Debates of March 12th, 2020

International Development

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Madam Speaker, before I begin, I want to acknowledge that the question the member put forward for the adjournment debate was related to international development. I know she is also the shadow minister for international development and I would love to provide her with feedback in terms of what our government is doing for international development.

We are currently providing more than $6 billion in international assistance over the year to improve the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable around the world. To achieve our sustainable development goals, we committed an additional $2 billion over five years, starting in 2018-19, and in budget 2019 we announced an additional $700 million in 2023-24. These announcements represent the largest increase to Canadian aid since 2002.

However, our international assistance efforts go beyond dollars and cents. They are also measured by our leadership on international issues and our commitment to innovation. For example, through our assistance, we supported 2.9 million women and girls in gaining better access to sexual and reproductive health services, including modern methods of contraception. As an active member of the UN, we have a strong record on contributing innovative ideas and offering our global connections and expertise to address the world's most difficult peace and security challenges.

We currently chair the Peacebuilding Commission and are fostering cutting-edge work through the Elsie initiative on peacekeeping. We want to build on these and other efforts in securing a rotating seat on the UN Security Council in 2021-22, not as an end in itself but as a means to advance our foreign policy priorities and contribute to a peaceful, inclusive and sustainable world.

Ultimately, we want our international assistance to go farther and reach more people. We have new tools in place to attract more resources for sustainable development. We are building new partnerships, including with the private sector, and adopting more flexible and innovative approaches. The June 2019 announcement by our government will make sure that the equality fund, a partnership among government, philanthropists, the private sector and civil society, will create a sustainable source of funding for women's organizations and movements in developing countries.

We are confident that Canada is making and can continue to make a significant and positive difference on the world stage.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am always happy to talk about our development efforts. Today's question was on the diversification of the economy for Alberta, but I would like to quickly point out that our official development assistance is at the lowest it has ever been and that there is much work we could do. Similar to what we see in Alberta, we have a government that is certainly speaking about the right things, with the feminist international assistance policy, and in terms of supporting Alberta, but is not actually doing the work we need to have it do.

There are things we could do in Alberta right now to help Alberta workers and I would encourage the government to move on that as soon as possible.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Madam Speaker, we are doing incredible work when it comes to foreign affairs on the national front, as well as the international front. I am extremely proud of the feminist international assistance policy that is helping the most vulnerable and the poorest individuals around the world. We will continue to foster sustainable development, work to reduce poverty, promote peace and security around the world and provide humanitarian assistance during crises to protect some of the most vulnerable people.

I know the member opposite has extensive experience in international development and I look forward to working with her and making that a reality.

Health

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Madam Speaker, it is great to be here tonight to speak on a very critical topic.

In 2017, Health Canada proposed changes to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board regulations. These changes introduced new factors to determine whether a medicine is being sold at an excessive price. Since these changes were proposed, rare disease patients have been warning there will be a problem. The new PMPRB regulations require drug manufacturers to lower the prices by a lot. By some estimates, price cuts of 45% to 75% will be required.

That sounds great, but the reality is that it makes our country a much less attractive market and hurts patients, particularly those with rare diseases. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

From November 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020, Health Canada registration for new clinical trials dropped by 60% below the average of the four preceding years. There has also been a two-thirds drop in drugs approved before approval in the United States or approved within a year of approval there. The rate is now 15% of drugs.

We are dangerously falling behind because of the chill these proposed changes have caused. This is having a real-world consequence.

In my riding, I have constituents suffering from rare disorders like cystic fibrosis. No, they cannot get a doctor to get a special certificate, because they are not available. That does not work. The Liberals say it constantly.

Cystic fibrosis patients desperately need approval of the new drug called Trikafta. It could help 90% of people with cystic fibrosis. It was fast-tracked for approval in the United States and the U.K. It is available in the U.S. and many other countries, but in Canada, patients have no access.

The manufacturer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, says its concern about proposed changes to Canada's regulations for patented medicines is the reason the product has not been launched in Canada. When the Liberals say it has not applied, there is a reason it has not applied. It is because of the regulations. It cannot drop its prices by as much as the PMPRB changes would require. Like many other pharmaceutical companies, it will not even bother applying to Health Canada under these new rules. Who suffers? It is patients with rare diseases like cystic fibrosis.

This is not about pharmaceutical companies; it is about patients who are suffering and need the drugs. They need their government to deliver for them.

Now we have the coronavirus. There is no drug for it. What are we doing? We are doing all sorts of things in the world economy. The Liberal government gave $50 million to the UN to help with it, but how would $50 million have helped the patients who have cystic fibrosis? We know 90% of them would be helped by this drug, but the Liberals gave $50 million to the UN.

