 Good afternoon, I'm Adrian Dix, I'm BC Minister of Health, I'm joined by provincial and territorial health ministers. I'm honored to be here on the territory of the Musqueam, of the Sqwamish, of the Slave of Tooth First Nations. It's a pleasure to be here with you for the second day of the discussion with my colleagues, this time with my colleagues Minister de la Santé, and this time with the federal and provincial. The discussions today have been brought about by a number of aspects of the public health system. We are still at a fundamental moment in terms of important efforts that all provinces and all territories have deployed and continue to deploy to recruit and train and retain professionals of health. Today we had, as yesterday, significant changes in the health of the country. Today we have, as yesterday, significant changes in the health of the country. As yesterday, significant discussions about the touch on many aspects of our public health care system. We focused on the health workforce crisis and the efforts being made in every jurisdiction already announced, already established in terms of the source of money that would come forward in every jurisdiction to support health human resources, the staff, the doctors, the nurses, the health sciences professionals, the health care workers we need in the future. We also discussed digital health and health data, public health priority areas and applying lessons learned from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and substance use services, including efforts to address the opioid overdose crisis in many of our communities and our provinces. The significant effort made in these areas is something that I think we need to emphasize. And there are examples in every single jurisdiction. Decisions to open multiple new medical schools and thousands of new nursing spaces by provincial governments committed not for a year, not for five years but long into the future to fundamental change in the way that we fund public health care. Decisions such as the one we made in BC last Monday in agreement with the doctors of BC to fundamentally transform primary care, the efforts in every jurisdiction to improve standards and the quality of life in long-term care. To focus on community care to address the fundamental questions around mental health and addictions. These were the subject of our work. This is the work we've done over the last number of days and the last two days and it was very important to share that work with the federal government and to hear their perspectives on the health of the state. It was an honor for those efforts. It was, of course, an honor to have Minister Duclos and Minister Bennett here with us today. I want to thank, I want to mention now, I guess, the elephant in the room or in this case the elephant not in the room. And that is where we are right now and the end of our discussions today. The provincial governments have been making the case for a fundamental increase in the Canada health transfer. This has been happening for a year or a year. Provincial premiers and ministers have been calling for the federal government to come to the table and have a serious discussion about the future of public health care. Why is this a good idea? The need is obvious everywhere in the room, in every primary care clinic, in every ambulance service everywhere in Canada. And we're building on what I think has been a period of extraordinary cooperation between the federal government and provincial governments and territorial governments with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was our belief, certainly Premier Horgan's belief, all the Premier's belief, all the health care that we have in Canada and we have the time to act that we had to as we were coming out of the pandemic as the value of public health care demonstrated is worth everywhere in Canada. This was an opportunity to have this needed discussion because demand, the demand for services which we spoke up at length yesterday in every single jurisdiction was growing and the provincial governments were making long-term fundamental investments to address immediate, medium-term and long-term facing public health care in our country. As you know, for the last year the federal government has not responded to these requests for a meeting between the prime minister and premiers with respect to the Canada health transfer and that is disappointing but not discouraging because I believe the moment is so essential for public health care so important for public health care that we have to have this moment now and we have to continue to make the case to convince because Canadians understand its value, Canadians believe in public health care and Canadians want us to act. Yesterday, as all of you know because you were in this room we received some comments. I got a text about 1257 yesterday after we had our morning meeting and just before we were going to have a conference to suggest that the federal government was suggesting that there was more money going to be available under the Canada health transfer, the prime minister made some comments yesterday. He made some more today reflecting a number of, I suppose you could call them views about the issue. Minister Duclos said there would be more money available and they spoke of conditions and so on. We responded to that in this room, I think, favorably. Not because we agreed with all of it but because we saw the first signs of federal engagement on a subject that Canadians and provincial governments and territorial governments have been seeking engagement on for a year. We