Ted Opitz

[Priority Hiring for Injured Veterans Act, November 20th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the hon. member for his service. He is a veteran of the air force, and I understand what he is saying about basic training.

I am an infanteer. I am one of those guys at the pointy end of the stick. That is what an infanteer does, what we do in combat arms. That is one of our roles, as we have seen in Afghanistan in its more extreme state: kill or be killed. That is war.

However, I want to point out for the hon. member that there are so many other skills. That is why Canadians across this planet, serving in our uniform, have made the best ambassadors for our country. It is because of all the tremendous skills they learn, aside from the basic reason for armies. They provide tremendous international support in terms of peacekeeping.

When I was in Bosnia, it was Canadians who were brilliant negotiators in being able to move around the country and work between the warring factions. Because we have that skill to fight, we are so formidable. We may not be the biggest army in the world, but we are the best. When people take on Canadians, they know they are in trouble.

I am very proud of my lineage. I did 33 years of this and I understand. I have eaten a lot of mud and dirt in my time in basic training. I applaud what the member is saying. The Helmets to Hardhats program is an excellent program. What I am afraid of, though, are the mischaracterizations of some of the members opposite and the poor information and understanding that certain members have of our Canadian Forces.

Quite frankly, the Liberal Party leader should fire his spokesman, because that—

[Priority Hiring for Injured Veterans Act, November 20th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the member has colleagues in her party who have served, and I applaud their service and thank them for it. They have done a tremendous job and serve in the House honourably.

Yesterday the minister tabled 160 amendments from veterans advocacy groups and advisory groups. That includes the whole gamut of people feeding into the Veterans Affairs file. If the member reads through some of those 160 amendments, she will find that many of those match up with the recommendations that are already on the table and made public.

[Priority Hiring for Injured Veterans Act, November 20th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and thank fellow members who have joined the debate on this important matter before the House. It is very important.

I listened closely to my colleague, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, as he outlined the rationale behind those proposed amendments to the Public Service Employment Act and its regulations.

I want to point out that the minister is an outstanding Minister of Veterans Affairs. He cares and he works hard. He has been on many panels. I have known him since before both of us were elected to this House, and he was on the national committee and the provincial committee for the Canadian Forces Liaison Council. What that did was help reservists and others match up with jobs, as well as get employers to release reservists for very needed deployments overseas. As we know, our deployments need between 20% and 25% reservists on a regular basis to allow our missions to succeed and to be able to top up the manpower that was so critically needed in operational zones.

I thank the minister for that, and I want to congratulate him on this initiative, which marks another step in the significant progress our government has made in supporting Canada's veterans. Like many members, I am proud of what we have accomplished, particularly as it relates to helping veterans and their families make a successful transition to civilian life. That is a sacred obligation we have, a sacred obligation on which we are following through.

Yesterday this minister tabled and outlined the 160 amendments he is making because of what veterans stakeholders and advisory groups have advised us. This government is listening very closely to what our veterans need, and we are applying that.

As the minister said earlier, nothing is perfect in life. Things change, situations change, circumstances change and we have to adapt to that. That is what we are doing right now, right this minute. We are making this program the best it can possibly be today for the veterans of Canada, as they deserve and as this government has committed to do.

For example, I was pleased with our government's launch of the veterans transition action plan last year, because it sets out a long-term strategy for supporting veterans in their transition to civilian life. That is a key component of this action plan, the cutting of red tape for veterans initiative. That is something the minister also mentioned today. We are absolutely allergic to red tape. We do not like it. Nobody likes it. It is bad for veterans, and we have to cut that out, all of it, when we find it, to make it easier for them to access the services.

We launched it in February 2012 with the single-minded purpose of providing veterans and their families with faster, hassle-free service, and that is what we have been doing. That is what we are going to continue to do.

I would like to highlight just a few things. For example, Veterans Affairs Canada's business processes are being streamlined. The department's policies and programs are being simplified. New technology and e-services are being used to meet the needs expressed by Canada's veterans. The results so far have been impressive.

