Debates of March 10th, 1998

Ted McWhinney Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs at this very moment is in discussion with the Secretary of State of the United States on measures to resolve the Kosovo crisis.

The measures announced are those that are within our present grasp, that is to say the termination of the export credits to the Export Development Corporation, the cessation of discussion of bilateral arrangements with Yugoslav airlines and the interdiction of any export of arms to the region.

Other measures can be discussed further. We are in continuing contact with countries in the region which are also directly affected.

I would ask the hon. member—

Ted McWhinney Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, that rests as a possibility, but I would also remind the hon. member that there are other countries not so far present in the resolution of the Bosnian issue that are involved. It may well be that the peaceful resolution will require widening the boundaries of discussions to include these too.

Pauline Picard Drummond, QC

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

Last week the minister stated that the provinces' priorities for health were not the right ones. Yesterday, the minister indicated that the priority was to establish a national home care program.

How can the minister responsible for billions of dollars in cuts in health care, via the Canada social transfer, be so arrogant as to contend that provincial governments have set the wrong priorities regarding health?

Allan Rock Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I identified what the priority was for the federal government, that is, to strengthen the health system in Canada, especially in the area of home care.

I said yesterday that, in the months to come, I intend to work with my partners at the provincial level, my provincial counterparts, to find a way to meet the challenge of home care and remedy obvious flaws in the current system in Canada. That is what the priority is for the Government of Canada.

Pauline Picard Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, are we to understand that, after infringing upon education with the millennium scholarship, the federal government is now set to repeat its feat in health with a national home care program, in spite of the fact that health is an exclusive provincial jurisdiction?

Allan Rock Minister of Health

Not at all, Mr. Speaker. It is not a matter of infringing upon a provincial jurisdiction. The federal government has an important role to play and we intend to play that role and honour it.

Allan Rock Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the issue is under consideration by my department and by the Department of Justice. Along with my colleague, we are reviewing all the aspects of the issue, particularly the use of marijuana for medical purposes. We hope to present our policy in the coming months.

Bernard Bigras Rosemont, QC

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary is for the Minister of Justice.

Will the minister recognize that, by refusing to take a stand and to assume her responsibilities in this matter, she is leaving it up to the courts to make the decision?