What you're telling us is interesting. In a way, you've gone to the heart of the matter as regards assistance for the provinces as well as the organizations working with youths to make them aware of better living habits and physical fitness. But you provide a little more than a mere summary of the situation. This issue is clearly the responsibility of the provinces, not the federal government.
You want to be networked with the provinces to discuss objectives that you want to achieve, and I can understand that. However, Quebec has $400 million over 10 years to combat obesity. In each province, a number of departments are involved. It's already difficult and complicated, in agriculture and education, to ensure that the measures are applicable and applied.
I'm quite pleased to have heard you today, but I don't think the solution is to create a national program aimed at integrating all the measures of the provinces. Instead I think that there could be exchanges of information among the provinces, and nothing more.
Quebec has implemented a child care program, but was subsequently told that they wanted to create a national child care program. However, with 200,000 child care spaces, Quebec is definitely one step ahead. Standards and ways of doing things can't be imposed on it.
We know very well that, in cases where the federal government comes to us with a national standard or structure, it may be difficult for organizations to get subsidies if their programs don't meet the new objective. You know what I'm talking about.
I'm always a bit afraid of this kind of situation because it involves bureaucracy. There is a niche for providing the provinces with better assistance. Here I'm talking about the Canada Social Transfer. Cuts have been made to education for a number of years, but if the schools have more money, they'll do more in that field. From what I've heard, the provinces have moved into action against the obesity problem. Quebec has invested $200 million, and the Chagnon Foundation another $200 million over 10 years.
Very specific measures have already been taken in Quebec, for example, to eliminate poor food in the schools, to improve living habits and to change certain approaches to food and physical education in the schools. Groups are involved.
Don't you think it's good to discuss those matters, but that adopting a comprehensive structure or national plan for acquiring better living habits isn't what will resolve the matter?