Mr. Speaker, this issue is quite personal for me. For seven years, I spent time as a constituency assistant. I was across the table from many members of my community who were making hard choices between paying the cost of prescription drugs and putting quality food on the table or paying rent. This is very personal to me.
The Liberals have had so much time to get something in. Again, it has to be said in this House that the first promise was made back in 1997 when the Liberals also had the command of a majority government.
There is one party in this House that has made a commitment to a universal, public, comprehensive national pharmacare system, and that is the NDP. I have not yet heard the Liberals make that promise. I am sure that this is going to be an election issue, as I know it is for many members of my community. Vancouver Island attracts a lot of retirees. It is a big issue there and in many parts of Canada.
I would like to hear from the parliamentary secretary as to whether he is prepared, here, now, to make that promise for a comprehensive universal pharmacare plan.