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COVID-19: Appearance before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health ()—Committee members biography
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Darren Fisher
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Dartmouth – Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Committee experience: Environment and Sustainable Development, National Defence (2016 to 2019)
Biography: Business person and community volunteer, he was elected to Halifax Regional Council in 2009 and 2012 and elected by peers to represent them as Deputy Mayor. Advocated on mental health awareness, recycling, literacy, poverty, and National Pharmacare, as he firmly believes that all Canadians deserve affordable access to the prescription drugs they need. Appointed by the Prime Minister on , to serve as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
He has been quiet on social media regarding the 2019-nCoV, with only him retweeting Minister Hajdu's tweet of her meeting with Dr. Tam to discuss the coronavirus with her.
Autism
Asked the Government to "please update the House on the government actions to help those affected by the various forms of autism spectrum disorder" (Question Period, ).
Epilepsy
Delivered Member's Statements in support of Purple Day on March 26 and called for an increase in awareness and the reduction of stigma surrounding epilepsy ( and ).
Health transfers
- Highlighted importance of 2018 health investments in Nova Scotia: $130.8 million for mental health, $157 million for home care; $996 as part of the Canada Health Transfer (Debate on Budget 2018, )
- Highlighted importance of 2016 Canada Health Transfer of $943 million to Nova Scotia (Debate on Budget 2016, )
Mental health
Asked the Minister of Health to "update the House on the progress she is making in working with the provinces and territories to ensure this new targeted mental health care spending is most effective." (Question Period, )
Mercury
- Introduced Bill C-238, An Act Respecting the Development of a National Strategy for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Lamps Containing Mercury
- This Bill provides for the development and implementation of a national strategy to promote the safe and environmentally sound disposal of lamps containing mercury
- "While listening to testimony from indigenous witnesses at the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, I heard first-hand about the toxic effects of mercury on populations" (Debate on Bill C-238, )
- "Municipalities handle solid waste, the provinces issue the permits to handle that solid waste, and the federal government controls toxic chemicals
- Out of respect for all levels of government, having this collaborative approach and putting people at the table to come up with a solution to this problem that all jurisdictions face is the proper way to go about handling this major problem" (Debate on Bill C-238, )
Pharmacare
- "I firmly believe that national pharmacare would save the Province of Nova Scotia a significant amount of money that could be used to improve health care services in our province
- As members know, I am a strong supporter of national pharmacare and our government is taking crucial steps toward making this a reality
- We believe that no one in Canada should have to choose between paying the rent or paying for the prescription drugs that they need" (Debate on Bill C-97, Budget Implementation Act, )
- "I am a strong supporter of the implementation of national pharmacare in Canada, and I know many Nova Scotians are counting on us to get this right. (…) I was happy to see that Budget 2018 proposed the creation of an advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare in Canada" (Debate on Budget 2018, )
Sickle-cell anemia
- Sponsored Bill S-211, An Act Respected National Sickle Cell Awareness Day which designated June 19 as "National Sickle Cell Awareness Day"
- Noted that "putting more focus on sickle cell specifically would drive more research toward finding a cure" (Debate on Bill S-211, )
- "The number one thing we need to ensure is that we have newborn screening. It is absolutely important
- When people are diagnosed with having the trait or having sickle cell disease, it is important to know from day one what kind of treatment plans are available
- There are examples of young people being up to 20 years old before finding out they have sickle cell
- They have gone through 20 years of excruciating pain
- The way they manage their disease would be totally different if they were screened at birth and knew in advance" (Debate on Bill S-211, )
Mike Kelloway
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Cape Breton—Canso, Nova Scotia
Elected: 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: None
Biography: Life long resident of Cape Breton—Canso, studied Community Studies at Cape Breton University and later studied at the University of Calgary where he pursued graduate studies in Education. Prior to his election in 2019, he was a special project administrator at the Nova Scotia Community College. Prior to being elected, he was Community Innovation Lead for Cape Breton and North Eastern Nova Scotia.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
He has no social media posts concerning the coronavirus.
Pharmacare
Delivered a Member's Statement on , wherein he stated he was "ready to get to work with our Prime Minister and this government to take serious action on […] implementing a universal pharmacare plan" (Question Period, ).
Ron McKinnon
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Coquitlam – Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: Standing Committee on Health (2016 to 2019), Standing Committee on Justice (2017 to 2019)
Biography: As a member of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and the Standing Committee on Health, worked on legislation related to Medical Assistance in Dying and the Cannabis Act, and participated in a number of studies, such as Pharmacare, Human Trafficking, Access to Justice, Support for Jurors, and Antimicrobial Resistance.
