I don't know if I'm able to comment on its traditional role, but I certainly agree that the federal government's role should not be limited to just writing cheques to provinces. There's an important role for setting national standards.
We are a bit late in the game, perhaps, but I certainly would encourage the federal government to reach out to provinces. It's something that provincial premiers were asking for when they met in Halifax not too long ago. Some provinces are starting to discuss bulk buying agreements of pharmaceuticals to reduce costs, and in fact the health minister has indicated interest in doing it for the areas of health care that the federal government is directly responsible for: aboriginal health and the Canadian Forces.
There are some areas for overlap, and we would encourage this committee to consider those when they develop their recommendations and take them to the Minister of Finance and when they have conversations with the Minister of Health.