Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member for Shefford.
First, I have been listening to the debate in the House today and I listened last week when we talked about challenging the renewal of the health care system. It seems to me that the debate has always emphasized that the Government of Canada should simply write cheques to the provinces. I do not believe that is the way to go. As we design a new health care system in this country, those issues around prevention, causing Canadians to become more physically fit, would reduce health care costs dramatically.
Surgeons appeared before the committee last year and they told us that for every 10% of Canadians who increased their physical activity we could decrease health costs by about $5 billion annually.
The importance of nutritious, healthy food is a challenge in the country because, by and large, we are all insensitive to the issue.
As we begin this exchange and the resolution of our health care system, it is important for the government to send signals to the provinces that prevention must be very high on the list. I believe that in the area of prevention called the food we eat, we have to repair and rebuild our food source, and that is the family farm of this country. I appeal to the member from the Progressive Conservative Party to join us and help us build a national food plan which will be the envy of the world.