Maggie Chi

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep sadness to advise the House that Constable Marc Pinizzotto of the Toronto Police Service emergency task force was killed in the line of duty. For 18 years, Constable Pinizzotto served with courage and commitment, putting himself in harm's way to make Toronto a safer place. Constable Pinizzotto was doing what police officers do every day, and these tragedies remind us of the danger that they face. As Constable Pinizzotto's family and colleagues across the service carry an unimaginable loss, we honour the memory of a hero in life, a police officer who dedicated nearly two decades in service to his community. I extend my deepest condolences to the Pinizzotto family, the Toronto Police Service and all members of the policing community. May his loved ones find strength in one another in the difficult days ahead, and may we honour him as a hero in service to others.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important issue. We have worked on many fronts to address many issues in this respect, and I look forward to working with the member as well. Through budget 2025, we have made investments in health research through CIHR, and we will continue to do that.

Mr. Speaker, it was 47 years ago that The Log Driver's Waltz was first screened and won a best animated film award at an international film festival in France. The Log Driver's Waltz is a Canadian folk song originally written by Wade Hemsworth and performed by The Mountain City Four. Most of us will instantly associate the tune with the iconic vignette of the timeless tale of a young girl, who, to please both her parents, had to give way and dance with the doctors and merchants and lawyers as the log driver “goes birling down and down white water”. Directed by John Weldon, the film celebrates the lads as they work on the river and has captured the imagination of generations of Canadians and generations to come, I am sure, because “That's where the log driver learns to step lightly”.

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the minister has answered this question many times in question period and many times during committee work. We have been very open and transparent. Infoway has dismissed the CEO. We supported that decision. We are also reviewing the Infoway mandate to make sure it aligns with opening up health data for Canadians. The funding decision will be made after the review.

Mr. Speaker, as the Conservatives farm outrage, we are working hard on behalf of Canadians. I am glad that member brought it up. That party has spent over 20 hours obstructing a Liberal motion to study HIV in Manitoba. How can they claim they care about Canadians' health when they block motions like that? I think Canadians can see the difference.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians can see how the Conservatives are behaving in the House and in committee with them filibustering important motions, like studying the HIV public health crisis in Manitoba. We can see the difference, and I think Canadians can, too.

Mr. Speaker, the allegations against the previous vendor for the vaccine injury program were absolutely unacceptable. That is why we made the administration of the program internal, to ensure money is spent appropriately. We have directed the Public Health Agency to alter the program to ensure all our dollars are spent correctly, and we look forward to working with members across the House to make sure vulnerable Canadians are looked after.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-265. I want to first thank my good friend, the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River, for bringing forward this important bill and legislation. As many members know, he brings a unique perspective to the House as a physician. The ideas reflected in the bill are grounded not only in his own experience caring for patients but also in conversations with clinicians across Canada. who have seen first-hand the challenges that can arise when patients require access to treatments that fall outside the usual pathways. That is why the special access program is so important. At its core, the bill is about patients. The special access program serves a critical role in Canada's health care system. It allows health care practitioners to request access to drugs that are not currently authorized for sale in Canada when they believe those therapies may benefit a patient with a serious or life-threatening condition. Every year, thousands of requests are made through the program. Those requests support patients living with cancer, rare diseases, serious infections and other complex health conditions. In many cases, the program provides access to treatments that would otherwise not be available. The program is an important success story, and it reflects a careful balance between timely access and patient safety. Unfortunately, as worthwhile as the program is, it is not without its flaws. The member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River has shared stories he has heard from doctors and clinicians across Canada who needed urgent access to medicine, only to run into unexpected administrative hurdles. While these may be rare instances, given that people turning to the special access program are doing so because they are in life-or-death situations, an administrative hurdle can have serious consequences. That is where this bill comes in. The bill would make two changes to the Food and Drugs Act that would be a lifesaver for many Canadians. The first proposed change would establish a list of therapeutic products that would be pre-approved for access through the special access program. In practice, this could help streamline access to certain therapies that are already well understood and frequently requested. For patients facing urgent medical situations, even modest reductions in wait time can be meaningful. For clinicians, it may help reduce administrative burdens and allow them to focus more of their time on patient care. The second change would expand the evidence that may be considered when requests are submitted through the program. Medicine is constantly evolving. New therapies emerge, new evidence becomes available, and clinicians are often at the forefront of identifying innovative treatment options for their patients. This proposal recognizes the value of clinical expertise and seeks to provide greater flexibility in how evidence can be assessed when special access requests are considered. Taken together, these proposed measures aim to improve efficiency, support clinical decision-making, and help ensure that patients can access promising therapies when appropriate. These objectives align closely with broader efforts under to modernize Canada's regulatory system. Last summer, our government launched a red tape review. As part of this work, we are modernizing Health Canada's regulatory approach so that it focuses on agility, enhancing international collaboration and supporting timely access to therapeutic products, while maintaining the rigorous safety standards Canadians expect. We have also launched the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector task force, bringing together leaders from across the sector to strengthen Canada's capacity to develop, manufacture and deliver the medicines Canadians rely on. The goal is straightforward: improving access to treatments while fostering innovation and long-term growth right here at home. Bill C-265 aligns with these goals, and I want to applaud the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River for putting forward a bill that showcases the kind of innovative thinking we need during this critical time. As with any piece of legislation, there are details that warrant careful study. Committee review would provide an opportunity to hear from patients, physicians, researchers, regulators and other experts to ensure that the bill achieves its objectives while remaining aligned with Canada's broader regulatory framework. That is exactly how Parliament should approach legislation such as this: thoughtfully, collaboratively and with a shared focus on the people who stand to benefit. I again want to thank the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River for bringing the bill forward. At a time when Canadians expect us to work together to improve health outcomes and strengthen access to care, the bill offers an opportunity to do exactly that. I look forward to its being studied at committee, and I encourage all members to support sending it there for further consideration.

