Mr. Chairman, I listened very closely to my hon. colleague's comments. I am a little confused. He suggested some numbers that may have been thrown around. If he wants to play the numbers game, let us play the numbers game.
The percentage of the health care dollars that comes from the federal government is only 14%. In some provinces it is less than that. It is down to as low as 12%. Some health ministers will say it is even less than that in some provinces. From the provincial side, it is up to 42% in some provinces. Looking ahead over the next five years, it will get to 50% and beyond. That is if we move things out to the next four or five years.
When it comes to responsibility from one jurisdiction to another, let us get serious about who is supporting health care. Is it the provincial governments or is it the federal government?
If the federal government is serious about doing what it says and recognizing that health care is the number one priority for Canadians, then it is time to put its money where its mouth is and to do something when it comes to putting dollars back into health care, but not just dollars because dollars alone in a dark hole will just evaporate. That is what we are discussing this evening. Even Mr. Romanow has suggested that we need to do more than just put dollars back in. This is a golden opportunity to sustain the health care system into the 21st century.
Where has the member been for the last 10 years as the government has run health care just about into the ground?