House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2019, with 26% of the vote.
Health February 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to make prevention and health promotion a priority. That includes reducing trans fat in foods. Results from the trans fat monitoring program show that we are making real progress, as close to three-quarters of prepackaged foods under review met the reduction targets.
I have also instructed my department to continue its engagement with stakeholders to identify the challenges and how best to overcome them without adding a regulatory burden.
Sealing Industry February 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the people in Canada's north have harvested fish, whales and seals for hundreds of years. Our government respects our heritage and way of life. The seal hunt also provides economic and food security for many Canadians. As Conservatives, we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Canadian sealers, unlike the NDP.
Health January 31st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, we have announced long-term stable funding arrangements for the provinces and the territories that will see transfers reach historic levels of $40 billion at the end of the decade.
Even the former advisor to the interim leader of the Liberal Party, the NDP strategist, agrees that this is the best offer the provinces and territories could get from the federal government. I will read a quote, “I think it's an extraordinary generous offer. It's more generous than the provinces had any right to expect. If I worked for the provinces, I would stop griping and take the money and get to work reforming the system”.
That is exactly what we are doing.
Questions on the Order Paper January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Health Canada recognizes that alcohol, drug and solvent abuse remains a problem in some first nations and Inuit communities. Through the national native alcohol and drug abuse program, NNADAP, and the national youth solvent abuse program, NYSAP, Health Canada funds a national network of 58 addiction treatment centres in first nations communities. These services are available to both first nations and Inuit, and are distributed in communities across Canada in order to maximize accessibility. There are also over 550 community-based programs aimed at preventing alcohol and drug abuse problems from occurring, or recurring after someone has finished treatment.
As part of the national anti-drug strategy, Health Canada is investing $30.5 million over five years, 2008-13, with $9.1 million in ongoing funding, to improve access to quality addictions services for first nations and Inuit. A key investment under the national anti-drug strategy was a comprehensive needs-based review of on-reserve prevention and treatment services, carried out in partnership with first nations, which resulted in the development of a renewed framework for first nations addictions services.
The Government of Canada does not fund or track referrals to privately funded medical detoxification services for first nations, Inuit and Métis. Medically-based detoxification for addiction issues is the responsibility of provincial and territorial health services.
Health January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, as indicated by the recent data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the federal transfers are projected to grow faster than average provincial spending on health care.
I will continue to work with my provincial and territorial colleagues to make sure that Canada's health system is more sustainable, and to improve accountability and deliver better services to Canadians.
Health January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, as stated before, our government is committed to a universal, publicly-funded health care system. Unlike the previous Liberal government, which gutted health care transfers, we have actually increased funding to record levels.
We have also announced a long-term, stable funding arrangement with the provinces and the territories that will see transfers reach historic levels of $40 billion by the end of the decade.
Health December 13th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the importance of affordable access to drugs as part of our quality health care system. We work with the provinces and the territories. They are responsible for deciding which drugs are publicly covered.
That is why we have consistently increased transfers to the provinces and the territories by over 30% since we formed government: so that they can continue to meet the health care needs of their citizens.
Health December 13th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, we will continue to increase funding for health care in a way that is balanced and sustainable.
As the Minister of Health, one of my goals is to ensure that there is more accountability in the way that money is being spent. I will continue to work with the provinces and territories in the delivery of health care to their residents.
As I stated before, unlike the previous Liberal government, we will not slash funding to the provinces for health care.
Health December 13th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a publicly funded and universally accessible health care system. We want to see a strong, sustainable Canadian health care system that works for people when they need it.
Our government has increased funding to the provinces and territories for health care to a record level, from $19 billion when we formed government to $27 billion this year. We will continue to increase funding for health care in a way that is balanced and sustainable.
Health November 28th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the meeting I had on Friday was a great opportunity to hear about what the provinces are doing to improve health care in their jurisdictions. Minister MacDonald, Nova Scotia's health minister, told the media that the meetings were very productive and that the discussions focused on issues that are important to all jurisdictions. The minister from Quebec also said that there was very good harmony among all partners. They all had the same goal and that was to improve the health outcomes for all Canadians.