Rémi Massé

[Health, June 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his commitment to defending and supporting his constituents and for raising this question in the House this evening.

I am pleased to be here today to participate in this important discussion on implementing national pharmacare.

Our government is committed to strengthening health care systems across the country and supporting the health of Canadians. We know Canadians are proud of their publicly funded health care system, which is based on need and not the ability to pay. We also recognize that almost a million Canadians give up food or heat to afford the prescription drugs they need. In other cases, they do not take prescribed drugs due to high prices.

That is why our government is taking steps to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible, but we know that we can still do more.

In budget 2018 we announced the creation of the advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare. This council, chaired by Dr. Eric Hoskins, will work closely with experts and provincial, territorial and indigenous leaders. In addition to assessing the options and exploring national and international models, the council will deliver, in spring 2019, independent advice to government on how to best implement affordable national pharmacare for Canadians and their families, employers and governments.

Over the course of the summer and into the fall, the council has been engaged with a broad range of stakeholders and Canadians. Through its consultations, the advisory council received over 150 written submissions and over 15,000 responses to its online questionnaire. The council also heard from many Canadians through its online discussion forums, public community dialogue sessions and regional stakeholder round tables.

On March 6, 2019, the council delivered an interim report which provided an overview of what it had learned in the past eight months. The report also identified three initial recommendations for the implementation of national pharmacare. First is creating a national drug agency that would oversee national pharmacare. The proposed agency could bring together key functions of health technology assessments of prescription drugs to evaluate their effectiveness and value for money and negotiations. Second is developing a national formulary that would harmonize drug coverage across Canada. This evidence-based list of prescribed drugs would be accessible to all Canadians. Finally, the council recommended that the government invest in a robust and coordinated information technology system that would be the technological foundation for national pharmacare.

Guided by the council's initial recommendations outlined above, our government announced key investments as part of budget 2019 toward the implementation of national pharmacare, including the creation of a new Canadian drug agency, the development of a national formulary for prescription drugs and a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.

Our government awaits the council's final report. In the meantime, we will continue moving forward with other important initiatives to make medication more affordable for all Canadians.

Our government is modernizing the way that the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board works, through amendments to the patented medicines regulations. These changes will better protect Canadian consumers, governments and private insurers from excessive drug prices.

Our government remains committed to modernizing the way that patented drug prices are regulated. The feedback from—

[Public Services and Procurement, May 31st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, our policy on industrial and regional benefits is our main tool for capitalizing on defence procurement to benefit Canadians. When we examine eligible transactions under this policy, we ensure that the technological level is equal to or greater than that of the project and that there are applications in Canadian industries.

As the firm stated, it did not get credit for its entire investment of $425 million in the facilities at Cavendish Farms. It said that it received approximately $40 million as a credit for meeting its obligations with respect to industrial and regional benefits under the contract for its Atlantic ships. Questions concerning this investment could—

[Privacy, May 31st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, we strive to be open and transparent so that Canadians know we are making responsible investments.

Information on individual transactions that are eligible, as with IRBs, is commercially sensitive. We must receive consent from the contractor. In order to provide the reporter with the most fulsome answer to the question, we spoke with the company. The departmental officials followed all appropriate steps respecting the privacy of all individuals.

Threatening the source or the reporter is not the way we do media relations.

[Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, May 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I entered politics in 2015 to help rebuild my region's trust in Ottawa after the decade of darkness under a Conservative government.

We have completely changed course since our election and now my region is booming. It has tremendous economic momentum thanks to our government's investments in such things as upgrading the Carleton-sur-Mer wharf, building lookouts in Matapédia and Saint-André, modernizing SEREX in Amqui, building a new arena in Mont-Joli, allocating $27 million to the Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, decontaminating sites and extending the Mont-Joli airport runway, as well as repairing and rebuilding the port of Matane and creating more than 220 federal jobs back home.

Since 2015, my riding has seen investments totalling $160 million, thanks to the Prime Minister's leadership, an extraordinary team and a comprehensive program. People back home were right to put their trust in us. Let's imagine another four wonderful years.

[Primary School in Price, May 17th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to acknowledge the wonderful initiative of a primary school, École des Cheminots de Saint-Rémi, in Price.

Over a year ago, Geneviève Giguère, a teacher at the school, was looking for a way to motivate the kids and spark their interest in school. A former student of the conservatory of music, Ms. Giguère approached her pupils and the administration with an idea to develop a guitar enrichment program. Thrilled at the idea, the school immediately got on board.

Well, the program was a rousing success, and it has certainly produced results. On Monday, here in Parliament, the group informed us that it won gold at MusicFest Canada in Ottawa. That is not all. It also won gold at MusicFest Québec, which was held this past week.

I had the chance to welcome and meet with the students. Their passion, commitment and sense of belonging was written all over their faces. They are proud to be part of that group.

I want to congratulate Geneviève Giguère and the school principal. They are setting an example with their willingness to find innovative new ways to enhance education.

Congratulations to the students on their achievement. Keep having fun.

[Automotive Industry, May 10th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague does not appear to have heard my answer. The strategic plan we have put in place for Canada's auto sector, and for all its workers, is working.

I repeat, we have invested $6 billion since 2015 in the auto industry and in Canada's auto workers.

Our plan is working, and I want to repeat this, because it is important. These investments include $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph, which has helped create over 1,500 jobs, $41.8 million in Honda facilities, and the list goes on.

Our government is committed to supporting the industry—

[Automotive Industry, May 10th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, we do have a plan, and it is working very well. Canada's auto sector remains strong and is well positioned to design and build the cars of today and tomorrow.

In total, we have invested more than $6 billion in the auto sector, creating and safeguarding tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.

Since 2015, 11,500 new jobs have been created. Our investments included $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $89 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph, $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston, and the list goes on.

Our government is firmly committed to supporting Canada's auto industry.

[Port of Matane, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to applaud members of Matane's business community for the amazing way they joined forces to save the port of Matane.

It was one minute to midnight; the community was running out of time to find a solution that would maintain the commercial wharf's operations until its reconstruction. Our people rolled up their sleeves. Instead of giving up, they got busy. They were creative and ingenious. Today, I am proud to say that the solution, which was developed by one of Matane's own businesses, Construction CEG, will keep the port of Matane up and running until reconstruction is complete.

I am proud of our government's $1.5-million contribution to this project. I have always said that we have everything we need to create growth right here at home. This solution is proof of that. The port of Matane has always been one of my priorities. I would like to thank the business people, the Coalition urgence port de Matane, elected officials and the Minister of Transport and his team. Together we have taken concrete action for our businesses and workers.

[Public Safety, May 6th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.

I am delighted to tell this House that the World Police and Fire Games are coming to Winnipeg in 2023. Our government will provide $2 million to support the games, which bring together world-leading emergency service experts.

I want to thank all my colleagues from Winnipeg for their passion and advocacy for the games. We all look forward to seeing Winnipeg host this event in 2023 and to welcoming firefighters and police officers from around the world.

[Automotive Industry, May 1st, 2019]

At the same time, our investments in innovation, through the innovation and skills plan, have helped bolster Canada's robust automotive cluster by supporting reinvestment in Canadian vehicle assembly plants by global automakers. These initiatives are helping ensure that Canada's workforce will have the advanced manufacturing skills employers will need in the future economy.

As I said earlier, our plan works, with six billion dollars' worth of investment in the industry over the last three years or four years.