were very, I think, positive. We put the, as they say the best possible view on that announcement. It, of course, became the subject to the press conference as these things do for most of the time after we weren't discussing all of the work we'd done in the morning. You didn't ask about that. You were asking about the prime minister's comments and minister Duclos' comments and if I were a reporter I would have done the same thing. Last night we had a dinner meeting with minister Duclos and then today we had our meetings with all of the subjects that I spoke about. At noon today, as members of the media will be aware and everyone's aware, the premiers of BC and all the other provinces on the direction of the head of the Council of the Federation now, Premier Stephenson of Manitoba released a statement that said in some exactly what the premiers have said 1,420 or so times since in the last year we needed to be a national conference on the Canada health transfer that we couldn't move forward by small sound bites from the prime minister that we needed to move forward in a fundamental way together working together as we have done with such commitment over the last two and a half years. So this happened of course as the statement by the prime minister yesterday happened in the course of our discussions and we were working towards a communique and a proposed joint news conference which ordinarily one would have expected to have. The federal government expressed its disappointment I suppose, Minister Duclos and others with the decision of the premiers to reiterate their important position on the Canada health transfer and the federal government chose to withdraw participation from both the communique and the federal government to join us. I want to say that I find that disappointing. There is work to be done both on the Canada health transfer and a lot of other things and we have been doing that work in many cases doing that work together. Provincial jurisdictions are fundamentally changing and investing more in our healthcare system and to succeed in the long term. I am not discouraged. I am disappointed of course because I would much rather and you would have much rather had a press conference with all of us and Minister Duclos here where we could have had these issues aired together and we are going to continue and I'm going to continue tomorrow and all the days after tomorrow to work with Minister Duclos as are all of our provincial departments. It is not the result that Canadians expect and I'm disappointed that a communique that would reflect all of the things that we engaged with together today and a press conference that demonstrated our work together as well as the need for a major federal infusion of money into the Canada health transfer didn't take place but I am as I say not discouraged. We are going to succeed in this because we need to avoid to succeed in the future to build the healthcare system we need the federal government to increase its role and support for public healthcare and not as has been happening for too long diminish that role. We need the spirit that we came together with under COVID-19 to be the spirit that we come together with in addressing the issues around the Canada health transfer and I am convinced that if we continue to do this work if we continue to make the case we continue to engage with our federal colleagues the prime minister will agree to a first ministers conference on the Canada health transfer where the changes, the improvements and the efforts that Canadians demand of their public health care system are given expression and voiced by their leaders and we are going to continue to work every day to see that happens and we are going to continue to work on our response to primary care. I want to say finally that this is for anyone involved in healthcare pretty solemn times. We are going to have a very challenging and difficult winter. We know that respiratory illnesses affected the southern hemisphere we know they are going to affect us in Canada that we have already seen evidence of that and we are going to continue to work on our response to primary care. We are going to continue to work on our response to primary care. It is there for all to see challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic with respiratory illnesses in general and we are seeing the effect of that everywhere. So we are determined to continue to do that work. To respond to Canadians need for more healthcare at a time after two and a half years of work. But disappointment today of the response to the federal government there is no detail about the amount of money there is no detail about the route ahead of us and the government has decided after the decision of the provincial prime minister to represent and to present once again their position on the Canada health transfer and deciding not to participate and communicate on our work together. Personally, I am disappointed but not discouraged. We are going to have a fundamental determination to go ahead to do the work that is waiting for us. And we are going to continue to do this work together and I am very proud of the land and the provinces of the country. I am very much impressed , even more impressed for my colleagues and for the work we have done together for the past few years. Thank you very much. We are happy to take your questions. Thank you, minister. We will now take media questions from the room. and to whom your question is directed, you'll have the opportunity to ask one question and a follow-up. Very indicate votre nom, votre média et le destinataire de votre