Thank you very much, MP Sidhu.
I think one issue is the ICU beds. We definitely have to increase the ICU capacity and then the surgeries can happen. Alongside the increase in ICU capacity, we need the staffing. That's where we're starting to fail. We don't have the nurses and the staff to manage the patients post-surgery. It's a very delicate balance right now.
I would just impress upon the committee overall that the disparity in various health systems to allow for budgets for clerical and nursing staff to try to manage the pressures that are on the hospital system is not necessarily helping the backlog of COVID cases. That's where cancer patients are suffering. It's harder for us to get tests when we know we need them. It's harder for us to get surgeries. We don't have nursing supports the way we used to. Again, we're being overloaded with the administrative tasks.
Whatever transfer payment comes, if you can ensure that certain amounts are there to allow for those services so that we can do our jobs, that would be very positive for the burnout rate.