Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We agree that a major helping hand is needed where health workers as a whole are concerned. Mr. McMillan said earlier that the problem was twofold: we need to recruit and maintain professionals.
You are very deserving. I worked in the health network for 30 years. I watched it being built and also fall apart. This is why I want to be sure I understand the message you are sending us today and to see whether it is practicable. The only convergence that I see in your presentations is that of saying that some authority that is responsible for supervising and coordinating our actions must be created. Ms. Fralick said earlier that everyone thought that the Health Council was going to do it, but this is not the case.
Should we not conclude that this should be done elsewhere?
I come back to areas of jurisdiction. The solution to the problem on which you are working so hard seems to me to be political in nature. Ms. Sholzberg-Gray represents 4,500 institutions and 1,100,000 workers, but these people are under provincial jurisdiction, for example, that of Quebec, under the authority of the personnel department of the provinces, etc. In Ottawa, however, 10,000 public servants are concerned with health and do not manage any hospitals.
Is the problem not political? I would not like you to think that we have understood. We agree with the objective sought, which is to remedy the situation and lend a helping hand. But I would like us to get on the right track, because we will have to discuss this among ourselves again. This is why I asked you whether you had worked in this connection with the corporations and associations in the provinces and Quebec.