Patients understand that companies should bring drugs to market at a reasonable price, but they also need the government to make sure the regulatory environment does not prevent them from getting access to life-saving drugs.

Cystic fibrosis patients do not have time to wait for the government to sort this mess out. They need action now to get this drug. The government needs to stop the proposed changes at the PMPRB and find a better way to get new drugs into the hands of patients. They need them now.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Madam Speaker, I rise to speak about this extremely important topic of access to therapies for rare diseases.

I would like to reassure the member and the House that our government recognizes the importance of providing access to medications for patients with serious conditions and few treatment options. The lack of timely access to therapies and the high cost of treatment are barriers often faced by individuals living with rare diseases.

Health Canada's initiative to expand priority review processes for drug submissions is decreasing the review time for health products, including drugs for rare diseases, which in turn allows these medications to become accessible to Canadians faster.

The department is also working to align its regulatory review process with partners such as the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health to reduce the time between approval of a drug and the reimbursement recommendations.

The drug authorization process is initiated when a manufacturer files a submission to Health Canada for review. While Health Canada encourages manufacturers of new drugs to seek authorization for sale in Canada, it is the company's decision whether to apply to market their product in Canada.

Additionally, we recognize that for many Canadians who require prescription drugs to treat rare diseases, the cost of these medications can be extremely high. This is why our government will continue to work with the provinces, territories and other key partners to develop a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.

Budget 2019 proposed to invest up to $1 billion over two years, with up to $500 million per year ongoing, to help Canadians with rare diseases access the drugs they need.

To ensure that Canadians have access to safe, effective and high-quality medications, Health Canada conducts a thorough review of every drug for the Canadian market. This thorough review ensures that Canadians are being offered the best possible medications.

However, we also know that every patient will have their own response to a given medication, and that is why there is the special access program that allows access to unauthorized drugs for patients with serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions, under specific circumstances. SAP is available around the clock to respond to physician requests, and delivers a 24-hour service, 365 days a year.

There are situations where Health Canada is unable to authorize a drug available in another country because the manufacturer has not yet applied to market their drug in Canada. An example of this is the drug Trikafta, which my colleague talked about, and which is a breakthrough therapy used for cystic fibrosis. Although Health Canada has not received a new drug submission for this particular drug, there have been 14 requests for this drug through SAP.

We are absolutely committed to working with all our partners, including the provinces and territories, to reduce barriers to treatments for Canadians living with rare diseases. This important work includes improving access to necessary prescription medications and making them more affordable for every Canadian.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the information, but that is just not how it is working.

It is not working because companies will not apply. They are not going to apply to Canada because of those proposed regulations. That is why the numbers of companies applying has gone down 60%. Companies are not going to bring it here.

The problem is the member can say it is going faster, but it is not, because the companies have not applied.

We have people dying when 90% of cystic fibrosis people could survive. The cost to our health care system is phenomenal. These people are going to ERs because of their medical conditions. It is a huge cost. They could have a life, and 90% of the cases for CF patients could be resolved from this particular drug.

We need this done now.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Madam Speaker, as a registered nurse, having worked in the community as well as in hospitals, and having met with individuals with rare diseases, I can say that I understand what the member is talking about. There are significant challenges for patients with rare diseases in our country.

Under the Food and Drugs Act and regulations, all products sold or marketed in Canada that make a therapeutic claim need to be approved by Health Canada. The drug authorization process is initiated when a manufacturer files a submission to Health Canada for review. The drug company that the member talked about has not submitted this drug.

To improve the access of effective treatments to Canadians, we will work with the provinces, territories and other key partners to develop a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.

Natural Resources

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, we all know that winter is not pleasant for Canadians. However, in the midst of this bleak winter for the Canadian economy, there was a good day that brought good news. On February 4, the Court of Appeal handed down a ruling in favour of Trans Mountain. We can now move forward, as there was no appeal. In short, it is working. This is good news because the Trans Mountain project is good for Canada's economy and its natural resources.

Unfortunately, the government nationalized the project. It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to purchase a project that was not for sale. It decided to buy it and send the money to the United States. Unfortunately, the price keeps going up. We are talking about another $7 billion, and taxpayers will be the ones footing the bill.

Even so, it is a good project that has the support of all directly affected first nations. Better still, it will contribute $20 billion to Canadian, provincial and municipal coffers. That is why I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage what he planned to do with the billions of dollars he will be able to spend as heritage minister, keeping in mind that he frequently spoke out against Trans Mountain in his past life.

