This House of Commons Health Committee meeting studied antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Appearing were professors Dao Nguyen, Joseph Rubin, and Scott Weese, along with David Wiens and Scott Ross of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, René Roy and Egan Brockhoff of the Canadian Pork Council, and Tracy Fisher of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
Professor Dao Nguyen, a physician and researcher, argued that Canada is not equipped to handle the rising AMR crisis, noting that diagnostic tests take days, forcing antibiotic use by guesswork. She called for greater strategic funding for research and innovation, specifically citing that the CIHR's AMR initiative receives only $1.8 million per year compared to $21 million for HIV/AIDS, and recommended strong federal leadership, such as an AMR czar, to coordinate action across sectors and jurisdictions.
Professor Joseph Rubin, a veterinary microbiologist, stated that Canada has an incomplete picture of AMR, with good surveillance in agricultural animals through CIPARS but large gaps in companion animals, imported foods, and wildlife. He recommended developing more active antimicrobial stewardship strategies for companion animal veterinarians, as passive education is insufficient, and urged Canada to assist low- and middle-income countries in building regulatory and diagnostic capacity to combat the global threat.
Professor Scott Weese, an infectious disease veterinarian, emphasized that AMR is a complex "one health" problem but warned that waiting for a perfect one-health approach can slow action. He argued that the true problem is antimicrobial use driven by poor health, not just resistance, and that innovation should focus on improving animal health through vaccines, nutrition, and management. He called for action-oriented surveillance and sustained, long-term political commitment beyond election and granting cycles.
David Wiens, a dairy farmer and director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, stated that farmers are committed to antimicrobial stewardship but face a critical shortage of veterinary health tools due to regulatory barriers that discourage manufacturers from the Canadian market. He noted that a coalition white paper identified solutions, and while Health Canada's consultation on relying on foreign regulators is a welcome first step, it does not address many long-standing barriers to accessing vaccines, feed additives, and other products.
René Roy, chair of the Canadian Pork Council, said the pork sector has eliminated preventive use of category I antimicrobials and has strong stewardship programs, but is hitting walls with access to veterinary medicines and a shortage of swine veterinarians. He recommended regulatory agility to speed up drug approvals by harmonizing with international jurisdictions, a biosecurity tax credit for farm modernization, and increased federal investment in veterinary education and rural digital infrastructure.
Tracy Fisher, president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, stated that veterinarians are gatekeepers of antimicrobial access but face a 40% decline in licensed veterinary medicines since 2017. She warned that Health Canada's proposed reclassification of antimicrobials could reduce access to less important veterinary drugs, forcing the use of those more important to human medicine. She recommended integrating veterinary expertise into policy development early, streamlining regulatory pathways for vaccines and alternatives, and investing in one-health research and stewardship tools like the CVMA's Firstline app.
Egan Brockhoff, chief veterinary officer for the Canadian Pork Council, argued that comparing Canada's livestock sector to the European Union is unfair due to different subsidy and housing environments, and that Canada is more similar to the US, Mexico, Australia, and Brazil. He stressed that regulatory flexibility is critical to make Canada an attractive market for innovation in vaccines and feed additives, and that agriculture is an easy target in the AMR discussion despite having eliminated growth-promotion use and participating in robust surveillance and audit programs.
Scott Ross, executive director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, confirmed that the coalition white paper on barriers to veterinary health tools can be tabled with the committee, and noted that it is being considered for updating in light of recent red tape reduction efforts.
The meeting opened with the election of Maxime Blanchette-Joncas as second vice-chair of the committee.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.