Mr. Speaker, I have just a couple of points. This member repeated the hackneyed Liberal rhetoric about health care being the unique value which distinguishes Canada. Is the member not aware that virtually every single democratic developed nation in the world, with the exception of the United States, has a universal, comprehensive health care system?
Why is it that he and his colleagues constantly make reference to the straw man, the bogeyman, of the United States, when I do not know of a single person in public debate in Canada who proposes that as a model for this country? Why does he not make reference to the public universal health care systems with varying degrees of private options and different ways of delivering and financing services in capitalist countries like Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Australia and New Zealand? As opposed to attacking a fake straw man, would he not be willing to actually look at countries that provide universal comprehensive insurance through different ways than we do as possible models for reform?