Mr. Chairman, the member has raised a very important issue, a case in point of how we can renew and revitalize our health care system and in the end make sure that our non-profit public model is sustainable and actually saves money.
With respect to home care, it has been well documented that an investment in that kind of approach would save money for the system as a whole and would sustain medicare for the future.
As the hon. member may well know, the 1997 National Forum on Health, after an extensive study, concluded that home care should be considered an integral part of publicly funded health services. In 1997 the federal Liberals promised a national home care program. Do we have it? No.
In 1998 at the national home care conference the former minister of health said in his speech that the most urgent element of modernizing and enhancing medicare is home care. It should not be an add on. Do we have it? No.
We have been through another election, the 2000 general election. We heard some more promises. Do we have it? No.
This is the issue and the matter before us. How do we convince the government to move on its promises? They are so necessary and vital for ensuring quality health care services to all Canadians and they are so important for the future sustainability of our system.