Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the member for Acadie—Bathurst.
Let me remind the hon. member that health is a shared jurisdiction. The federal government is responsible for the Canada Health Act, health protection and promotion, and the safety of Canadians when it comes to health. The provinces design and deliver health services to the people of their provinces.
When the Minister of Health answered the member's question in the House, he gave him a very good answer. He said that in the budget we will be making a very important significant investment because health and health care is a priority to this government.
In the budget we saw the biggest single investment this government has ever made. It went to increased transfers to the provinces and to the territories for health care very specifically. Other large investments as well went into many areas within the federal government's jurisdiction, our own programs which support the health of Canadians.
The budget demonstrated the government's commitment to defending medicare in the country. We are defending access to quality care, ensuring that care is available to all who need it regardless of their ability to pay. We have listened to the concerns of the people and to the provinces, and to the many groups who share as we do the concerns about the future directions of health care in the country.
Canadians have told their governments they are concerned about health care and it is a priority to them. We have responded. We have listened. We have acted because health care and the health of Canadians is a priority to the government.
We listened and increased the Canada health and social transfer payment by $11.5 billion over the next five years. The hon. member neglected to mention the important tax points that have been transferred to the provinces which generate growing income every year. There are now billions of dollars available from the tax points that have been transferred to the provinces for health care.
This budget is—