Turnaround times for processing veterans' disability benefits have been improved, and access to rehabilitation services is now being approved in just two weeks instead of four. That is just the start of the accomplishments.

By the time this five-year initiative is fully implemented, Veterans Affairs Canada's programs, benefits and services will be the most responsive, inclusive and flexible ever seen by Canada's veterans. We will be delivering them as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Veterans are already reaping many of the benefits. In October, for example, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced a new approach to our vocational rehabilitation program, and that provides eligible veterans with up to $75,800 in training to start a new career. That is a great amount of money and that is helpful in helping them start in the new careers, new trades, new skills to which they need to take the existing skills they have, which are world-class skills they have learned in the military, and translate those to a civilian career.

That is great news for approximately 1,300 veterans presently participating in vocational rehabilitation and vocational assessment services. These changes also build on other recent enhancements.

For example, the process for reimbursing veterans for travel costs to and from their medical appointments has been simplified. That means that about 18,000 veterans no longer need to send receipts or verify their appointments with the department to cover their travel expenses. That is a big administrative burden lifted off their shoulders. This one change has eliminated a lot of cumbersome paperwork for eligible veterans and is putting money back into their pockets faster.

The same is being done for more than 100,000 veterans, widows, and caregivers enrolled in a veterans' independence program. In January, veterans began receiving upfront payments for grounds maintenance and housekeeping services. They no longer have to pay out of their pocket for these services and then wait to be reimbursed. This is yet another administrative burden lifted off their shoulders. The full suite of e-services also ensures that veterans and their families can access the relevant information that they are looking for at any time of day or night.

These kinds of changes make a real difference. That is what the proposed legislative amendments will also do. With these changes to the Public Service Employment Act and its regulations, we will create a five year statutory priority entitlement for Canadian veterans who are medically released for service related reasons. This will move qualified veterans to the front of the line for new positions in the federal public service so these remarkable men and women, these patriots, can continue to serve our great country if they so chose.

Additionally, through the regulatory changes that would follow, full-time regular and reserve force veterans who are medically released for non-service related reasons will see their existing level of priority extended from two years to five years. It will also allow them a longer period of priority access to positions that they are qualified to fill. That is an incredible improvement.

These changes are also about providing veterans with real and meaningful new employment and career opportunities and doing so in recognition of their service and the sacrifices they have made in the name of Canada. Once these changes take effect, Canadian veterans medically released for service related reasons will be able to pursue new careers in the federal public service on a higher priority and a longer term basis than ever before. This is something that we are very proud to be doing for our veterans.

I know Canadians support this kind of honourable recognition and support for Canada's veterans. It reflects our nation's gratitude for everything our men and women in uniform, past and present, have done to protect and defend our democracy and our way of life. It also reflects our collective desire to continue to have highly-qualified Canadians putting their hard-earned skills and training to work for our country and ensuring that our economy continues to grow on the strength of a well placed workforce and employees who are realizing their full potential. When employers hire a veteran, they are hiring somebody with a tremendous tool kit of skills right now.

These proposed amendments to the Public Service Employment Act should also be viewed as another way to strengthen overall skill sets and therefore the overall effectiveness of the federal public service. It is not only a fair thing to do; it is the right thing to do. Quite frankly, it is the Canadian thing to do. I would hope that all levels of government across the country will do the same and adopt similar policies.

Canada's veterans only want a fair opportunity to find meaningful and rewarding employment when their military service to Canada ends. However, they sometimes do not fully realize how marketable their skills are, or how to explain their experience and training to civilian employers. This is something we help with through programs like Helmets to Hardhats and other initiatives that help veterans to translate those numerous skills they have. In this job, my veteran colleagues and I, who speak about this often, always relate back to the great skills that we learned in the Canadian Forces and how applicable they are to everything we do in life.