question. Vous aurez la possibilité de poser une question avec un suivi. Nous allons passer maintenant à la première question. Bonjour, Christian Noël de Radio Canada. Ma question s'adresse à Monsieur Dix et à Monsieur Dubé aussi, s'il vous plaît. Monsieur Duclos est pas avec nous aujourd'hui. Donc, ça signifie que les progrès auxquels les Canadiens s'attendaient ont pas eu lieu. Qu'est-ce que vous avez à dire aux patients aujourd'hui, à la maison, qui attendent pour des médecins de famille, qui attendent à l'urgence et qui voient que le gouvernement fédéral et les provinces sont incapables de s'entendre? Premièrement, que je dirais pas encore, mais le travail continue. Et on va s'efforcer à faire du progrès. Mais aussi, qu'au Québec, contre le nombre de techniques et partout au Canada, les efforts s'accélèrent. Et les provinces et les territoires s'accélèrent aux réponses à la crise actuelle. Et on a vu presque quotidiennement cette démarche de la part de toutes les provinces et tous les territoires du pays. Et ce travail continue. Ce travail essentiel continue. Et nous avons, nous espérons que le gouvernement fédéral, qui a fait un gros travail pendant la pandémie de la COVID-19 depuis 2 ans, va nous joindre. Et je pense qu'ils vont nous joindre, mais pas aujourd'hui. Et il y a une déception. Mais je veux dire à tout le monde que nous travaillons avec toutes nos forces, toutes nos forces de faire les changements nécessaires, les mesures nécessaires, que ce soit le plan de M. Dubé et le gouvernement du Québec, le plan du gouvernement d'Alberta, surtout sur la question des réserves humaines. Donc ce travail continue. Ce travail a beaucoup bénéficié de nos efforts ensemble et encore avec le gouvernement fédéral depuis 2 jours. Et nous sommes déterminés de continuer à faire mieux. Après 2 ans de pandémie, les défis sont énormes pour tout le monde. Et la réponse est énorme aussi. Et ce dont nous avons besoin, c'est du gouvernement fédéral qui va travailler comme le gouvernement fédéral a fait depuis 2 ans sur COVID-19, va travailler à nos côtés sur ces questions et en faveur des Canadiens en général. Merci. Tu es toujours un côté un peu plus optimiste. Même si on est déçu que ce soit pas le résultat qu'on attendait aujourd'hui, moi j'ai eu l'occasion avec tous mes collègues, des provinces, de voir comment on n'a pas attendu l'argent du fédéral pour faire avancer nos dossiers. Alors quand vous demandez comment les patients devraient réagir à ça, je pense que tous les Canadiens, puis je parle pour les Québécois, de voir qu'on attend de l'argent du fédéral qu'on a besoin, mais en ce moment on attend pas de faire les investissements nécessaires. Ça c'est important pour eux, de savoir qu'on va le faire. Maintenant, est-ce qu'on pourrait l'avoir plus rapidement cet argent-là pour faire d'autres actions qui sont encore plus importantes? La réponse est oui. Alors je vous dirais d'un côté, moi je pense que ce que je retire beaucoup de cette première conférence-là à laquelle j'ai participé, c'est de voir la force de la cohésion au niveau de toutes les provinces et les territoires, que ce soit l'Ontario, l'Alberta, les territoires, les maritimes. Tout le monde en a le même objectif, c'est de dire au fédéral, écoutez, on peut faire la job, mais en ce moment on a besoin de votre aide puis on a besoin de l'avoir sans condition, parce qu'en ce moment nous on attend pas des conditions. On fait des investissements qui sont souvent au-dessus de notre tête, qui sont beaucoup plus importants que ce qu'on devrait faire. Ça nous prend l'aide du fédéral. Alors aujourd'hui, il y a une déception, on va continuer à travailler comme Monsieur Dix le dit, et je pense que toutes les provinces vont pouvoir faire la même chose. En même temps que vous comprenez pas le sentiment du ministre fédéral qui, alors qu'il est en train de discuter avec vous, il y a un communiqué qui sort, qui dit qu'il n'y a pas de progrès, alors qu'il travaille, j'imagine, à faire des progrès. Est-ce que vous comprenez pas la frustration du gouvernement fédéral de voir une conclusion avant la fin? Monsieur Dix, je vais rester. Monsieur Dix-lau répond à ça. Mais la demande des premiers ministres et du conseil de la confédération, Monsieur Dix-lau, elle est claire depuis un an et demi. On n'a même pas été capable de savoir ni les montants, ni les conditions. Alors aujourd'hui, on a dit, on peut pas aller plus loin. Le fédéral a pris la décision de pas être là. C'est son choix. Merci beaucoup. Next question. Hello Ben Milger, CDV News Vancouver. Minister Dix, we heard from a deputy minister from the federal health minister's office that the sticking points for them were the fact that the provincial and territorial ministers could not agree to the health and human resources and the digital health and health data items that were part of the plenary. What were the sticking points for the ministers that caused you to not support those two? Well, first of all, there was going to be a communique and the reason there's not a communique, a common communique about our common work together is because the federal government didn't want to join the communique and that's disappointing. But it's not the most important thing. I mean, the most important thing on both those questions, every provincial jurisdiction has put forward massive investments as Denise Dubé has just said, often well comprehensive into the future. When you have provincial government starting new medical schools, that's an investment decades into the future. And so I'd say with great respect to the federal government, they need to join us in that. And