The hon. member raises a very serious question and one that we hope to deal with through that part of the first ministers agreement that talks about catastrophic drug coverage.
The hon. member has rightly identified that just as 40 years ago we did not want people to lose their homes or have to give up an important asset like a car or other savings to get access to a doctor or an operation in a hospital. Today we do not want people to have to do those things to have access to drugs that will either save their lives or make their lives more comfortable.
Therefore the commitment in the first ministers agreement is to have developed a catastrophic drug plan by the end of fiscal year 2005-06, the exact formula of which ministers of health have to work out. Mr. Romanow had a suggestion for a formula and Senator Kirby had a suggestion for a formula. They are not identical by any means.
Health ministers need to work out the formula by which we determine over what amount or what percentage of income or whatever it is, drugs would be covered by one's provincial health plan so we do not have the kinds of situations that the member has just identified.
Catastrophic drug coverage will become an important new part of our insured basket of services to deal with exactly the kind of situation that the member has just described.