Debates of May 1st, 1998

Health Care

[Gilles Bernier, Progressive Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say how this government's 40% cut to health care is hurting vulnerable Canadians in our society.

Charles Chase, a disabled adult from my riding of Tobique—Mactaquac, depends on the services he receives in community residence to live. Cuts in health care transfers have dramatically reduced staffing and services for the disabled who live in these facilities.

Now Charles' future and the future of other disabled people are threatened as more cuts are anticipated. If this trend continues, Charles and people like him face being moved to a nursing home. They will be institutionalized and their quality of life will be lost.

Charles and his parents did not choose for him to be disabled. He was born with his disability but he and other disabled people have a right to live independently and to participate in the everyday life of their communities.

If we cannot take care of those who need help most, then this government has failed in its duty to the people. This is just one example of how this government's drastic cuts to health care are causing great hardship for those who are least able to defend themselves.

Sustainable Development

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week in Jonquière, the Pyrovac group announced it would be investing $40 million to develop a new technology, unique to Quebec and a world's first, recycling by pyrolysis. This new process of pyrolysing ground and dried bark will yield wood oils and charcoal, both of which are in considerable demand commercially.

This innovation holds great promise for yet another means of exploiting the resources of Quebec's forests, and fits into the strategy for sustainable development of the resources nature makes available to us.

At a time when we are particularly concerned with battling the greenhouse effect, without a doubt this procedure of converting organic material into valued added products will draw world attention, and will place Quebec in an advantageous position in the renewable energy market.

Michelin Canada

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, there is good economic news in Pictou county, Nova Scotia. On April 9 Michelin Canada announced an additional investment of $75 million to expand its operations at its facilities in Granton.

By installing a new rubber mixing line at the Granton plant, this innovative company will not only create upward of 70 jobs, but also will contribute $15 million worth of contracts for local companies. This amount is in addition to the $25 million directed to local contractors that resulted from the previous Michelin expansion.

I am however concerned about the recent musings from the Liberal government to phase out the Atlantic Canada investment tax credit. Along with Nova Scotia's strong work ethic and great quality of life, it is one of the many attractive incentives to private sector job creation.

I urge the government to continue this tax incentive so that we will have more economic success stories like Michelin, a cutting edge company that directly employs more than 3,500 Nova Scotians.

South Surrey Eagles Hockey Team

[Gurmant Grewal, Reform, Surrey Central, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the people of Surrey Central to congratulate the South Surrey Eagles hockey team for winning the Doyle Cup championship for the second year. Now the Eagles are soaring to the Pacific Region Royal Bank Cup national championships tomorrow in Nanaimo. The people of Surrey Central are proud and wish them every success.

I urge all members of the House to take an interest in the sports activities of the young people in their ridings. Our young athletes should be encouraged to pursue the social, health and fitness benefits they receive from their sports activities.

Youth should be encouraged to get involved in the community and to be a part of the solutions to our problems. Young athletes like the players on the South Surrey Eagles present fine role models for all young people in Canada.

Hepatitis C

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister has claimed that he could not possibly compensate all the victims of hepatitis C because the provinces would not agree, but every day now another province announces that it is willing to develop a new deal. Instead of responding with hope or encouragement, the Prime Minister castigates the provinces and engages in name calling.

Instead of being petty, why does the Prime Minister not show some leadership and agree to work with the provinces for a new compensation package?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in spite of comments reported on the part of some provincial ministers and one provincial legislature, no provincial government, no territorial government has withdrawn from the accord they entered into some months ago in which they said that only post-1986 victims should be compensated and for which responsibility should be shared and for which they were putting up $300 million. That actually as a matter of fact has not changed.

Speaking of being petty, we are not being petty. We are putting $800 million on the table.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, a real leader would have responded to the provinces with an open mind instead of with insults or statements like this. After all, if anyone has a right to be angry, it is the provinces themselves. They have been bad mouthed in this House with respect to their role. They are the ones that are paying the medical bills for the victims. They are the ones that have had their health care funding cut by billions of dollars by this government.

Is it not true that the real reason for the hold-up here is that the Prime Minister does not know how to help the victims without losing political face?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is the last person to talk about cuts to health care. After all, he was going to scrap the Canada Health Act, bring in a two tier health system and make Canadians pay for private health insurance and user fees. Now another attack of crocodile tears.

After all, we are still providing billions and billions of dollars for the health care system which, if he had his way, he would eliminate.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, real leadership would do three things for these victims. First of all the Prime Minister would get the premiers together and negotiate a new deal. Second, they would confirm the facts, and the facts are what Krever said, that there was a test before 1986 and he confirmed the number of victims. Third, they would instruct the finance minister to find the money to finance this package within the existing spending envelopes by reallocating resources.

