Mr. Speaker, I do not disagree with the member's concerns about Mike Harris and the direction in which he is taking the province of Ontario, although I must say that these days I am having a bit of difficulty distinguishing between the Harris Conservatives and the federal Liberals.
However, if the member is so concerned, why is the federal government inviting Mike Harris to do more damage? Why is the government creating the opportunity, as it is doing through this budget, to allow Mike Harris to open up the Canada Health Act to make further inroads in privatized health care?
The House must excuse me for being so blunt, but when it comes to the National Forum on health, the member is wrong, wrong, wrong. The National Forum on Health was very clear about the need for the country to preserve and strengthen medicare. It recommended enhancing medicare by putting in place a national home care plan, national drug coverage and reform at the primary health care level.
Everything the government is doing is in the opposite direction. One of the key players in the national forum, Tom Kent, said that the government must ensure that cash transfers rise to 25% in the short run and that we aim for 50-50 down the road.
Why is the member ignoring important policy analysts like Tom Kent and Monique Bégin? Why is the government ignoring the National Forum on Health? Why is the government ignoring the advice of Canadians?