Debates of June 9th, 1998

Health

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I see that the Minister of Health has been muzzled after yesterday's performance. Now we have the Minister of Finance fielding health questions.

At the last Liberal convention, the Minister of Health said “This government's greatest responsibility is restoring Canadians' confidence in the health system”.

Will he not admit today that he was badly mistaken? He misled Canadians.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Rochon went on to say, and I quote “Whatever the government's budgetary constraints, the need to transform Quebec's health services could no longer be ignored”.

Dr. Rochon himself said that. For him, it was not a money issue.

Hepatitis C

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it was downright sick for the Prime Minister to choose a youth audience in Regina yesterday to argue that compensating hepatitis C victims will open the door to compensation for smoking related cancers. There were no warning labels on the blood that infected hepatitis C victims; no labels that said “This blood is dangerous to your health”. Why does the Prime Minister not just slap a label on his lapel saying “This government is dangerous to your health”?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the question was asked by a student in Saskatchewan and the position I have on it is exactly the same as the premier of Saskatchewan, who is an NDP premier. He is responsible and he knows the consequences of what is going on.

Before 1986 nobody in the system knew that it was dangerous to give blood transfusions. After 1986 we could have detected that. We had the responsibility. We have accepted our responsibility and we were the ones to take the initiative to compensate and the provinces did not want to do anything at that time.

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, how low can you go? How sick can you get?

The Prime Minister signalled again yesterday his government's refusal to put another nickel into hepatitis C compensation.

Is the Prime Minister simply trying to lessen the resolve of hepatitis C victims to fight for fair compensation? Why is the Prime Minister actively sabotaging the success of negotiations for fair compensation?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP does not understand that we were the ones who initiated the compensation and we put $800 million on the table. At that time the provinces, including the socialist premier, did not want to put a cent on the table. It is this Minister of Health who decided that the compensation was needed for those infected after 1986 and he forced the provincial governments to the table to try to get compensation.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, when asked about increased compensation for hep C victims the Prime Minister also stated “The money is not mine. It is very easy to be generous when the money is not yours”. That is Canadians' money and they want all victims to be treated equally.

It is unfortunate that the government did not hold the same sentiment when it spent $500 million of taxpayers' money to cancel a helicopter contract and then turned around and bought the same helicopters.

Could the Prime Minister tell us whether his comments mean that this government has no intention of compensating all—

[The Speaker]

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, with permission I would like to say that the member is doing quite good so far. Since becoming leader she has managed to move her party ahead of the Reform Party, so I want congratulate her. I really do not know why her party would want to have the former secretary to Brian Mulroney be leader of the party when they have one who is doing so well at this time.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister for his kind comments. Now that we are working so closely together and all working in the same direction, will he please tell me if he is going to compensate all the hep C victims?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, all the provinces are meeting at this time to try to find a solution to this problem.

I believe that it is very evident to the House of Commons that the hon. member is the evident candidate to be able to unite the right because to be ahead of the Tories, the Reform Party would have to unite with the Bloc.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, somehow I do not think the hepatitis C victims will be very amused by this.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Edmonton North.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has now said that there is really no difference between innocent hepatitis C victims and those who smoke. Except that cigarettes carry a health warning and blood products do not.

Obviously the health minister thinks this is okay. Can the health minister defend his boss who says that hepatitis C victims are really no different than two pack a day smokers or drug addicts? Is that okay?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the point that comes of all this is that the Reform Party likes to pick and choose those to whom it is prepared to show its political compassion. It is all in favour of certain victims that it puts in the gallery for show. But when it comes to the HIV strategy to help those with AIDS, even those who got HIV through the blood system, the Reformers will not support it. It is called hypocrisy.

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, on the word hypocrisy, or hypocrite, I would much prefer that we do not use these words in the House because it tends excite one another. I would ask that we not use this term in the House. The hon. member for Edmonton North.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this whole government has one agenda for the Prime Minister and that is to keep him out of town. Unfortunately they cannot keep him out of trouble.

He tries very hard to say that he cares so much about the working group and the hep C victims, but he made it obvious last night that he has no intention of helping these people who are in trouble through no fault of their own.

How can the health minister defend his boss who says such ridiculous, irresponsible, indefensible statements right across the country?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we can see for ourselves what goes on across the way—

[An hon. member]

Resign.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Health has the floor.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Reformers pick and choose those to whom they calculate they should send their political compassion. They may not have been very successful in uniting the right over there but this party sure has united the wrong.

Air Transport

[Paul Mercier, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport, who told us last week that his government was taking decisions in the best interests of all Canadians. Once again, we have to face the fact that what is good for Canada is not good for Quebec.

Will the Minister of Transport admit that, by refusing to allow Air Canada to fly between Montreal and such lucrative markets as Milan, Mexico City and Rio, it is penalizing not only Air Canada but especially Dorval and the entire Montreal area?