I see that on February 2, yesterday, the situation or problem was not solved but was alleviated, in a way, such that a refugee, the person who is sick, will be able to go to the pharmacist and get the necessary drugs, and the pharmacist will be able to, within several weeks, three weeks, obtain payment.

[Albert Deschamps]

That's correct. There is an interim solution that has been agreed upon by both parties to ensure that beneficiaries get the services and the medications they need.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Ms. Grondin.

[Dr. Danielle Grondin]

In fact, yesterday, what is understood is that with the joint work with the AQPP, the AQPP has directed their pharmacies to resume the provisions of the program as per the principles of the IFH. This means that now the recipient, when he or she arrives, will receive the medication without having to pay and the pharmacists will be sending their bill by mail directly to Medavie Blue Cross, because although there are 300 who have registered, they have not been authorized by the AQPP. The software providers have been forbidden by the AQPP to install this interface.