Bill C-356

1st Session, 41st Parliament,

60 Elizabeth II, 2011

house of commons of canada

BILL C-356

An Act respecting a National Strategy for Dementia

Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are progressive, degenerative diseases of the brain that result in impairment of thought processes and memory and changes in abilities and behaviour;

Whereas Alzheimer’s disease erodes independence and eventually cause death;

Whereas in Canada there are more than 500,000 people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias;

Whereas, as Canada’s population ages, the number of Canadians diagnosed with these diseases is expected to double within a generation;

Whereas research remains the key to finding a cure and early diagnosis and support for treatment can lead to positive health outcomes for persons with any form of dementia and can have a positive impact on the family and friends who provide care for them;

And whereas the Government of Canada, in consultation with the ministers responsible for the delivery of health services in each province and territory is encouraging the development of a national strategy for the care of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, as well as their families and caregivers;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the National Strategy for Dementia Act.

INTERPRETATION

2. In this Act, “Minister” means the Minister of Health.

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL DISCUSSIONS

3. Within 30 days after this Act comes into force, the Minister must initiate discussions with the provincial and territorial ministers responsible for health for the purpose of

(a) developing, in conjunction with provincial and territorial departments responsible for health matters, a comprehensive national plan to address all aspects of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD);

(b) developing, in conjunction with provincial and territorial departments responsible for health matters, specific national objectives in order to improve the situation of persons with ADRD and decrease the burden of ADRD on Canadian society, undertaking an annual assessment of Canada's progress in meeting these objectives and providing Parliament with an annual report based on this assessment that includes recommendations as to which remedial actions should be given priority;

(c) establishing a standing round table to receive input and advice from Canadians from all walks of life on the development and implementation of a national strategy;

(d) taking the measures necessary to accelerate the discovery and development of treatments that would prevent, halt or reverse the course of ADRD;

(e) encouraging greater investment in all areas of ADRD research, and in particular, basic and applied research on brain imaging, biomarker discovery, disease mechanisms, therapeutic targets and pathways and translational therapeutic applications;

(f) coordinating ADRD in clinical populations, and ensuring the inclusion of populations at higher risk for ADRD, and those least likely to receive care, in this research;

(g) coordinating with international bodies to contribute to the fight against ADRD globally and building on Canada's existing contributions in this field — including the Canadian Distributed Neuroimaging Platform (CBRAIN), the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and the Ontario Health Study — through outreach and consensus building;

(h) developing and disseminating emerging clinical diagnostic and treatment guidelines based on new research;

(i) assessing and disseminating best practices for improving the quality of life of people with dementia and their caregivers, including greater integration of care, chronic disease prevention and management and community support and community-care coordination to minimize familial impacts;

(j) developing and disseminating information on the importance of prevention, early intervention and management of ADRD to health care professionals as well as the general public;

(k) making recommendations to the Minister on ways to support and strengthen Canada's capacity to care for persons with dementia by

(i) increasing the availability of specialists, including geriatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists and advanced practice nurses, with specialized knowledge of dementia,

(ii) improving the diagnostic and treatment capabilities of all frontline professionals,

(iii) making the best use of general and specialized resources through interprofessional collaboration,

(iv) supporting patient self-management and caregiver participation in care coordination, and

(v) augmenting the capabilities of the voluntary sector through investment and training; and

(l) making recommendations to the Minister in respect of the development of national guidelines for standards of dementia care that are founded on evidence-based best practices in person-centered care delivery and daily programming.

4. In carrying out his mandate under section 3, the Minister must consult with basic and clinical researchers, family caregivers, government agencies, health care professionals and other care providers, the lay advocacy sector and, in particular, the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

ADVISORY BOARD

5. (1) The Minister must establish an advisory board and appoint no more than 20 members to hold office during pleasure for a term not exceeding three years, which term may be renewed for one or more further terms.

(2) The Minister must appoint one of the members as Chairperson of the advisory board.

(3) The board must advise the Minister on any matter related to the health care of persons afflicted with ADRD.

(4) The Minister may appoint any person with relevant knowledge or experience to the advisory board, including persons from the

(a) federal, provincial and territorial departments responsible for health matters;

(b) Alzheimer Society of Canada; and

(c) medical field.

(5) The members of the advisory board are to be paid, in connection with their work for the advisory board, the remuneration that may be fixed by the Governor in Council.

(6) The members of the advisory board are entitled to be reimbursed, in accordance with Treasury Board directives, the travel, living and other expenses incurred in connection with their work for the advisory board while absent from their ordinary place of residence.

(7) The Chairperson may determine the times and places at which the advisory board will meet, but it must meet at least four times a year.