Leslie Church, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour, for Seniors, and for Children and Youth, and to the Minister of Jobs and Families (Persons with Disabilities)
“The Conservatives are spreading false claims about a digital health program to get social media clicks. Our government stopped funding this program, its leader was fired, and we are reviewing the group that ran it. At the same time, Conservatives are blocking a vote to study the HIV crisis, even though advocates and people living with HIV want this study.”
“Madam Speaker, I am very glad to have the opportunity to respond this evening. While the member opposite and many of his Conservative colleagues have drawn up elaborate theories about PrescribeIT and Canada Health Infoway, their position does not make any sense. The member opposite has been making absurd claims about a program launched by the previous government, but here are the facts. Our government ended funding for the program because it was not sustainable. Not only that, but the CEO of the organization that launched the program was fired. On top of that, in the House yesterday during question period, the Minister of Health said that she is reviewing funding for the organization in question, Canada Health Infoway. She is looking at its mandate and said that it is not getting any money unless we are sure that its work aligns with its mandate. It does not get more clear-cut than that, except the Conservatives have decided to spread misinformation about the program, all in the name of social media clicks. It is hard to take the outrage on this seriously, especially when we see the Conservatives’ behaviour at the health committee, where they have been filibustering since May 7. For the last four meetings, they have used every tool at their disposal to stop the health committee from even voting on a study of the HIV crisis. Every so often they have asked who could possibly be asking for such a study, calling it useless. I think most Canadians in the House would agree that, particularly in Pride Month of all months, that is an untenable and unfathomable position. Does the House know who cares about doing this study? It is some of Canada’s leading activists and organizations working in the field of HIV and AIDS who are calling for it. Who else cares about this study? It is the tens of thousands of Canadians living with HIV, not to mention their families and loved ones. When the Conservatives pretend to care about health care in this country, let us look at their actions: spreading false narratives about health care projects and preventing important health care studies from taking place.”
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Madam Speaker, I am very glad to have the opportunity to respond this evening. While the member opposite and many of his Conservative colleagues have drawn up elaborate theories about PrescribeIT and Canada Health Infoway, their position does not make any sense. The member opposite has been making absurd claims about a program launched by the previous government, but here are the facts. Our government ended funding for the program because it was not sustainable. Not only that, but the CEO of the organization that launched the program was fired. On top of that, in the House yesterday during question period, the Minister of Health said that she is reviewing funding for the organization in question, Canada Health Infoway. She is looking at its mandate and said that it is not getting any money unless we are sure that its work aligns with its mandate. It does not get more clear-cut than that, except the Conservatives have decided to spread misinformation about the program, all in the name of social media clicks. It is hard to take the outrage on this seriously, especially when we see the Conservatives’ behaviour at the health committee, where they have been filibustering since May 7. For the last four meetings, they have used every tool at their disposal to stop the health committee from even voting on a study of the HIV crisis. Every so often they have asked who could possibly be asking for such a study, calling it useless. I think most Canadians in the House would agree that, particularly in Pride Month of all months, that is an untenable and unfathomable position. Does the House know who cares about doing this study? It is some of Canada’s leading activists and organizations working in the field of HIV and AIDS who are calling for it. Who else cares about this study? It is the tens of thousands of Canadians living with HIV, not to mention their families and loved ones. When the Conservatives pretend to care about health care in this country, let us look at their actions: spreading false narratives about health care projects and preventing important health care studies from taking place.