Mr. Speaker, I thank my Bloc Quebecois colleague, whose riding I have trouble naming because the name is so long. I will begin by setting the record straight, before putting a question to the hon. member.
In the motion, the word “unconditionally” does not refer to the five tenets of the Canada Health Act. The Quebec government and all the other Canadian provinces have always cared about adhering to these five tenets in the Canada Health Act, as can be seen in the documents that we have.
The Canada Health Act requires the provinces to adhere to these five principles. In return, the federal government pledges to transfer the necessary funds through the tax system. The federal government is not giving us anything. The money is provided by all Canadians who pay taxes. The federal government redistributes the money collected in taxes, so that the provinces can manage their health care sector. Indeed, the provinces are responsible for managing health, through the new Canada social transfer set up by the federal government to provide, according to the Minister of Finance, greater flexibility in the management of the health, education and social assistance sectors.
The motion does not trivialize the five Canadian tenets. That is not its purpose. Its purpose is to urge the government to respect the division of powers, unconditionally restore transfers and make judicious use of budget surpluses.
I wonder if my Bloc Quebecois colleague could tell us again what it means to respect the division of powers.