Jane Philpott

Mr. Speaker, I think we can safely assume that everyone in this House knows it is absolutely incomprehensible and unacceptable that the human rights, the reproductive rights, of indigenous women should be violated in this way. I am happy to report to the member opposite that we are actively working across the country, including with our provincial and territorial partners, with agencies that work in medical education, with doctors' associations, to make sure this is very clear.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, I received a call from Chief Leo Friday of Kashechewan First Nation. Ten days from now, more than 2,000 people from this community will be forced to leave their homes in the annual evacuation process. The chief is concerned about the resilience of the dike and there are legitimate fears of severe flooding.Our country spends millions of dollars annually for evacuations and for repairing flood damage in homes. When can we expect a serious commitment to funding the relocation that, for years, the community has been asking for?

Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We know that the coerced sterilization of women is indeed a gross violation of human rights. It is a violation of women's reproductive rights. We are actively working with partners in provinces. We are working with faculties of medical education and health professionals to ensure that culturally safe care is available across the country. This is not something that any one order of government can address alone. All Canadians have a responsibility to ensure that these practices never happen again.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the matter of mental illness in this country, I will never play politics. I know that mental illness affects every Canadian. Every one of us in this chamber is affected by mental illness. This is a very serious matter.When I met with my counterparts, they wanted to talk about money. I wanted to talk about health. I wanted to talk about how we can actually help Canadians to have better mental health care. I am determined to do that. I really look forward to working with my counterparts to make that happen.

Mr. Speaker, the coerced sterilization of any woman is a clear violation of her reproductive rights. We know that, unfortunately, indigenous women and other vulnerable women have faced coerced sterilization. We absolutely abhor this practice and we are working with partners, including the provinces, health care providers and medical professionals, to make sure that it is very clear that this should not go on. We are working with the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to ensure that indigenous peoples have access to culturally appropriate and safe health care.

Mr. Speaker, as a family doctor and the Minister of Health, I am committed to working with our partners to improve Canadians' mental health and make mental health services more accessible. Mental health is a priority for our government, and we will continue to invest to promote sound mental health and help prevent mental illness and suicide.

Mr. Speaker, previously in the House, I have quoted Dr. Atul Gawande, who talks about the fact that people want not only a good death, but they want a good life to the very end. For that reason, I am so committed to palliative care, and so much more work needs to be done. When Canadians face the end of their lives and when they face suffering, they want dignity, independence, and they prefer, if possible, to die at home. For that reason our government will be investing $3 billion to increase access to home care.I will work with the provinces and territories to ensure we increase access to high-quality palliative care for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we absolutely intend to deliver real change on health care. In fact, I wonder how the NDP could have delivered, given its fiscal plans and its agreement to stick to a balanced budget.We believe in new investments in health care. We will be investing in home care. We will be making sure Canadians have accessible, affordable, and appropriately prescribed prescription drugs. We will invest in innovation. We will deliver on health care for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.

Mr. Speaker, I had the honour yesterday of speaking at the United Nations General Assembly special session on drugs. I used that opportunity to talk about Canada's drug policy, which is grounded in scientific evidence, and which employs a collaborative, compassionate, and comprehensive approach to drug policy.We are concerned about access to marijuana for young people. Therefore, we are going to be introducing a new regulatory regime which will keep our children safe, free from the potential harms of marijuana, and keep the profits out of the hands of criminals.

Mr. Speaker, I will be very happy at some point to sit down with the member opposite and clarify to him that in fact the federal initiative on HIV/AIDS is expanding in the order of over $30 million. I have been speaking with the Public Health Agency of Canada. We are making sure that good community organizations are getting expansion to their programs and continue those good programs. We are also expanding programs like the know your status program in Saskatchewan, which has demonstrably decreased its rates of new infections. We will work with those agencies to make sure we protect Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, on International Women's Day, it is an honour to rise and be part of a government that speaks up for women's rights, and speaks up for women's sexual and reproductive rights. Access to birth control is of fundamental importance to the women and families of Canada, to be able to control their bodies, to be able to control their reproductive rights. We will make sure that medication in our country is affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. That includes access to birth control.

Mr. Speaker, the coerced or forced sterilization of any woman in this country is and always has been against the law. It is against medical ethics and it is against human rights. We are working to make sure that this never happens again. We are working with medical associations and medical providers to make sure that it never happens.