The amendments before us are one way to tear down those barriers. They are an expression of the value we place on our men and women in uniform. It is the right thing to do.

I want to address something that a member mentioned earlier about how the two particular priorities for Canadian soldiers are to kill or be killed. Quite frankly, it is nonsense. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces have a whole myriad of skills in their toolkits. For example, the most obvious right now relates to the DAR teams deployed to the Philippines. They are providing badly needed assistance to people in dire need. The people in these teams are engineers, people producing water and sanitary conditions. They are bringing food, helicopters, and other logistics to do that.

Canadian Armed Forces members aid civil authorities, such as at the Olympics in 2010. They perform diplomatic roles, for example, as attachés in our embassies around the world. They work as trainers for other armies, as our soldiers are doing in Kabul right now or in the Canadian Forces College.

In fact, some of the soldiers have continuing education. There are many members of the Canadian Armed Forces presently with master's degrees and Ph.D.s. They are a very accomplished lot.

The point of all of this is to help our veterans make that seamless transition to civilian life where they can best utilize the incredible skills they have learned through a lifetime of service to Canada.

[Member for Scarborough—Agincourt, November 20th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, our government has improved financial benefits and programs for Canadian veterans right across the board. Since 2011, the minister, on the advice of veterans, stakeholders, and advisory groups, has implemented 160 recommendations, yet some in this place disagree with that practice and feel veterans cannot be trusted with their own finances.

They have commented, and I quote, “...that's like hanging a case of beer in front of a drunk....They...go and spend it, either trying to buy a house...a fast car or spending it on booze or addiction”.

Do members know who said that? It was the Liberal Party of Canada, the same party that brought us the decade of darkness.

I call on the leader of the Liberal Party to fire his spokesman immediately for his disrespect and, quite frankly, ignorant and uninformed comments.

[Mandatory Disclosure of Drug Shortages Act, November 19th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here today to speak to Bill C-523, a bill that would undermine our current approach to mitigating drug shortages. Drug shortages are a global problem that our government takes very seriously. We have gone to great lengths to address the issue in a collaborative way, and we are making real progress in preventing, communicating and addressing drug shortages.

Bill C-523 would make it mandatory for drug suppliers to provide notification of any interruption to drug supply and would impose fines for non-compliance. It would increase the regulatory burden and even reduce our ability to prevent shortages.

Indeed, our government has been doing good work with drug companies, and the provinces and territories, as part of a pan-Canadian strategy to manage and prevent shortages and reduce their impact. As a result of our actions, the drug supply system is changing and improving. It is also becoming more open and transparent.

As my colleague, the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health noted, the Minister of Health herself recently announced improved communication strategies to ensure that all players are working together and clearly understand their roles when problems do occur.

Make no mistake, it is a priority for our government to work with all key stakeholders to prevent and manage current and potential drug shortages. However, we cannot do this alone.

Drug supply chains involve many players, including drug companies, doctors, patients, pharmacists, group purchasing organizations and all levels of government. That is why we are committed to a drug shortage strategy based on collaboration. Each player in the drug supply system has a specific area of expertise as well as a unique set of responsibilities. By working closely with these players, we can take advantage of that expertise to prevent and manage shortages.

Our government has established productive relationships with these diverse players. Together we have been able to create important tools for addressing shortages, such as the protocol for the notification and communication of drug shortages, and the stakeholder toolkit, as announced by the Minister of Health earlier this year.

This protocol sets out clear expectations for how and when stakeholders will share information about drug shortages. It emphasizes that early warning is the key for the health care system to react to shortages. Stakeholders have agreed that all shortages, anticipated or actual, will be posted on the dedicated drug shortages website at drugshortages.ca.

The tool kit details the Canadian drug supply chain, clarifies the roles and responsibilities of all key players, and identifies the tools and the strategies available to prevent and address drug shortages. In creating the protocol and the tool kit, collaboration was absolutely essential.

