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Results: 1 - 15 of 968
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
I nominate Mr. Réal Ménard.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
It may be fair enough from the perspective of the Conservative Party, but it's not fair enough in terms of the committee as a whole, I would suggest. In fact, I even have some concerns about Ms. Whelan's proposal. I've sat on a number of committees over the years I've been here, and there has always been a recognition that in the first round of questioning, particularly when you have a minister....
Frankly, I don't have a problem with Ms. Whelan's proposition if we're talking about witnesses who are appearing before the committee generally from civil society, government witnesses, and so on. But when we're talking about a minister, there's an understanding that the opposition has their first round with the minister--and we have a number of former ministers here--because there's a recognition that government members, frankly, have more access to ministers. So perhaps the understanding could be that, subject to ministers' appearances, in which case there would be the initial round, down the opposition side, with the time that.... Of course, five minutes is not enough with a minister. You need at least ten.
In any event, I would just suggest to Ms. Whelan that subject to that one amendment, with the clear understanding that this is not about the Conservative Party having more time than other opposition parties...because I haven't sat on another committee in this House where this has happened. For some reason, in this committee, perhaps because of historical precedence or whatever, the Conservative Party gets twice as much time on the first round as do other opposition parties. My friends on the government side will recognize that this is....
No, but in terms of the way the committees function, on that first round, in every committee except this one, there is equal time given to opposition members. If Ms. Whelan's proposal is that we would start with the Conservatives, then to the Liberals, then to the Bloc, then to the Liberals, back again, and to the NDP, subject to ministerial appearance, with equal time, I wouldn't have a problem with that.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
Absolutely, yes. I hope it is clear, though, that whatever propositions are brought back to the committee will distinguish between the appearance of the minister and other witnesses.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
I disagree. I think there are times when a member is not able to attend, and it's obviously very useful to be able to be briefed by one's staff, if you're not able to attend, as to input for the meeting and so on.
I'm not aware of there having been any abuse of that in this committee, and in the absence of that, I don't understand why the practice wouldn't continue.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
I also just wanted to give notice of a motion—and I will make a copy available to the clerk—that the health committee immediately undertake to conduct a study on the health effects and alternatives to consuming trans fatty acids. There is some additional information on that. My colleague Pat Martin will likely be present at the committee to move the motion when it comes forward, but I'm giving notice now.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
Yes, he's got a motion before the House as well.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
First of all, I agree with Susan about a steering committee. I think the committee works more effectively if there is some opportunity to have some of these discussions ahead of time in a body that represents all of the parties on the committee.
But I also just wanted to follow up on your point, Bonnie, about the work the committee has done so far. We've spent a great deal of time travelling across the country from coast to coast hearing from Canadians about their concerns in the area of pharmaceutical drugs. The reality is that subject to a pretty revolutionary change, we may be into an election within a matter of six to eight weeks. So realistically, we may have four working weeks in this committee. I'm not sure at all, Susan, but that's what they tell me. We can have all the grandiose plans in the world, and I can bring forward motions on trans fats and everything else, but the reality is that the work of this committee is coming to an end.
I would hope that at the very least, before the end of March this committee could make some recommendations based on all that evidence we heard from Canadians. Obviously I'm not talking about a detailed report, but surely there must be some areas on which we could find consensus. I'm thinking, for example, of the issue of direct-to-consumer advertising, where we heard overwhelming evidence from many different perspectives on that issue.
I'm going to suggest we could at least accomplish that and identify it. I would ask our researchers to put their heads to the grindstone and identify three or four key issues that we heard from Canadians as we travelled across the country and to report back to the committee. Then we can have a debate; we can have a discussion. If we have to have votes, we have votes. But I would hope, after having gone through all of these hearings right across the country, we could at least report back to the House with some interim recommendations on our study.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
That's with evergreening and automatic injunctions and everything else.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
Just glad to assist.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
Merci, monsieur le président.
Thanks very much for your evidence. On the patent issue, I know that Mr. Hill may be a vigorous defender of the existing patent system in Canada, but the reality is that it causes huge problems. We've heard evidence on that.
One of the most glaring examples is Losec. The patent expired in 1999, and we're coming into 2004. Because of the manipulation and abuse of the existing system, laws, by big pharma, that's still not accessible. Evergreening, automatic injunctions...all of this that I had hoped, frankly, we as a committee could at least make some recommendations on, all along with a ban on direct-to-consumer advertising, and strengthening the laws on direct-to-consumer advertising. But it seems that wasn't possible.
I want to thank you for your recommendations and just ask two questions.
One, on adverse drug reactions, you mentioned the death of Vanessa Young. I've certainly read the recommendations of the coroner's inquiry. I wonder if you could just talk a little bit about some of the recommendations that you believe are most critical to be implemented that have not yet been implemented from the Vanessa Young inquiry.
The other question is on the issue of shortages of personnel. In August 2002, Michael Decter chaired a committee--I believe, Ms. Silas, you remember that committee--that looked at how we can respond to not only nursing shortages now but the projection that there are going to be very serious shortfalls in the future. How does that affect your ability as nurses and front line health care workers to be able to respond in areas like adverse drug reactions and so on?
Yesterday I was up in the House, asking the health minister when she was going to move on those recommendations as well as the recommendations of the Romanow commission. I see Dr. Patel here, and I know that Dr. Patel has issued some strong statements suggesting that there's a kind of paralysis in the federal government because of all of the leadership machinations and everything else, and we're not seeing action to implement Romanow. We're not seeing action to implement the report of the CNAC.
How does that affect the reality of the work that you do in issues like responding to adverse drug reactions?
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
Thanks very much.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
I nominate Mrs. Kraft Sloan as the other vice-chair.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
She was. This is a new committee, though.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
There is no dynamic.
View Svend Robinson Profile
NDP (BC)
Thank you. I just want to follow up on a couple of issues that were raised.
Mr. Elston, the companies you represent are not charitable organizations. They're in business to maximize profits and to maximize return on investment for their shareholders. We all understand that. You're not educational institutions. I mean, I appreciate your noble endeavours to educate the medical profession, but all of your activities are premised on the assumption that they will in fact maximize the return on the investment that is made. You're not going to, for example, direct-advertise to consumers unless that increases your profits.
Again, I'm not questioning that. That's your job in terms of your shareholders. But when you say, for example, that we don't have the same ad regime--and this is almost verbatim--that consumes so many dollars in Canada as they do in the United States, the fact of the matter is that your organization is lobbying hard to change that.
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