HESA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Health met at 9:07 a.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, Bonnie Brown, presiding.

Réal Ménard moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health call the Health Canada officials responsible for public consultations on Internet pharmacies and drug sales to the United States as witnesses. The purpose of their appearance is to understand the various responses proposed by Health Canada. The appearance of these officials should take place before the last day of October.

After debate, by unanimous consent, the motion was withdrawn.

Réal Ménard moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health have the officials responsible for Canada’s National Aids Strategy appear before it. The purpose of their appearance would be to explain:

(1) the allocation of the additional sums of money budgeted for the Strategy, which are going to double over the next five years;

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.

Nicole Demers moved, — That, further to the letter from Ms. Diane Gorman, Assistant Deputy Minister, indicating that no report was filed after the meeting of March 22 and 23, 2005, the Standing Committee on Health ask the Advisory Panel, including Dr. George Wells, to provide a transcript of the meeting and any other background material that may have been sent to Health Canada, and not a report on this meeting between the Scientific Advisory Panel and Health Canada, with respect to the review of the six license applications for silicone gel breast implants submitted by two manufacturers, Inamed Corporation and Mentor Corporation.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 4.

Robert Thibault moved, — That the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health write a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and urge the Finance Committee to take the funding of a pan-Canadian strategy on cancer and chronic disease into consideration during the budget consultations that are currently ongoing.

Debate arose thereon.

Réal Ménard moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “funding of a pan-Canadian strategy on cancer and chronic diseases into consideration during the budget consultations that are currently ongoing.” with the words “question of the financing of a strategy on combatting cancer and chronic disease by the federal and provincial governments into consideration during the current budget consultations. ”.

Debate arose thereon.

Steven John Fletcher moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “pan-Canadian strategy on cancer and chronic disease” with the words “Canadian Strategy on Cancer Control”, and by replacing the word “ongoing.” with the words “ongoing; and that the Finance Committee also take into consideration a chronic disease strategy during those consultations.”.

Debate arose thereon.

It was agreed, — That consideration of the motion be postponed until later in the meeting.

James Lunney moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health have officials from Health Canada and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research appear before it to explain the process and justification for contracts granted to the Earnscliffe Group for services rendered.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 7.

Colin Carrie moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health delay the clause by clause consideration of Bill C-420, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act, until November 22, 2005.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 4; NAYS: 7.

By unanimous consent, the Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Robert Thibault, — That the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health write a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and urge the Finance Committee to take the funding of a pan-Canadian strategy on cancer and chronic disease into consideration during the budget consultations that are currently ongoing.

It was agreed, — That the text of the motion proposed earlier in the meeting by Robert Thibault, as well as the text of the amendments to the motion proposed by Réal Ménard and Steven Fletcher, be distributed by the Clerk to members of the Committee for further consideration at the next meeting of the Committee.

By unanimous consent, the Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Jean Crowder, — That, whereas, the Expert Advisory Panel on Silicone Breast Implants heard three days of testimony from two manufacturers of implants, and;

Whereas, the Expert Advisory Panel heard only two and a half hours of testimony divided between forty witnesses during the public forum;

After debate, by unanimous consent, the motion was withdrawn.

By unanimous consent, the Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Jean Crowder, — That, in light of the established conflicts of interest of certain members of the Scientific Advisory Panel who have worked directly and have been paid to promote silicone implants, by either of the two private sector implant manufacturers during US Food and Drug Administration hearings on the safety of silicone implants, the Standing Committee on Health urge the Minister of Health to immediately remove these persons from their position on the Panel.

The debate continued.

At 10:26 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:31 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Rob Merrifield moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “immediately remove these persons from their position on the Panel.” with the words “temporarily stay this panel and its proceedings, to not make a decision or proceed, until such time as the Minister has appeared before the Committee to address this issue.”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Rob Merrifield and it was agreed to.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

It was agreed, — That the clause by clause consideration of Bill C-420 be the first item of business at the next meeting of the Committee.

At 10:59 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.