Introduced Bill C-224, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act which became law in after receiving unanimous all-party support.
Prior to his election, he was a successful business owner and computer systems analyst to major firms in Canada, the US, and overseas. In the 1970s, he worked as a meteorological technician for Environment Canada. Ron has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta and an honours diploma in Computer Technology from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
He has no public statements on the coronavirus.
Cannabis
Stated that Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, is "one of the biggest and most transformative public policy shifts in recent history" and that the "previous approach did not work" ().
Drug use and abuse
Introduced Bill C-224, an Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (assistance in overdose drugs) which received Royal Assent on . Also known as the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, the Bill amends the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in order to exempt from charges for possession or charges related to the violation of certain conditions or orders a person who seeks emergency medical or law enforcement assistance for themselves or another person following overdosing on a controlled substance.
Marketing of unhealthy foods to children
Spoke in favour of Bill S-228, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibiting food and beverage marketing directed at children) on . He noted that this bill would protect the health and well-being of all Canadian children.
Organ donation
On , spoke in favour of Bill C-316 (An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ donors).
Palliative care
On , spoke in favour of Bill C-277, an Act providing for the development of a framework on palliative care in Canada and to discuss our government's commitment to improving palliative and end of life care for all Canadians. He noted that "while medical assistance in dying is only one potential option at the end of life, experiences in other countries suggest that only a fraction will seek it. It seems that many Canadians who could benefit from palliative care do not receive it."
Patient safety
On , delivered a Members' Statement recognizing Canadian Patient Safety Week. He noted that patient safety incidents are the third leading cause of death, behind cancer and heart disease in Canada.
Dr. Marcus Powlowski
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Thunder Bay—Rainy River, Ontario
Elected: 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: None
Biography: A Thunder Bay native, as well as a physician in the Emergency Room at Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre prior to his election. In addition to being a medical doctor, he has 2 law degrees - LL.B, LL.M from the universities of Toronto and Georgetown, respectively. He also attended Harvard University and obtained a Masters of Public Health in Health Law and Policy.
Dr. Powlowski worked as a doctor for 2 years in northern First Nations communities, and for 7 years practicing medicine in several developing countries in Africa and Oceania. For several years, he worked as a consultant in health legislation for the World Health Organization. He also volunteered on a medical project in Ethiopia.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
He has posted 2 Facebook statements concerning the coronavirus:
The Public Health Agency of Canada is in close contact with the World Health Organization and other international partners, and Canada's Chief Public Health Officer is in close contact with her provincial and territorial counterparts, monitoring the situation. Our top priority is the health and safety of all Canadians. We'll provide Canadians with new information as we know it. We have multiple systems in place to prepare for, detect and respond to the spread of severe infectious diseases into and within Canada.
The Province of Ontario has indicated that they have identified a case of the novel coronavirus. This individual has been isolated and is under care at a hospital. We are well-prepared to deal with this virus and have measures in place to detect it in Canada, and these measures are working.
Sonia Sidhu
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Brampton South, Ontario
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: Standing Committee on Health (2016 to present), Standing Committee on the Status of Women (2018 to 2019), Special Committee on Pay Equity (2016).
Biography: Before politics, Ms. Sidhu worked as a healthcare professional for 18 years. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science has volunteered in her community, including Trillium Health Centre. She has a passion for diabetes awareness and prevention, which she champions in her role as the Chair of the All-Party Diabetes Caucus. She serves as the General-Secretary of the Canada-India Parliamentary Friendship Group and executive member of both the Canada-Poland and Canada-Portugal Parliamentary Friendship Groups.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
She has made no personal tweets on the 2019-nCoV, however she has retweeted the Minister Hajdu's twitter statements.
Cancer
Asked the Minister of Health what the Government is doing to fight cancer (Question Period, ).
Diabetes
- Introduced Motion M-173 to make November of every year, diabetes awareness month
- Delivered a Member's Statement on , highlighting Diabetes Awareness Month and stating that by "working together we can defeat diabetes, improve the health of Canadians and save our health care system billions of dollars"
Food
Supported Bill S-228 (The Child Protection Act). Stated on , that "as chair of the all-party diabetes caucus, I know the importance of deterring unhealthy food choices in favour of a healthy, active lifestyle".
