Mr. Chair, it has been a pleasure to work with the hon. member and, based on his experience, he has done a tremendous job of representing his constituents and has added a tremendous amount of value to the health committee.
He raises a very important topic in regard to foreign credential recognition. We are very fortunate that we attract the best and the brightest to come to Canada and to make Canada home for both themselves and their families. It is quite unfortunate, as I have said time and again, that when these individuals come to Canada to make it home for themselves and their families their qualifications are not recognized nor are they accredited. The recognition of foreign credentials is a vital issue, not only for the our productivity but also for our economy and the future prosperity of our country.
It was a pleasure to see the number of individuals in the House who provided support for the motion I brought forward in June for the creation of a secretariat for the recognition of foreign credentials. This secretariat would work in collaboration with stakeholders, such as the provinces, the territories and the regulatory associations, along with individuals who have been affected.
It also has been wonderful to see our Prime Minister and our Minister of Health address health care as a priority and provide substantial funds into this very important issue to ensure that doctors who do come as new immigrants are able to get the expertise, the knowledge and the skills they require so Canadians can actually have access to a physician.
I have spoken many times before about new immigrants but the issue of recognition of foreign credentials, especially in the area of health care and medicine, is also affecting Canadians who have been born and raised in Canada, who are not able to get into medical school here in Canada, who have graduated with great university degrees and done well, have gone abroad into other international institutions but have had great difficulty once they decide to reunite with their families.
I hope as we move forward with the assistance and the support of the Minister of Health and other ministers in cabinet and in the government, including our Prime Minister, that we will be able to make significant progress in this very important area.
The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development just announced a few days ago that we will also be holding a summit in relation to foreign credential recognition. I hope, as a result of that summit, by working in collaboration with all these stakeholders, that we will be able to have some significant deliverables and that we will have the secretariat up and running so that Canadians, whether they are new immigrants or whether they are Canadians who have been born and raised here, do have their qualifications recognized and accredited so that we can have an increase in the number of doctors so Canadians who are looking for physicians and health care providers will have access to them.