Mr. Speaker, there is no Canadian who does not have a friend or family member affected by mental illness.Every member of the House knows someone with mental health problems. We all know that we must do more to make mental health services more accessible. I met with my counterparts last month.As part of our discussions on the new health accord, I am working with the provinces and territories to make lasting transformation so that we can better serve the mental health needs of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.Every year, tobacco kills more than 37,000 Canadians, and 87,000 Canadians become daily smokers. We can and must do better, and we are launching public consultations to regulate the appearance, size, and shape of packaging for tobacco products and adopting plain packaging measures to make tobacco less attractive. The government is committed to Canadians' health.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite may be aware of the troubling statistics that show that up to a quarter of teenagers are in fact currently using marijuana. This is a troubling fact. As my colleague the Minister of Public Safety has already indicated, the current approach to marijuana is not working. Because of the potential risks, our government is introducing new legislation which will legalize marijuana, regulate it, and will restrict access to keep Canadians safe and to keep them healthy.

Mr. Speaker, I want to echo the sentiments of my hon. colleague opposite. It is absolutely devastating to hear of these young people in northern Saskatchewan and indeed in other communities in Canada who have taken their own lives in recent weeks. I believe all members of the House would like to express our condolences to the families.The member is absolutely correct. We need to be thinking not only of how we can support these families and these communities in the short term, as we are working very hard to do, but we must think of the long-term solutions. In fact, I look forward to working with all members of the House to support indigenous health and wellness, to make sure we find—

Mr. Speaker, we are all concerned with the health of Canadians, both young and old, and we are concerned with the health risks associated with smoking. As pertains to the issue of marijuana, however, we have lost the fight, and the current approach to marijuana is not working. Results this week have revealed that record amounts of marijuana are being used by our youth. Our government plans to implement legislation to address that so we can keep marijuana out of the hands of children and youth.

Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.

Mr. Speaker, the matter of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections is a very serious one. I am working actively with the Public Health Agency of Canada to update our approach to these conditions, including hepatitis C and HIV. We will be working with communities to make sure they have access to the resources they need. We look forward to an approach that will make sure Canadians are healthy into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that Canadians pay for too much for prescription drugs. We do, in fact, pay the second highest per capita cost in the world. Part of my mandate is to address the rising cost of drugs to ensure that prescription medicine is affordable and available to Canadians who need it. We intend to do that. We have a number of mechanisms by which we will do that. We have already taken steps in that regard. I will continue to address this issue.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has worked hard in his community to advocate for the mental health needs in that community. I agree with him that it is completely unacceptable in a country as rich in resources as Canada that young people should get to the point that their lives seem worthless and that they would want to end them. We must respond to this. I have already indicated what we are doing so far. I will be working with my colleagues across the country to ensure that mental health services are included and improved, and ensure that we get that mental health care to the people who need it.

Mr. Speaker, our government takes matters of health and safety seriously. Health Canada reviews pesticides on a regular basis. As a part of its review, Health Canada has found that a particular pesticide imidacloprid can be found in concentrations up to 290 times the level of acceptable risk. Given this, Health Canada is proposing to phase out agricultural uses of imidacloprid over a period of three to five years. Health Canada is being sensitive to the needs of the agricultural community, while at the same time protecting the environment in proposing this evidence-based decision.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for raising this issue in the House. The matter of HIV funding is something I have been interested in and advocating for over 30 years. It is an issue that was not appropriately addressed in the past decade. In fact, there has been little attention paid to this matter at the federal level for some time.We are interested in a new approach to sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, including HIV and Hepatitis C. We are looking for ways to invest in good organizations and will continue to provide the support that Canadians need.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her emphasis on a public health approach to the introduction of the legalization of cannabis in a strict regulatory regime. She understands the fact that a public health approach means making sure that we maximize education and minimize harm. In fact, to that end, we have already started with a $9.6-million public education campaign. We will continue to build the resources to have a strong campaign to make sure that young people are protected, that we keep cannabis out of the hands of kids, and the profits out of the hands of criminals.

Mr. Speaker, any loss of life is a great tragedy and it grieves us when we hear about indigenous young people taking their lives. We know that the roots of the suicide crisis among indigenous youth are deep and complex, but we are working with our partners, indigenous leaders, and provinces to make sure we have supports for people. Our government has invested $69 million to make sure there will be 24 mental wellness teams, as well as crisis support teams. We will continue to support these youth and put an end to this crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to answer this question. Responding to the needs of people affected by HIV and preventing new HIV infections is something that is very important to us. We did, in fact, put new investments in the budget. There will be an additional $35 million in the Canadian federal initiative of HIV and hepatitis C prevention. That is in addition to the money that we are putting through the first nations and Inuit health branch to also prevent new infections and treat those already affected by HIV.We will work through the Public Health Agency of Canada to address the needs of Canadians affected by HIV.

Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.

Mr. Speaker, it is well known that Canadians pay some of the highest per capita costs for health care in the world. It is important that Canadians get value for the money invested in health care. That is why we are taking a new approach.In addition to increasing the Canada health transfer, we are making targeted investments in the areas of home care and mental health, so that people like the woman to whom the member has referred will get access to home care, and we will transform health systems across this country.

Mr. Speaker, as a Canadian, it grieves me to look at the realities of the state of indigenous health in this country, to see that indigenous peoples have a life expectancy that is about a decade shorter than non-indigenous Canadians, to see the rates of diabetes, the rates of tuberculosis, the rates of suicide in indigenous communities.We are determined to work with our indigenous leaders in this country, to work with the people on the ground in communities to find solutions to support them. We will make sure that we build a new relationship, and that every Canadian in this country enjoys good access—

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is well aware that Canada is facing a serious public health crisis and the hundreds of Canadians who have had accidental overdose deaths this year. We were pleased yesterday to introduce the new Canadian drugs and substances strategy, which will save the lives of Canadians. It will take a harm reduction approach to this serious public health problem. We will recognize the wisdom of the Supreme Court, which gave us guidance as to the factors that had to be taken into consideration, including making sure that communities were appropriately consulted on these matters.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to this question, although obviously it is under tremendously tragic circumstances. I want to say first of all how deeply I grieve with all Canadians for the tragedy that took place in La Loche. Immediately upon hearing the news, I spoke to the folks at the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to ensure that they were sending crisis workers to the community, and they did so immediately. I have been in touch on a daily basis with the folks in Saskatchewan. I have committed to people in that community that the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch will continue to provide support for mental health needs in the community in the days and months to come.

Mr. Speaker, we can care for people around the world at the same time as we care for Canadians.I am in fact working very hard with my colleagues in the provinces and territories, as well as, of course, indigenous leaders across this country to address these very problems.I, like my colleague, am very concerned about the rising rates of diabetes, particularly among indigenous peoples. There is much work to be done. I look forward to instituting a number of new measures that will make great progress on this very serious problem.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee, I was very pleased yesterday to join in an announcement that we would be establishing a task force for the elimination of tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat. That will be the mandate of this important task force.It is simply intolerable and tragic that the rate of tuberculosis in Canada's Inuit is 270 times the rate that it is in the Canadian-born non-indigenous population. That is why we are going to take bold action. We will be working with partners among Canada's Inuit leaders, provinces and territories, and we will work together to eliminate tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat.

Mr. Speaker, when I spoke to my counterparts, the ministers of health in the provinces and territories, I made it very clear to them that this is not a political discussion. This is about doing the right thing for Canadians. This is about good public policy. I am very committed to the matter of mental health care. I have a mandate to make sure that Canadians have better mental health care, but I also have a responsibility to make sure that when we invest in mental health care, when we invest home care, when we invest in palliative care, that Canadians will see that they actually get better access to care.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the member opposite, as well as all members in this House, recognize the very severe circumstances that indigenous children are facing, with more than 50% of the children in care in this country being indigenous children. We have to all work together to address this very serious problem. That requires indigenous leaders, it requires the federal government, it requires the provinces, territories, and child and family services agencies to be involved. We have got to get this right, and everyone needs to be involved.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Toronto—Danforth for her question. Our government is committed to helping families make better food choices. We will introduce new restrictions on the commercial marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children. That is in addition to our commitment to improve labelling and bring in legislation to eliminate trans fats and reduce salt in processed foods.

Mr. Speaker, the matter of the Zika virus epidemic is something that we have taken very seriously. My colleagues in the Public Health Agency of Canada have been very active on this file on a daily basis collaborating with our international partners at the World Health Organization. We have advised Canadians every day to make sure they are taking protective measures if it is necessary for them to travel to affected regions. We have also advised, if women are pregnant or considering pregnancy, that they avoid travel to affected countries. All of that information is available at travel.gc.ca.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue. Of course, we agree with the member opposite that coerced sterilization of any woman in this country is a violation of that woman's rights, including her reproductive rights. We are working with provinces and territories and we are working with health care providers and medical associations to make sure that the concept of informed consent is well understood and that culturally safe care is also well taught.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member opposite for drawing attention to the fact that this is mental health awareness week. It is an important week for us to be talking about mental health.While she said it affects one Canadian in five, I would argue that every Canadian is in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, affected by mental illness. Our government is fundamentally determined to make sure that we increase access to mental health care in the country. I am absolutely determined to work with my colleagues in the provinces and territories to make sure that mental wellness is a top priority and that we serve Canadians as they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts remain with the community and the survivors of the terrible tragedy that took place in La Loche. As the hon. member knows, we undertook to stand with La Loche and the area for the long haul to build a stronger, safer, and healthier community.We continue to work with the Province of Saskatchewan, the village, and the adjacent first nation community to provide health supports, to ensure safety at schools, the hospital, and the community at large, and to provide new and better opportunities, such as working to bring back Project Venture for young people.