Medical assistance in dying
On , spoke in favour of Bill C-14. "The framework laid out in Bill C-14 provides a solid, focused and detailed plan, which will meet the June 6 deadline set out by the court. Permitting medical assistance in dying will extend more control to eligible terminally ill patients on how to live out their last days. This legislation also provides important safeguards and limitations."
Organ / Tissue donation
On , delivered a Member's Statement to raise awareness around bone marrow donation and to raise awareness for the worldwide bone marrow donor registry.
Tony Van Bynen
Political affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
Constituency: Newmarket—Aurora, Ontario
Elected: 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: None
Biography: Prior to his career in politics, he had a 30-year career in banking as a Branch Manager. He was elected as a city councillor in Newmarket in 2000, and served as Mayor of Newmarket from 2006 to 2018.
He and his wife have volunteered at the Southlake Hospital for over 10 years. As Mayor of Newmarket, he was also on the board of directors for Southlake Regional Healthcare. He also helped to create Belinda's Place, which is a multi-purpose facility for homeless and at-risk women.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
The only social media posts concerning the 2019-nCoV have been retweets of Minister Hajdu's statements on twitter on January 24 and January 25 respectively.
Healthcare funding
When asked during an interview with Newmarket Today to explain his stance on healthcare issues, he stated: "We don't need to look too far to see what the impact of the cuts to health care has had here in Ontario […] I've been on the (Southlake) hospital board for the last 9 years. I understand and genuinely believe that hospitals are working hard to be as efficient as possible, and when you cut back on hospital and medicare funding, you're cutting into the bone, you're not just cutting fat. That's a concern of mine." (Newmarket Today, )
Matt Jeneroux
Political affiliation: Conservative
Constituency: Edmonton Riverbed, Alberta
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: Standing Committee on Health (2020), Industry, Science and Technology (2018 to 2019), Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (2018 to 2019), Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (2016 to 2017), Public Accounts (2017)
Biography: Attended the University of Alberta, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2004. Served as MLA for Edmonton-South West, where he implemented Compassionate Care Leave legislation within the province of Alberta. Before being appointed as Shadow Minister for Health, Mr. Jeneroux served as Shadow Minister for Science. He has also worked on encouraging freedom of speech on university campuses, and protecting Net Neutrality in Canada.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
- During Question Period, on , asked the Minister of Health:
- "What is the plan, knowing that more cases are likely, and how can Canadians be assured that this spread is being properly contained?"
- Is there enough antiviral drugs in the national emergency stockpile to address a possible broader outbreak?
- During Question Period, on , asked the Minister of Health:
- How Canadians can be sure that current screening measures at airports will keep them safe, given the first Canadian Coronavirus case initially alerted CBSA agents to his cough and travel to Wuhan?
- He has tweeted that he has been reading intensely on the coronavirus. He only has 3 tweets on the matter, he retweeted a statement from Tyler Shandro the provincial Minister of Health for Alberta, in which the provincial Minister announced a province-wide advisory to Doctors. Matt Jeneroux also tweeted his support of Canadian hospitals and airports putting in place enhanced infection-control measures.
- During an interview with CBC on Jan 28th, Matt Jeneroux said Canadians have many unanswered questions about the virus, and he hopes federal health, transport and foreign affairs officials can answer them. He stated that the "There are questions about how public safety is being taken care of, how the screening at airports is being taken care of, how hospitals are being taken care of. I think all of those are legitimate questions that are being asked, and having detailed responses back to those questions I think is appropriate… Ultimately, we don't want to light up a partisan fire on this. We want to make sure that Canadians are assured that their government is working diligently to protect all Canadians."
Cannabis
Urged the government to "step back, listen to Canadians, and rethink this poorly constructed legislation". (Debate on Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, )
Genetically modified food
On , spoke against Bill C-291, an Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act, (genetically modified food) which would defined "genetically modified" and govern the labelling of genetically modified food. The Bill was defeated at Second Reading.
Mental health
On , delivered a Members' Statement highlighting the need to end the stigma around men's mental health.
Organ donation
Supported Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (Organ Donation) because "it would reach more Canadians, increase the number of donors, save taxpayers money and ultimately save more lives". (Debate on Bill C-316, )
Robert Kitchen
Political affiliation: Conservative
Constituency: Brandon – Moose Mountain, Saskatchewan
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health, Deputy Shadow Minister of Health
Committee experience: Vice-Chair of Veterans Affairs Committee (2016 to 2017) and the Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions of HESA (2018 to 2019), Member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (2017 to 2018).
