Mr. Speaker, I would love to address some of the points from the member for Edmonton North.
As I indicated, the government, different from what I have read in the Conservative policy statement where it is just looking at reasonable access, we are looking at universal access. We are looking at keeping it that way. That is why we have managed the finances as appropriately as we have. Hard decisions had to be made.
The hon. member opposite, which is her want and her way, tries to portray that what I outlined here is a rant against the province. It is no such thing. It is in fact laying out the facts from a federal perspective, the facts that need to be seen in terms of what the actual expenditures from the federal government, as related to health care, really are. They include cash and tax points. Why do the opposition parties and the provinces not put that accurate information out there? That is the story that needs to be told.
As we indicated in the throne speech, even with all that, even with the health care accord, even with the $2 billion extra spending announcement of the Prime Minister, we know more needs to be done but we need to look at the actual figures. We need accountability in the system. We need accountability from ourselves as a federal government and we need accountability from the provinces.
We need to understand whether there are enough people going through the medical training schools. Why do we have a shortage of doctors? Is it because of lack of federal spending or is it because the system itself let us down in terms of training doctors. We need to deal with accurate facts. That is what I am trying to put on the table and get away from the misconceptions that are coming forward from members of Parliament on the opposite side of the House.
The fact is that health care and the health system is a priority for us on the government side of the House, as I think it is for those on the other side as well. However, if we are going to move forward and ensure everyone has universal access to health care regardless of their status in life, then we have to work at it together, and we want to do that.