Okay, fine. Thank you very much.
Slipping across now to, I guess it's a hobby horse, but it's also critical for all of us, there isn't a member of Parliament, certainly around this table, and most Canadians, who don't share a concern with regard to health care in Canada. There are many, many options out there. In many cases we live in a falsehood that we have nothing but the best in the world when in reality we have many jurisdictions that can claim to provide better health care for less money. There is no doubt there is room for improvement. There is a way that we have to look at how we're going to do that, how we can improve health care services while certainly controlling the cost.
I think we're well aware that this government in particular, over the past number of years, has put the escalator clause at 6% per year to 2016-17, with the recognition that health care in its present direction is just not sustainable.
I can recall being involved earlier when health care took about 23% or 24% of the provincial budget in Ontario. Now it's upwards of 48%. It certainly is not sustainable going forward. There has to be some acknowledgement that we have to have some significant changes.
I've been at round tables. I've listened to medical professionals all over and they, quite frankly, are in concurrence with this, so everybody's looking for that solution.
I'm pleased to say that most of the provinces are actually heeding this. My understanding is that their expenditures are going up in the range of 3% to 4% even while we're contributing 6%. Of course, that escalator will slow in 2017 and on. I understand that we are still committed to a base of 3% plus inflationary measures in there.
Going forward, is what I've said here a true assessment of the reality of the situation? This is what I'm being led to believe by all the professional people I'm dealing with, both in my riding and around the country, but I'd like to have the official version on behalf of Finance.