House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2019, with 21% of the vote.
Health October 25th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord for the question.
We are using all the tools at our disposal including legislation, regulations, and education to encourage healthy choices. We are updating Canada's Food Guide, improving labelling, addressing sodium, trans fats, sugars, and food colouring, as well as dealing with advertising aimed at children.
Health October 24th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I will never play games when it comes to health. Health is a very important issue to Canadians.
When I met with my counterparts last week, we talked about how to improve the health care system. We are interested in investing in health, but health investments need to go directly to health.
Health October 24th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my counterparts and I reiterated our commitment to providing stable, predictable funding for health care.
Canadians expect us to work together to improve our health care system. They also expect health investments to truly go to health.
We will continue to collaborate on building a system that meets the needs of Canadians.
Health October 24th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, our government is sympathetic to the thalidomide survivors and is committed to offering support to help them live the rest of their lives with dignity.
There is no definitive medical test for thalidomide, so an objective review process has been used to assess individuals to determine who is eligible for financial support based on this process. I am pleased to announce that 25 more individuals have been added to the thalidomide survivors' program. That brings the total number of individuals to 122. This demonstrates that the current review process is working. Additional new survivors may still be identified as some of the applications continue under review.
Health October 21st, 2016
Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to speak to the territorial health ministers this week, and we discussed the unique circumstances in the territories and the challenges of delivering care. We will of course continue with the Canada health transfer to support the territories. In addition, there is territorial formula financing, to the tune of $1.5 billion that goes to Nunavut each year, that helps to facilitate the expenses in health. In addition to that, there is a territorial health investment fund in the order of $60 million.
We are very pleased to make sure that people in the territories, including Nunavut, get the care they need.
Health October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege to have a meeting this week with my counterparts, the ministers of health in the provinces and territories. It is absolutely essential in the matter of health that we collaborate with all partners that are involved, including people in government. I am pleased to say that I also had consultations and meetings with stakeholders, and I met with patient advocacy groups.
It is when we all work together that we will be able to see improvements in the health care system, and for everyone to recognize their responsibility. It is a shared responsibility and we will certainly do our part.
Health October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the matter of mental illness in this country, I will never play politics. I know that mental illness affects every Canadian. Every one of us in this chamber is affected by mental illness. This is a very serious matter.
When I met with my counterparts, they wanted to talk about money. I wanted to talk about health. I wanted to talk about how we can actually help Canadians to have better mental health care. I am determined to do that. I really look forward to working with my counterparts to make that happen.
Health October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, when I spoke to my counterparts, the ministers of health in the provinces and territories, I made it very clear to them that this is not a political discussion. This is about doing the right thing for Canadians. This is about good public policy. I am very committed to the matter of mental health care.
I have a mandate to make sure that Canadians have better mental health care, but I also have a responsibility to make sure that when we invest in mental health care, when we invest home care, when we invest in palliative care, that Canadians will see that they actually get better access to care.
Health October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, during the decade of the previous government, tens of billions of dollars of new money went into health care, but it did not transform health care systems in this country.
I talk to Canadians all the time who say that while they are proud of our publicly funded health care system, they know that it needs transformation, that there are actually better ways to deliver health care.
We have a responsibility to, of course, respect jurisdictions, but to work with our colleagues, as we are doing, to make sure that we invest in health, and that it actually goes to improve health care systems.
Health October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years there was a government in Canada that paid precious little attention to health.
We now have a government that is firmly committed to play the role that we have a responsibility to play in the matter of health.
We are active participants in making sure that Canadians are healthy, that they have health care systems that work for them. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of the public purse, and to make sure that when we make investments in health, they go to health care.