Rona Ambrose

[Health, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the member that increasing funding and transfers to the provinces by 50% for health care does not in any way violate the Canada Health Act. In fact, it provides the provinces and territories with the predictable and sustainable funding for the next decade to make sure that they can make the tough decisions, within their own jurisdiction, for health delivery.

[Health, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, our government is delivering the highest health transfer dollars in Canadian history, to provinces and territories. This record funding will reach $40 billion by the end of the decade, and provinces would have the stability and predictability of funding that they need.

However, and I have said this before in the House, more money is not the only answer here to fix the inefficiencies in our health system. What we have learned in the past 10 years is that innovation really is the key. We know that innovation is making a difference and we will build upon that success by creating a wise persons’ panel to examine, not only the state of health innovation, but also ensure that our federal actions create a more innovative health system.

[Health, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the member, and I would encourage her to look at the information that comes out of the Canadian Institute for Health Information, that we now have record numbers of physicians. That will definitely help Canadians across the country to find doctors in their local communities. That is something we have worked very hard with the provinces and territories on and that we are proud of.

[Health, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would point out to the member that of course we do work closely with the provinces and territories.

In terms of the current federal framework that is in place with the provinces and territories for funding for health care, it continues in its current form, which is record levels of funding for transfers to the provinces and territories. After 2017, it is tied to economic growth, which we think is a sustainable formula. It is important for the provinces and territories.

I can assure the member that I have been the Minister of Health now for ten months, and not one provincial health minister has asked me to renew the health accord in its current form. What they have asked for is funding predictability, and we have given them that.

[Health, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear that the current framework for funding is not expiring. It continues on with a 6% escalator until 2017, and after 2017, of course, its tied to economic growth, with a guarantee of a 3% escalator. That means that the Government of Canada will continue to provide record transfers for health care to the provinces and territories.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), Health Canada was the department responsible for the Royal Society of Canada, RSC, contract. The contracting authority is the director general, environmental and radiation health sciences directorate, on behalf of the Minister of Health.

With regard to (b), Health Canada committed to obtaining an independent expert assessment of the review of Safety Code 6, SC6, through a formalized expert panel process. For reasons that included its well-known experience of over 130 years in convening expert panels to provide independent advice, notably to government on matters of public policy, the RSC was chosen to conduct the assessment of Health Canada’s review of SC6. The RSC is Canada’s national academy, which exists to promote Canadian research and scholarly accomplishment, and to advise governments, non-governmental organizations, and Canadians on matters of public interest. The RSC had, furthermore, previously assembled a panel to conduct such a review of SC6 in 1999.

With regard to (c), the RSC was contracted to conduct an independent expert assessment of SC6 to ensure that the results of emerging research relating to the safety of radiofrequency, RF, energy on human health would be reflected appropriately in the revised SC6 as required. The RSC carries out this activity through a formalized expert panel process.

With regard to (d), the 2009 version of SC6 introduced several editorial changes to improve clarity. Any amendments did not introduce a change in approach or policy, and the exposure limits remain comparable to all international science-based human RF exposure limits. Currently a draft of a revised Safety Code 6 is undergoing review by the Royal Society of Canada, RSC. Following receipt of the report from the RSC, Health Canada will consult further with Canadians prior to finalizing the revised Safety Code 6.

[Health, March 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of our government's historic legislation, the protecting Canadians from unsafe drugs act, or Vanessa's law. This is the first major update to Canada's drug safety laws in decades, and it will help identify potentially dangerous drugs, ensure the quick recall of unsafe drugs, and require reporting of adverse drug reactions.

I thank the opposition members for their support. We will work hard to ensure we have the strongest possible safety systems in place so that we can keep Canadians safe.

We can all agree that the member for Oakville deserves full credit for this.

[Points of Order, March 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, for peace on this end of the House, I am acknowledging that the Public Health Agency of Canada was created in 2004. The remarks I made were just to be proud that it was the Conservative Party of Canada which brought it into being as a legal entity and passed the Public Health Agency of Canada Act.

[Health, March 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would give more kudos to the provinces than the member opposite does. They are working very hard on a lot of the difficulties faced and the inefficiencies in our health delivery systems in the provinces and territories.

Many of them also know they are already at close to 40% to 50% of their budgets for health care. They are looking within their systems for efficiencies. They are looking for innovation and we are working to support them on that.

[Health, March 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, what a lot of think tanks that deal with the issue of public health policy also say—and I know that has been quoted from the Fraser Institute—is that more money is not going to make a difference. When it comes to the inefficiencies in our health care system, we are investing record amounts of funding to the provinces and territories. We need to work with them on innovative ideas and better models of care, but more money is not going to make a difference.