Yes, indeed without any strings attached. It let us deal with the cuts. Now we are faced with a situation that makes it clear that the federal government must make up its mind.
There are needs in all of the regions of Quebec. The Bloc Quebecois tour, under the leadership of the hon. member for Drummond, clearly demonstrated what, if $1 billion in surplus—though more than that is needed—was returned to the transfer payments, that would represent for each region. In our case, in the Lower St. Lawrence region, the figure would be $34 million.
I am most anxious to see the federal government let go of its bone, put the money back into transfer payments, into the existing mechanism, so that the people in my riding who are in hospitals, CLSCs, extended care centres, in all types of services, may have the oxygen they need, that extra room to manoeuvre that is so lacking at the present time.
I must disagree with the hon. member for Chicoutimi. I believe that both the present government of Quebec and the previous ones have done a number of good things for health care. There is a model in place in Quebec. There have been some accomplishments, the air ambulance for one, which allows people in the regions to be brought to major centres for the complex emergency surgery that may not be available elsewhere.
University experts in Quebec City and Montreal have helped develop a system for performing surgery by means of telemetry in the Magdalen Islands and the Gaspé. This shows there are successes. These are examples of things that are working.
It has been necessary to make cuts in the last few years. That is clear. But a large part of these cuts is the result of the federal government imposing cuts on the provinces. We got through that. Now the federal government has the money. It has the necessary money, because of its revenues and its spending power, to put money back into transfer payments. It is taking its time. Now that more money is available, a way has to be found to show that this money comes from the federal government.
And how should that be done? All the provinces have already said that, if the federal government wants them to spend the money on health, that is where they will put it. There is something wrong with the government's attitude. I think the best example of this is the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. This minister never misses a chance to set Quebec City and Ottawa at each other's throats.
Again yesterday, on the CBC, he told the Quebec premier who was elected barely two or three months ago, that he was not legitimate, that he was not accountable to him in matters concerning Quebec, but to Quebeckers directly. This double legitimacy argument has been dead since the Bloc Quebecois arrived in House. Since the Bloc Quebecois has been here, no one can say that the ministers know the absolute truth when they speak on behalf of Quebec. No one can say that. We are here to show that you do not have this double legitimacy.
The ultimate insult is that negotiations are going on with the leader of the opposition in Quebec City, who has just taken the political beating of his life, which he never expected, with the rejection of a significant majority of Quebec ridings. When the federal government negotiates in this way, it forces us to present motions like the one today to encourage it to honour the responsibilities of the provinces in managing health care, to unconditionally increase transfers to the provinces. Increasing them, means raising them.
There is no argument any more on whether the government should be condemned for the cuts. The people have understood that. I think the 1997 election proved an interesting lesson for all members of the House, especially us. Quebeckers had to understand where the cuts were coming from. Well we know that they are coming for the most part from the federal government.
Now that we have money come back to us, we are saying “Give us our share and use the mechanism already in place.” The Canada social transfer was meant to be unconditional. The Minister of Finance himself said, two years ago, that this was best because of the flexibility it afforded the provinces. Let them deal with the cuts. Now that there is money, we are saying “Let us deal with this money to be reinvested in health care.”
By letting the provinces make their own decisions, the federal government would show it is upholding its own Constitution. There is a fundamental problem with this Parliament. We in the Bloc Quebecois are sovereignists and we insist that this government at least uphold its Constitution. The Government of Canada is flouting the Canadian Constitution and trying to interfere and micromanage, as if it were an expert in health.
For instance, the Minister of Health recently announced a subsidy in the Montreal area. No one can deny this served its purpose, but can you imagine how much duplication it is causing with all the health services and mechanisms already in place? There must be targeted consultations. Fear not, we in Quebec can do our homework, and so can the other provinces, to see what kinds of services are required.
I therefore urge the members of this House to vote in favour of the motion we have put forward to ensure that sufficient funding is made available as soon as possible for our hospitals—for equipment and emergency rooms—for local community service centres, for chronic and palliative care, for suicide prevention, for all those who are vulnerable in our society. It is not right to take them hostage. The federal government must take immediate action in this area. Hopefully, we will be heard on both sides of the House and a majority of Canadian members of Parliament will support our motion.