Madam Speaker, to answer the question put by our colleague from New Brunswick Southwest, I would remind him that on September 11 the Government of Canada signed a historical agreement with the provinces that will lead to the upgrading of the Canadian health care system so that it is better able to meet the needs of the population. It will mean timely and better quality health care for Canadians.
The first ministers are committed to this vision. They also agreed to an action plan with specific priorities for collaboration and action in eight key areas: access to health care, health promotion, primary health care, home care and community care, supply of doctors and nurses, pharmaceutical management, and investment in information technology.
These are very serious commitments on the part of the federal and provincial governments and they are being acted upon.
Moreover both levels of government agreed they have to be accountable to their people, Canadians as a whole and the inhabitants of each province.
Reporting will begin by September 2002 and each government is to decide how to best go about it
Also a significant reinvestment in federal funding was announced to support the first ministers agreement.
I would remind our colleague from New Brunswick Southwest that the finance minister reiterated this commitment this afternoon in his economic statement.
This very significant new investment will result in a 35% increase in the level of health care funding over the next few years.