Mr. Speaker, I expect that the member opposite is well aware of the fact that we are facing in this country a very serious and growing public health crisis. In this crisis, hundreds of Canadians have lost their lives. It is absolutely essential that we together find ways to be able to support Canadians. Our approach to drug policy will always be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based. I look forward to making sure that we have policies in place to support Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Edmonton Centre for this question. Yesterday, our government announced that it is giving $5 million to Alberta's new First Nations Health Consortium for enhanced service coordination for first nations children in that province. According to its president, Tyler White, the consortium will eliminate many of the barriers faced every day by first nations peoples. This initiative together with others shows that our government is fully implementing Jordan's principle.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly encourage the member opposite to not manufacture a concern that is not based on fact. The person about whom he is speaking has cleared this new position, and it is very clear he will not be lobbying this government.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct a fact that the hon. member stated. I think he may have misread his notes. In fact, British Columbia is on track to have 1,400 deaths in 2017. This is a significant increase over last year, and we continue to see this overdose crisis spread across the country.I thank all members of this House for their urgent attention to this with the passage of Bill C-37, hopefully later today. We have put $100 million into the Canadian drugs and substances strategy in budget 2017, and $16 million in emergency funding for British Columbia and Alberta. We will make sure that we put the resources behind this and that we act with the urgency it deserves.

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member would assume, the person he referred to, who is no longer working in my office, obviously met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to discuss arrangements. Everything about his new position was cleared with the commissioner. The staff member will not be lobbying our government.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety of food for all Canadians. I have been meeting on a regular basis with my colleagues in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The hon. member opposite may be aware that our government ran on a campaign to increase our investments in food safety. We are expecting the announcement of a budget imminently, and we look forward to announcing further measures that we will undertake to ensure the safety of food for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that a thorough health examination is taking place for all of the Syrian families who are being considered for entry into Canada. That includes an international immigration exam and asking about immunization records.I, like the hon. member opposite, am concerned with making sure that we keep Canadians safe, and all necessary measures will be undertaken to make sure that vaccination schedules are up to date.

Mr. Speaker, permit me to begin my comments by reflecting on last evening, when there was a very lovely and civil tone in this House when we discussed a matter that was both sobering and inspiring and talked about the fact that in this country, this wonderful, affluent, resourceful country, young people are deciding that life is not worth living and that we have not been able to find solutions to give them hope for the future.I will continue to work with my colleague and all colleagues in this House to make sure that the mental health resources are there for young people and all Canadians when they need them.

Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague the hon. member knows, I have been a family doctor and have had many patients who have suffered the devastating consequences of heart disease and stroke. Therefore, it is now my duty as Minister of Health to work with all Canadians to reduce the prevalence of these conditions. We will do so in part by reducing trans fats and reducing sodium intake. My department, Health Canada, has already introduced mandatory nutritional labelling guidelines in order to reduce trans fats and will continue to work with the food industry and all Canadians to improve the health conditions of all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated previously in the House, our government firmly upholds the Canada Health Act. That Canada Health Act indicates the principles by which health care must be delivered in this country, including universality and accessibility. We will uphold the fact that Canadians in this country must have care on the basis of need and not on the basis of their ability to pay.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and for his relentless advocacy on behalf of communities like Attawapiskat that are in his riding. I find that the news out of a community like Attawapiskat is devastating. It is almost incomprehensible that children at such a young age could find that life has no hope left for them.I am working, Health Canada is working, along with the Government of Ontario, along with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Weeneebayko health authority to find long-term funding solutions to increase capacity in those communities.

Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my counterparts and I reiterated our commitment to providing stable, predictable funding for health care.Canadians expect us to work together to improve our health care system. They also expect health investments to truly go to health.We will continue to collaborate on building a system that meets the needs of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has worked hard in his community to advocate for the mental health needs in that community. I agree with him that it is completely unacceptable in a country as rich in resources as Canada that young people should get to the point that their lives seem worthless and that they would want to end them. We must respond to this. I have already indicated what we are doing so far. I will be working with my colleagues across the country to ensure that mental health services are included and improved, and ensure that we get that mental health care to the people who need it.

