Mr. Speaker, in trying to explain this past week's drug purchasing fiasco, the health minister has referred to the many versions of events.
Canadians are used to many versions of Liberal drug patent policy. Before being elected in 1993 they were vehemently opposed to the Mulroney drug patent extension and vowed to reverse it. The post-election version, however, saw them extending it.
Then there was the new version in 1997 election and the promise of a national drug plan. Then there was the version that ended up as Bill S-17 extending patent protection again.
It is no wonder the health minister got confused last week. He did not remember which version he was on. The NDP version of what needs to happen is that instead of having a contest between the Liberals, the Alliance, the Bloc and the Tories as to who worships property rights more than public health and who is better friends with the drug industry, the law in question should be changed.
If September 11 has changed everything, perhaps it is time to change our drug patent law.