I have already remarked on the complexity of the system and the many players involved in it. The only way for us to benefit from a stable drug supply system, a system that Canadians expect and deserve, is if all players do their part and work together toward the long-term solution.

The federal government's primary role in the drug system is to regulate the safety, quality, and efficacy of drugs and health products. However, we are also playing a strong and collaborative role with multiple jurisdictions and stakeholders to assist their efforts to anticipate, mitigate, and manage drug shortages. We have a strategy for dealing with shortages based on multi-stakeholder collaboration, and it is working. It takes advantage of diverse roles, responsibilities and expertise.

Bill C-523 would alter this completely, increase the regulatory burden for industry, and risk the positive momentum that we have built with diverse stakeholders. I urge all members of this House to maintain this goodwill, support our collaborative approach, and vote against the bill.

The bill is wrong for Canada because it undermines collaboration. It is also flawed because it prematurely assumes that mandatory notification is feasible and enforceable and would lead to a reduction in the frequency and duration of drug shortages.

Bill C-523 would impose a mandatory six-month advance notification for shortages and twelve-month notification whenever a manufacturer decides to stop making a drug, and it includes hefty fines for failures to notify.

The problem with these proposed regulations is that they fail to recognize important collaborative work that has been happening across the drug supply system. Given that stakeholders throughout the supply chain are currently willing to work with us, it is not clear how mandatory notification would improve our ability to address shortages at this time.

Because of our efforts, companies are providing advance notice of shortages online, including information on alternative treatments. Indeed, industry has been voluntarily posting potential and actual shortages on drugshortages.ca since March 2012.

One point I found particularly interesting is that under the voluntary notification in Canada, industry is publicly posting a wider range of shortages than is posted on websites for jurisdictions where notification is mandatory. It has to do with all of that collaboration that I discussed earlier. For example, public notification in the U.S. is limited only to medically necessary drugs with the greatest impact on public health. It is hard to see how this system would be an improvement over the current Canadian approach in which all anticipated and actual shortages are publicly posted.

Mandatory notification in Canada could threaten momentum and goodwill. Bill C-523 does not make any of these considerations. I simply cannot support a proposal to overhaul a voluntary system that is working increasingly well without any evidence that a mandatory prescriptive system would have a positive impact. If, for some reason, industry were to stop providing Canadians and health care providers with timely, comprehensive and unbiased information, then we would certainly have a reason to move forward with stronger federal action.

As mentioned earlier by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, our government would consider a mandatory approach if we failed to see continued success under our voluntary approach. With the current collaborative approach, mandatory notification would be a risky and unnecessary approach to an issue that this government is already very effectively addressing. Industry is in the best position to quickly inform health professionals when supply problems occur. It is the first to know when changes to manufacturing business practices occur that could lead to shortages.

In Canada, industry recognizes this, and, I repeat, is voluntarily posting shortages on drugshortages.ca. I encourage everybody to check that out. That means that Canadians and health care providers have easy, timely access to important information about which drugs are in shortage and can react accordingly. Transparency and communications around anticipated and actual drug shortages are key to enabling all relevant stakeholders to act accordingly.

We will continue to enhance transparency through initiatives like a new public register of manufacturers, which has committed to provide advance notification, and by publicizing instances where companies have failed to do so. For these measures to be successful, we must continue to recognize distinct roles and responsibilities so we can effectively limit the impact of drug shortages on Canadians.

As I mentioned earlier, the federal government's primary role in the drug supply system is regulating the safety, quality, and efficacy of drugs for the Canadian market. It is industry's responsibility to understand the need for their drugs and to provide public notification when it cannot meet such demand. It is encouraging to see that industry is effectively fulfilling that responsibility.

However, challenges remain, and we will continue to monitor the situation and to push industry along a collaborative path that is already showing progress. As I have said already, if stronger federal action is required, the government will take it. We recognize that all players in the drug supply system have distinct and important roles to play, and we are working closely with provinces, territories, and the industry.

