Mr. Speaker, I and this government respect the jurisdiction of the provinces. I think the hon. member was listening when I quoted directly from the agreement entered into by the Prime Minister and the premiers in September 2000 wherein it clearly stated that the renewal of the health care system would move forward co-operatively in partnership, but respecting the jurisdiction of the provinces and the territories.
The hon. member, if he is not aware, should know that since becoming Minister of Health I have made it plain that I want to work co-operatively with the provinces. I have said clearly and unequivocally that the provinces are the primary deliverers of health care in this country. They are on the front lines of the delivery of health care every day. It is my goal to work co-operatively with them to fulfill Canadians' objectives wherever they live, which is a high quality, accessible, publicly funded health care system.
In relation to the funding of health care, which was my hon. colleague's first question, let me say again that we have added substantial new cash to the CHST transfers going out to 2005-06; some $21.1 billion. In addition to that, we have put some $2.3 billion into specific targeted funds to help provinces achieve specific goals in relation to the renewal of their systems.
If the hon. member is suggesting that funding continues to be a pressure and that it will continue to be an issue around the sustainability of our health care system, of course it will be. I know that as well as anyone. My department is the fifth largest provider of health care services in terms of dollars because we are responsible for aboriginal first nations and Inuit health. I face many of the same challenges that my provincial and territorial health minister colleagues face.
I am not naive enough to come here today and suggest that funding is not a shared challenge for all of us. Of course it is. We know that. We will work in partnership with the provinces and the territories to ensure that we are able to sustain the system.
I think we have all acknowledged that the cost of drugs is a significant issue. The whole question of pharmaceuticals was part of the accord entered into by the Prime Minister and the premiers in September 2000. We are doing much common work together in terms of getting a handle on not only the increased cost of drugs but the utilization of drugs and whether we are actually getting sufficient benefit in terms of improved health outcomes for that increased utilization.
These are all very important issues for our health care system. I know I will have the opportunity to engage my colleague who cares very much about these issues both here on the floor of the House and in the Standing Committee on Health in the weeks and months ahead.