Mr. Speaker, one of the most significant accomplishments of former prime minister Paul Martin was signing the health care accord back in 2004, which recognized how critically important health care is to all Canadians. That commitment gave a guarantee of annual increases to health care funding, but it will be coming to an end in 2014.
That cash flow from Ottawa to the provinces is critically important, especially for provinces that may not have other resources to tap into. However, there is a fear that the government is not moving toward renewing that health care accord, which could result in great costs. We would have liked to see that commitment to renew a health care accord with the provinces incorporated in this budget.
I wonder if my colleague could provide comment on the importance of having a health care accord to ensure ongoing cash transfers from Ottawa to the provinces. Indirectly, Ottawa has a strong and viable role in providing health care services, which is something Canadians truly believe in.