House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2015, with 70% of the vote.
Health February 23rd, 2015
Mr. Speaker, this tragic event, while it happened in the 1960s, continues to remind us of the importance of patient safety and drug safety, which is something our government is firmly committed to.
I continue to be in contact with Mercedes and the thalidomide survivors association, and we are working toward a resolution.
Food Safety February 23rd, 2015
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue I take seriously, and I do expect the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to provide a very safe and healthy work environment. Of course, there are avenues. There is whistleblower protection. There is also the labour department and the Labour Code. Again, there are employee assistance programs available for any employees who may need them.
Food Safety February 23rd, 2015
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, in the last budget we invested another $390 million in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. That is almost $1 billion, under our government, into food safety. Today the Conference Board of Canada rates our food safety system number one against 17 other OECD countries. We are very proud of that. We can always do better.
In terms of this issue, I am aware of it, and I have asked the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to provide a safe and respectful workplace and environment, as we all expect, and I know it will be doing that.
Health February 23rd, 2015
Mr. Speaker, what I would say to Canadians is that we value our public health care system. That is why we now have the highest recorded health transfer dollars in history going to the provinces. In fact, we are talking record funding now. It will reach $40 billion annually by the end of the decade.
The only government that has ever cut transfers to the provinces for health care was the previous Liberal government. We are committed to continuing to increase health transfers year after year.
Health February 23rd, 2015
Mr. Speaker, the member might want to check the Constitution. The reality is that we are now transferring more money for health care to the provinces than ever in the history of Canada, and it is the provinces' responsibility to decide what vaccinations they cover in their public systems. Basic vaccinations are covered by the provincial system, and we encourage all parents to vaccinate their children.
Health February 17th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, I met with Mercedes, the head of the thalidomide survivors association just last week again. I reassured her and confirmed to her that there will be compensation for the survivors and we are working very hard to deliver that soon.
She knows very clearly that she has my commitment and that we will be there to support them in the long term.
Aboriginal Affairs February 5th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, if members look at our government's record, they will find no discrimination in the way we have treated funding for aboriginal communities when it comes to the health and to the health and safety of all Canadians.
We have provided, above and beyond our health transfers, $2.5 billion toward programs and services for aboriginal health, including access to essential 24/7 nursing services in 80 remote communities, and home and community care in 500 first nation and Inuit communities. We have done a great deal on mental health.
We will continue to work hard with our aboriginal partners.
Health February 2nd, 2015
Mr. Speaker, it is for these very reasons that we have made tough new laws ending home grow ops for marijuana. Unfortunately, we are battling the courts with the delay.
However, as health minister, I am absolutely appalled that the Liberal leader actually has defended these home grow ops and continues to advocate for mass legalization of marijuana. When we legalize something, we normalize it and when we normalize it, the message to kids is that it is okay. It is not okay for kids to smoke marijuana. It is harmful for their health, and we will be the government that will continue to protect the health of kids.
Health January 29th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, the member is correct that this issue did come to light, and I thank him for the work he did on this when discussing Vanessa's law at committee. I can assure him that this issue is with Health Canada, and if he would like to discuss it further with me, I would be happy to do that.
Access to Information January 29th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, we take the issue of openness and transparency at Health Canada very seriously. We want to build the utmost confidence in our regulatory framework and that is why we have embarked on our transparency and openness framework in the last year.
We want to make sure that any access to information request that comes in is addressed quickly. People have the right to know things about the medical devices or the drugs their families are using.