Question Period Notes
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In accordance with the Access to Information Act, the government proactively publishes the package of question period notes that were prepared by a government institution for the minister and that were in use on the last sitting day in June and December.
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• The Government of Canada has made key investments to its inspection activities in an effort to enhance food safety in Canada. At present, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has the resources it needs to deliver on its mandate for food safety, animal and plant health.
• Canadians and people around the world are expecting the international research community to continue to develop and rollout safe vaccines and therapies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and return to a more normal life.
• Health researchers continue to be supportive of the recommendations made in Canada’s Fundamental Science Review report (2017). Many stakeholders have called for increased funding for fundamental science and research in Canada.
• Budget 2021 committed $30M over 2 years, for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to address gaps in pediatric cancer research and ensure sustainable funding in this area.
• Non-governmental organizations, members of Parliament and concerned Canadians have pressed Health Canada to ban cosmetic animal testing. Since April 2021, the Department has received approximately 69,000 correspondence items about banning cosmetic animal testing in Canada.
• The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) is Canada’s key statute to prevent pollution and protect the environment and human health. The Act has not been substantially amended since 1999.
• On February 9, 2022, the Government introduced in the Senate Bill S-5: Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act to amend CEPA to better protect Canadians and their environment.
• Mandate letters issued to both the Minister of Health and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change reaffirm the Government’s commitment to strengthen the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and to recognize the right to a healthy environment.
• Vaccine use in children under 12 years of age.
• Health Canada is using agile regulatory processes to expedite the review of COVID-19 clinical trials for vaccines and treatments.
• In October 2016, Health Canada launched the multi-year Healthy Eating Strategy, which consists of a suite of initiatives that aim to improve the food environment and help make the healthier choice the easier choice for all Canadians. Recognizing that a healthy population is key to reducing vulnerability to health events, the 2021 Minister of Health mandate letter included a commitment to promote healthy eating by advancing the Healthy Eating Strategy. This includes finalizing front-of-package nutrition labelling and supporting restrictions on the commercial marketing of food and beverages to children.