Madam Speaker, our government recognizes that universal, publicly funded health care is a core Canadian value and a foundation for economic prosperity. This is why our government is committed to upholding the Canada Health Act and its fundamental principle of providing access to medically necessary care based on need, not the ability to pay.
We recognize that sustaining a strong, universal health care system requires the collaboration and co-operation of federal and provincial governments. As such, we are committed to a renewed relationship with our provincial and territorial partners to support their efforts to strengthen our publicly funded, universal health care system.
The federal, provincial and territorial ministers of health met in January 2016 to discuss common challenges facing our health care system. I am pleased to note that at the meeting, ministers of health from across the country reaffirmed support for a publicly funded health care system and the values on which it is based.