Mr. Speaker, our government did the responsible thing by announcing the end of the federal funding for PrescribeIT because the plan was always for the provinces and territories to pay their own way once we got the system up and running. Since we made that decision, we have already seen the Province of Quebec come to the table and sign an agreement to pay to use PrescribeIT across pharmacies in Quebec. With Quebec on board, we are hopeful that other provinces will soon want to follow suit. For the past month, the Conservatives have been blocking the health committee from discussing issues that matter to Canadians, like the public health emergency that has been declared in that member's home province of Manitoba because of the sharp rise in HIV infections. It is disgraceful behaviour by the members opposite who have been engaged in this endless obstruction. The member for Kitchener South—Hespeler on the health committee openly stated that he did not believe we could take any actions as parliamentarians to help Manitoba. Well, I am sorry, but when a public emergency has been declared, on this side of the House we are all hands on deck, while the members opposite are busy making clips for their social media.

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives would rather obstruct the health committee and block our motion to study the public health emergency in the member's home province of Manitoba than help Canadians. The member opposite claims we are blocking the work of committee. This is quite rich, considering that a Conservative committee member was filibustering by making a speech about the Magna Carta and described the public health emergency in Manitoba as a facade. Canadians elected our new government to focus on resolving the challenges our country faces. I invite the members opposite to put down their phone, join us and get to work.

Mr. Speaker, as the minister has stated, any future funding must align with Canada Health Infoway's mandate and deliver value for Canadians. That means supporting the modernization of Canada's health care system and improving how health information is shared across the country. Our government will remain focused on making sure Canadians have access to a modern, connected health care system that works for them.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to remind folks again that the member opposite continued to obstruct our health committee on the very important study on HIV in Manitoba, the member's colleague's own province. He openly stated that he did not believe that we can take any action as parliamentarians to help Manitobans. That is, frankly, just disgraceful. It is shameful. On this side of the House, we will always work to improve the health of Canadians. We will always take a public health crisis as urgent.

Madam Speaker, as we celebrate Italian Heritage Month, I rise to recognize the remarkable contributions of the Galati family in my riding of Don Valley North. The Galati Market Fresh grocer has served our community for more than 25 years. Founded by brothers Tony and Francesco Galati in 1958, this family-run grocer, built by Italian immigrants from Calabria, has grown into a beloved local institution. Whether supporting local growers or giving back to families and schools, the Galati family reminds us that the best ingredients for success are hard work and a deep commitment to community.

Madam Speaker, my friend and colleague across the aisle works extremely hard, and I really enjoy our conversations about health in the House. Vaping, especially among youth, is a very serious public health issue, and we need to make sure that the vaping industry is not exploiting grey areas that make it easier for Canadian youth to get hooked. We will continue to work to prevent youth vaping, which is why we are enhancing public education and strengthening compliance with, and enforcement of, existing rules. We will continue to work with members in the House on this important issue.