Mr. Speaker, over the past few months, I have spent a lot of time working with my counterparts, the health ministers. We have discussed many issues. We discussed the introduction of the cannabis legislation, and we are going to continue to work hard and work with them to protect Canadians' health and safety.

Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.

Mr. Speaker, our government takes matters of health and safety very seriously, and Health Canada reviews pesticides on a regular basis. As part of that scientific review, Health Canada found that a particular pesticide, imidacloprid, can be found in concentrations up to 290 times of what is an acceptable risk in water. Given this risk, Health Canada is proposing a phase-out of agricultural uses for imidacloprid. There is a proposal. It is evidence based. It is sensitive to the realities of farmers while proposing steps to protect the environment.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to health, it is crucial that the health ministers gather to discuss what Canadians need. I am organizing such a meeting in order to improve our health care systems.We are going to increase the Canada health transfer. Next year it will go up to $37 billion. We will also discuss other ways to help our colleagues across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by acknowledging, along with all members in the House, that autism spectrum disorder is a cause of lifelong concerns for people who are affected by it, including their families. We are all recognizing the need to advance further opportunities for recognizing these disorders and providing treatment. That is why we have put significant resources behind research. In fact, we have funded research in the order of $40 million over the last five years for autism spectrum disorder. We are continuing to work on surveillance. We are continuing to work with provinces and territories to provide the resources they need.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the matter of mental illness in this country, I will never play politics. I know that mental illness affects every Canadian. Every one of us in this chamber is affected by mental illness. This is a very serious matter.When I met with my counterparts, they wanted to talk about money. I wanted to talk about health. I wanted to talk about how we can actually help Canadians to have better mental health care. I am determined to do that. I really look forward to working with my counterparts to make that happen.

Mr. Speaker, our government takes matters of health and safety seriously. Health Canada reviews pesticides on a regular basis. As a part of its review, Health Canada has found that a particular pesticide imidacloprid can be found in concentrations up to 290 times the level of acceptable risk. Given this, Health Canada is proposing to phase out agricultural uses of imidacloprid over a period of three to five years. Health Canada is being sensitive to the needs of the agricultural community, while at the same time protecting the environment in proposing this evidence-based decision.

Mr. Speaker, I want to echo the sentiments of my hon. colleague opposite. It is absolutely devastating to hear of these young people in northern Saskatchewan and indeed in other communities in Canada who have taken their own lives in recent weeks. I believe all members of the House would like to express our condolences to the families.The member is absolutely correct. We need to be thinking not only of how we can support these families and these communities in the short term, as we are working very hard to do, but we must think of the long-term solutions. In fact, I look forward to working with all members of the House to support indigenous health and wellness, to make sure we find—

Mr. Speaker, I have had very good discussions with my counterparts across the country, and that includes all of the health ministers.We will keep talking about what we need to do to improve health care systems across Canada.Canadians expect us to work together. We are working closely with the provinces and territories. We will improve Canadians' health care system.

Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.

Mr. Speaker, how wonderful to have an opportunity to announce today in this House that we have in fact come to a new agreement with three additional provinces: Alberta, Ontario, et la province de Québec.I am very pleased, because this is excellent news for the three provinces. We are going to improve health care and we going to support the provinces to ensure that Canadians have access to the health care they need.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to uphold, along with our government, the Canada Health Act.This government is taking federal leadership on health care. We uphold the Canada Health Act that underscores a number of principles, including accessibility, which ensures Canadians will always have access to the care they need, based on that need and not based on the ability to pay.I will work with the provinces and territories to ensure that access is always available to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on behalf of palliative care. We are very happy as a government that we were able to support the provinces and territories to the tune of $6 billion of new money to expand access to home care and palliative care. I have had the opportunity now to work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories. I have looked at some of the fantastic programs they are introducing, including an outstanding program in Nova Scotia where paramedics are delivering palliative care. There are wonderful innovations going on to expand palliative care across this country.

Mr. Speaker, I stand with my colleagues on this side of the House, proud of the budget that we presented this week, proud of the fact that the Canada health transfer is the largest in Canadian history, in the amount of $36 billion.I have committed, as this House knows, to working with my counterparts in the provinces and territories. We are working every day toward a new long-term agreement that will include a number of initiatives, including a $3-billion investment in home care. We look forward to announcing that once the agreement has been undertaken.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud of their public health care system and they expect their government to make sure that it will always be there for them.We know that the provinces and territories are on the front lines providing excellent care and that they know what improvements need to be made. However, I am going to meet with my provincial and territorial counterparts again in the coming weeks and we will continue our discussion on how to create a health care system that meets Canadians' needs.

