Madam Speaker, I listened with great interest to my colleague for Macleod. We had the opportunity of serving together on the Standing Committee on Health.
I would ask the hon. member what his definition of core is. He would know that there are criteria established presently from one province to another about what is included and what is considered outside those parameters.
Generally speaking, Canadians look on our medicare program as one that is accessible to all Canadians for good health care, regardless of their status in life. Surely my colleague is not suggesting that we should revert to a system that is dependent on how wealthy one happens to be, or a system such as the United States currently has, where we know there are literally thousands of people who are left outside the system.
I want to refer to one particular incident that I am well aware of regarding efficiencies. Of course we must change from time to time in order to be much more efficient. There is no question. That is why health care has to be upgraded continually from that perspective. That is exactly why the Prime Minister appointed the National Forum on Health to study that whole scenario.
Surely my colleague for Macleod is not suggesting that we open up to some other system, for example the system that is in the United States, which does not work. The medicare program is so important for all Canadians, and treats everyone from coast to coast on an equal basis.