Mr. Chair, on behalf of my colleagues in the New Democratic caucus may I begin by extending our deepest sympathies to families and friends of the victims of the horrific crime recently committed in Nova Scotia and to all Nova Scotians who we know have been deeply affected by that senseless tragedy. We stand with you in your time of grief and send our most heartfelt thoughts of healing and support.
I think I speak for all Canadians when I say that we are experiencing a phenomenon of unprecedented and truly stunning proportions. Six months ago, if you had asked any citizen in any province or territory in the country whether they could conceive of a health crisis of such magnitude that it would be necessary to batten down our borders, isolate our communities, close our schools, shutter our businesses, quarantine our homes and focus our hospital resources on a single pathogen, no one could have imagined such a scenario. Yet here we are in the midst of just such a crisis.
The human and economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic has been as devastating as it was unforeseen. Today, on behalf of the New Democratic Party of Canada, I express our deepest condolences to all Canadians who have lost a loved one to this deadly virus. We extend our heartfelt thoughts to all those living in isolation and vulnerability and send our fervent message that you are neither alone nor forgotten. We convey our most profound gratitude to all those brave Canadians working on the front lines of this epidemic and to all those toiling to keep our communities stocked and running, often at risk to their own health and safety. Today, as we mark the National Day of Mourning, we take special note of all those workers who died on the job serving in this time of emergency. You are true heroes and your sacrifices and deaths will never be forgotten.
Although public health measures have forced us apart, Canadians have come together throughout this crisis in a manner that is truly extraordinary. Compassion, generosity and solidarity have been more contagious than the virus itself.
If the COVID-19 crisis has underlined one overarching issue, it is the immeasurable value of our cherished public health care system. Indeed, it is impossible to imagine the stress that Canadians would feel for their health and that of their loves ones and the additional economic anxiety they would experience if their access to health care depended on their ability to pay. Thankfully, we are spared that awful predicament.
Fifty years ago, it was the aspiration and dedication of Tommy Douglas and those inspired by him that built our present system, which ensures every Canadian can access physician and hospital care anywhere in this country as a matter of right.
Universal health care has become a hallmark of Canada, an institution cherished from coast to coast to coast, something that binds us together and comprises an achievement of which Canadians are most proud. It is the New Democrats' hope today that we will seize this moment in history to recognize this fundamental health, social and economic accomplishment and take this unprecedented opportunity to build on it.
It has been said many times in the last weeks and months that we should not waste a good crisis. Let us heed that advice.
Never again should Canadians be vulnerable to a shortage of personal protective equipment for our vital front-line health care workers or those who must deal with the public at a time of pandemic. Never again should we be dependent upon the vagaries of other nations, be it China or Donald Trump's America, for our essential medical equipment and supplies.
Never again should we leave millions of Canadians at the mercy of precarious employment-based health benefits where folks are one layoff away from losing access to life-saving medicine. Never again should a child with a rare illness or vulnerable condition go without their medicine because their family can't afford it. Never again should we witness a single senior citizen live or die in long-term care in disgraceful conditions, soil, neglect or indecency.
Let us cultivate a vibrant, made-in-Canada health industry for our national self-sufficiency and economic advancement. Let us act with haste to create pharmacare, the next phase of medicare, by adding prescription drugs and devices to our public health care system. Let us create national standards for long-term care, respected and enforced with a federal transfer to the provinces and territories contingent upon meeting high-quality standards, good wages and working conditions, and public delivery. Let us rapidly expand virtual care so that every Canadian can get access to quality services no matter where they live, especially those who live in rural or remote areas of our great country.
Let us get to work on the myriad other ways we can improve Canada's health care system, from dental care to community delivery, and smart investments in illness prevention like school nutrition programs.
As the minister said, we must remain vigilant. It is entirely possible, perhaps even a certainty, that this virus will come again until a vaccine is developed, either as an echo in the hall or in the form of another pandemic in the future.
Though I said at the outset of my remarks that this pandemic was unforeseen, that is not entirely accurate. Epidemiologists, researchers and others have been warning us since SARS 17 years ago that we must be prepared. As parliamentarians, let's respect that advice and dedicate our resources to becoming prepared. Let us learn the lessons from this crisis and use the precious time ahead of us to get ready. Let us invest in and expand our quality public health system, which has served us well to date but can and must do better in the future. We no longer can say we were not warned. As the economic shock of COVID-19 so vividly attests, illness and disease are much more costly than health and prevention.
A crisis such as what confronts us today delivers us the gift of understanding what is truly important in our lives. We know well there is nothing more important than the health of our loved ones. As parliamentarians, I think we are all united in our belief that our highest calling is the safety and security of those we serve. Let us not fail them in this duty.
Medicare was Parliament's legacy of the 20th century. Let's work together to build on that foundation by giving Canadians the best, most accessible and most comprehensive care possible. Let's make that this Parliament's legacy for the 21st century. Canadians deserve it.
As always, New Democrats are ready to get to work to help deliver it.