HESA Committee Report
If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.
Bloc QuÉbÉcois - Supplementary Opinion
First of all, the Bloc Québécois would like to acknowledge the valuable contribution of the stakeholders and witnesses who participated in this study of elevated rates of tuberculosis infection in Aboriginal communities. The Bloc Québécois supports the spirit of this committee report which advocates action to address these high rates of infection. Committee members should also be congratulated for highlighting the importance of enlisting Aboriginal communities in the fight against tuberculosis and for proposing that Jordan's Principle be applied. However, the Bloc Québécois would like to raise two important points that require comment.
RESPECTING QUEBEC'S ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATIONS
The report states that the federal government has some responsibility regarding the health of the Inuit, including those living in Nunavik. However, Quebec's regional health and social services boards are well-established organizations, and the Nunavik board directs health initiatives in that region. It is essential for the federal government to respect the board's long-standing jurisdiction in Nunavik and the policies of the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services. The Inuit of Nunavik have their own regional board and are responsible for administering the services provided for by the Act respecting health services and social services, as set out in the James Bay Agreement.
SPENDING POWER
In the section entitled "The Federal Role," the report also mentions the federal government's so-called "spending power." Successive Quebec governments have challenged this view of federalism, and the Bloc Québécois cannot let this reference to federal power go unmentioned. The report states that this constitutional power allows the federal government to be involved in the area of health. However, Quebec has always maintained that this "spending power" simply does not exist and that federal interventions in areas under Quebec jurisdiction are unconstitutional. In short, the Bloc Québécois cannot ignore the groundless claim contained in the report.