Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that question. This is the sort of issue that I would expect, in the spirit of co-operative federalism, will be part of the ongoing discussion between the federal government and the provinces.
In the specific province that has been discussed, the province of Alberta, our big fear is that it will possibly lead to a two tier system of medicine in which the financially privileged will get extra and prior benefits to others. I think that the debate would become simpler if it could be established that such a danger did not exist, but we have to work on the assumption that the principle of fundamental equality of access and of treatment is the bedrock principle of the Canada Health Act. On specific cases, just as I mentioned with the NAFTA situation, I would myself look for further discussion. But we cannot change that bedrock principle. It is fundamental to us and fundamental to the Minister of Health.