Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question.
I thank the minister for her reply. However it does not take a brain surgeon to figure out what is at the root of the financing problems of health care. The total health care bill in Canada is now over $70 billion with the provinces paying 46 per cent of that bill, individuals and private insurance companies paying about 28 per cent and the federal government now paying about 23 per cent. The federal government is no longer the senior partner in health care financing. It has become a junior partner.
Will the minister today admit that health care transfers are now insufficient to permit the provinces to meet the demands of the Canada Health Act? Will she commit to amend the act to give the provinces the flexibility they need to finance the major portion of the bill?