Madam Speaker, I am extremely happy the hon. member from the NDP asked that question because he is wrong on a number of counts, but he has also recognized the fact that we do have scarcity within our system.
We have a lack of resources. Somehow we have to ensure that a publicly funded health care system is going to have the resources to do the job. That is the bottom line. We have to put patients first. We have to put patients over politics.
First, the hon. member should recognize the scarcity which he articulated. There are not resources in the public system right now to do the job. Second, the situation will get a lot worse for the reasons I mentioned in my speech. Third, he has to recognize that today in Canada 30% of the services are provided by private carriers. We have a two tier system today.
My objective is to make sure the private services that are out there will strengthen the public system and not weaken it. I do not want an American system. I do not want a British system and I do not think we should have an Australian system. All those systems have distinct flaws. However I will speak to the hon. member about how a parallel system, if done properly, could actually strengthen the system.
He raised a very good question about manpower. I would refer to the aspect of ensuring that medical professionals must spend 40 hours a week within the public system. If that is done, it is ensured that the best specialists, doctors and nurses stay in the public system for at least 40 hours a week, as opposed to the system we have today where sadly many of them are going south of the border to be lost completely.