I find and they made the decision to not participate here today and that's disappointing, but I don't think it's the most important thing. I think and I believe there's going to be a deal on the Canada Health Transfer and it's going to be a deal because we have every jurisdiction in the country, all 13, coming together to make fundamental and important and long-term investments in public health care, investments that will require the support of the federal government for us to be successful over a long period of time. Because in Canada, the federal government has the taxation powers or the disproportionate taxation powers and we have the jurisdiction and we're working within that jurisdiction. So I'm optimistic that we can make changes. The idea that the federal government wasn't working on a communique until they were unhappy about the Premier's announcement today. I mean that's just what happened. And fair enough, they didn't like that the Premier's reiterated their position on the Canada Health Transfer. That's entirely fair of the federal government to do and their expression. But I think it's disappointing. I'm not sure it sends the best message. But in any event, I'm not concerned about that. We're just going to continue to do the work to build out our health care system to make the massive investments required, the ones that you've seen in the last few weeks in BC and countless other jurisdictions in the country. We're just going to continue to do this work. But the idea that there was some sticking point in the morning when what happened, and I would say disappointingly, is we were going to reflect on the work done and the work that has to be continued to do on those subjects and others. And they're not here. But it's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that we deliver care for Canadians. And we come out of this meeting as provincial and territorial governments and in our discussions with the federal government, stronger because of our cooperation, our work together. Follow-up? Well, you and the other territorial and provincial ministers and the Premier's engaged in finger-pointing with Ottawa. It is frontline workers and patients who continue to suffer. So after today, what do you say to patients and their families who are not getting the health care they expect? Well, with great respect, it's on behalf of those patients that we're making the case for a fundamental federal investment in public health care in our country. The necessity of that has been demonstrated in the pandemic and before that we cannot, when one of the partners is playing a smaller and smaller role, make the progress we need to make. But what I would say is this, we're making the changes. Last week, we talked about this yesterday, so I apologize for repeating it. But on last Monday in BC, we put forward a fundamental reform to primary care, $704 million annualized in the third year for that reform of primary care that we worked on with the province's doctors. That's investment. You look at the plan put forward by other ministers, the foundational work in our territorial governments on cultural safety, the work on health human resources, more nurses in Alberta, more nurses in Saskatchewan, more nurses in Manitoba, more nurses in Ontario, more nurses in the territories, more nurses in British Columbia, more nurses in New Brunswick, more nurses in Nova Scotia, PEI in Newfoundland, more nurses everywhere. That work continues, because nurses have told us we need to train more nurses, and we are. That we need to make workplaces safer, and we are. That we need to make pathways easier for internationally educated nurses, and we are. Now the federal government can help in some of those things. We talked about them today. But I think that we need to continue to do that work. Those are the things that matter to people. And when we put in new safety systems in our hospitals for nurses, that's progress, and that's what people want to hear. And they're going to hear from provincial governments right through that progress. And I believe, ultimately, we're going to hear from the federal government that they're going to support that with more resources as well, because it is the right approach for now to invest in frontline workers. And I remind you that Kaihai keeps statistics of that. It's called the Canadian Institute for Health Information. We as provincial governments are spending less money on administration and more money on frontline care, in spite of the demands of the pandemic and the incredible demands of delivering healthcare in a vast country such as this. And so when people ask, where's the money going? Is it going to go to healthcare? You bet it's going to go to healthcare. It's always gone to healthcare. And it will again. Next question. Richard Osborne Global BC. This is for Minister Dix and Minister Jones. Toronto's public health board today asked for the province to consider urgently exploring reissuing mask mandates starting with local schools. So for Minister Dix, is it something BC would consider? Minister Jones, the call came from Ontario. Is it something that would be considered there? Thank you. As we always have, and we will continue to do, we have very much relied on our medical experts, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, of course, in Ontario, Dr. Kieran Moore, and his expert advice. We will continue to do that. The input from Toronto Medical Officer of Health is important and part of that conversation. But in Ontario, of course, we have 34 public health units. So we'll continue to get that feedback and rely on