House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2019, with 26% of the vote.
Product Safety May 3rd, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we tabled the legislation last year, the consumer product safety act, Bill C-6. Unfortunately, there were amendments made in the Senate. We will continue to work with stakeholders to improve the legislation and reintroduce it sometime in this House.
Questions on the Order Paper April 30th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, with regard to a) Energy drinks are currently regulated as natural health products, NHPs, in Canada. To market NHPs in Canada, companies must first obtain the necessary product and site licences required under the Natural Health Products Regulations by submitting evidence demonstrating that their product is safe, effective and of high quality. The product must also carry detailed label information to allow consumers to make safe and informed choices. Only NHPs that are supported by adequate levels of evidence and carry appropriate labels are authorized for sale and issued a product licence. Health Canada does not regulate the place of sale, including age restrictions, for sale; only the provinces have that ability. Health Canada is responsible for assessing and authorizing natural health products prior to their sale in Canada to help assure that they are safe, effective, of high quality. All energy drinks licensed by Health Canada clearly state that they are not recommended for children.
With regard to b) If, after energy drink products are licensed by Health Canada, it is discovered that they are being sold or marketed in contravention of the conditions of sale outlined in the product licence or the Food and Drugs Act and the Natural Health Products Regulations, appropriate compliance action will be taken by the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate in accordance with the NHP compliance policy and the Health Product and Food Branch, HPFB, compliance and enforcement policy, POL-0001.
With regard to c) Currently, energy drinks are classified as natural health products because they meet the substance and function components of the NHP definition. Health Canada is continuing to monitor the use of energy drinks and will take appropriate measures to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. Part of this includes an assessment of new information provided to the Department, such as the reports of adverse events associated with the consumption of energy drinks and other scientific literature. Results of this assessment will inform the development of additional risk mitigation strategies which may include the development of additional cautionary statements on product labels with regard to who should not consume them and known adverse effects and a review of the most appropriate regulatory framework for these products.
With regard to d) Energy drinks currently approved for sale in Canada must contain the following dose and caution and warning statements: dose not to exceed 400 mg/day of caffeine; not recommended for caffeine-sensitive persons, children, pregnant or breastfeeding women; and, do not use with alcohol. Health Canada is developing a new labelling standard for all energy drinks sold in Canada. The new labelling standard will add certain risk statements and reword some existing ones for clarity. This standard will help ensure consumers understand the potential risks and the benefits of taking these products, and have the information they need to make an informed decision about their use.
With regard to e ) A communications package is being developed for the release of the new labelling standard. It will include an update to the “It’s Your Health on the Safety of Energy Drinks”, as well as an Information Update on the new labelling standard.
Questions on the Order Paper April 28th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), on January 14, 2010, the Supreme Court of Canada, SCC, dismissed the Government of Canada’s request for leave to appeal in the British Columbia Supreme Court decision in R v. Beren and Swallow. The Government of Canada has amended the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations, MMAR, in response to this ruling.
As well, the Government of Canada is considering longer-term options for reform of the marijuana medical access program, MMAP. The regulations governing access to marijuana for medical purposes will continue to balance reasonable access to the product with the government’s responsibility to regulate it as a controlled substance, and to protect the health and safety of all Canadians.
In resonse to (b), a briefing note was provided to the Minister of Health on the possible impact of the January 14, 2010 SCC decision. Health Canada provided verbal information to Justice Canada officials.
In response to (c), at this time, Health Canada is still in the process of developing options which include consultation strategies.
In response to (d), no consultations have occurred at this time. When a formal consultation strategy is finalized, details will be made public.
In response to (e), Health Canada considers the views of Canadians to be paramount in the development of laws that protect their health and safety. It is expected that any consultations undertaken will provide input, evidence and advice to the department on issues such as health, safety, medical usage, environmental risks and concerns of Canadians.
In response to (f), given that options are currently being developed and considered, Health Canada cannot comment at this time on any short- and long-term plans regarding potential changes to the regulations governing marijuana for medical purposes in Canada.
Canadian Blood Services April 28th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the health and safety of Canadians will always be a priority of our government. Decisions on relocations are made by the CBS board of directors as well as by the provincial and territorial governments, which are at arm's length from Health Canada.
Health April 26th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the decision was made in consultation with every provincial health minister, including the minister from New Brunswick. The decision was made by all provinces and territories, and I support the decision that was made.
Health April 20th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, during the committee appearance it was made very clear by the officials as to the process that was followed in examining the proposals that had been received. An independent study had been commissioned and it was determined that a facility was unnecessary.
We remain committed to working with the Gates Foundation. We will report back on what some of those initiatives will be.
Health April 20th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the money is still on the table. An independent study had been conducted, commissioned by the Gates Foundation, and concluded that the facility was unnecessary.
