Question Period Notes
About this information
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.
The question period notes may be partially or fully redacted in accordance with the legislation; for example, if the notes contain information related to national security or personal information. (Learn more about exemptions and exclusions.)
If you find a question period note of interest, you may make an access to information request in order to obtain it.
What is the FPT Safe Restart Agreement?
• What is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency doing to protect inspectors in meat processing plants, as well as the Canadian food safety system?
• Why did CIHR cancel its Spring 2020 Project Grant Competition?
• How were Covid-19 research grants selected and approved for funding?
Beginning the week of August 19, 2019, news media began reporting on a series of severe lung illnesses in the United States linked to the use of vaping products.
As of November 20, 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 2,290 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping product, use-associated lung injury in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 US territories. A total of 47 deaths have now been confirmed in 25 states. The US investigation has not identified any specific e-cigarette or vaping product (devices, liquids, refill pods, and/or cartridges) or substance that is linked to all cases. The latest national and regional findings suggest products containing THC play a role in the outbreak – specifically THC products containing the additive Vitamin E acetate.
As of December 3, 2019, a total of 13 cases of vaping-associated lung illness have been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada from British Columbia (3), New Brunswick (2), Ontario (3) and Quebec (5). Health Canada posted an Information Update for Canadians on December 5, 2019 and updates its vaping-associated lung illness web page on Canada.ca regularly.
Health Canada posted an Information Update for Canadians and updates its vaping-associated lung illness web page on Canada.ca regularly.
• What is the Government doing to address vaping-associated lung illness?
In New Brunswick, Regulation 84-20 of the NB Medical Services Payment Act limits coverage of surgical abortion services to approved hospitals (three NB hospitals currently offer the service – two in Moncton and one in Bathurst). This means that women who receive these services at Clinic 554 in Fredericton are required to pay out of pocket.
Patient charges for abortion services received in private clinics are considered extra-billing and user charges under the Canada Health Act and raise concerns under the accessibility and comprehensiveness criteria of the Act. The NB Health Ministry has repeatedly stated publicly that the government has no intention of changing its position on the issue, most recently in its October 2019 response to a request to fund the services that came from the health authority (Horizon Health Network) responsible for the delivery of health services in Fredericton area.
Will the Minister enforce the Canada Health Act and penalise New Brunswick for not covering abortion services in the private clinic in Fredericton?
Parliament established a deadline of October 17, 2019 for the new classes of cannabis products to be added to Schedule 4 of the Cannabis Act, thereby permitting their legal sale. Amendments to the Cannabis Regulations came into force on the same day (October 17, 2019).
The amended regulations set out the rules governing the legal production and sale of edible cannabis, cannabis extracts, and cannabis topicals. These new cannabis products will not be available for purchase by adult consumers before mid-December 2019 at the earliest.
The amended regulations seek to reduce the public health and public safety risks associated with the new cannabis products, such as appeal to youth, overconsumption, and accidental consumption.
The expert Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation recommended permitting legal access to regulated, quality controlled products, as a way to protect Canadian consumers from the inherent risks and harms of illegal products, which are not subject to oversight or controls.
• Why has the Government introduced new cannabis products given their risks such as accidental consumption and overconsumption?
• How is the Government addressing the appeal of these new cannabis products to youth?
• How will the Government reduce public health and public safety risks of the new cannabis products?
Cultivating, processing and selling cannabis requires a licence under the Cannabis Act.
Regulations that set out strict rules controlling cultivation, processing and other activities with cannabis were updated on October 17, 2019 to include new controls governing edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals.
• Why does it take so long to get a cannabis licence?
• How are you keeping organized crime out of the legal market?
• Why are there so few small cannabis producers?
The Government is committed to ensuring that individuals who require cannabis for medical purposes have reasonable access to legal and quality-controlled products. The Cannabis Act preserves and builds on the medical access program.
• How will the Government ensure that patients continue to have access to cannabis?
• How is the Government addressing abuses of the medical access system, while ensuring that patients continue to have reasonable access to cannabis?
On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act came into force, setting out strict rules controlling cultivation, processing and other activities with cannabis.
Health Canada has a comprehensive process in place to work with the affected parties in the event of a cannabis product recall.
• In light of recent product recalls, what has Health Canada/the Minister done to ensure appropriate measures have been taken to protect the health and safety of Canadians? How has the contaminated product made its way onto shelves and into consumers’ hands?
On April 30, 2019, Health Canada issued regulatory authorizations to Canadian Blood Services (CBS) and Héma-Québec (HQ) to change their blood donor deferral period for men who have sex with men (MSM) from one year to three months. This regulatory decision came as a result of proposals submitted by both CBS and HQ to Health Canada and was based on the latest scientific evidence. CBS and HQ implemented this policy on June 3, 2019.
In June 2016, the Government allocated $3.0 million for research to strengthen the evidence base supporting a non-discriminatory approach to blood donations. Results of several of these research projects have been published, while others are expected to be available between now and winter 2020 to inform potential future changes to blood donation policies.
To continue to support a safe and non-discriminatory approach to blood donation, Budget 2019 proposed to provide $2.4 million over three years, starting in 2019–20, for additional research specific to reducing barriers to the donation of blood plasma.
Canada’s blood system is internationally recognized for its high safety standards. It is, and will continue to be, one of the safest blood systems in the world.
• When will the government eliminate the blood donor deferral for gay men?