experts like the Chief Medical Officer of Health in Ontario, Dr. Moore. Thank you. And I'd only add to that, I think, and this is true in every jurisdiction. The need for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and against influenza continues to be high. In all jurisdictions, we see something of the same thing, which is that those who've been already received their booster dose are anxious to get their second booster dose and are. The people that we really need to reach are the people who have been vaccinated twice, often more than a year ago, and need to get their booster dose of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. So I really encourage that. With respect to public health orders, we do follow the guidance of our public health leaders in British Columbia on those questions. But, you know, I want to also express my support for everyone who uses masks in indoor public spaces. Sometimes it's necessary. We're giving a press conference today. Obviously, we want to express ourselves. But, as well, there are circumstances when people... the guidance is to use masks and that they should strongly consider doing that. And certainly, all of the evidence is being reviewed and is always reviewed every day by Dr. Henry and her teams in BC in the same way as it is in Ontario and other jurisdictions. Follow-up? I'm good. Thanks. Next question. Hi, Justine Hunter from the Global Mail. The agenda for today said that you're going to be... I'm going to take this off so we don't get any feedback. You were asked to approve a Pan-Canadian Action Plan on health human resources. That didn't happen. And I'm wondering what specifically was wrong with that plan? Well, with respect to the federal position, what we have said, what we consistently said and we laid forward to our position is that we needed action and we've made that case on the Canada Health Transfer that we were, as each province, putting forward full health human resources plans that we are developing and there's a significant role for the federal government and we had a discussion of that and there's no agreement yet on going forward on some of those things but many of the actions within those plans are happening both at the federal and provincial level. So we did that work together today on that subject, but not just on that subject, on other subjects. And we would have responded and given sort of an assessment of the work going forward, which is that we're taking action on health human resources together and discuss what those actions would be. Taking action on issues of data, see what those actions would be and taking action obviously together on COVID-19. So that's the work we're doing, but let's be clear, we would have been here discussing those very questions with you with the federal government to participate and that's the way it goes. But the fundamental question for public health care in Canada, given the massive investments currently being made in every jurisdiction in health human resources, is whether the federal government will be with us or not in that effort and we're optimistic that they will be. Follow-up? Hi, Camille Baines with the Canadian Press. Hi, Camille. Apart from the Canada Health Act, individual provinces and territories have made deals with the federal government and money came with that. Would you be willing to do that now? Was that even part of discussions outside of the Canada Health Act? Well, I think you mean the Canada Health Transfer. Yeah, sorry. What's required now and we've been pretty clear for a year and we understood as a result of yesterday's series of sound bites on this question that the federal government saw that interest as well in a fundamental increase in the Canada Health Transfer which has declined over time as a share of health care funding. And so from our perspective, that issue is fundamental and we had understood, at least as recently as yesterday, the federal government understood that too. So what we need is a pathway forward. I mean, the federal government can come and totally defend its position. There are not preconditions for that discussion from us. Our premiers and the Prime Minister can have a First Ministers Conference and a frank exchange and we hope come out of it with a historic agreement on the Canada Health Transfer and that's what we're seeking. So, you know, there's always this you know, the federal government doesn't talk to us for months and then announces something in the budget and says well, take it or leave it. That's the kind of approach and that approach is not worthy of this moment. This moment when our health care systems need a fundamental change in the Canada Health Transfer. This moment when we need to come together because health care workers and Canadians need us to come together and that's why we are going to continue to seek a fundamental discussion about how we finance and support health care in Canada. And from our perspective, we are going to continue to make investments even investments in the long term maybe beyond our capacity without a change in the Canada Health Transfer because frontline workers and Canadians deserve that. We're going to continue to do that work and but what we see as of greatest value is that discussion around the Canada Health Transfer and we're very optimistic and today, yesterday the day before yesterday ultimately the absolute need of Canadians for that to happen will be reflected in the action of the federal government. In any event, provinces have never been more united about what the needs of our health care system is never been more united together in