Biography: Mr. Kitchen attended the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where he earned his Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.). In 1989, he opened his practice in Estevan, Saskatchewan. For 6 years he was the Registrar for the Chiropractors' Association of Saskatchewan. This position involved regulating and monitoring chiropractors throughout the province to ensure their practices were safe and in the best interest of the public. He has served the past 10 years on the executive of the Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory and Educational Boards, serving as President and Chairman for the past 6 years.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
He only has one Facebook post on the matter and it was before the first reported case of the Coronavirus in Canada. MP Kitchen stated that he was encouraged to see that Canadian hospitals and airports are putting in place enhanced infection control measures and that the Conservative party expects the gov't to take every precaution at all ports of entry to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in Canada.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
On , spoke in support of Motion M-105 (Research and Awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
Cancer
On , delivered a Member's Statement which highlighted the work done by 10 year-old Payton Sernick who is batting cancer and raised awareness and funds to fight the disease.
Cannabis
- On , during debate on Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, stated that the full health effects of cannabis are unknown. He noted that cannabis users below the age of 25 are putting their brain health at risk and that Bill C-45 would make cannabis more accessible to youth. Raised health and safety risks associated with cannabis use in the workplace.
- On , during debate on Bill C-45, raised concerns with the legalization of cannabis. He reiterated concerns with youth cannabis use and its effect on the developing brain. He believes that the government is ignoring facts around cannabis and attempting to "appeal to a younger demographic in the hopes of winning they will win the next election". He also raised concerns with respect to the marketing of cannabis products, stating, "cannabis will be allowed to have bright, flashy packaging, with no limitations on how it can be marketed". Stated concerns around impaired driving and the lack of technology to test for cannabis-impaired drivers.
Medical assistance in dying
On , during debate on Bill C-14, stated that the legislation puts the on PT regulatory bodies on making Medical assistance in dying decisions. He believes that this will result in inconsistencies across the country.
Concussions
As Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussion of the Standing Committee on Health (HESA), Mr. Kitchen was an active participant in the study. Their report noted that "Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have provided funding for these activities, but more can be done. The recommendations in this report urge the federal government to maintain focus on this issue until a truly harmonized pan-Canadian approach to sports-related concussions has been implemented. By reducing the chance of concussion and improving the management of concussion, the Subcommittee believes that sports can be made safer."
Tamara Jansen
Political affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
Constituency: Cloverdale—Langley City, British Columbia
Elected: 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health, Deputy Shadow Minister for Labour
Committee experience: None
Biography: A Langley native, as well as a local businesswoman. Since 1991, Ms. Jansen and her husband, Byron, built a successful agricultural business, which is now a multinational operation. She has been vocal on the issues of access to abortion and medical assistance in dying.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
- One of her constituent's is currently isolated in Wuhan and is 35 weeks pregnant. MP Jansen posted a video of her skype call between her and the parents of lady isolated in Wuhan, and she expressed the urgency that is required to get their daughter to safety
- During Question Period, on , asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs:
- What is the government's plan is to ensure the safety of Canadians stuck in Chinese cities under quarantine for the Coronavirus
Abortion access
Active in the pro-life movement, and spoke at the 2018 March for Life at the B.C. legislature. (Global News, )
Medical assistance in dying
- During her speech at the 2018 March for Life, she likened medical assistance in dying at B.C. hospices to "death camps". She is also quoted as saying: "When our dear ones are at their weakest and most vulnerable time of life they are encouraged by activist healthcare professionals to hasten death and ease everyone's burden." (Global News, )
- At the 2018 March for Life, she also claimed that Medical assistance in dying is "completely contrary" to the world standard of palliative care. (Aldergrove Star, )
Len Webber
Political affiliation: Conservative
Constituency: Calgary Confederation, Alberta
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Member of the Standing Committee on Health
Committee experience: Vice-Chair of Standing Committee on Health (2016 to 2017), Member of Standing Committee on Health (2016 to present)
Biography: Prior to being election to the House of Commons in 2015, Mr. Webber served 3 terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, including as Minister of Aboriginal Relations, Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations, deputy government whip, and parliamentary assistant for Energy.
Before becoming an MLA, he was the vice-president and director of Webber Academy, a non-profit university preparatory private school in Calgary, which provides advanced and challenging curriculum to about 1000 students from junior kindergarten to Grade 12. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and his journeyman communications electrician certificate from SAIT. He worked as an apprentice electrician out of high school and ran his own contracting business for 10 years before starting with Webber Academy.
Mr. Webber has a history of involvement and volunteerism with community groups, including Hospice Calgary, The Calgary Foundation and as a board member of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC).