Mr. Speaker, I have been very pleased to work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the cost of prescription drugs. We have worked together on a pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance, which is allowing us to save upwards of $1 billion every year to do bulk purchasing. In addition to that, I am working with my colleagues to address the regulations associated with the Patented Medicines Prices Review Board to make sure the cost of prescription drugs is affordable and Canadians will have the medications they need.

Mr. Speaker, it is true that I am a doctor. I worked as a doctor in Canada for more than 30 years. Even though Canadians are proud of their health care system, I know that it is in need of improvement and could serve Canadians better.That is why I am working with my counterparts. We are going to make investments in health and we want that money to truly be invested in health.

Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to speak to the territorial health ministers this week, and we discussed the unique circumstances in the territories and the challenges of delivering care. We will of course continue with the Canada health transfer to support the territories. In addition, there is territorial formula financing, to the tune of $1.5 billion that goes to Nunavut each year, that helps to facilitate the expenses in health. In addition to that, there is a territorial health investment fund in the order of $60 million. We are very pleased to make sure that people in the territories, including Nunavut, get the care they need.

Mr. Speaker, I have had excellent conversations with my colleagues across this country, the ministers of health in the provinces and territories.We have agreed upon a number of priorities, areas in which we think the health care systems across this country need improvement. We look forward to a further collaborative relationship.They are on the front lines. They know where the needs are. We have agreed with what those needs are. We plan to invest in better health care for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord for the question.We are using all the tools at our disposal including legislation, regulations, and education to encourage healthy choices. We are updating Canada's Food Guide, improving labelling, addressing sodium, trans fats, sugars, and food colouring, as well as dealing with advertising aimed at children.

Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased this morning that the cannabis task force presented its report. We look forward to reviewing its recommendations in full detail. We know this task force was well led by the Hon. Anne McLellan, that the experts on the task force heard from Canadians across the country, including those who understood the evidence around all of the questions that were put to this group. We look forward to introducing legislation in the spring, which will legalize, regulate, and restrict access to cannabis.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her work on behalf of people affected by lyme disease.As a physician myself, I understand the impact lyme disease has on Canadians and their families. That is why I was so pleased to see over 700 Canadians participating in our three-day conference this week on lyme disease.We heard from patients about the need for better surveillance, enhanced awareness, and an increased investment in research, all of which will inform the federal framework that we will develop while working closely with our partners and stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that Canada has one of the safest food systems in the world. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I work along with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure that.We are a government that believes in science. If there is any need to indicate on the basis of an analysis of any particular food that there is a reason to put a label on it, we make sure that happens. We know that GMO products are safe. They are all tested in this country. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I are pleased to continue to make sure that is the case.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleague has recognized that we are on a journey of reconciliation.Our renewed relationship with indigenous peoples is based on a recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership. It is in that context that we are doing work to establish a new fiscal relationship with indigenous peoples. We are consulting in terms of how we can develop better systems of mutual accountability. I would be happy to hear any recommendations to that end.

Mr. Speaker, we know that the provinces and territories are on the front lines. They provide excellent care and know what improvements need to be made. It is really important that we work together. The Canada health transfer is going to increase by more than $1 billion next year, bringing—

Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for her fantastic work on this very important topic, and indeed members from all parties who have been advocating on behalf of people who have been victims of Lyme disease.I look forward to continuing to work with the member on making sure that we have a strong framework which recognizes the federal role in this, and that includes building national surveillance and annual reporting. It includes making sure there is adequate research. It includes improving the guidelines for prevention and treatment of Lyme disease, and making sure that we raise awareness and education on how to prevent Lyme disease. I thank the member for her work.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to answer this question, and I thank the member for New Brunswick Southwest for raising the issue of Lyme disease.I was very pleased, this morning, to table here in the House a new federal framework for Lyme disease. This will address the federal role in responding to Lyme disease. I was additionally very pleased to announce that we are investing $4 million to develop, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, a Lyme disease research network. This will help to build the evidence to grow the data to be able to respond to, prevent, treat, and diagnose Lyme disease.

