Question Period Notes
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Since late 2018, Health Canada has been tracking increasing reports and statistical evidence of a rapid rise in youth vaping in both Canada and the United States. There has been substantial concern expressed by parents, educators, health professionals and non-government organizations, accompanied by widespread media coverage.
The Government of Canada has implemented a comprehensive suite of measures to address youth vaping, including a national public education campaign to inform youth (aged 13-18) and their parents about the risks and harms associated with vaping and funding for youth vaping prevention and cessation projects.
This includes a commitment to prioritize online inspections and vaping speciality establishments inspections with the aim of inspecting up to 3,000 vape shops and convenience stores by the end of 2019.
Health Canada has announced options for further potential regulations to curb youth uptake of vaping products. The department published a Notice of Intent on February 5, 2019 outlining the Department’s plans for new advertising rules to strengthen the regulatory framework already in place through the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act. The proposed rules would restrict where advertisements could be displayed to limit their visibility to young people. They would also require health warning messages on advertisements, and would restrict the display of vaping products at points of sale.
In April 2019, Health Canada also undertook public consultation on further potential regulatory measures to reduce youth access and appeal of vaping products, including vaping product flavours, nicotine concentration and design features. Officials are currently reviewing the results of this consultation.
The department has also advanced regulatory proposals to place additional controls on the labelling and packaging of vaping products. Proposed regulations were pre-published in Canada Gazette, Part I in June 2019.
• What is the Government doing to address the increased use and appeal of vaping products to youth?
Provisions from Bill C-83, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act, came into force on November 30, 2019 and legislate transformative changes to Federal Corrections.
Ottawa dragging its feet on marine corridor, says Quebec [TVA nouvelles]
Summary of the Government of Canada's investments and achievements in support of French in the Atlantic Region since the launch of the Action Plan for Official Languages.
International Climate Change Leadership
Public Accounts 2018-2019
On July 31, 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the HHS and the Food and Drug Administration would propose a rule to allow for the bulk importation of Canadian drugs through pilot projects by public and private pharmacies and wholesalers. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in January. Final regulations can be expected by spring 2020.
• What is the Government doing to ensure that the possible bulk importation of drugs by the U.S. does not disrupt the supply of drugs to Canadians?
A new Food Guide, including new healthy eating recommendations and supporting resources for Canadians, was launched on January 22, 2019.
• Was the best available evidence considered in the development of the new Food Guide
The issue of forced and coerced sterilization of Indigenous women in Canada has received significant national and international media attention since Fall 2015.
There are currently six litigation cases alleging the sterilization, without proper or informed consent, of Indigenous women between 1948 and the present. The Government of Canada is a defendant in four of these actions, with Health Canada specifically named in two.
On December 7, 2018, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights’ Committee Against Torture officially recognized that sterilizing Indigenous women without consent is a form of torture, and called on Canada to “ensure that all allegations of forced or coerced sterilization are impartially investigated, that the persons responsible are held accountable and that adequate redress is provided to the victims.” Canada has accepted the recommendations of the Committee and the Public Health Agency of Canada is coordinating the response, on behalf of Canada and the provinces and territories, for December 2019.
During the last Parliament, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health and the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights convened panels of experts who spoke on the forced sterilization of women in Canada. On August 2, 2019, prior to the dissolution of Parliament, the Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health wrote a letter to the Ministers of Health, Indigenous Services and Public Safety outlining the committee’s recommendations to address the issue of forced or coerced sterilization of Indigenous women.
• What is the Government doing to address this issue?
During the 2019 election campaign, the NDP committed to providing free dental care for households making under $70,000 starting in 2020.
• Will the Government support the NDP’s plan for dental care for low income Canadians?