Member's interests
Coronavirus
He has not posted anything concerning the coronavirus.
Cannabis
During debate on Bill C-45, raised concerns with allowing youth below 25 years of age, which is based on scientific evidence. He also called for greater investments in public education. He also questioned how legalization would be seen internationally. He asked the Minister how the legislation would deal with international obligations around drugs. ()
Drug use and abuse
On , during debate on Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, stated that "drug consumption sites do have some benefits. (…) In very few cases, they do facilitate a path to recovery. Let us not kid ourselves and believe that there is a lot of light at the end of this tunnel. These sites do help keep things like dirty needles out of our parks. They do make it cheaper for the health care system to monitor and save some addicts. They do not reduce the drug problem in Canada. They do not stop people from becoming addicts. They very seldom get addicts off drugs. These sites do not curtail the profits for organized crime. They are not a silver bullet. They are one very weak tool in our fight against addiction and its deadly toll."
Lyme disease
- Delivered a Member's Statement acknowledging the impact that lyme disease has on Canadians. He thanked the Lyme Disease Association of Alberta and caregivers for making recoveries possible. ()
- Delivered another Member's Statement calling the government's actions on lyme disease as "scant, unfocused, and frankly, disappointing". ()
Medical assistance in dying
On , during debate on Bill C-14, stated that he was a proponent of palliative care and noted that "we need to improve palliative care both for the patients and their families". He stated his support for the bill because "it is a vote that recognizes that when it comes to something as personal and sensitive as death, it is better to have options available, even if we do not like them, even if we do not believe in them. It is better to have some legal framework than none at all."
Organ donation
- Introduced Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (Organ Donation), which would "authorize the Canada Revenue Agency to enter into an agreement with a province or a territory regarding the collection and disclosure of information required for establishing or maintaining an organ and tissue donor registry in the province or territory". The Bill was passed by the House of Commons on , but was never passed by the Senate in the 42nd Parliament. Mr. Webber is first on the Order of Precedence, and is expected to re-introduce this Bill in the 43rd Parliament.
- Supported Motion M-189 (Organ Donation). Stated on , during its debate "… that in Canada, because organ and tissue donor registries are a provincial jurisdiction, we face some unique challenges in implementing change. That said, I also believe that where there is a will there is a way. I believe that Canada can move from being a country with one of the worst organ-donation rates in the world to one of the best."
Luc Thériault
Political affiliation: Bloc Québécois
Constituency: Montcalm, Québec
Elected: 2015 and 2019
Current role: Critic for Health and Medical Assistance in Dying; Democratic Institutions.
Committee experience: N/A
Biography: Obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy and a Master's Degree in Political Philosophy from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Professor of philosophy at Collège Maisonneuve from 1985 to 2003. Member of the Ethics Committee of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Center and the Jeanne-Le Ber CHSLD from 2000 to 2003. Elected to the National Assembly of Québec (Parti Québécois) between 2003 to 2007. House Leader of the Bloc Québécois from 2015 to 2019.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
Asked the government if it could update the House on its contingency plan for the Coronavirus outbreak, and outline its steps to contain the spread of the virus. ( – Question Period).
Health transfers
- Introduced Bill C-300, An Act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act (Canada Health Transfer). Mr. Thériault noted upon its introduction that the Bill "seeks to set the minimum increase in Canadian health transfers at 6% annually, so that the federal government's reinvestment reaches 25% of the Quebec health care system's total spending, after which a review could be planned to align increases in transfer payments with the system's costs." ()
- Called on the Minister to "maintain the 6% transfer increase without conditions, as the Quebec National Assembly is unanimously calling for" ( – Question Period)
- Described a decrease in health transfers as "a direct attack on the Quebec health system. There is less money for access to doctors, less money for nurses, and less money for care and surgical procedures." ( – Question Period)
- "Never has a government done so much so quickly to undermine the quality of care in Quebec. People are waiting 18 hours to see an emergency room doctor and 6 months for an appointment, yet the minister would have us believe that cuts will solve the problem." ( – Question Period)
- Repeatedly called on the Minister to "meet the unanimous demand from Quebec and the provinces for an increase in health transfers" while allowing Quebec the independence to manage its own healthcare system ( and – Question Period)
- "I would like the government to maintain health transfer increases at 6%, let the provinces decide what the needs are, and raise that amount to 25%. That would be acceptable because Quebec is capable of managing its own health sector." ( – Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne)
Medical assistance in dying
- Proposed an amendment to Bill C-14 An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying) which would have eliminated the notion of "natural death that is reasonably foreseeable". He stated that it is "inhumane that a vulnerable and suffering person must go on a hunger strike to be eligible for medical assistance in dying. People who suffer deserve clear guidelines for effective end-of-life care" ( – Press Release (French only)
- Stated that Bill C-14 "would have been amended and considered unconstitutional. I imagine that is why the bill was never referred to the Supreme Court." ( – Debate on Bill C-14, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying).)
