Jeannot Castonguay

[Health, December 2nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this is unquestionably a current issue.

I should mention that the minister is sick today, but she will surely be in good shape by Friday to meet here with the provincial and territorial health ministers and take a very close look at the recommendations made in the Romanow report, so that we take all the necessary measures to ensure that the health system meets the needs of Canadians—and I emphasize the expression “the needs of Canadians”—regardless of where they live in the country, whether in the east, the west, the far north or the south.

Again, I want to assure hon. members that we have a very interesting report that will allow us to do great things for all Canadians.

[Worldwide All-News Television Network, November 27th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, other countries have taken a different approach. Their approach is to vaccinate the entire population, while we came to the conclusion, following consultations with experts in the field, that here in Canada, we will only vaccinate groups at risk, and confine these people.

We have procured the vaccine required for this need. If the entire population needed to be vaccinated, we could meet this objective using the dilution factor.

This is a choice that we made based on consultations with experts who suggested it. This is also, incidentally, the approach suggested to us by the World Health Organization. We are fully aware that other countries have preferred to take a different approach.

I thank my colleague for having raised this issue, to let all Canadians know where we are at on this issue.

[Worldwide All-News Television Network, November 27th, 2002]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's question. I will try, in the next few minutes, to give him the exact status of where we are today, the position the government has taken as well as the position of the Minister of Health.

I would like to assure my colleague, and obviously all of my colleagues that are listening, as well as all Canadians, that our government is working with public health officials from the provinces and territories to ensure that in the unlikely event that smallpox were used as a terrorist weapon, we will be prepared to deal with the threat.

These preparations are twofold. The first element consists of a plan. The second element is having a sufficient quantity of smallpox vaccine in Canada. On both of these fronts, we have taken the necessary measures to protect Canadians. Allow me to explain.

There is the Canadian contingency plan for smallpox. We have obviously consulted with the Chief Medical Officers of Health from every province and territory.

This is a very important step because any plan must reflect the way we work together in a real emergency situation. For this reason, Health Canada officials have carefully examined the plan with all of the appropriate provincial and territorial stakeholders, the Chief Medical Officers of Health and their staff, as well as emergency services and emergency social services staff.

The contingency plan has been carefully studied. The final version will soon be released to the public. What does this plan call for?

We have taken the research and confinement approach recommended by the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health and the World Health Organization. This strategy was applied successfully in the years prior to 1979, and led to the eradication of the disease.

Under this approach, the spread of smallpox is contained by identifying infected persons and any persons who may have contact with them. The vaccine is administered to these people in the four days following their exposure to the smallpox virus, and to those who work with smallpox carriers, health care workers and laboratory workers.

We have been very actively involved in procuring the vaccine. Our intention to get it from a Canadian supplier has been revealed today as part of the government tendering process. Public Works and Government Services Canada issued an advance contract award notice via MERX, the government electronic tendering service.

Our objective is to have a stock of smallpox vaccine available that would be sufficient to react to multiple smallpox outbreaks in Canada, should that event ever occur.

At the same time, we will have the capacity to produce more doses in Canada expeditiously. This would be required if ever we were required to expand the vaccination effort, even to the entire population if circumstances required.

As for the immunoglobulin, which is used to treat serious vaccine side-effects, there is a limited quantity of this in the world, because it is produced from the blood of recently vaccinated individuals, and most countries stopped doing systematic vaccination in 1972.

The United States has recently begin to rebuild its stocks of immunoglobulin, by vaccinating a small number of volunteers who then donate their blood to produce the immunoglobulin. Via discussions with the U.S. Center for Disease Control, Health Canada is taking steps to obtain a certain quantity of the immunoglobulin. I can assure hon. members that Canada has no intention of vaccinating anyone whatsoever against smallpox until this immunoglobulin is available.

This is, obviously, part of our campaign against smallpox, which includes what we call pre-exposure vaccination. Before any outbreak whatsoever occurred, a certain number of individuals would be immunized in order to be in a position to provide medical care to anyone who might be exposed subsequently.

Clearly, we do have a plan and will do everything in our power to implement that plan, if ever the need arises.

[Kyoto Protocol, November 25th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, again, I share my hon. colleague's concerns. He can no doubt appreciate how complex the situation is when dealing with federal and provincial jurisdictions. I do hope that, following the statements made by the Quebec health minister, who was going to look into the matter, thanks to our spirit of cooperation and collaboration, he is going to enforce the legislation in his province, so that the Canadians who have access to these services do not have to cover the cost out of pocket.

