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Bill C-233

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First Session, Forty-second Parliament,

64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-233
An Act respecting a national strategy for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
FIRST READING, February 25, 2016

Mr. Nicholson
421167


SUMMARY

This enactment provides for the development and implementation of a national strategy for the health care of persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Available on the House of Commons website at the following address:
www.ourcommons.ca


1st Session, 42nd Parliament,

64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-233

An Act respecting a national strategy for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

Preamble

Whereas Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are progressive, degenerative diseases of the brain that result in impairment of thought processes and memory, as well as changes in abilities and behaviour;

Whereas Alzheimer’s disease erodes an individual’s independence and eventually causes death;

Whereas there are more than 747,000 Canadians living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia;

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

Whereas research, collaboration and partnerships remain the key to finding a cure, and early diagnosis and support for treatment can lead to positive health outcomes for people 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 should encourage the development of a national strategy for the care of people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, 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

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the National Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Act.

Interpretation

Definition of Minister

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

National Strategy on Alzheimer’s Disease and other Dementias

National strategy

3 (1) The Minister or delegated officials, in cooperation with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments responsible for public health, must develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to address all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that includes, among other things,

  • (a) developing specific national objectives in order to improve the situation of persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and decrease the burden of those diseases on Canadian society;

  • (b) encouraging greater investment in all areas of research related to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and in particular the areas of biomedical and clinical research as well as research relating to health systems, health services and population health;

  • (c) coordinating with international bodies in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia globally and building on Canada’s existing contributions in this field;

  • (d) assisting the provinces in developing and disseminating emerging clinical diagnostic and treatment guidelines based on new research;

  • (e) assisting the provinces in assessing and disseminating best practices for improving the quality of life of people suffering from dementia and their caregivers, including greater integration of care, chronic disease prevention and management as well as coordination of community support and care aimed at minimizing familial impacts;

  • (f) assisting the provinces in developing and disseminating information, to health care professionals as well as to the general public, on the importance of prevention and management of and early intervention in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia; and

  • (g) making recommendations in respect of the development of national guidelines for standards of dementia care that are founded on evidence-based best practices in care delivery and daily programming focused on the needs of the persons suffering from those diseases.

Conference

(2) The Minister must, within 180 days after the day on which this Act comes into force, convene a conference with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments responsible for public health, basic and clinical researchers, family caregivers, health care professionals and other care providers, people suffering from dementia as well as representatives from the lay advocacy sector, the Alzheimer Society of Canada and other Alzheimer advocacy groups, for the purpose of developing the national strategy referred to in subsection (1).

Advisory Board

Appointment of members

4 (1) The Minister must establish an advisory board and appoint no more than 15 members to hold office during pleasure for a term not exceeding three years, which term may be renewed for one or more further terms.

Chairperson

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

Role of advisory board

(3) The board is to advise the Minister on any matter related to the health care of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

Representation

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

  • (a) representatives from the federal, provincial and territorial governments responsible for public health;

  • (b) representatives from the Alzheimer Society of Canada and other Alzheimer advocacy groups;

  • (c) health care professionals; and

  • (d) people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia or their caregivers.

No remuneration

(5) No member of the advisory board is to receive remuneration for the performance of their duties.

Meetings

(6) Meetings of the advisory board must be held at least twice annually, at times and places to be determined by the Chairperson.

Review and Report

Minister to report

5 Within two years of the coming into force of this Act, and every year after that, the Minister must prepare a report on the effectiveness of the national strategy, setting out his or her conclusions and recommendations regarding the strategy, including which national objectives should be given priority, and cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is completed.

Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons

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