Evidence of meeting #34 for Justice and Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was senate.
A video is available from Parliament.
1 p.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
I have a very quick question, Senator Cowan.
I have read the Senate transcripts as your bill made its way through there and you certainly encountered a fair number of your colleagues who were skeptics on its constitutionality. May I have your thoughts on what it was you think led them to overcome those doubts and stand with you to send that bill to this House?
1 p.m.
Senator, Lib., Senate
I always hesitate to speak for others, but my sense would be that we provided to the Senate, as we will provide to your committee, strong evidence from eminent constitutional scholars that this is a legitimate exercise of the federal power. I think the responses from the provinces, both to my enquiries and from the committee, indicated that the provinces are not concerned either from a jurisdictional or a policy point of view. They're looking to examine their own codes and legislation to make it complementary, but they're not saying, “Hold on, we need to act first.” They're waiting for federal action, in my view, and I think that's my responsibility.
1 p.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Okay.
The other point I wanted to get across follows up on Mr. Falk's question. Nothing in this bill is going to prevent or hamper the provinces from legislating contractual law with insurance companies if they so wish. I would venture that both of you would agree with that. There is also the fact that in this new era of medicine—we really are on the dawn of a new age of personalized medicine—it may be that if we take away the fear people have of getting a genetic test we may actually encourage more healthy lifestyles, people taking control of their own destinies, so to speak. It may, in the long run save our health system thousands if not millions of dollars. In fact, it may even save the insurance companies some money as well. Would you agree with that?
1 p.m.
Liberal
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Absolutely. The thing about targeted...and I have avoided the words “personalized medicine” because it kind of sounds like a high-end store. It's targeted medicine, so you don't waste time doing trial and error to get to better health outcomes. You actually give information so that people can change their lives.
The famous case is Angelina Jolie, the famous case of a person who dropped her risk from over 90% down to 5% of developing breast cancer. That gives her the opportunity to live a full life, pay more insurance premiums, do all the things that she is going to do. For normal, average, non-star people as well, it can have that impact. It's hugely important that we drop any barrier because it is so human to not want to do that. If there's something artificial or legal in the way, let's get the barrier down.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather
Thank you so much.
I just want to thank all of the witnesses for coming forward today. Your testimony was greatly helpful to our committee. Since there's another committee coming in, I would ask everyone to clear out as quickly as possible.
The meeting is adjourned.