Mr. Speaker, we will work collaboratively with all provinces and territories in this country to address health care needs. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as we have already indicated, for next year. However, it is also important, as my colleague points out, that we innovate. In fact, Canadians should have access to good care. That is why we uphold the Canada Health Act. I look forward to working with my colleagues to find those good solutions and implement them for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the Prime Minister asked me to work to make sure that prescription medications are accessible, affordable, and appropriately prescribed. To that end, I was very pleased yesterday to announce consultations and a proposed suite of regulations for the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. This is the most significant suite of regulatory changes for this board in more than 20 years. It will have a real impact on the cost of prescription medications in this country. All Canadians will save money. I encourage people to participate in this discussion.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to further inform the House about the excellent meetings that I had last week with the health ministers from all provinces and territories across the country.Among the things we discussed was our commitment to the Canada Health Act. As the member opposite is aware, that act is one of the foundations of a system that we are proud of. One of the pieces of that, of which I am most proud, is the fact that we are determined to make sure that Canadians will always be able to access the appropriate care they require based on need, and not ability to pay. We will do all that is in our power to uphold that act.

Mr. Speaker, as a Canadian, it grieves me to look at the realities of the state of indigenous health in this country, to see that indigenous peoples have a life expectancy that is about a decade shorter than non-indigenous Canadians, to see the rates of diabetes, the rates of tuberculosis, the rates of suicide in indigenous communities.We are determined to work with our indigenous leaders in this country, to work with the people on the ground in communities to find solutions to support them. We will make sure that we build a new relationship, and that every Canadian in this country enjoys good access—

Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to announce that we are going to boost health transfers. Next year there will be more than $1 billion of additional money in the Canada health transfer.I also look forward to making investments in areas where we believe the provinces and territories want to work to increase access to care, including home care, palliative care, and mental health care. I look forward to excellent conversations with my colleagues as we meet to discuss this and ensure Canadians have the care they need.

Mr. Speaker, I have had very good conversations with my colleagues, including the minister of health from Quebec. We have made it clear to them that we will increase investments in the Canada health transfer. I have also talked with the minister of health from Quebec about other areas where we can make further investments. We appreciate their excellent work on the ground in Quebec in delivering care. We will be a good partner with them to increase investments and ensure that Canadians have the health care they need.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague well knows, we are a government that bases our decisions on evidence. In terms of the matter of problematic substance use, we will address this on the basis of public health concerns as well as a focus on harm reduction. I am very pleased that communities across the country have recognized that our government is supportive of supervised consumption sites, which have been known to save lives, prevent infections, and help people to access the health care system in a safe way. We will continue to work with communities to make these sites more available.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question, which refers to a discussion we had at the indigenous affairs committee last week. We talked about the mechanisms by which the first nations and Inuit health branch is responding to the needs of indigenous Canadians.I am very pleased to say that indeed we are tracking those needs. In fact, I just returned from Manitoba where I was able to ascertain that 1,000 children have now been assessed for the full implementation of Jordan's principle to make sure that they have access to the care they need. People are very pleased that kids are getting the care they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased, as the Minister of Indigenous Services, to address this issue and to speak in agreement with my colleague about the absolute necessity of making sure that we attain equity for children. Every child in this country should be able to grow up knowing that they can live with their family, live in a house that is adequate, and have access to good quality education and health care.We are working with our partners to make sure that we bring equity and justice so that every Canadian child will know that they will grow up having real and fair opportunities to thrive.

Mr. Speaker, it has been clear since the time that we campaigned, and from the beginning of the time that we formed government, that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to the health care services they need.We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. I have spoken with my colleagues in the provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to the palliative care they need. We will make sure it is accessible across this country. I am determined to do so.

Madam Speaker, I am aware of the excellent work of Dr. Naylor and I am pleased that she has had such an illustrious career in palliative care.One of the reasons that we introduced Bill C-14 was the fact that Canadians need access to all options for care at the end of life. We are committed in this government to make sure, as the Supreme Court has indicated, that people have access to assistance in dying, and I am pleased that people like Dr. Naylor are also providing assistance for people to live well until the end of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, on International Women's Day, it is an honour to rise and be part of a government that speaks up for women's rights, and speaks up for women's sexual and reproductive rights. Access to birth control is of fundamental importance to the women and families of Canada, to be able to control their bodies, to be able to control their reproductive rights. We will make sure that medication in our country is affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. That includes access to birth control.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.

