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.
In June 2017, federal and provincial assisted dying legislation were challenged in a Quebec Superior Court by two individuals (Truchon/Gladu) who claimed that the Criminal Code of Canada requirement that an individual’s natural death be reasonably foreseeable and the provincial requirement for a person to be at the end of life were in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On September 11, 2019, the Quebec Superior Court ruled in favour of the plaintiffs and found both the federal and provincial criteria invalid. The effect of the judgement was suspended for 6 months (i.e., until March 11, 2020). The decision applies only in Quebec. If legislative changes are not passed prior to this date, there would be a difference in eligibility for MAID between Quebec and the rest of Canada.
On October 2019, the Government of Canada confirmed that it would not appeal the Quebec Superior Court’s decision. The Prime Minister has publicly indicated that the way forward requires legislative reform and that the Government is committed to making progress within the six-month timeframe set out by the Court.
• How is the Government going to respond to the Quebec Superior Court decision that declared the reasonably foreseeable death criterion as unconstitutional?
In recent years, most provinces (particularly Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta) have seen a marked increase in methamphetamine use, including an increase in overdoses in which methamphetamine was involved. Two reports on methamphetamine issues in Canada were published in June 2019 – one by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA) and one by the Manitoba Illicit Drug Task Force. Both reports highlight the increasing rates of methamphetamine use and harms in Canada. Reports by the media on the use of methamphetamine in the Prairie provinces have used terms such as “crisis” and “epidemic”.
• What is the federal government doing to address the increasing reports of methamphetamine use in Canada?`
The opioid overdose crisis continues to be a serious and unrelenting public health threat whose effects are being felt by people, families, and communities across Canada. In recent years, Canada has experienced an unprecedented increase in opioid-related overdoses. Between January 2016 and March 2019, there were 12,813 apparent opioid-related deaths across the country. Life expectancy in Canada has stopped increasing for the first time in over four decades; this is largely attributable to the opioid crisis.
• How is the Government addressing the opioid overdose crisis in Canada?
Budget 2019 will provide Health Canada with $36.5 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, with $5 million per year ongoing, to develop a pan-Canadian data and performance system for organ donation and transplantation, in collaboration with provincial and territorial partners.
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, in 2018 a total of 2,829 lifesaving transplants were performed in Canada (including Quebec), there were 4492 patients on organ waitlists, and 232 patients died while waiting for a transplant. At the end of 2018 there were 40,289 Canadians living with end-stage kidney disease, not including Quebec. (CIHI, 2019)
• What is the Government of Canada doing to improve organ donation and transplantation in the country?
Guided by the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare, the Government of Canada announced concrete steps as part of Budget 2019 toward the implementation of national pharmacare. These include the creation of a Canada Drug Agency, taking steps toward the development of a national formulary, and creating a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.
In August 2019, the Government of Canada also announced the final amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations. The most significant reforms to the regulations since their introduction in 1987, these amendments lay the groundwork for national pharmacare by giving the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board the tools to protect Canadians from excessive prices and making patented medicines more affordable.
• When does the Government intend to implement a national pharmacare program?
On August 9, 2019, the Government of Canada announced amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations to provide the PMPRB with the tools and information needed to protect Canadians from excessive medicine prices.
These amendments will result in lower prices for patented medicines in Canada, which are currently among the highest in the world. It is estimated that the amendments will result in savings for governments and private payers of approximately $13.2 billion over 10 years.
The brand-name pharmaceutical industry and some patient groups have expressed concerns that the amendments could result in reduced pharmaceutical investments and reduced access to medicines. On November 21, 2019, the PMPRB launched consultations on draft guidelines to operationalize the amendments.
• Will the amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations reduce access to new medicines in Canada?
In April 2019, Health Canada completed a safety review of the risk of breast implant associated-anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Health Canada noted a significant increased risk of this type of cancer associated with macro-textured breast implants.
In May 2019, Health Canada informed Allergan of the decision to suspend the medical device licences of Biocell breast implants (the only macro-textured breast implants on the Canadian market). All Biocell products were voluntarily recalled from the market. Since then, other regulators have proposed or taken similar action. In July 2019, Allergan announced a voluntary worldwide recall of Biocell breast implants and tissue expanders.
Health Canada continues to monitor the situation closely and to make information available to Canadians, including through website updates and directly through meetings with patient groups. Health Canada also continues to work with its international regulatory partners on the safety of breast implants.
• What is the Government doing to protect the health and safety of Canadians in regard to monitoring the safety of breast implants?
Since the December 2018 release of the Medical Devices Action Plan, Health Canada has made significant progress on strengthening the regulation of medical devices in Canada.
• What is the Government doing to protect Canadians’ health and safety with respect to medical devices?
The Francophone community in Ontario is Canada's largest French-speaking community outside Quebec. To date, through the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-2023, the Government has approved $98 million for activities that support the development of the Francophone minority community in Ontario. The Government also promotes bilingualism and second language learning in Ontario through various other funding opportunities, including arts, culture and employment.