Mr. Speaker, the quality of our health care system is a top priority for Canadians. The system is subject to all sorts of pressures, not the least of which is the ability to get new drugs that are capable of saving lives to market.
Canadians are concerned about the government's lack of responsibility on a number of fronts. There has been no shortage of examples of late where we have seen the government spend money without having the necessary safeguards in place.
These two elements combined lead to a clear lack of responsibility when it comes time to approve new drugs.
More specifically, there is within Health Canada a complete review and approval process for drug registration so that these drugs can be marketed and made available to those who really need them. While the approval period is supposed to be 345 days, in fact, it is 714 days, one year more than in the United States.
We need answers. That is why the minister must table an annual report to parliament containing the number of drugs that were approved, the periods required for approval and explanations for any delays. This is a matter of health for all Canadians.