November 25, 2013
Ottawa, ON
Good Afternoon,
Mr. Chair, Members of the Committee, thank you for the invitation to discuss Supplementary Estimates "B" for the Health Portfolio. I would also like to congratulate you, Mr. Chair, on your recent election to this position. Joy Smith (MP for Kildonan - St. Paul) had great success as the chair of this Committee over the last number of years, and I know you will be working hard to build on her strong record.
I understand the Committee is currently undertaking a very important study on the growing problem of prescription drug abuse. I would like to thank you for this work, and say that I very much look forward to reviewing the report. In the recent Speech from the Throne our Government committed to expanding the National Anti-Drug Strategy to address this issue, and your work will provide much needed information on this important topic.
This is my first appearance before the Committee as Minister of Health, so I would like to take a few moments to discuss how I will be approaching my role in general, before getting into some priority areas.
As evidenced in Budget 2013 -- and reiterated in the most recent Speech from the Throne -- health is a key priority for our Government. In my opinion, one of the keys to success is finding new and better ways of working together. I can assure the Committee that fostering partnerships and building relationships with the provinces and territories, medical associations and health professionals will be fundamental tenets of my time as Health Minister.
This is noteworthy because we know that there is nothing more important than good health. Federally, we play a vital role when it comes to promoting healthy living, preventing chronic diseases, protecting Canadians from harm, innovating through research and providing leadership on national health issues. But we can't do it alone. We all have a role to play when it comes to improving the health of Canadians.
A key achievement of our Government has been to increase health transfers to the provinces and territories to unprecedented levels. Our record funding will reach $40 billion by the end of the decade, providing stability and predictability to the system. These transfer dollars support the provinces and territories in addressing the health concerns of their residents, and allow all jurisdictions to focus on innovative solutions to their healthcare needs.
As the new federal Health Minister, I take that responsibility very seriously and I'm committed to each aspect of the portfolio. However, today I'd like to highlight four key areas of interest before getting into the details of the portfolio's supplementary estimates. These include:
- Addressing family violence;
- Fostering innovation in healthcare;
- Working with partners on healthy living and injury prevention; and
- Providing Canadians with healthy and safe food.
FAMILY VIOLENCE
In terms of family violence, I will continue to shine a spotlight on this important issue and encourage Canadians to be part of the solution.
Family violence, as you know, can wreak physical and emotional havoc on individuals, families and communities but violence, in any form, reverberates across our economy.
According to Justice Canada, spousal violence, alone, costs society at least $7.4 billion annually. Of that, approximately $6 billion was spent on medical treatment and psychological services.
From my perspective, family violence is a health matter - just as much as a criminal one.
To help address it, we have a Federal Family Violence Initiative that connects the work of 15 federal departments and agencies. The Public Health Agency of Canada is leading this work to make sure this initiative is focussed on priorities that make a difference for Canadians
INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
Another focal point of mine centres around innovation, technology and research - all of which are inextricably linked. At the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Health Ministers' Meeting in early October, my colleagues expressed their desire to make healthcare innovation a top priority. It was also well received at the annual meeting of the Canadian Medical Association.
Federally, our Government supports research and innovation through a range of initiatives. Most notably, of course, is the fact that we're the largest single-investor in Canadian health innovation.
On any given day, thousands of federally funded research projects are underway involving more than 13,000 Canadian researchers and trainees through the support of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. These researchers are developing cutting edge technologies designed to help improve our healthcare system.
Our Government will continue to invest in research and innovation so that -- together with the provinces and territories -- we can continue to improve the quality, accessibility and sustainability of our system so it's there for Canadians when and where they need it.
HEALTHY LIVING
Ensuring that Canadian children and youth get the healthiest start in life is a key priority for our Government. One in three children in Canada right now are overweight or obese. On average, only 12% of Canadian children take part in enough physical activity on a daily basis. These are alarming statistics.
In the recent Speech from the Throne, our Government committed to working with our provincial and territorial counterparts as well as the private and not-for-profit sector to support Canadian children and youth in leading healthy active lifestyles.
Awareness and momentum are growing. We are seeing strong leadership across the country to work towards this common objective.
Through the Public Health Agency of Canada, we are mobilizing efforts with groups like Canadian Tire, Right to Play and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, AirMiles and YMCA. By leveraging resources and ideas across sectors, we are laying a foundation for sustainable change.
INJURY PREVENTION
Another area of interest I have revolves around injury prevention - a topic of such importance that it was specifically highlighted in the recent Speech from the Throne.
Unfortunately, preventable injury is the leading cause of death for Canadians aged one to 44 years. Often considered "accidents", preventable injuries are far more common than people think, and most are predictable and preventable.
Preventable injury is also a concern from a health equity perspective. An injury can happen to anyone at any time but children, youth, seniors, Aboriginal people and those of low socioeconomic status carry a higher burden of injury than other Canadians.
By working together and leveraging our resources, we can reduce the number of preventable injuries in this country and make a real, tangible difference in the lives of Canadians.
Going forward, I will continue to build on new partnerships, raise awareness about injury prevention and give Canadians the tools they need to live safer, healthier lives.
HEALTHY AND SAFE FOODS FOR CANADIANS
I also want to touch upon the issue of healthy and safe food for Canadians and why this is such a focus for our Government.
As Committee members know, Canadians are fortunate to have a world-class food safety system. That said, we must always be looking for ways to improve it.
Earlier this Fall, our Government moved the Canadian Food Inspection Agency into the broader Health Portfolio. This decision takes the three federal authorities responsible for food safety - the CFIA, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada - and places them under one umbrella.
We did this because food safety is a top priority for our Government and we feel that, by better connecting these three entities, we're improving the way we manage food safety incidents as well as regulate, share information, and communicate with Canadians about food safety.
One of the accomplishments stemming from that reorganization was the recent release of the Healthy and Safe Foods for Canadians Framework.
This framework outlines the Portfolio's work on food safety as it pertains to three key pillars: promotion, prevention and protection. With this in place, Canadians can have even greater confidence in the food they buy and eat.
We're improving food recall warnings by making important information easier to understand and more accessible by tapping into the power of social media and mobile devices. Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools are helping us provide Canadians with essential, easy-to-understand information whenever and wherever they need it.
As outlined in the recent Speech from the Throne, our Government is committed to strengthening Canada's food inspection regimes and ensuring that our food safety and recall system remains one of the very best in the world.
As I've mentioned, our Government is committed to food safety and protecting Canada's plant and animal resources. With respect to today's appearance, the Agency is seeking an additional $39.9 million to further enhance its ability to:
- Maintain increased frequency of food inspections in meat processing establishments
- Improve on-line service delivery; and
- Fund Inspection Verification Teams.
CONCLUSION
To conclude Mr. Chair, I'm proud of the vital role our Government plays in healthcare in this country.
Federal health funding through the Canada Health Transfer is at an all-time high and, every day, we're learning more about healthy living and our ability to treat and prevent diseases.
As Minister of Health, I'm committed to investing in health promotion, working with provinces, territories and other partners on delivery of high quality, cost-effective healthcare, promoting innovation and health research, and providing federal leadership on the areas that matter most to Canadians.
Once again, thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. My officials and I are pleased to take any questions you may have.