Why will the government not simply swallow its pride and get on with the job?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the callous game that some of these provinces are playing.

I was the one who was at the table. I was the one who was in the room last summer when the minister of health for Ontario said he would not discuss compensation for any victims under any circumstances, saying he was afraid that if he did so, people on waiting lists for surgery who were not operated upon early enough would sue him. I was in the room when the minister of health from British Columbia said compensation for nobody because there are problems with children's aid and they would be suing too.

It was the federal government showing leadership that got this issue on the national agenda.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we do not want to hear from the discredited health minister unless he is standing up to announce a compensation package or his resignation.

On behalf of the official opposition, I want to commend the Quebec government's leadership in speaking out on the issue of compensating all hepatitis C victims.

This is a time when francophones and anglophones, separatists and federalists alike, are united on what is best for all hepatitis C victims.

Does the Prime Minister at least plan to hold discussions with the provinces to—

[The Speaker]

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member. I now recognize the hon. Minister of Health.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec agreed with us to compensate those victims who were infected between 1986 and 1990. This week, it changed its position with respect to what the appropriate period should be.

This was a cynical and meaningless move. It is politics at its worst. They told victims “You should indeed be compensated, but we will not compensate you”. That is cynical, inappropriate and cruel for the victims.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a discredited minister, a discredited answer.

The provinces have simply said “We are now willing to discuss”. The federal government is acting like a petulant schoolchild who will take their marbles away so nobody can play.

If political opponents can set aside their differences, why cannot the federal government at least sit down at the table and talk about compensation for all the victims of hepatitis C?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in reply to the petulant and discredited health critic of the Reform Party, if he would drop his petulance and rely on the facts he would recognize that it was the federal government which sat down with the provinces and brought about the agreement which still stands, to which all the provinces, through their governments, are continuing to say that only post-1986 victims should be compensated. While the federal government put on the table $800 million, the provinces admitted their own responsibility and put $300 million on the table.

Those are the facts and the critic's petulance will not change anything, no matter what the tone of his questions may be.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec government was pleased with the agreement and still is, but it will not turn a deaf ear to the calls of the public, which is asking that all victims be compensated.

When will the minister realize that he is now isolated and that he has no choice, but to compensate all victims?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the position adopted this week by the Quebec government is unacceptable. Indeed, it has come up with a very important principle, namely that someone else should pay, not the Quebec government. But this would not be appropriate.

The public knows full well that this is cynical and unacceptable. It is hypocritical.

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, I would once again ask you to stay away from words such as hypocrisy. They do not add to the debate. The hon. member for Rimouski—Mitis.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, so far the federal government has cut $7 billion in transfer payments to the provinces for health, and it is not over yet.

At the same time, it may end up with a surplus of about $4 billion for the year that ended on March 31, 1998. With all the money that is available, how can the minister have the nerve to claim that he cannot afford to compensate all hepatitis C victims?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec government and the Bloc are very sensitive to the issue of provincial jurisdiction, particularly for Quebec.

Minister Rochon has often told me that health is an exclusive provincial jurisdiction. This is not true. But now, the Quebec government is saying that the federal government alone must pay for the victims infected before 1986. This is cynical and totally unacceptable.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. He can say what he likes but everyone knows that the federal government has the means to compensate all hepatitis C victims and that the provinces do not.

Rather than making ill-advised decisions, such as the one to spend $750 million on submarines or fork out $2 billion for military equipment that does not even meet the army's requirements, what will it take for this minister to show some compassion and compensate all hepatitis C victims as the people of Quebec and of Canada are calling on him to do? The federal government should come up with the money.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the government has already agreed to share responsibility with the provinces. If it had not, why did they put down $300 million to compensate victims? It is too late to say that the provinces are not responsible. The provinces, especially the province of Quebec, have already admitted and accepted this responsibility.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this money, which comes out of taxpayers' pockets, must be returned to those of us in the greatest difficulty.

Does the minister understand that he is not being asked to be generous, but to be compassionate, humane, and to compensate all hepatitis C victims by extending the agreement signed between the federal government and the provinces?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, according to La Presse , Quebec's health minister, Jean Rochon, said, and I quote: It is the provinces that are responsible for running the Canadian blood system. The federal government has no business interfering. Mr. Rock's only business is to see that standards are met.

This speaks volumes about the provinces' responsibility in this issue.

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

The minister has often said in the House that he had the support of the provinces in the matter of hepatitis C, however, thanks to Liberal Daniel Johnson, Quebec is no longer on side and neither are Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba or Alberta.

Given the provincial support for another proposal, is the minister prepared to reopen the matter and come up with fairer compensation for all victims of this disease?