- "Why is the Minister of Justice intent on withdrawing the right to self-determination from the most vulnerable people in society, the people suffering from a grievous and irremediable illness, disease, or disability that causes intolerable suffering?" ( – Question Period)
- "Everyone thinks that the Quebec law has struck the proper balance. In terms of end-of-life care, it is good legislation and there has been a consensus about that for almost 6 years. However, that legislation does not resolve the problem of assisted suicide. This bill and this law do not currently apply to Kay Carter's situation. We must comply with the Supreme Court ruling, which contains criteria that differ from those found in the bill. It is too restrictive." ( - Debate on Bill C-14, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying).)
- "I am talking about palliative care as it should be. That does not mean putting sick people in beds in hallways and leaving them to die. It means holistic care delivered by specially trained staff along with adequate pain management, which was not allowed sometimes. Patients were not receiving the dosage they needed because it was thought that a high dosage could cause death. Quebec has dealt with that. The province has a framework for palliative care as end-of-life care. Health care is under provincial jurisdiction, and Quebec is a leader on this. I think this bill needs an equivalency clause so that the federal law will not result in duplication, thereby changing the way Quebec's law works." ( - Debate on Bill C-14, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying).)
- Stated that Medical assistance in dying should be a priority for this Parliament and that the Bloc Québécois will collaborate to make the legislation work, this time. ()
Mixed alcoholic beverages
- Called on the Minister of Health to suspend the sale of highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages while new regulations are drafted and put in place. ( – Question Period)
- "…will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?" ( – Question Period)
Opioids and drugs
"…in a crisis as significant and unprecedented as the fentanyl and carfentanil crisis, the harm reduction approach, relatively speaking, has been much more effective than a coercive approach." ( - Debate on Bill C-37, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
Consumer products
Tabled a petition calling on the "Minister of Health to make it mandatory to list ingredients on household products based on the listing regulations for cosmetics." ( – Petition 421-01483)
Cannabis
- Supported the Government of Québec's call for cannabis legalization to come into force on ( – Question of Privilege)
- Questioned how cannabis legalization would "squeeze out organized crime" ( – Debate on Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act)
Don Davies
Political affiliation: New Democratic Party (NDP)
Constituency: Vancouver Kingsway
Elected: 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2019
Current role: Health Critic
Committee experience: HESA committee member since 2015
Biography: Obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Law Degree (LL.B.) at the University of Alberta. In 1992 he became the Director of Legal Services for Teamsters Canada (Local 31), a position he held until his election to the House of Commons in 2008. Davies has been representing the riding of Vancouver Kingsway since his election in the 2008 federal election. He was named as the NDP Health critic for Health for the 42nd and 43rd Parliaments.
Member's interests
Coronavirus
- Issued a press release on , stating that "international cases of the virus are troubling to Canadians" and that the "federal government must make sure Canadians have timely and complete information. They also need to provide sufficient resources at Canadian ports of entry for screening, particularly at airports".
- He went on to state that "Canadians expect their government to work in close collaboration" with PT and international partners.
- On , tweeted that he spoke with the Minister of Health and that he was "pleased to see a timely and thorough response from the government and appreciate the collaborative and coordinated approach. I hope this virus can be swiftly contained and effectively treated".
- On , tweeted that "the NDP will cooperate in every way to help keep Canadians safe".
Access to clean water
During the study of Bill C-326 (An Act to Amend the Department of Health Act, drinking water guidelines), Davies pressed witnesses on "how much money would it take to make sure that all First Nations communities in this country have access to clean drinking water, and how much are we falling short of that now?" (HESA, ).
Autism
Supported opposition motion regarding additional funding for autism: "Will the member stand in the House and vote in favour of this motion to actually provide $19 million for autism in this country, yes or no?" (House of Commons – ).