Questions on the Order paper April 16th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows: a) Health Canada posted the fourth (4th) set of data from the trans fat monitoring program on its website on December 22, 2009. This information is available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/gras-trans-fats/tfa-age_four-data_quatr-donn_store-eng.php.
b) Overall, results obtained from the trans fat monitoring program from 2005-2009 indicate that through the voluntary approach, industry has made progress in reducing trans fats in their products while not increasing saturated fats. Most of the foodservice industry, as well as many prepackaged food manufacturers have been successful in reducing trans fats in their foods. For example, 78% of french fries and 86% of crackers were meeting the trans fat limit. The results also show that there are some sectors that face challenges in reducing the trans fat content of their products. For example, some bakery products, donuts, cookies, and desserts remain high in trans fat. Additionally, small and medium-sized food service operators face challenges controlling their ingredients for their products. As such, product reformulation in these sectors has been slower.
(c) Health Canada has been analyzing the impact of the voluntary program on the average trans fat intake of Canadians. The results indicate that further reductions are needed to fully meet the public health objectives and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Currently, the department is analyzing the most effective way to achieve the public health objectives, which includes assessing regulatory and non-regulatory options.
Questions on the Order paper April 16th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows: a) Section 7(4) of the CIHR Act states that: “the governor in council shall appoint as members of the Governing Council women and men who are able to contribute to the achievement of the objective of the CIHR in the overall interests of Canadians. The governor in council shall consider appointing women and men who reflect the highest standards of scientific excellence and women and men who reflect a range of relevant backgrounds and disciplines.” When making appointments, the governor in council also takes into consideration the government's policy commitment of the science and technology strategy which states: “As the government fills vacancies on the councils’ governing bodies, it will seek out more business and community representation to ensure that the composition of granting council governing bodies reflects Canada’s broad economic and national interests.”
A key consideration for the GIC is the CIHR mandate, which, as outlined in the CIHR Act, includes “accelerating the discovery of cures and treatments” as well as “facilitating the commercialization of health research in Canada and promoting economic development through health research”. As such, Dr. Prigent has been appointed as an individual for his skills and experience, including international clinical experience and personal competencies.
b) Members of CIHR’s governing council have an interest and expertise in health research and how research knowledge can be applied to improve the health of Canadians, strengthen the Canadian care system or improve the effectiveness of products and services. Highly qualified potential candidates are identified through a variety of means, including the scientific community, key partners in health research, advisory boards and past and present governing council members.
c) No. The conduct and actions of governor in council, GiC, appointees while in office are governed by the Conflict of Interest Act, the Ethical Guidelines for Public Office Holders and the Guidelines for the Political Activities of Public Office Holders.
d) Appointments to the CIHR Governing Council are made by the governor in council, on the advice of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. When making these appointments, the GiC takes the appointment criteria outlined in the CIHR Act into consideration. Candidates who are able to make a significant contribution to CIHR, meet demographic requirements and possess the skills and competencies that the governing council as a whole should possess, may be recommended to the minister by the president. Recommendations are welcome and Dr. Prigent was recommended to the minister by Dr. Alain Beaudet, president of CIHR.
e) The options available to the CIHR president, governing council members, scientific directors and members of the CIHR standing committee on ethics are the same options as available to all members of the public. Dr. Prigent was recommended to the minister by Dr. Beaudet.
f) The options available to the CIHR president, governing council members, scientific directors and members of the CIHR Standing Committee on Ethics are the same options as available to all members of the public.
g) Appointments to the CIHR governing council are made by the governor in council, on the advice of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. When making these appointments, the GiC takes the appointment criteria outlined in the CIHR Act into consideration.
h) Dr. Prigent was appointed to the governing council based on his skills, experience and personal competencies, and following recommendation by Dr. Beaudet.
i) In order to fill a gap in expertise and experience identified by the governing council, candidates with international experience in pharmaceutical innovations were considered.
j) Dr. Prigent was recommended to the minister by Dr. Beaudet. Dr. Prigent’s appointment responds to a request from the CIHR governing council to recommend a candidate with international experience in pharmaceutical innovations, along with valued competencies such as demonstrated leadership, strategic decision-making, integrity and accountability to the Minister of Health.
k) Appointments to the CIHR governing council are made by the governor in council, on the advice of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. When making these appointments, the GiC takes the appointment criteria outlined in the CIHR Act into consideration.
Health April 15th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the money is still on the table. In addition to refusing to accept the truth as an answer, the wild goose chase by members opposite has now taken the unfortunate turn of questioning the credibility of public health officials.
Once again, we will continue to act on the basis of science and the best interests of taxpayers, regardless of the motivation of those members who want to imply the worst about the hard-working, dedicated officials in order to serve their own political ambitions.