Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the clarity of his remarks about the government. I appreciate what he said about the Romanow commission.
Does he share my point of view? I could provide him with a copy of the document, if he likes. I asked the Library of Parliament for information about what the provinces had done in the way of commissions of inquiry or task forces on the future of health care systems.
The House will not be surprised to learn that, between 1993 and the present, seven provinces have themselves formed commissions: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. So, seven out of ten provinces have already done what the federal government wants to do.
We understand that the provinces are doing this, because they are the ones providing the services. They are responsible for organizing the health care system so that care can be provided.
Does the member agree with me that we do not need a commission such as the one proposed by the federal government, because this is not its primary responsibility second, because we know where the needs are and how the health care system must be reorganized; and third, because money is a large consideration, but not the only one?
For example, in Ottawa last September, the premiers asked that transfer payments be indexed. Was the government willing to do this? Of course not. Does the hon. member share this point of view?