Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to rise in this very important debate to pose a question to the member from the Alliance—Conservative coalition, and I am not sure of its proper name these days, who presented a very interesting position.
We have just heard the member suggest that nothing should get in the way of trade liberalization. He chastised the New Democratic Party for standing up in the House time and time again trying to seek from the government and all members of the House a much more balanced approach that would put the needs of Canadians first and respect their interests in being a sovereign state. For the members to my right, it would seem in many ways that trade liberalization is a euphemism for support for the multinational corporate sector.
I would like to ask the member specifically about concerns raised with regard to health care and access to pharmaceuticals.
The member knows that a lively debate was held in the House recently over patent law and the issue of ensuring that cheaper generic versions of Cipro were available to Canadians in times of crisis and in view of the terrorist threat these days. I would like to know from the member how his coalition feels about drugs being denied to people in third world countries, in developing nations, in the face of such serious threats as HIV and AIDS when the government and presumably his party are supportive of multinational control over this whole area and of denial of access to cheaper generic drugs. How does he square the needs of people in those countries in very serious situations with this blinkered, adamant trade liberalization approach that does not put the needs of people first?