Mr. Speaker, I think the member for Winnipeg South is smarting a bit from the fact that New Democrat MPs in Winnipeg held a public meeting on the MAI just last week and at the drop of a hat over 350 people attended, a sold-out crowd of people deeply concerned about the MAI.
The member does not want rhetoric. He wants a calm debate on this issue. We have been trying to have such a debate. I would like to ask the member for Winnipeg South a question regarding a matter relating to the health committee where we actually tried to have such a debate on guaranteeing that health care, medicare, would be protected from the MAI.
All we got from their side were voices from the BCNI and the Fraser Institute saying trust the Liberal government. There were no arguments, no accountability, no answers.
If this member and this government are so committed to maintaining medicare and believe it is not a threat in the MAI, why will they not agree to a complete exemption for health care in the MAI as opposed to the NAFTA reservations which evoke all kinds of concerns?