Debates of June 3rd, 2005

James Bezan Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Lakeshore General Hospital in Ashern, Manitoba normally operates with six doctors to service over 10,000 rural residents, including five first nations communities. Over the past few years doctors have left and the last two doctors have finally retired. Now there are no emergency or clinical services available and patients have to travel over four hours to Winnipeg for care.

Under the government, health care in rural Canada has gone from hallway medicine to highway medicine.

Why has the health minister not used the fabled foreign accreditation program or developed a long term strategy to address the terrible doctor shortages in rural Canada?

Carolyn Bennett Minister of State (Public Health)

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has invested tremendously in the health human resources plan with the help of the Canadian Medical Association. We are also exploring many different ways of primary care.

In Beechy, Saskatchewan, where there were once three physicians, two have left. Now one doctor and three nurse practitioners equally look after those 4,000 patients.

We need to look forward to a new way of delivering health care, using telemedicine and everything else. With our partners in nursing and medicine and by working hard--

Joe Volpe Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, we have always had programs for workers who reach a certain age and who, unfortunately, find themselves between jobs. We have already set up programs in the last budget, and we are doing it again in this budget.

Don Boudria Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State for Public Health.

The United States Congress is still threatening to allow the bulk re-importation of pharmaceutical products from Canada back into the U.S., thereby threatening the medicine supply for Canadians.

I am asking the government again, when and how will it ensure that Canadians continue to have a safe supply of pharmaceutical products?

Carolyn Bennett Minister of State (Public Health)

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost we want to ensure that Canadians have access to safe and affordable drugs. We want to find ways to reduce the potential threats to supply and cost originating with online pharmacies. The Minister of Health is the first one who can take action to protect the safety and health of Canadians.

I can assure the hon. member that Health Canada is currently looking at ways to achieve this objective soon.

Paul Szabo Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, my point of order is pursuant to a matter that the member for Nepean—Carleton raised in question period for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

In the preamble of the question, and I believe it is against our rules, the member discredited the reputation of a member of the other place, made allegations of wrongdoing and attributed incorrect statements to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

That member has demonstrated a disturbing pattern of making allegations which ultimately have been proven to be false. He knows better. I believe the question should have been ruled out of order. I would ask the Speaker to please look at the evidence from the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates of yesterday afternoon which will show that the member is fully aware that the statements he made in this place today are totally false.

Pierre Poilievre Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should take issue not with me but with his public works minister who conceded all the accusations that I raised in the House of Commons. Yesterday in a committee of this Parliament, government operations committee hearings, his minister admitted that the senator had contravened section 14 of the Parliament of Canada Act.

I have the transcripts of that meeting and I would be happy to table them with you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, I merely repeated what the minister said about this situation. Furthermore, three letters from the Department of Public Works have confirmed that the senator is in contravention.

Mauril Bélanger Minister for Internal Trade

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of cooperation and in trying to be helpful, I would refer to the Speaker that not so long ago in a session in the House, the Speaker ruled a question from the member for Nepean—Carleton on the same topic out of order. The Speaker may wish to refer to that ruling and when it was done in order to not allow such questions in the House.

Jason Kenney Calgary Southeast, AB

Mr. Speaker, that case bears no relevance to the question put today, which deals with testimony before a committee of the House by the senator yesterday. It is therefore within the purview of the House and by the minister with respect to the senator. Therefore, it is perfectly legitimately to raise that in the House as it is a matter of record in a committee of the House.

Mauril Bélanger Minister for Internal Trade

Mr. Speaker, again in the spirit of trying to encourage greater civility and carefulness in the use of language, I would perhaps invite the member for Carleton—Mississippi Mills to be careful in terms of accusing members of the cabinet of misleading the House, which was a statement contained in his question.

Jay Hill Prince George—Peace River, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am sure you are well aware as we are that it is quite permissible to use the term “misleading”, but you cannot impugn that it was deliberate. That is what was in our questions.