Unfortunately, that is the only good news we have received since this government took office. Since the Liberals have been in power, 200,000 Canadian jobs have been lost in the energy sector, seven major projects have been cancelled, and $150 billion in potential investment has evaporated. That is this government's record.

It does not end there. Last week, a private investor withdrew funding from Quebec's Énergie Saguenay project, a pipeline that would bring liquefied natural gas from the west to Quebec. That private investor is not just anybody. It is the one and only Warren Buffett. He did it because he rightly feels that the current government has done everything in its power to discourage investment in natural resources.

Canada is closed for business.

That is unfortunate. Speaking of Quebec, it is important to remember that 50,000 people in Quebec work in the petrochemical industry. People in Quebec are said to be against the pipeline. Quebec has 2,000 kilometres of pipeline. Nine pipelines pass under the St. Lawrence River. In 2012, we built a pipeline that goes from Lévis to Montreal through 630 different areas, covering 248 kilometres and crossing 26 waterways, including the St. Lawrence River. It works so well that no one knows or talks about it. That is what happens when things are done right, and that is how Trans Mountain is going to do things.

What bothers me when we talk about energy in Quebec is the fact that Quebec bought 10.6 billion litres of oil. It does not bother me that we bought the oil, because we need it. What bothers me is that 62% of that oil comes from the United States. Why send billions of dollars to Donald Trump when we could keep that money here in Canada? That is why people in Quebec are in favour of developing natural resources, if it is done correctly. Yes, Quebeckers, like all Canadians, would rather buy Canadian oil than foreign oil. What is happening right now in Quebec is that the Liberals and their Bloc Québécois friends are against these development projects. They would rather let Donald Trump lead them by the nose than help the Canadian economy.

What will the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who was against the Trans Mountain project, do with the billions of dollars in tax revenue that this project will bring in for the governments?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Madam Speaker, it is a core responsibility of the federal government to help get Canada's natural resources to market and support good middle-class jobs. We know this is only possible when we earn the public's trust and work toward addressing environmental, indigenous peoples' and local concerns.

The Trans Mountain expansion project is part of that. It is a critical project for Canada that is creating thousands of good, well-paying jobs. It will boost the price of valuable Canadian resources by unlocking new global markets, generate revenue to help fund clean energy and climate solutions and help advance reconciliation with indigenous people, including through economic opportunities. That is why we have done the hard work necessary to ensure that this project moves forward in the right way, every step of the way.

Construction is under way. Pipe is in the ground. Work is under way at the terminals in Edmonton and Kamloops. More than 2,900 hard-working Canadians are currently making this project a reality. The Federal Court of Appeal ruling was a positive one, especially for our energy workers.

These are not the only reasons this project is a positive one. We have always said that the economy and the environment not only can, but must, go hand in hand. We remain committed to that principle with this project. We will invest the revenues from the TMX project in climate and clean energy solutions.

Let me address a few of the investments our government has already made in energy efficiency and clean and renewable energy projects: more than $2.3 billion in clean technology, over $1 billion of new funding committed for energy efficiency through budget 2019, a coast-to-coast network of fast chargers for electric vehicles and new chargers at street level and apartment building retail outlets and workplaces.

We know the TMX project will support more of these investments and create significant economic benefits for the country. In fact, the Department of Finance estimates that additional federal corporate income tax revenues could be around $500 million per year once the project is completed. Every dollar we earn from this project will be reinvested in clean energy projects that will power our homes, businesses and communities for years to come.

We did the hard work necessary to get this project right because it is good for Canada and will advance our investments in clean energy.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for the passion she has for this project. Unfortunately, this is only for one project. Because the government lacked leadership, we lost seven big projects. We lost $150 billion of investment because the government is closed for business in developing our natural resources.

The question was for the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who has an very colourful past. I have a lot of respect for him. He is very involved in environmental issues and said all kinds of bad things about Trans Mountain. Now, he is acting as though nothing happened.

We are asking the government why it took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to buy a project that was not for sale and that will now cost an additional $7 billion.

Before the government can invest one cent in the environment, it will have to spend tens of billions. How is that good management of public funds?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Madam Speaker, I assure the hon. member that I am extremely proud of our government, our Minister of Canadian Heritage and all cabinet members for the work they do in ensuring that we not only grow our economy but do it in a way that protects the environment.

We have a steadfast commitment to moving forward in the right way, every step of the way, on TMX, because we know how important it is to every Canadian. We believe that the success of this project and other projects will demonstrate that Canada can create the prosperity we all want and protect the environment we all cherish.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:05 p.m.)