Mr. Speaker, I thank my Liberal colleague for the question.
Indeed, the Government of Canada needs to show some leadership on this issue. This is not the first time Canada has experienced drug shortages. In Quebec alone, from January to June 2011, over 100 drugs were in short supply. This is a recurring problem that comes up every year.
The Conservative government has had the opportunity to deal with these situations. It could have—and still can—come up with lasting solutions. First of all, monitoring is not being done quickly enough right now. We heard from a number of health experts last Monday who told us that we need to act continuously along the way, and not wait for a crisis. Once a crisis hits, it is already too late. We absolutely must stay ahead of the curve and ensure that regular verifications are done. We also need a system that expands the number of suppliers. That could even be regulated. We have many options. In Sweden, the government has a public institution that supplies 2% of all drugs. That could ensure a consistent quantity of drugs on the market.