Leona Aglukkaq

[Health, February 1st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, our government works with the provinces and the territories to improve the management of pharmaceuticals, recognizing that they are responsible for the delivery of health care systems to their residents. At the same time they are also responsible for making the decisions for what would fall into their provincial formula. Our government will continue to work with the provinces and territories.

In past years, since we formed government, we have increased the transfers to the provinces and the territories by 30%. We will continue to work with the jurisdictions to address this issue.

[Health, February 1st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I met with the Canadian Pharmacists Association. I also asked my department to look into effective ways of predicting possible shortages.

As a regulator of prescription drugs, we are responsible for assessing the safety and efficacy of the quality of drugs and products that are sold in Canada. We are continuing to look at this very issue with the department and the association.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 31st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health and minister's exempt staff are subject to the proactive disclosure. The details of their travel and hospitality expenses can be seen on Health Canada’s website at the following link: www.hc-sc.gc.ca.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 31st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), Health Canada is responsible for or contributes to the administration of a number of programs promoting a healthy style of living.

In response to (b), the names of the programs are: Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative;

Maternal and Child Health Program;

Canada Pre-Natal Nutrition Program;

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Program;

Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Program;

Brighter Futures & Building Healthy Communities;

National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program;

National Youth Solvent Abuse Program;

National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy;

National Tuberculosis Program;

Immunization Program;

HIV/AIDS-Blood-Borne and Sexually Transmitted Infection (HIV/AIDS-BBSTI) Program;

Children’s Oral Health Initiative Program;

First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program;

Northern Contaminants Program;

Chemical Safety of Traditional Food Program;

First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study;

Environmental Health Guide Program;

Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide;

Nutrition Labelling Education;

School Health;

Knowledge Transfer;

Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund;

Drug Treatment Funding Program;

Contribution program in support of the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy.

In response to (c), Health Canada provided $1,516,900,000 in funding from fiscal year 2006-07 to date.

In response to (d), no funding is allocated to provinces or territories for the administration of programs.

In response to (e), an internal review of the national native alcohol and drug abuse program was conducted in 2008.

The recommendations from this audit were as follows:

1. Ensure that formal risk assessments of the program continue.

2. Ensure that roles and responsibilities of the partners are clear.

3. Develop a formal performance measurement process.

4. Revisit the National Native Addictions Information Management System, NNAIMS, project and consider revalidating business requirements.

5. Consolidate documentation tracking key activities, and strengthen the quality of activity reporting from funds recipients.

All Audit Accountability Bureau internal audits are posted on the Health Canada website at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/performance/audit-verif/index-eng.php

No audits have been completed on other programs during the past three fiscal years.

In response to (a), the Public Health Agency of Canada, PHAC, is responsible for the administration of programs promoting a healthy style of living.

In response to (b), PHAC has two programs that promote a healthy style of living. The healthy living fund is a program that makes strategic investments to address the conditions that lead to unhealthy eating, physical activity and unhealthy weights. The innovation strategy, IS, focuses on innovation in population health interventions to reduce health inequalities.

In response to (c), PHAC provided $36,091,502 in funding from fiscal year 2006-07 to date.

In response to (d), no funding is allocated to provinces and territories for the administration of programs.

In response to (e), there was an audit conducted on the Health Promotion Programs, HPP, including the Healthy Living Fund and Innovation Strategy between December 2008 and July 2009.

The audit found that many areas of the health promotion programs are adequately managed. These include the existence of results-based management accountability frameworks, program guidelines and standard operating procedures for the management of grants and contributions projects. Training provided to PHAC officers was also found to be appropriate.

The audit concluded that some areas of the health promotion programs require management attention. In September 2009, a comprehensive management response was implemented to address the processes for: setting program and funding priorities, renewing and amending ongoing projects, adequately overseeing and monitoring projects to minimize financial and non-financial risk to the agency, and measuring and reporting the results of the projects and programs that PHAC supports through its contributions. Good progress has been made on the implementation plan with the majority of deliverables completed or on track.

For more information, see the following link http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/about_apropos/audit/hpp-pps-eng.php.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 31st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the response to (a) is that the initial cornerstone of the Canadian HIV vaccine initiative (CHVI) announced in February 2007 was the establishment in Canada of a pilot-scale HIV vaccine manufacturing facility to produce clinical trial lots. The facility was intended to address the global shortage in pilot-scale manufacturing initially identified by the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, an alliance of independent organizations around the world dedicated to accelerating the development of preventive HIV vaccines.

