Mr. Speaker, I agree that the percentage has changed considerably over the years. At the beginning it was 50%. However since the beginning of medicare there have been a series of agreements with the provinces. In most cases either the provinces proposed and the federal government agreed or the federal government proposed and the provinces agreed to differing percentages than there had been at the outset.
The public probably wonders why it happened. If the provinces are complaining now, why did they agree to the earlier sums? I cannot go into exact detail but my understanding is that the provinces traded money for power. Each time they took less money they obtained more jurisdiction and a freer hand in deciding how to spend the money. There was a tradeoff and the provinces agreed. It is a little late for the provinces to come back and complain about a system based on agreements they signed.