Mr. Speaker, I have had very good discussions with my counterparts across the country.We talked about Canadians' priorities and their needs in terms of access to mental health care and home care. That is why we put forward an unprecedented investment: $11 billion for home care and mental health. We will also increase health transfers every year, and that is good for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow I will be giving a speech at the special session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Government of Canada supports harm reduction, which includes a role for supervised injection sites, the need for good Samaritan legislation, and making naloxone more readily available in emergency situations. The world is looking to Canada for leadership on these issues, and I thank the hon. member for his interest.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question, but I would like to say that it is quite the contrary. Our goal is to be collaborative. No one wins when we are combative in managing health care in this country. In fact, my communications with my colleague, the minister of health from Quebec, have indicated that we need to uphold the Canada Health Act. It is important that if Canadians have paid for care through their taxes, they get that care and they do not have to pay again. We will uphold that tax. We will make sure they have access to the care that they need.

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to meet not one but two of my provincial counterparts today in Ottawa to discuss with them the importance of health care in our country. I have had good discussions with all of my colleagues across the country. I respect their jurisdiction. Canadians do well when all stakeholders collaborate, and that includes every level of government that has a responsibility for health care. This will be necessary for Canadians to have the health care they need and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, our government is currently doing something Canadians have not seen in over 10 years. We are co-operating with our provincial counterparts across the country. I expect to have a very productive meeting with my provincial and territorial counterparts two weeks from now. We will talk about Canadians' needs and the best way to improve our health care system across the country.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud of their public health care system, but we know there is room for improvement.Yesterday, I had a meeting with my counterparts and I said that we would invest in health. However, health investments need to go toward health care. That is what Canadians expect.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for raising this issue again in the House. Again, we will talk about the fact that this is an unprecedented national public health crisis. We are working determinedly on all aspects of the crisis. Our response is comprehensive. We have invested money in prevention. We are investing money in treatment. We are scaling up access to all ranges of treatment, including pharmaceutical grade diacetylmorphine. We are making sure we are expanding harm reduction sites, including the passage of Bill C-37 in the House yesterday, to make sure people will have harms reduced. We will continue to work at all levels to save the lives of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on behalf of the important matter of organ donation and the development of a pan-Canadian organ donation registry. I am pleased to report to him that this is a matter that I have discussed with my colleagues in the provinces and territories who, as he knows, play the role of the delivery of health care services, including the matter of organ donation.I have also had the privilege of meeting with Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec. I am very impressed with the work that Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec are doing on this matter. There is, in fact, a tremendous amount of work being done on the matter of a national organ donation registry, and I would be pleased to discuss this matter further with my colleague in the future.

Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the full implementation of Jordan's principle and to making sure that no child goes without care. Because of that, we have invested $383 million to make sure all kids get the care they need. Since we announced that, we have identified 3,200 children who are now going to get the care they need, 3,200 children who were not getting care a year ago today. We will keep going, and I will keep pushing until all children have the care they need.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question.We agree that the health care system needs to be modernized. I have already met with my provincial and territorial counterparts to implement a new agreement that will enable us to address a number of shared priorities, including access to home care and mental health care, to better meet Canadians' needs. I will keep my colleagues posted on developments in the weeks to come.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite has raised a very important matter, and that is the matter of prescription drug abuse in this country. It is something with which I have the deepest concern. I am pleased to work with my colleagues, including those in British Columbia, who have particularly led the way on this file.It will require a comprehensive approach, one that includes prescriber guidelines, one that includes patient information, one that includes treatment, and one that includes prevention. We will address all matters of evidence to make sure that we have the best way forward, and a comprehensive plan.

Mr. Speaker, the member is absolutely right. This is Heart Month. It is a month when we need to think about how we can all reduce the risk of heart disease and make sure we choose healthy lifestyles. Our government is very happy to support a whole range of programs, including run to quit, the carrot rewards program, the APPLE schools program, and kid food nation.I announced last fall that we have a new healthy eating strategy and we are doing a whole range of activities, including updating Canada's Food Guide.I hope that all members of this House, and indeed all Canadians, will do what they can to reduce the risk of heart disease and make healthy choices.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite of the lengths to which we have gone to make sure that Jordan's principle is fully implemented. This makes sure that all children will get access to the care they need. Up until our government took power, we did not have resources for this. We now have hundreds of millions of dollars of resources. Close to 19,000 cases have been requested. We are working to make sure all children will get access to the care they need, and making sure it is done right.

Mr. Speaker, we have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to bringing equity for children in this country. As it relates to child and family services and the gaps that exist there, we recognize that we are facing a national crisis in terms of the way indigenous children are overrepresented in the child welfare system.As of this week, I have called for an emergency meeting of all appropriate partners. The provinces, territories, indigenous leaders, first nations, Inuit, and Métis will get together and we will solve this crisis together.