Blood and organ donation
- Supported Bill C-316 (An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (organ donors)) in the House of Commons: "I wish to conclude my remarks today by strongly encouraging all Canadians to register as organ donors and to discuss their wishes with their loved ones" ()
- Presented petition 421-00823 calling on the Government to "adopt a science-based screening process for blood donors that does not discriminate on the basis of gender or sexual preference, and have Canada immediately defer this policy and change it so all people can donate blood, regardless of their sexual orientation" (House of Commons – )
- Called on the Minister of Health to "stand up for safety in Canada's blood supply system" and close a private for-profit plasma clinic that had opened in Saskatchewan (House of Commons – )
Breast cancer
Called on the Government to halt new breast cancer screening guidelines that advised against self-exams and "advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts" (House of Commons – ).
Canada food guide
During a HESA committee meeting suggested that the Canada Food Guide's revisions would be sabotaged if industry marketing to children remained unaddressed. ()
Cannabis
- Called on the Government several times to grant amnesty to Canadians carrying unjust records for simple cannabis possession. (Question Period: , )
- Has called for medicinal cannabis to be treated similarly to prescription opioids: "Ironically, opioids are covered by most plans and are zero tax-rated exempt. Ironically, patients are incentivized to pursue a riskier option […] It's clearly a flawed policy to make medicinal cannabis more expensive than opioids" ()
- Sponsored e-petition e-1528 to remove taxes from medically prescribed cannabis: "The petitioners call on the government to remove all taxes, the excise tax and the sales tax, on medical cannabis, as it does for all medicine in this country" ()
Decriminalization
Has pressed the topic of decriminalization of drugs on several occasions both during Committee meetings and in the House of Commons (, ): "It is even more important that we ensure that Canadians, if they are going to be using drugs, which nobody supports and nobody is encouraging, at least have access to drugs in known quantity and known substance so at least they are not dying. That is what New Democrats are calling for."
Dementia
Spoke in support of Bill C-233 (An Act respecting a national strategy for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias), in the House of Commons () to support the development of a "world-class dementia strategy".
Dental and eye care
- Presented petition 421-04054, calling on "the government to commit to acknowledging eye health and vision care as a growing public health issue and respond to it, particularly with respect to Canada's vulnerable populations, through the development of a national framework to promote eye health and vision care" (House of Commons - )
- Was against Conservative opposition motion "That, given the average middle class Canadian is already overburdened with taxes, the House call on the government to abandon any plans it may have to in any way tax health and dental care plans" (House of Commons - ). "We will make sure that Canadians know that the Liberals are considering taxing their health care benefits, and we will stand in this House and fight tooth and nail against this ill-conceived policy that will not only hurt Canadians' health care but will take money out of the pockets of hard-working Canadians at a time when they can least afford it."
Food products and labelling
- Introduced Bill C-257, (An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (sugar content labelling)) (). The Bill was not debated
- Introduced Bill C-446 (An Act to develop a national school food program for children) (). The Bill was not debated
Forced sterilization
- During a HESA Committee meeting (), he stated that there is no question that forced sterilization is a form of torture. He believes that it is systemic racism, sexism, and colonialism. He believes that the federal government's response has been weak and not many details are known.
- During a HESA Committee meeting (), Davies pressed an RCMP officer witness on if "forced sterilizations could have taken place in areas of jurisdiction under which the RCMP had control?", and highlighted the fact that he (Davies) wrote to the officer "back in February and pointed out that a class action lawsuit had been filed, at that time naming some 60 women as complainants and naming the federal government, regional health authorities and individual physicians over incidents of forced or coerced sterilization."
Health research
Supported motion M-105 in the House of Commons () calling for $19 million in funding to "provide an authoritative access point for reliable data to inform policy development, funding decisions, and service delivery."
Health transfers
- During a HESA Committee meeting, he questioned if B.C.'s First Nations Health Authority is effective in supporting Indigenous health: "Has this transfer or type of transfer of authority helped to support improved health and well-being for indigenous people and communities in that province? Is that a model you would suggest to us that might help in the transferring of authorities to First Nations communities?" ()
- Has strongly advocated against health care cuts on multiple occasions in the House of Commons: "The Liberal campaign platform also promised that Liberals would discuss any cuts with the provinces, but instead, they are going to impose these cuts without any negotiating with the provinces, just like Mr. Harper" ()
HIV/AIDS
Has strongly advocated against funding cuts to HIV/AIDS initiatives: "Today, New Democrats call on the government to immediately reverse these funding cuts and expand the federal initiative on HIV/AIDS" (House of Commons – ).
Lyme disease
During a HESA Committee meeting (), questioned if the Government is providing enough funding for Lyme disease, and spoke about the lack of leadership, patient input and divergent opinions in regards to this illness.
