Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak on the important issue of innovation in health care and to join today's debate on Motion No. 501, put forth by the hon. member for Nanaimo—Alberni.

I would like to start by acknowledging my colleague's long history in this place and his passion for this particular topic. I know it well and, as I said earlier, I applaud him for it. We all know that representing our constituents is a true privilege, and I know that he has worked hard to earn that privilege every day.

This motion focuses on an issue of critical importance for Canadians: the need for a strong, sustainable, and responsive health care system that provides high-quality, cost-effective care now and into the future. I think we can all agree that innovation will be an essential ingredient if we are to achieve that goal.

Our government is committed to a strong, publicly funded, universally accessible health care system. We are providing record levels of funding to the provinces and territories for the delivery of health care service through the Canada health transfer, and we have done this without raising taxes. This funding gives the provinces the financial predictability and fiscal flexibility they need to address their specific priorities and pressures.

Since we took office, the Canada health transfer has increased by almost 70% and will continue to grow each and every year, reaching $40.9 billion in 2019-20. Of course, we all know that money alone is not the solution to challenges facing Canada's health care system. This government recognizes the important role that innovation can play in maintaining a sustainable system that is responsive to the changing needs of Canadians.

Indeed, our government plays an important role, working with the provinces and territories, to make the most of our investments in health care and produce the best possible health care outcomes. The federal government is already the single largest contributor to health innovation in Canada, providing over $1 billion every year to support research and knowledge development. In addition, the federal government provides targeted initiatives to improve the monitoring of health system performance, support the establishment of electronic health records, and provide supports for residency positions and other challenges to the supply of family doctors.

Economic action plan 2015 has built on this strong record with additional investments of $13 million a year to expand the strategy for patient-oriented research and $14 million over two years for the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement to identify efficiencies in the health system. Through these investments, our government is actively working to harness the tremendous potential of innovation in health care.

It is essential that governments and the wider health care community make the best possible use of existing resources if we are to secure a more efficient, responsive, and financially sustainable health care system for the long term. That is why I was very pleased by the health minister's recent announcement of an advisory panel on health care innovation, which will look at areas of innovation that have the potential to address spending pressures while improving care and will recommend ways in which the federal government might better support innovation in key areas.

The panel, assembled by the minister, includes individuals from a variety of sectors and brings together a broad range of perspectives and expertise. Dr. David Naylor, who chairs the panel, is the immediate past president and former dean of medicine at the University of Toronto and is a highly respected leader and health researcher.

Neil Fraser, the president of Medtronic Canada, brings a strong business and engineering background to the panel and plays key roles in a number of Canadian organizations, including the Conference Board of Canada's Centre for the Advancement of Health Innovation.

Francine Girard, dean of the Faculty of Nursing Sciences at the University of Montreal, was a member of the Canadian Nurses Association's National Expert Commission in 2012 and is a leader in the nursing field.

Toby Jenkins, president of Columbia Developments, has wide experience in the public, private, and academic sectors and extensive past involvement in the governance of health care organizations.

Jack Mintz is a well-known, internationally recognized economist and tax expert. He is the director of the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy and past president of the C.D. Howe Institute.

Chris Power, the CEO of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, began her career as a nurse and was previously the president of Capital Health, Nova Scotia's largest regional health authority.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge Dr. Cy Frank, a member of the panel who, sadly, passed away in March. Dr. Frank served as president and CEO at Alberta Innovates Health Solutions and made many important contributions to the direction and future of health care innovation in Canada.

Over the past year, this impressive group of people met with provincial and territorial representatives, providers, patients, stakeholder organizations, industry leaders, researchers, innovators, and many others. It commissioned research and convened international experts to hear about high-performing health systems elsewhere. Throughout, the work of the panel has been guided by respect for the federal, provincial, and territorial roles in health, respect for the core values set out in the Canada Health Act, and a focus on evidence-based analysis and fiscal responsibility.

The panel sought and received a wide range of perspectives through extensive consultations, both in person and online. It heard from hundreds of groups and individuals. Indeed I understand that this has been a truly open process, in which all views were welcomed and considered.

Canadians were given the opportunity to share their health care experiences, what they have seen to be working well, and what they think needs improvement. Canadians were also asked about their ideas for positive change.

Stakeholders were asked to describe promising innovations and the supporting evidence for them, to identify strengths and weaknesses in Canada's current approach to innovation, and to propose avenues for improvement, with a particular focus on actions that the federal government might take.

In response, the panel heard about some of the challenges that impede the spread of innovations in Canada. It learned about successful innovations that are taking place in pockets across the country and the approaches that underpin them. The panel convened meetings from coast to coast to coast where it heard about a wide range of issues, including the power of patient engagement, and the unique health care challenges faced by first nations and those in rural and remote areas.

Recognizing that the advent of personalized medicine is rapidly changing the future of health care, the panel sought input on its potential contribution to higher quality and more efficient care. More broadly, the panel heard about the emerging pressures associated with population aging and the rising burden of chronic disease, and the need for a system that is able to adapt to remain responsive and sustainable in the face of these changes.

In a few short weeks, the panel will offer its advice to the Minister of Health, providing its analysis and proposing ways that the federal government could better align its efforts to foster and accelerate innovation in the Canadian health care system. I know that the minister is looking forward to reviewing what they have to say. The report and recommendations of the committee, to be published in June, will provide much food for thought about the steps the government should take in this area.

The Canadian federation is unique. Respect for provincial and territorial skills and responsibilities regarding the provision of health care and an understanding of the ways we can help at the federal level are key elements of our approach to innovation in the field of health care.

I would like to close my remarks by again recognizing the uniqueness of our Canadian health care system. Respect for the leading role that provincial and territorial governments play in health care delivery and an understanding of the kinds of contributions we can make at the federal level have been key factors in our approach to health care innovation.

I know that the Minister of Health is looking forward the panel's report and the discussion it will undoubtedly generate. We live in a world where technology is rapidly evolving, a world where we might in the future carry our genome around on our smart phones, Skype with our doctor, or use remote patient monitoring to help us stay in our homes for a little longer.

We need a health care system that is responsive to change, that is sustainable, and most of all that offers the best possible quality of care for Canadians. That is why I think it is important that we are having a debate on the best way to support innovation. Our government will continue taking the steps that we can, while respecting the province's jurisdiction over health care delivery and working within the public health care system under the Canada Health Act.

I look forward to hearing more from my colleagues on their thoughts regarding this motion, and I thank my hon. colleague for bringing it forward.

Laurie Hawn