Madam Speaker, the vaccine injury support program was created to support vulnerable Canadians, and starting in April, the Public Health Agency of Canada started administrating the program to ensure that it delivers for Canadians who need it, while ensuring taxpayers' dollars are being spent appropriately. I look forward to working with that member on issues that impact her constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member, my good friend from Courtenay—Alberni, for his very important question. As the member mentioned, the Canadian dental care plan is the most transformative social program in a generation. More than seven million Canadians are now eligible for the CDCP, and more than four million Canadians have received dental services from the plan. During the most recent renewal period, more than 80% of CDCP members successfully renewed their coverage. In the member's riding of Courtenay—Alberni, more than 29,000 people are eligible for the CDCP. That means seniors are receiving care that has been delayed for years. Children and young people are getting access to preventative care earlier. Families are saving, on average, about $900 per year through the program. At a time when many Canadians are feeling pressure from the rising cost of living, the CDCP is helping people access essential dental care with greater peace of mind. As with any program of this scale, it is important that eligibility requirements are administered carefully and consistently. Health Canada regularly conducts eligibility reviews to confirm that applicant information aligns with records held by the Canada Revenue Agency. In cases where additional clarification is needed, individuals may be asked to provide supporting documentation, which the department then reviews before confirming eligibility. The member has rightfully raised cases where, through no fault of their own, some individuals were incorrectly approved for dental services. I can assure the member that the department is working closely with impacted individuals and the members of Parliament who have raised this issue to find an equitable solution. I know this issue is important to the member, and I want to emphasize that the minister and all of us are committed to ensuring the program works effectively for Canadians. That means making sure eligible Canadians can continue accessing the dental care they need while supporting a system that remains reliable and sustainable for the millions of Canadians who depend on it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and good friend from Courtenay— Alberni for raising this important issue. Our government remains committed to ensuring that the Canadian dental care plan continues to deliver for Canadians. More than four million Canadians have already received care through the CDCP, and more than seven million Canadians are currently eligible for the program. We will continue working to ensure that the program remains accessible, effective and responsive to the needs of Canadians.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this topic, and I welcome the chance to put some facts on the record, so let us look at the facts. The fact is that PrescribeIT was launched by the previous government in 2017 after extensive consultation with provinces and territories. To create the program, the previous government worked with Canada Health Infoway, an organization that has received funding and support from Conservative and Liberal governments alike since its creation in 2001. It is also a fact that any program like this needed to begin at the federal level. If we look at similar countries that transitioned to e-prescribing, whether the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, these systems were launched through federal governments or national agencies. Of course, in Canada, provinces and territories are responsible for health care delivery, which is why PrescribeIT was built with the idea of it becoming self-sustaining, with the provinces and territories taking on their share. Another key fact is that PrescribeIT may have worked as a technology solution, as we have heard, but it did not have the support from provinces and territories financially, nor did it achieve the ideal uptake for the program to be self-sustaining. I am sure the member opposite will agree that it is important for both to happen. That is why our government took the step of announcing back in February that we were ending the funding for the program and working with Infoway on the next steps, and we are already seeing results on this front. Last week, Quebec came to the table with Infoway and signed an agreement to transition to PrescribeIT using provincial funding, exactly as the long-term model envisioned. We also know for a fact that other provinces and territories are watching how the deployment unfolds because they all recognize the value of modernizing our health data infrastructure and making sure that prescribers and pharmacists have the best tools available to serve their patients. What is disappointing is that instead of engaging seriously on these issues and topics, Conservatives continue to focus on rhetoric and procedural games rather than the broader issue of how we modernize health care for Canadians. We have before us the opportunity to study urgent public health crises, including the public health emergency declared for HIV in Manitoba, but it has been delayed by that member from Manitoba through partisan obstructions. At the same time, I commend my hon. colleague the member for Winnipeg West for standing up for vulnerable Canadians. There are many important issues before us: strengthening public health preparedness, responding to infectious disease threats, supporting health workers and improving digital health systems across the country. I ask the member to join us on this front.

Madam Speaker, Canadians expect us to approach issues like this with a focus on outcomes. The reality is that PrescribeIT was created to help modernize the way health information is shared and to reduce reliance on outdated systems. Like many large-scale digital health initiatives, there were challenges, lessons learned and important questions about long-term sustainability. Our government made a decision regarding future federal funding while ensuring that provinces, like Quebec, could continue moving forward with deployment models that meet their own needs. What is important now is that we focus on strengthening digital health infrastructure—

Mr. Speaker, PrescribeIT was launched by the previous government in 2017 in consultation with provinces and territories. The program was always intended to become self-funded over time. When it became clear that it was not having the expected uptake and there was no path toward financial sustainability, our new government made the responsible decision to end funding to the program and redirect resources to make sure we maximize benefits for all Canadians.