Consultations were held in late 2007 by CHVI participating departments/agencies, including the Canadian International Development Agency, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Canada and Industry Canada and the Gates Foundation, to seek expert input on how to move forward with establishing a facility in Canada. Based on this consultation, a process was launched in April 2008 to select a not-for-profit corporation to build, operate and manage the facility.

As part of the participating departments/agencies’ and Gates Foundation’s review processes, both the participating departments/agencies and the Gates Foundation received input from external experts and undertook internal analyses related to value for money and other factors. On March 17, 2009, the Public Health Agency of Canada was informed that an analysis of the current vaccine manufacturing capacity in North America and Europe would be part of the Gates Foundation’s internal review process.

The response to (b) is that in late June 2009, the Gates Foundation informally shared preliminary results of the report with the Public Health Agency of Canada. The study results were presented to officials from participating CHVI departments/agencies on July 16, 2009.

The response to (c) is that further to regular informal discussions, two teleconferences between participating CHVI departments/agencies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were held on July 16th and July 31st to discuss the report. In addition, face-to-face meetings and/or teleconferences were held on September 28, 2009; December 21, 2009; March 2, 25 and 26, 2010; April 15, 22 and 29, 2010; May 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2010; and, June 3, 17 and 24, 2010 to discuss the renewal of the CHVI. In July 2010, at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria, the Government of Canada and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation renewed their commitment of up to $139 million to implement the Canadian HIV vaccine initiative.

The response to (d) is that the minister’s office was informed of the report following the July 2009 teleconference between participating CHVI departments/ agencies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Given the importance of the CHVI and continuing commitment amongst partners to making progress on overall objectives, all options were examined to yield the best results.

This was an important decision that the Government of Canada and the Gates Foundation could not take lightly nor make quickly. The decision was based on a number of factors. A thorough, evidence-based review of all applications was completed. This included an internal review and external review by an international expert panel. None of the applicants were found to be successful in meeting the pre-established criteria.

Additionally, as part of the due diligence process, the Gates Foundation commissioned a study on vaccine manufacturing capacity. This study demonstrated that there was sufficient vaccine manufacturing capacity in North America and Europe to meet research needs.

After weighing all of the evidence, the Government of Canada and the Gates Foundation decided not to proceed with the vaccine manufacturing facility.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 15th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as former health minister of the north, I understand the impact of the geographic location as well as the unique culture of aboriginals in our communities that require specific health care considerations. That is why our government has committed $285 million to federal aboriginal health programs. This funding will assist over 150 community-based projects such as: the TB elimination strategy, $9.6 million; the aboriginal diabetes initiative, $110 million; the aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy, $95 million; and child and maternal health.

We are getting the job done.

[Health, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the importance of affordable access to drugs as part of our quality health care system. The responsibility is within the provinces and the territories to decide whether to provide their residents with publicly financed drug therapies. We support and respect the role of provincial and territorial governments.

We continue to increase transfers to the provinces, a payment of over $25 billion this year, an all time high, which is a 6% increase from last year.

[Health, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government is a large spender on pharmaceutical benefits. We provided approximately $600 million last year to cover pharmaceutical products, medical supplies and equipment. This funding is a positive investment for a diverse population, including first nations and the Inuit.

As well, we have continued to honour the 2004 health accord which provides $41.3 billion in additional funding to the provinces and territories. Our government will continue to work with the provinces and territories on this important initiative.

[Health, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we have nothing to learn from the Liberal Party. Unlike the previous Liberal government, we will not balance a budget by cutting health transfers to the provinces and territories.

Let me quote the hon. member who was commenting on the Chrétien-Martin surpluses. He said they were “accumulated over the backs of the provinces and territories in cuts to transfers payments”.

Who was this? The member for Vancouver South.

[Health, December 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, again, our government is committed to a universal public health care system. We support the law of the land, which is the Canada Health Act.

We will continue to work with the provinces and territories, and our government will continue to transfer budgets, increasing by 6% per year to an all time high of $25 billion so that they can continue to meet the health care needs of their residents.