Mr. Speaker, the World Bank has released its report entitled, “Drug-Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic Future”.
I am proud to say that our government takes the issue of antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, seriously, and has helped support the development of this report. The report notes that AMR is a complex issue that impacts health, agriculture, trade, and the environment, and outlines the possible economic and development consequences of the continued global spread of antimicrobial resistance. The report indicates that it is possible to avoid these outcomes by engaging in vigorous antimicrobial resistance containment in human health, veterinary health, and the agriculture sectors.
The Government of Canada has been recognized internationally for its One Health approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance across sectors. Last November, our government announced a $9-million contribution to the World Health Organization to support the implementation of a global action plan on AMR. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories, and key partners internationally to address AMR here in Canada and across the world.