Mr. Speaker, in the course of question period a member of the NDP, in making reference to my colleague from West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, accused my colleague of recently having been involved in queue jumping in the medicare system. I wish to set the record straight on this matter.
As a pedestrian in Vancouver the member for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast was struck by a car several days before the House of Commons opened. At that time the X-rays apparently were misread. In spite of the member having a serious fracture, he travelled across the country to be here for the opening of the House.
Upon being in considerable pain, his office arranged a legal MRI with a private clinic here in central Canada. None of this, by the way, was in violation of the Canada Health Act or on the recommendation of a doctor or jumping any kind of queue.
On the basis of the MRI, it was noted that the hon. member for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast had a fairly serious fracture in his leg upon which a doctor then recommended him for emergency surgery. He received that emergency surgery one week after being struck by a car and being in considerable pain.
This was not queue jumping. This is an outrageous accusation by the NDP. I want to say that it is about time the NDP began to put people's health and pain ahead of its little ideological crusade. I know that members of this party and other parties in the House wish the former leader of the opposition well in his recovery.