Mr. Speaker, I know that the Liberal Party will want to clap just as hard after I have asked my question.
My question is for the Minister of Health. The minister responded earlier to a question by saying that she had the health of Canadians at heart, and I believe her.
Given that tobacco use costs Canadians and the health care system directly and indirectly over $15 billion a year and costs the lives of some 37,000 Canadians, will the Minister of Health state in the House today, directly to Canadians, whether she is against lowering the taxes on tobacco products or whether she is for it?
If she is for lowering taxes, will she indicate how her government will compensate provincial governments whose health care costs will clearly rise?