Peter Penashue

[Business of Supply, May 9th, 2012]

Madam Chair, in his earlier remarks, the Minister of National Defence mentioned the importance of investing in renewing our military infrastructure. This emphasis that he places on infrastructure renewal is demonstrated in his recent announcement of the three new infrastructure projects valued at $62 million for the environmental remediation at 5 Wing Goose Bay in my riding of Labrador.

Could you please inform the committee of the whole of the importance that our government places on environmental stewardship of lands, on the Department of National Defence and on our commitment to conducting operations in ways that protect human health and the environment, as well as ensuring it fully complies with the government's environmental legislation, regulation and guidelines?

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 8th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada participates in a number of public events, information on which can be found at the following Internet addresses: http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia/index.asp?lang=eng&page=media and http://search-recherche.gc.ca, where the term “Peter Penashue” may be searched for.

The minister also participates in cabinet meetings, which are subject to cabinet confidence.

[The Environment, March 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce, on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources, that we are moving forward with the Lower Churchill environmental assessment process. We are keeping on course with this project that will bring countless economic benefits to my province, to Nova Scotia and to the rest of the country.

Our government has once again delivered on its commitment to protect Canada's long-term economic prosperity.

[Intergovernmental Affairs, March 13th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our government has taken real steps for my home province. We scrapped the wasteful, ineffective long gun registry, we are keeping streets safe, we are providing the historic loan guarantee and we are proceeding to realize the Mealy Mountains national park.

The Liberals flip-flop or vote against these measures. But who can blame them for being misguided? Their leader cannot even put the province on the map.

[Intergovernmental Affairs, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I was asked what I do. My answer is that I represent the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in the best way that I know how.

I will say one more thing. I invited Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to join me to represent Newfoundland and Labrador on this side of the House during the election, but you chose not to.

[Sealing Industry, January 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, last week the member opposite shocked Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with his comments, but I was not shocked. I know the member has been an opponent of the sealing industry for years.

While the NDP plays politics with the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians our government stands up for the sealing industry at home and abroad.

And, yes, Mr. Speaker, I own my vest.

[Newfoundland and Labrador, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite troubling and disappointing to see that the Liberal leader's Canada does not include the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Fortunately for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, our government will remain committed to addressing their issues like the lower Churchill loan guarantee and the useless gun registry.

Our government will continue to stand up for the interests of all Canadians, including those in Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Organ Donations, December 5th, 2011]

Madam Chair, I apologize. I missed most of the translation of that question. However, I will say there was an important transplantation workshop organized by CIHR in Montreal and certain positions came out of that.

Every year, thousands of Canadians receive transplants of solid organs, stem cells and pancreatic islet cells. End stage renal, liver, lung, heart, pancreatic and small intestine failures are now treated by organ replacement. For cancer, stem cell transplantation can be a cure. However, there are currently more than 4,000 Canadians on waiting lists for organ transplants, far more than accommodated by our current rate of organ donation. Achieving long-term survival accompanied by a good quality of life remains a challenge. The health and economic burden in Canadian society is steadily rising and the aging demographic creates increasing demand for donor organs.

In addition to these challenges, CIHR transplant workshop participants identified the need for improving both quality and quantity of living and deceased donor organs; improving our understanding of the immunological mechanisms and pathways mediating transplantation-related infection, inflammation and immunosuppresssion in humans; overcoming rejection and establishing the long-term tolerance to grafts; developing improved therapeutics to sustain graft survival with fewer adverse side effects, and expediting their uptake into clinical practice; establishing tailored transplantation policies and programs for children and other vulnerable populations; and developing national standards of clinical care and mechanisms for long-term follow-up of Canadian transplant recipients.

In order to address these challenges, CIHR transplantation workshop participants recommended that teams and networks would foster collaborations across the field of research; partner with public and private sector for the purpose of forging the necessary linkages among the transplant communities; support a common platforms, infrastructure, databases and operating procedures; and encourage training.

[Organ Donations, December 5th, 2011]

Madam Chair, the question that is more pertinent to the issue I have just raised is what the government is doing to address increasing kidney failures among Canadians. The Government of Canada directly contributes to the prevention of kidney disease through the Canadian diabetes strategy, the aboriginal diabetes initiative and the integrated strategy on healthy living and chronic disease.

Over the past four years, the government, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, has committed close to $23 million to research directly related to kidney disease. The Government of Canada plays a role in the regulation of the safety of organs and tissues used for transplantation through the Safety of Human Cells, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation Regulations.

The federal government has already invested close to $120 million in the past decade in areas of organ and tissue donation and transplantation to help prepare the ground for system transformation. This includes almost $69 million in transplantation research from 2000 to 2010, close to $49 million to CBS and to OTD processors, the Canadian Council for Donation and Transplantation.

[Organ Donations, December 5th, 2011]

Madam Chair, in addition to that question, the important question is around the accomplishments in research on organ transplantation in Canada.

In 2010 the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, committed over $10 million to research directed to transplantation. Every year thousands of Canadians receive transplants of solid organs. Transplantation is now the preferred treatment for end-stage organ failure and stem cell transplantation is an established therapy for many conditions and can be a cure certain cancers.

Regenerative medicine is a growing field in Canada. This emerging field is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be regrown from the patient's own cells. This research involves harnessing the power of stem cells, which can renew themselves and differentiate into many other cell types. This research field is early stages and will take time to fully develop.

However, some regenerative therapies are already being used in clinics today. As our understanding of stem cell advances, it is becoming clear that this field has the potential to transform medicine and provide treatments for the world's most devastating diseases.

Canadian researchers are making important discoveries about how stem cells function at the genetic level. This new knowledge will allow us to develop new therapies for important health issues, such as health disease, muscle disease, multiple sclerosis, vision loss, diabetes, brain and spinal cord injuries.

For example, Dr. Ren-Ke Li from the University of Toronto is working on identifying the optimal cell type and conditions for transplantation to regenerate damaged heart muscle. His research is using cell and gene therapy to promote blood vessel formation and to prevent the complications of heart surgery. If successful, cell transplantation should significantly improve heart function, increase patient longevity and quality of life.

CIHR has also supported the research of Dr. Jevnikar and his team from the University of Western Ontario. They are looking at how and why organs and tissues are damaged during transplantation in order to find ways to extend the life of transplanted organs.

Despite current anti-rejection drugs, transplanted kidneys, for instance, may last only 10 years in half the patients. This research initiative will lead to innovative treatments that will improve the lives of transplant patients in Canada.