Supply  Madam Speaker, I understand and I understand the hon. member's concerns about the obesity epidemic, especially among our young people. I also think the labels are way too small. I am interested, as we move on this labelling, in looking at some of the things being done in other c

Supply  Madam Speaker, I think it is going to be very important. To me, as strategy, we want as little trans fat in people's diets as we can possibly have. I think it is going to be extraordinarily important that the task force look at all the alternatives and that there also be a strate

Supply  Madam Speaker, I think if there is any ambiguity it is along the lines of “why did we not ban it last year?”. I think what we are saying is that now we need the work of the task force to find out what is the right answer in terms of regulation or presenting legislation that would

Supply  Madam Speaker, I am pleased for a number of reasons to have this opportunity to speak to the hon. members on the troublesome issue of trans fats. First of all, this debate is one more means of raising Canadians' awareness of the ill effects of trans fats, since consciousness rai

Health  Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that Canada has a comprehensive pandemic influenza plan which the World Health Organization has called a best model for other countries. Today the Minister of Health and our chief public health officer for Canada were at the WHO in New

Drug Strategy  Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows that we have had for a long time in this country a centre for drug abuse. There is indeed ongoing monitoring, trying to make sure that people live healthy lives. There is going to be an increase in the drug strategy because we want to p

Quarantine Act  Mr. Speaker, in the Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada's objective was to modernize the legislation on health protection. From the Naylor report to budget 2004, from the creation of the Public Health Agency, to the recent first ministers and health ministers meetin

Health  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to report, in working with our provincial and territorial colleagues, all of the important improvements that we have made since the tabling of the comprehensive Naylor report a year ago that include the Public Health Agency for Canada, the new chief public

Quarantine Act  Mr. Speaker, it was a little over a year ago that Canada was confronted with a mysterious disease that would go on to claim the lives of 44 Canadians, temporarily cripple the economy of Toronto, and take an enormous toll on this country's public health workers and health care pro

Supply  Mr. Speaker, in my view, from the tabling of the Naylor report, to what was in the Speech from the Throne, to the dollars we actually got in the budget so that a chief public health officer could actually do his or her job, to what I have seen in my 32 consultations around the co

Supply  Mr. Speaker, I share the member's concern. Really this is about confidence. Canadians need to know that over the next generation the health care system they cherish so much will be there for them when they need it. As much as money is an issue, I think the member will recognize

Supply  Mr. Speaker, as my colleague the Minister of Health has clearly articulated, we are committed to the values that make the Canadian health care system one of the best in the world. In his speech the Minister of Health spoke about a comprehensive and collaborative system. I want to

Health  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that we will begin the search for the chief public health officer hopefully next week, and we will take the time it takes to get the right person for the job. We think it will be a short process.

Health  Mr. Speaker, the government believes in all five principles of the Canada Health Act. They have served Canadians well. It is extraordinarily important that we move on all the recommendations of the Roy Romanow commission. We are looking at all these things in order to ensure Cana

Health  Mr. Speaker, in the most recent budget the Government of Canada provided $300 million to the provinces and territories for the new vaccines as was recommended by the national advisory committee on immunization. During this National Immunization Awareness Week, and as a family ph