[Kyoto Protocol, November 25th, 2002]

Madam Speaker, it is true that on Thursday, October 24, during question period, my hon. colleague, the member for Acadie—Bathurst, raised a question on a news report about private medical clinics in Quebec renting out operating rooms to physicians to perform surgeries for which patients paid the costs of the physical installations, and the government the medical fees.

The newspapers have reported that the Minister of Health and Social Services in Quebec did confirm that such was indeed the practice in Montreal, but that unless patients filed official complaints about having had to pay for an insured service, as my hon. colleague indicated, his department could do nothing to stop the clinic.

Charging fees to patients for insured medical or hospital services is illegal, under the Canada Health Act.

Following up on this information, Health Canada contacted the provincial officials in Quebec to get more information. If patients are required to pay for insured services, the minister expects the province to take the necessary steps to put an end to this practice. We are pleased to note that, on November 5, on the basis of this information, the Quebec health minister announced through the media that he was contemplating amending the provincial legislation to prevent private clinics from charging patients for surgeries.

Naturally, the Canada Health Act is the cornerstone of our health care system. This vital legislation reflects the government's commitment to a universal, accessible, comprehensive, portable and publicly administered health insurance system.

The act ensures Canadians have access to health care by establishing criteria with which the provinces must comply to qualify for the full amount of the federal contribution to health care owed to them.

In addition to these criteria, the act sets qualifying conditions for cash contributions and deters extra billing and user fees by reducing cash contributions to the provinces by an amount equal to the fees, if any, charged to patients.

If the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act are respected and encouraged, it will be possible to protect and even improve our health care system.

Health Canada takes its responsibilities under the Canada Health Act seriously, and works with the provinces to ensure the principles set out in the act are respected.

The Government of Canada has made a commitment to maintaining the Canada Health Act and ensuring that our public health care system is based not on one's ability to pay, but on people's needs. Canadians expect their governments to work together, the federal government and the provincial governments, to find solutions to problems with the health care system.

We have always preferred to work with the provinces and territories, through consultations and cooperation, to solve problems related to the Canada Health Act.

I would like to thank my colleague for having raised this important issue in the House. Once again, I hope that based on cooperation, and following the statements made by Quebec's health minister, we will be able to ensure that Canadian laws are respected when it comes to health care services.

[World Television Day, November 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this week we are celebrating World Television Day. The United Nations proclaimed November 21 as World Television Day in 1996, to draw attention to the great value this medium has for social development and education.

More than 50 studies on the learning process have proven that technology can help children learn.

Canadian teachers and their students can use their knowledge of this medium to address such issues as peace, security, economic and social development, and to foster cultural exchange, all issues to which the UN attaches great importance. All Canadians can learn more about these issues through the medium of television.

I am pleased to help Cable in the Classroom to draw attention to this world day by making the public more aware of the value of teaching media skills to all Canadians.

[National Security, November 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe that the hon. member would say that we are not taking this threat seriously. Since September 11, we have been taking very important measures to ensure that, in the unlikely event of a bioterrorist attack, we can deal with the situation.

As for the specific issue of smallpox, we are well aware that, should an outbreak occur, our part of the world would not be the only one affected. This would be a planetary problem. This is why we have begun to make representations to countries all over the world to ensure that if such an outbreak were to occur, we would share information and use a joint approach to control it.

[Health, November 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of what is going on in the medical community. We know full well that, in recent years, there have been changes in the way physicians practice medicine. I was there; I saw the changes.

This has definitely created some turbulence in the system. That is why, in 2000, the first ministers agreed to inject $800 million to ensure better access to primary care. We will continue in that direction, and I can assure my hon. colleague that we will be there, keeping a close watch on things.

[Health, November 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. It is certainly a topic of current interest these days.

It is obvious that the Government of Canada has always made it clear: the Canada Health Act will be respected. Necessary health care will be made available to anyone who needs it. This is why, on this review, the government commissioned the Romanow study, and we should have the official report in hand by the end of the month. We will examine this report, and that of the Kirby commission. On that basis, we will make the necessary decisions to ensure that all Canadians have access—

[Down's Syndrome, November 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of National Down's Syndrome Awareness Week. Close to 50 organizations have got together to launch this national campaign. In Canada, about one in seven hundred live births is affected by this syndrome. It is a chromosomal disorder that may restrict children's development. Still, those who suffer from this condition manage to live an active life and make a positive contribution to our society.

A number of activities are scheduled this week, and I invite Canadians to participate in them.

Together, we can help improve the lives of these people by acknowledging their contribution to our society and by facilitating their integration.