House of Commons Hansard #30 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I do not know what particular timeframe the hon. member is talking about. I had a meeting with the health ministers about three weeks ago and we talked about this issue. We are actually making progress on this issue.
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Chair, I want to respond to some of the comments that the parliamentary secretary just made about the glowing account of how great health care is in this country.
In my home province of Manitoba, we have had a problem with hallway medicine, extended waiting times and not being able to get in through emergency systems. Under the current system, because of a lack of funding from the federal government and lack of administration in the provincial government, we have had a problem now that has turned from hallway medicine into highway medicine, where people in the rural areas cannot get any service and have to come into the city of Winnipeg to get any service at all. People in the city of Brandon have to go to Winnipeg to get any service from specialists.
What is the minister doing from his standpoint to ensure that the provinces are holding up their end of the bargain and implementing better health care for all rural residents?
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I would like the support of the members opposite in ensuring that the provinces report according to the agreements that they made with the federal government. There is an unprecedented degree of accountability embedded in the agreement. All funding arrangements require compliance with the reporting provisions. If they have to report, then they will perform. If they have to go to elections every three or four years, they will perform.
The ultimate penalty or the ultimate choice that the people of the provinces will have is to ensure that they either elect or not elect the governments that do not do appropriate things in health care.
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Chair, many people in my riding are suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In Manitoba, over 36,000 people are suffering from diabetes. Over 2 million Canadians are suffering from diabetes. In the aboriginal communities, diabetes is two to three times higher. Clearly, we have a severe problem on our hands with this disease.
Back in 1999 the health minister of the day mentioned that increased funding should be provided for a cure for juvenile diabetes or type 1. No specific new funding has been announced for research into juvenile diabetes since the Liberals made this promise.
Instead, virtually all the funding has been directed toward prevention of type 2. What is important is that a cure for juvenile diabetes would benefit both these conditions and eventually save taxpayers over $9 billion currently being spent on treating diabetes of all types in our health care system.
Why have the Liberals chosen to increase funding only for prevention programs for type 2 diabetes while ignoring the plight of young children with juvenile diabetes who face a lifelong independence of insulin shots, potential blindness, disabilities and early death?
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I know that some of us have the propensity to make outlandish statements. However, the fact is that there has been funding for the Canadian diabetes strategy. There is no question that there is going to be more funding. There is some funding in place for juvenile diabetes research at this time. I was actually at an event where people were raising funds for this issue as well. As I said earlier on, my blood was tested and I was happy to know that my sugar level was within limits.
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Chair, that is great for the minister. However, the Liberals have said that they would increase funding for overall juvenile diabetes. Yet they have maintained the status quo and everyone knows that status quo is Latin for do nothing.
When will the minister follow through on the 1999 Liberal promise and actually increase funding for juvenile diabetes research?
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, there is no question these are difficult issues. Whether it is diabetes, cancer, or cardiac care, these are difficult issues.
The federal government provides large sums of taxpayers' money to the provinces to deal with health care. In addition to that, we provide $752 million to CIHR for research. We have a Canadian diabetes strategy and we have some funding in place for juvenile diabetes research.
These are difficult issues. I recognize that the hon. member has some passion on this issue and I would be happy to talk to him in detail--
SupplyGovernment Orders
The Deputy Chair
Resuming debate, the hon. member for Nanaimo—Alberni.
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Chair, it has been a long night for everybody. I am glad to be able to participate in this debate.
I want to bring up an issue that we started the day with today. It is a very important issue for quite a segment of our population. It has to do with the subject of autism.
This morning we had the Autism Society of Canada here. We had alarming statistics being brought forward. We have seen at least a tenfold increase in the last 10 years and in some areas the numbers are even a hundredfold and more. We know that autism used to be so rare and now in many classes there are two or three children with autism, at least in British Columbia where my wife is a counsellor in the elementary system. It is a huge problem.
The families of autistic children have of course suffered a great disappointment with the Supreme Court decision on treatment that has just come down. That particular treatment option deals with behavioural modification, a very intensive behavioural analysis. It costs about $50,000 to $60,000 per child.
More needs to be done to head this off early and intervene early so that we can prevent this catastrophe for families and for these children. That being said, I wanted to highlight that and ask the minister where the health ministry is going with this.
Just recently in the last weeks the New York senate commended and honoured Dr. Joan Fallon for a new study. It was the patenting of a process for early identification of these children and it involves a simple stool test. It has to do with pancreatic enzyme deficiency. This is very promising in the treatment of these children, with enzyme treatment improving their function.
What is the ministry doing to help head off this problem of autism? Are we doing something? Is there a strategy? Are we putting money through the CIHR or some other agency into identifying the cause of autism for these children and the appropriate treatment? By the way, Dr. Joan Fallon is a chiropractor. Along with the enzymatic treatment she does use manipulation of these kids as well. Is there a strategy and is something being planned?
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, this is obviously again a very difficult issue. In health care we deal with difficult issues from time to time. I was in fact part of the government in British Columbia when the case that recently came before the Supreme Court was decided. The case originated in British Columbia. I believe I was the attorney general. I had to deal with that difficult issue then.
I have said that I am happy, prepared and willing to meet with the parliamentarians who are trying to argue for a national strategy on this issue, with Senator Munson and others from all political parties. I will be meeting with them. I will be listening to them. I am happy to actually listen to the provinces from across the country.
I spoke to a constituent of mine several weeks ago during one of my constituency days. He has a 12 year old or 13 year old autistic child. The man was in tears. There was not much I could do as a federal politician. These are provincial jurisdictions and the provinces and territories make difficult decisions and difficult choices.
But I am prepared to take a leadership role at least in terms of coordinating our response across the country and discussing what we collectively as leaders in different levels of government can do.
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Chair, a lot of serious concerns have been raised about what is causing this escalating epidemic, really, of autism; that is probably not the right terminology, but the numbers are escalating unbelievably.
There are concerns about the repeated use of antibiotics for childhood ear infections. That may be a root cause. There are concerns about the vaccines that are administered, about the thimerosal or the mercury that is used in the vaccines. Some states in the U.S. have demanded that they start producing vaccines without mercury derivatives, which are highly neurotoxic.
I hope that there is someone, and why should it not be Canada, leading the world in actually addressing these issues, finding out if there is a root issue, doing some proper studies and making sure we get appropriate intervention for these children. Why should it not be Canada?
That being said, I want to go on to another issue that I believe is very important. We had a little talk today about health promotion and prevention by the member for Brampton—Springdale and the member for Dartmouth--Cole Harbour.
I want to say on the Food and Drugs Act, subsections 3(1) and 3(2) and schedule A, which continue to obstruct delivery of natural health products, that we understand the justice department has indicated that these sections are not constitutional, that they will not stand a constitutional challenge. There is a private member's bill that would change this.
The transition team asked for changes to this law. Is the minister prepared to acknowledge these sections are not constitutional and adopt the provisions of Bill C-420 to change the way we regulate natural health products?
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Chair, I want to say I appreciate the member's concern about autism. He shared some of the statistics that he had with me on the plane ride here to Ottawa early this week.
On the issue that the member raises, I am not aware of the details and the constitutionality or not of the provisions that he speaks of. I will be happy to take a look at them and speak to him in the fullest possible way I can.
SupplyGovernment Orders
The Deputy Chair
It being 11:53 p.m., all the votes are deemed to have been reported, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4).
The Committee will rise, and I will now leave the chair.
(All the votes under Health are deemed to have been reported)
SupplyGovernment Orders
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)
The House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).
(The House adjourned at 11:54 p.m.)