This work has yielded progress, and our coordinated responses to drug shortages are encouraging. Recent supply disruptions saw government officials, both federal and provincial, collaborate closely with manufacturers to monitor and address those shortages. Going forward, we will continue this collaborative approach so that all players exercise their respective roles effectively and fulfill their important and complementary roles to one another. The government will do its part, and we expect others to do theirs.

In today's global marketplace, with a wide variety of drugs available to meet Canadians' health needs, a well-organized system is necessary to manage our drug supply. I assure everyone that thanks to our collaborative efforts, the Canadian drug supply is increasingly open, transparent, and well coordinated. Our collaborative approach protects patients by allowing all players to work together to prevent and manage shortages. We are going to continue to monitor this issue very closely to determine if a mandatory approach should be considered in the future.

[Support for Volunteer Firefighters Act, November 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her speech on her private member's bill. She is a hard-working member with whom I have had the privilege of working on the defence committee. She spent several years in the Canadian Armed Forces, and I would like to thank her for her dedication. I know that when she talks about volunteer firefighters, she is sincere in demonstrating goodwill. However, I would remind her that when we gave a tax break to volunteer firefighters, no one in her party supported this government in doing so.

The relationship between volunteer firefighters and their employers is generally quite strong. By convention, the relationship is very good between employers and volunteer firefighters, so there has not really been a need for this kind of legislation, because employers are very receptive to the great work volunteer firefighters do, which I think all members in the House will agree on.

I would like to ask the hon. member if she thinks that perhaps what she is proposing may damage the relationship between firefighters and their employers.

[Business of Supply, November 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend's speech was a little rich coming from a party that signed a protocol that was unrealistic and unachievable in the first place.

I would remind him that this country is at the top of the G7 right now. We have signed a world-leading CETA agreement that is going to help Canadians get jobs and grow our economy by billions. It is an economy that has grown the job base by over a million since the recession hit.

In his comment about GHGs, I would remind him as well that a new study released by IHS CERA confirmed that the Keystone XL pipeline will not have any impact on GHG emissions.

However, I am going to give my hon. friend an opportunity to comment on what Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said about the NDP leader, about his betraying Canadian interests, and about how what the NDP is doing is quite destructive in terms of getting the important pipeline approved.

[White Poppy Campaign, November 5th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues in the Liberal Party and in the NDP to join with me in denouncing the ideological extremists who, this Remembrance Day, are defacing the poppy, and in doing so, disrespecting the courage, sacrifice, and honour that generations of Canadian veterans have made for our freedom and for theirs.

The so-called white poppy campaign is an outrage. It dishonours our veterans.

I ask all parliamentarians to support my call to lay politics aside this Remembrance Day, leave the poppy in its glorious red, stand to remember the sacrifices of our veterans, and to not play crass political games this week and on November 11.

[Petitions, November 4th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in Etobicoke Centre and the Ukrainian diaspora Canada-wide who are grateful to the Government of Canada for recognizing the Holodomor, which was a great famine in the world and a crime against the Ukrainian people and a crime against humanity; for recognizing the internment operations against the Ukrainian community during the First World War; and for our funding for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to support having the Holodomor and the first internment operations prominently displayed at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

[Canadian Forces College, October 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Forces College in Toronto is among the premier centres of military education in the world. The CFC plays a vital role in the professional development of selected Canadian officers and prepares them for senior command positions at the global strategic level.

The CFC includes international military members, RCMP, senior public servants and private sector leaders addressing future strategic responsibilities in a complex global security environment through many programs offered at the CFC.

The National Security Programme is the CFC' s year-long senior course. This week is its annual field study exercise to Ottawa, visiting key federal departments and varied experts. The International cadre are from Brazil, the U.S., Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, Kenya, the Netherlands and Poland.

As a former graduate and staff member at the CFC, I welcome the Canadian Forces College National Security Programme to Ottawa on its annual field study exercise.