Mr. Speaker, some people are wondering why the government is not investing in home care today if it is so urgent.
The government knows full well that Canadians need help to provide care at home and in the community. That is why, in the last budget, it gave back $1.5 billion in transfer payments to the provinces for this year and that is also why, in the 1998 budget, it increased tax relief for caregivers, as promised.
Finally, it is why the government has invited Canadians as well as experts in home care from across Canada to meet in Halifax last week to discuss the measures that should be taken with regard to home care.
The message from the national conference on home care was very clear. Delegates agreed that a national approach is required in the area of home care. Participants at the conference have asked us to find the best solutions, not only the quickest. They want us to do things right.
The government started to work on that last year in response to recommendations by the National Forum on Health. We responded immediately by creating, for a period of three years, the federal-provincial-territorial fund for health services adjustment. Home care is one of four priority areas for evaluation and innovative projects.
We know that the provinces and territories provide home care services to their residents. However, we have a variety of standards, services, eligibility criterias, user fees and funding levels across the country. It is a complex situation.
There is a lot more work to be done. We have to form a partnership with the provinces, hold further consultations with Canadians, define priorities, develop a plan and make careful investments to reach our goal. We are planning to do that over the next 12 to 18 months. That is what we will do.