Mr. Speaker, the point is well taken. These programs have been so mismanaged and so poorly administered that even the people who were supposed to be helped are complaining bitterly about being jerked around by the improper communication and irresponsible management of the programs.
We are not asking that any of the money put into these programs be cut. We are asking for these programs to be left in place and for the money to be left in place. We should not give any more to those programs right now but the money instead should be given to health care.
The government cannot get its story straight on health care. On March 8 the Prime Minister rejected calls for health talks and told the premiers that they had to fix the system and then he would talk to them. A few days later the Prime Minister bragged about meeting with the premiers later this month. Is the government on or off? As the member said, we can never tell whether or not the government will go ahead with something. This does not give the required certainty to people who depend on the health care system.