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.
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.)
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• The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened long-standing challenges regarding substance use and the overdose crisis, with most jurisdictions reporting record high rates of overdose deaths and harms.
• In addition, people who use drugs are also facing additional barriers and risks related to the toxicity of the illegal drug supply and reduced access to health and social services, including life-saving harm reduction and treatment.
• There is significant interest in the potential use of psychedelics, particularly psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”) and MDMA, for the treatment of a variety of serious mental health conditions including major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. At present, there are no drugs containing psilocybin approved for sale in Canada or internationally. Patients, practitioners and researchers are asking Health Canada to consider increasing access to psychedelics so they can explore their potential use as therapeutic products.
• In response to the ongoing overdose crisis, the Government of Canada is receiving increasing interest from stakeholders and multiple jurisdictions across Canada to use section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act as the fastest mechanism to allow for the possession of small amounts of controlled substances for personal use.
• Two jurisdictions – the Province of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver – have formally requested exemptions from federal drug laws to allow for the personal possession of controlled substances in those jurisdictions. Further requests are expected, including from the City of Toronto by mid-December.
• Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in this country, killing approximately 48,000 Canadians each year. The Government has an ambitious target to reduce tobacco use to less than 5% by 2035.
• Since late 2018, the Government of Canada has implemented a comprehensive suite of measures to address youth vaping, including enhanced public education, increased compliance and enforcement of existing rules and advancing regulations to put in place more controls.
• 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 more than 68,000 correspondence items about banning cosmetic animal testing in Canada.
• 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.
• On April 22, 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development tabled an audit report of the Natural Health Products Program. Health Canada agrees with the findings and recommendations, and is committed to implementing measures to improve the oversight of natural health products and implement proactive risk-based compliance monitoring activities.