Mr. Speaker, we should ask a taxpayer whether it is free.
The Prime Minister speaks in glowing terms about preserving our national health care standards. I will tell the Prime Minister what is really happening.
In Manitoba there is a waiting period of 61.7 weeks, way over one year, for hip replacement surgery. The national standard is 11.3 weeks. Where is the performance? How are we meeting our current commitments? What good are national standards if the provinces cannot deliver on them?
Is the government prepared to bring the Canada Health Act in line with the 1990s and give the provinces real control over medicine delivery and health care financing?