Medical assistance in dying
Questioned linking palliative care to physician-assisted death in order for the government to develop a comprehensive end-of-life care strategy: "I think the whole doctor-assisted, physician-assisted death debate offered an opportunity for us in Parliament and all Canadians to consider some of the very profoundly difficult questions that surround end-of-life care" ().
Medical devices
Introduced Bill C-271 (An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (batteries for medical or assistive devices)) (). The Bill was not debated.
Mixed alcoholic beverages
Interventions made at HESA questioning industry stakeholders positions on mixed alcoholic beverages however no clear stance/opinion has been documented ().
MSM
- During Question Period, asked the Government why it was discriminating against gay men who wish to donate blood. "How can the Liberals offer a sincere and meaningful apology to the LGBTQ community for past injustices when they are practising discrimination in the present?" ()
- During a HESA Committee meeting (), expressed concern over the different deferral policies between blood and plasma donations. Specifically, questioned why industry is permitted to remunerate individuals who make plasma donations and postulated that monetary compensation could cause potentials to lie
Opioids and drugs
- Supported the filing of a civil lawsuit against drug companies to recoup the costs incurred by the province of B.C. in addressing the opioid crisis. Asked the Minister of Health if the Liberal government would join this class action against opioid manufacturers
- Has pressured the Minister to consider decriminalization and regulation to ensure a safe supply of opioids: "It's plainly obvious that ensuring a safe supply would save lives. No less a figure than the president of the Canadian Medical Association is calling on Canadian politicians to have an "open and courageous" debate on decriminalization, yet you and the Prime Minister have explicitly ruled out any consideration of decriminalization and regulation" ()
- During a HESA Committee meeting, emphasized concerns that there is a lack of proper treatment or detox facilities available to deal with substance abuse. He indicated that the Committee's Report on the Opioid Crisis made 3 recommendations asking the Government to fund detox centres. Davies questioned how the Government's new Drugs and Substances Strategy could be considered as being comprehensive when there is no funding for detox centres. ()
- Pressed the Minister of Health during Question Period () to declare a national public health emergency: "Can the Minister tell us, what is she waiting for? Must more Canadians die?"
- Pressed the Government to declare a national public health emergency on fentanyl: "The Liberals claim that declaring a public health emergency is unnecessary, saying it would provide no additional levers for action. This is absolutely false". (Question Period - )
Palliative care
Supported Bill C-277 (An Act providing for the development of a framework on palliative care in Canada) in the House of Commons: "We look forward to contributing to the framework development process and sincerely hope that it will provide the strongest possible palliative care strategy for every Canadian from coast to coast to coast." ()
Pharmacare
- "We have the Canada Health Act and we have Medicare in this country. If you think this is a tough issue, we got that in the 1960s. Is Pharmacare not just a natural measured extension of exactly the system that we have that has solved all of those problems? The federal government makes money available to the provinces, respecting provincial jurisdiction. The provinces have access to that money as long as they agree to respect the principles set out in the Canada Health Act" ()
- Presented petition 421-03319, calling on "the Liberal government to lower prescription drug costs for all Canadians and work with the provinces to implement a universal, comprehensive and public pharmacare system" (House of Commons - )
- Presented petition 421-03189, calling on "the government to immediately implement public, comprehensive, universal Pharmacare" ()
- Introduced Bill C-293 (An Act to amend the Department of Health Act (Advisory Committee) (). The Bill was not debated
- Called on the Government to implement a National Pharmacare program: "Why are the Liberals doing big pharma's bidding and failing to lower the cost of medications for all Canadians?" (House of Commons - )
Rare diseases / Drug access / SAP
- Questioned the effectiveness of the Special Access Program during a HESA Committee meeting, in this case particularly regarding the need for patients to reapply every 3 months for access to the drug "Cystagon". During this discussion, Davies pressed Health Canada representatives on why this practice was being applied to patients who were seeing positive results with the drug. ()
- During a HESA Committee meeting, Davies suggested that the rare disease issue was a perfect example of why a National Formulary was needed. He then argued that to minimize the influence of lobbyists working for industry, decisions on whether to include drugs on the Formulary should reside with an independent commission. ()
Tobacco
Called for an amendment to Bill S-5 (An Act to Amend the Tobacco Act) to "prohibit promotions for all flavours that could be appealing to young people" ().
Violence against healthcare workers
Introduced Bill C-434 (An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assault against a health care sector worker) (). The Bill was not debated.
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