Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. Paul's for her intervention. Unfortunately, I profoundly disagree with most of what she said.
The Liberals are Johnnys-come-lately to the whole issue of women's and children's health outcomes in the third world. For 13 years the Liberals had an opportunity to do something about it. Yet, their policy on international assistance and development failed. It was unfocused and ineffective.
Our Prime Minister and our Conservative government finally took the bull by the horns and made it a priority for the upcoming G8 and G20 summits. What do we receive? Rather than applauding this, the opposition parties want to turn this into a debate on abortion. It is shameful.
My question to the member is this. Why, during her 13 years in government, the previous 13 years of darkness, did the Liberals never make this a priority. Former Prime Minister Chrétien and former Prime Minister Paul Martin attended numerous summits. Yet, they made absolutely no efforts to make maternal and children's health a priority on the international stage. Why did they not get it done?