HESA Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 32

Thursday, May 29, 2008

The Standing Committee on Health met in a televised session with videoconference at 10:01 a.m. this day, in Room 237-C, Centre Block, the Chair, Joy Smith, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Hon. Carolyn Bennett, Patrick Brown, Patricia Davidson, Steven John Fletcher, Christiane Gagnon, Luc Malo, Joy Smith, Lui Temelkovski, Hon. Robert Thibault and David Tilson.

Acting Members present: Guy André for Luc Malo, Rob Clarke for Patricia Davidson, Paul Crête for Luc Malo, Libby Davies for Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Hon. Hedy Fry for Susan Kadis, Hon. John Godfrey for Lui Temelkovski and Hon. Keith Martin for Hon. Robert Thibault.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Sonya Norris, Analyst ; Nancy Miller Chenier, Analyst . House of Commons: Isabelle Dumas, Procedural Clerk.

Appearing: Hon. Tony Clement, Minister of Health.

Witnesses: British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS: Thomas Kerr, Research Scientist (Chief Researcher for Insite). Vancouver Police Department: Scott Thompson, Inspector, Youth Services Section, Drug Policy and Mental Health Portfolios. City of Vancouver: Donald MacPherson, Drug Policy Coordinator, Drug Policy Program. PHS Community Services Society: Liz Evans, Executive Director. As an individual: Philip Owen, Former Mayor of the City of Vancouver. Vancouver Coastal Health: Heather Hay, Regional Director, Addiction, HIV/AIDS, Aboriginal Health. Drug Prevention Network of Canada: Colin Mangham, Director of Research. British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS: Julio Montaner, Director. Simon Fraser University: Neil Boyd, Professor, School of Criminology. Department of Health: Morris Rosenberg, Deputy Minister; Susan Fletcher, Assistant Deputy Minister, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch; Ray Edwards, Acting Director General, Drug Strategy and Controlled Substances Programme, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch. Public Health Agency of Canada: David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motions adopted by the Committee on Thursday, May 8 and Tuesday, May 13, 2008, the Committee proceeded to a briefing on Harm Reduction Programs in Canada, with particular focus on the safe injection site in Vancouver.

Thomas Kerr, Scott Thompson, Donald MacPherson, Liz Evans, Philip Owen, Heather Hay and Colin Magham made statements.

At 10:51 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:53 a.m., the sitting resumed.

At 10:57 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 115(5), the sitting was suspended.

At 11:37 a.m., the Committee resumed consideration of Harm Reduction Programs in Canada, with particular focus on the safe injection site in Vancouver.

Neil Boyd (by videoconference from Burnaby, British Columbia) and Julio Montaner (by videoconference from Vancouver, British Columbia) made statements. Thomas Kerr, Scott Thompson, Donald MacPherson, Colin Mangham, Heather Hay and Liz Evans answered questions.

At 12:17 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:20 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Minister made a statement and, with David Butler Jones, answered questions.

At 1:33 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Carmen DePape
Clerk of the Committee

2008/05/30 4:14 p.m.