New Zealand, Australia, U.K. and now France—which just announced it is going to do this—have universal funding. Therefore, they can, from the federal position, support what is asked for or what is pointed out as vital to decrease the gap. In the U.K. and Australia, it takes eight years to be seen. We're much better than that. We're at 5.4 years, but that's old data. Maybe it has gone up to six.
We are doing some things right. We have universal care, but we don't have access. That is the problem. As well, we don't have people. Not everybody who goes to an endometriosis centre of excellence is waiting for surgery. It is diagnostic. Why is this not helping...so they get the super-duper imaging? They may get laparoscopic diagnosis and they may get treatment in a minor way, but no diagnosis. We do not, now, need to have a laparoscopy to make the diagnosis. We need the signs and symptoms. It's pelvic pain that is unadulterated and continues.
You need to fill in the gaps and get manpower. That manpower comes from the universities, medical schools, and obstetricians and gynecologists. There are three action plans with regard to seeing patients. There is the family doctor. Sometimes the family doctor is the local clinic. Sometimes the clinic is good and sometimes it's very full—or often. Then there is referral to a gynecologist. Often, the situation is very much improved, but that takes time. Finally, if they can't help, you go to the super-duper endometriosis specialist.
We must make sure there are enough of these across Canada, not just four, five or six in Ontario and two, three or four in Quebec. We don't all have that. We have one just starting now in Nova Scotia—