Jane Philpott

[Health, February 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is fully aware that my officials in Health Canada and the first nations and Inuit health branch have been speaking to him on a regular basis to address specific cases of concern on this matter. We will continue to work on these issues.

I have talked to my officials in the first nations and Inuit health branch. We agree with the member that, absolutely, indigenous peoples must have access to the health care services that they need when they need them. Where there are gaps in the system, I will work with my department to make sure that we address those concerns.

[Health, February 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, our government and I are fully committed to ensuring that first nations families have access to the health services that they need when they need them. I have been working with Health Canada, with the first nations and Inuit health branch to address the serious health outcomes gaps that first nations and Inuit communities are experiencing. My colleague has spoken to me about this. We will continue to address these issues. We will continue to invest $2.5 billion per year and make sure that the system works for all Canadians.

[Health, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the matter of the Zika virus epidemic is something that we have taken very seriously. My colleagues in the Public Health Agency of Canada have been very active on this file on a daily basis collaborating with our international partners at the World Health Organization. We have advised Canadians every day to make sure they are taking protective measures if it is necessary for them to travel to affected regions.

We have also advised, if women are pregnant or considering pregnancy, that they avoid travel to affected countries. All of that information is available at travel.gc.ca.

[Health, February 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand up in the name of safety for the blood supply system in Canada. It is recognized internationally as one of the safest systems in the world, and maintaining the safety of that system is an absolute priority of our government.

We are committed to using evidence-based policy. While this is a sensitive matter that my colleague has addressed, we have examined it in great detail and have confirmed that we are approaching this matter by looking at the science and making sure there are no compromises to the safety of the blood system.

[Health, February 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I have been pleased, over the time that our government has been in power, to work with my colleagues in the provinces and territories to address modernizing our Canada health care system.

We know it is a system that Canadians are proud of, but we also know that it is a system that needs to be fundamentally modernized. I will be working with all of my colleagues, including my colleague, the minister of health, in Quebec. I will continue my conversations with him and other colleagues. We will work together to reach new agreements as to what the health care system needs to meet the needs of Canadians.

[Suicide Prevention, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his tireless advocacy on behalf of this important issue.

I am pleased to inform him that as a result of his work in the past, the Public Health Agency of Canada has been working on the federal framework on suicide prevention. In fact, I have just seen an almost final copy of that framework.

I would be happy to meet with the member opposite to discuss it at any time, and we will continue to work to address this very serious matter of preventing suicide in this country.

[International Trade, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that Canadians pay for too much for prescription drugs. We do, in fact, pay the second highest per capita cost in the world.

Part of my mandate is to address the rising cost of drugs to ensure that prescription medicine is affordable and available to Canadians who need it. We intend to do that. We have a number of mechanisms by which we will do that. We have already taken steps in that regard. I will continue to address this issue.

[Health, February 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, Lyme disease does have a devastating impact on families and communities.

We welcome the passing of Bill C-442, An Act respecting a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease. I very much look forward to developing that federal framework along with our partners and stakeholders, including patient groups. We are working to deliver a robust conference this coming May, which will help shape a federal framework.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has also developed an action plan on Lyme Disease to build awareness of the risks and better track the disease, as well as investing in more research.

[Indigenous Affairs, January 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.

[Health, January 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as a family doctor and the Minister of Health, I am committed to working with our partners to improve Canadians' mental health and make mental health services more accessible. Mental health is a priority for our government, and we will continue to invest to promote sound mental health and help prevent mental illness and suicide.