Thank you, Madam Chair.
Madam Minister, thank you for coming before the committee. With all due respect, I would ask you to give us clear, succinct and specific answers.
I would like to go back the matter of the Health Canada ombudsman. Are you going to establish the position, yes or no? That is my first question.
This is my second. The matter of transfers to the provinces is not going to go away; it is always going to be with us. Imposing the new funding formula unilaterally on provincial and territorial governments is going to deprive them of $36 billion. But the Prime Minister promised that there would be a 6% increase. In his Fiscal Sustainability Report 2012, the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that this funding formula would hurt the provinces and territories and would increase the pressure they are under. This would put our public, universal health care system at risk.
Why impose that funding formula despite the promise your party made to Canadians? Why conduct the war on the deficit on the backs of the provinces, as the Liberals did previously?
Your government also decided to make major cuts to the public service and your department was not immune. It is the fourth to have been affected. According to Treasury Board figures, we are talking about 1,416 jobs lost and annual cuts of over $300 million by 2014-2015. Not only did you refuse to provide the details to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, you have also refused to answer questions clearly.
We know that the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch has been severely affected. Your deputy minister has just said that organizations like the Assembly of First Nations, Pauktuutit, an Inuit women's organization in Canada, or other programs in research, education, nutrition and policy development would also be affected. I know that is not front-line care, but do you not think that all those cuts will have an impact on the promotion of Aboriginal health and, eventually, on their health itself?
Could you tell me, in whatever way you want to handle the question, what is going to prevent disease and save money in the health care system?
Thank you.