what we need to do and what you're going to see and have seen are the provinces and territories across the country who have come together with one voice at a crucial moment in the history of our public health care system and sought a national meeting with the Prime Minister. It's time the Prime Minister said yes to that. He is an experienced, talented and able leader. I think he's been in post longer than any other First Minister. I know he can handle a meeting but we need him to have one. Follow-up. Yes, immediate concerns of parents looking for meds for their children. What can you tell them apart from what we've heard recently about labeling issues? Can you assure parents that there will be supplies available on shelves when they need them? There are significant issues and it's one of the issues that we discussed today with Minister Duclos and I want to say that he's making significant efforts as are we including I think daily discussions with manufacturers to improve access. We obviously want to ensure that people aren't hoarding scarce supplies and that's an important message to get out to people but we also need to clearly address issues around the supply chain. So both provincial governments and in this case because it's a supply chain issue that's national and international the federal government are very involved in this question. Minister Duclos, I'm sure when he has his press availability shortly right here, he's taller than me. We'll speak to that matter if you ask him and but we're working together directly with manufacturers with one another to ensure as much as possible we can address. It's a real, very real issue for parents and one that I hear about every day and we're working on every day to try and fix working with the private sector and with all levels of government. Next question. Hi Minister Mike Crawley from CBC. Hi Mike. I've heard from you and from Minister Duclos about how important it is that the healthcare system be improved that this is what Canadians want, this is what Canadian healthcare workers want. It takes to detango though so what responsibility do you take or do the provinces take for the fact that this fell apart? Well I don't think things have fallen apart but we're not having a joint news conference and we're not having a joint communicate but our determination to see change and to see a change in the Canada Health Transfer continues and that work continues and yesterday as they say the Prime Minister and the Federal Minister of Health indicated an unknown that they were interested in adding an unknown amount of money in an unknown process to the Canada Health Transfer that is a sound bite further ahead than we were on Sunday and we have to take such progress where we can. What I can tell you though is that we've worked together over the last two days and the last day with the Federal Minister we are making in progress unimportant files but this question of the Canada Health Transfer is foundational and we believe that it requires a meeting of Prime Ministers and Premiers. Why? Because you need everybody in the room you need Prime Ministers and Premiers and Finance Ministers from our territories, our provinces and the Federal Government together in a room to come to an agreement on critical issues and all the work that would lead into that and I encourage the Prime Minister to take that action, to take that step and he hasn't yet but the key word he hasn't yet and so we're going to continue to do the work necessary and I think the value of having 13 jurisdictions united on not just this question but on the fundamental actions we're going to have to take together. Jurisdictions that are spending making the long-term investments now I think that demonstrates uh our goodwill we're going to keep doing that because our citizens need it, our patients need it our workers and health care professionals need it so we're going to keep doing that and I believe we're going to inspire the Prime Minister to come and have a First Ministers Conference with a Federal Government which should want to be part of this fundamental reform and we need them there with their commitment to the Canada Health Transfer that they come and they'd be part of that reform so disappointed and optimistic. Follow up? If you're saying things didn't fall apart in a different way what was actually accomplished here and what responsibility are you going to take for what little was accomplished during this actual meeting because I don't know that Canadians are going to see a single extra improvement to their health care system out of what you guys did these last two days. I think it's important with respect to that fundamental question of the Canada Health Transfer Mike that we continue to push and do the work because that is going to be foundational to a lot of the good work we do from years to come so continuing to make that effort, continuing to push for the premiers to continue to make it their top priority for to hear at least some acknowledgement of that from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health that's a movement forward on that important question but on top of that the progress we're making on issues of credentials between jurisdiction and within jurisdiction. The progress we're making on health human resources the common effort because remember improving pathways which is part of the work we're doing the practical work we're doing for international health professionals and international health graduates is only part of the task. We have to also increase our capacity domestically here in Canada and that means all