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 Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization has identified five solutions needed to save more lives, including access to safe abortion services.

    Experts say that unsafe abortion is the most easily preventable and treatable cause of maternal death.

    Will Canada ensure that the next phase of the maternal health initiative is based on sound scientific evidence and not ideology? Will it include reducing the number of unsafe abortions that is putting women’s lives at risk around the world?

    Hon. Christian Paradis (Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie, CPC): Mr. Speaker, each Canadian can be proud because we reached a lot of good results. If I go, doubly over 700,000 more children lived to their fifth birthday in 2011 than in 2010; in over 125 countries, maternal death rates have declined sharply in the past five years; between 2010 and 2013, an estimated two million deaths from disease have been prevented and five million children have been treated by vitamin A; thousands of women have received antenatal care.

    We can be proud of this and under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we will keep on track on this.

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House of Commons

HANSARD

November 1, 2012

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):  

Mr. Speaker, the government has done nothing to investigate reports that people have suffered adverse drug reactions to prescription medications. Sadly some have even died.

It seems astounding that Health Canada is not following up on these critical issues of life and death, nor giving grieving families the answers they need.

These families deserve an explanation and accountability from the minister. What is her response and what will she do to ensure no further deaths occur?

Mr. Colin Carrie (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, CPC):  

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to patients who have had adverse drug reactions. Our government has taken a leadership role in working with the provinces and territories to develop ways that we can work with them to address this issue. We do see it as a very significant part of the Canadian health care system.