Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.
It is indeed difficult for a province like New Brunswick, which has a high rate of unemployment. If we look at my riding alone, an unemployment rate of 14% would be good, but it is more like 16%, 17% or 18%, and it keeps going up, while cuts to health care programs continue unabated.
Of course, the federal government cannot expect New Brunswick to come up with millions and millions of dollars. It is just not going to happen. That is why the responsibility must lie with the federal government. It is a federally regulated system and the federal government must assume its responsibilities and not shift the bulk of the responsibility onto the backs of the provinces.
When the federal minister sits down with all provincial health ministers, he will have to take the situation of the rich provinces and the poor provinces into consideration, because not everyone has $200 million to throw into the pot.