jurisdictions working together to make that happen this week that's why you had a United Community yesterday that's why we're doing that work together that's why we're doing that work together every day and that's why we want the federal government to be part of that work especially by increasing the Canada Health Transfer so lots of progress in all of those key areas in particular health human resources but others that we're doing together and that work is going to continue and I must say the challenges are going to continue to be profound for our country they're going to continue to be profound for our country this is going to be a very difficult fall in winter for health care workers because of the COVID-19 pandemic because of other respiratory illnesses because winter is always tough in Canada for health care and we are going to continue to work with whoever wants to work with us and that includes the federal government or anybody else to respond to those issues urgent action in the short term urgent action in the medium term urgent action in the long term and it appears we have no questions on the zoom line so we'll go to our final question in the room good afternoon Moira Whiten with the Tai Yi Hi Moira Hi Minister we haven't seen each other in person in ages it's actually been three years in this room exactly but I know your voice now I see you in person which is great well thank you good to see you yesterday the urgency of your meeting here to ensure access to health care for Canadians was underscored from the BC coroner service 171 people were killed by toxic drugs in September can you share the nature of your discussions on ending the toxic drug crisis in Canada this week and what do you say to families who are so desperate for this crisis to stop killing their loved ones so Moira I'm going to ask Minister Malcomson Minister Malcomson to speak to that we had significant sessions on both days chaired by Minister Malcomson and today Minister Malcomson to respond thank you Minister Dix and I want to thank again my colleagues behind the solidarity the unanimity of effort across the country working on mental health and addiction issues was there are a lot of very powerful stories told in the room this is the first meeting of the health ministers that has involved mental health and substance use so many since my ministry was established five years ago two other provinces both Manitoba and most recently Alberta have established standalone ministries as BC did and now that we have a federal counterpart in Minister Carolyn Bennett and virtually every province has some form of a specialized assigned area of mental health and addictions the conversation was really moving to hear people's recognition of the loss of lives to addiction and substance use across the country Yukon had a lot of stories as did all the provinces about the terrible loss of life to drug toxicity and the range of new healthcare supports that are being stood up some provinces don't yet have supervised consumption sites but have plans to put them in place every province is building out their system of addiction treatment beds in every and the federal safer programs that are pushing out prescribed safe supply available in many provinces and then BC's prescribed safer supply program is still alone in Canada but in every case every province discussed their work to expand that system of care I'll make a special note though of the countries in Nunavut which we're clear to say that although some of their residents living in Southern Canada have indeed lost their lives to toxic drug supply what they're seeing in the north particularly is a suicide crisis and a real entrenched problem with alcohol and across the country the addiction treatment beds that we are building don't discriminate or they don't specialize often so when we're talking about building a system of care it may well tend to somebody's alcohol challenge that originated in trauma may be attending to somebody's opioid addiction or risk of overdose from drug toxicity again resulting from trauma or other childhood events and that was the tenor of the conversation in addition to prevention work investing early in youth mental health challenges across the board trying to get people connected with the care that they want follow up yes thank you a number of submissions for exemptions from sections 56 of the controlled drugs and substances act in BC have either been stuck in limbo or denied by Health Canada recently did those submissions namely from the drug user liberation front and the Victoria cannabis club come up in discussions and can you speak to anything you gleaned from Health Canada's perspective on those more bolder pilot project proposals I don't recall any conversation about any section 56 exemptions discussed at the table over the last two days any of my colleagues could certainly correct me on that of course British Columbia was very pleased to have the Health Canada approval of our section 56 exemption to decriminalize people who use illicit drugs as a way of combating stigma and to take the corner and Dr. Henry's advice on one of the causes of loss of life is people hiding their drug addiction using illicit drugs alone and dying alone in this particular climate but that's very specific to British Columbia's intentions and that's the only application the BC government had advanced for section 56 exemption I hope that Dr. Minister Bennett is available for media avail this afternoon she could speak to those more specifically thanks that concludes the questions for today's event thank you very much everyone thank you