Mr. Speaker, as a member of this House and as a public figure, my response to items I read, particularly in some papers, is not always reflective of the actual thrust or intent of what was written. It is good to have the opportunity to say straight out what positions we hold without having it go through the sieve and the contortion which can happen in the media.
I will repeat what I mentioned in my speech. Reform's bottom line is that we would like a medicare system which guarantees access to needed health care for all Canadians regardless of their ability to pay. That is our bottom line and it is what we are seeking to find. The system right now is crumbling and the federal government refuses to recognize this fact.
People are on the streets striking because of federal funding cutbacks. We say that the federal government does have a place in funding medicare and ensuring the health care of Canadians. The funding should be predictable and constant. It should not be, as it has been, something that is being continually eroded through time so that the provinces cannot themselves make the plans and create the necessary approaches for proper health care. There should be a place for federal government funding but it should be predictable and sustained over time so that it becomes what is needed by the provinces to make their plans to meet the needs of the public.
Beyond that, we believe that health care needs to be looked at and certainly opened to public scrutiny through discussions with the various stakeholders and the provinces. In that way we can find the means that will actually create a system that will be there for all Canadians not only today but in the future. Right now that is not the case and it will not be the case unless we open up health care to the scrutiny of those people who are involved in it.