Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk today about the proper relationship between the federal government and the provinces. Health care is a shared jurisdiction and in this country we have made it work with medicare, with the federal government providing transfer payments to provinces, which then are responsible for delivering those services to their citizens. It is a cost-share and nothing obligates a province to participate. Provinces could pull out of medicare tomorrow if they wanted. Why do they do it? Because they want the federal contributions, they want good health for their citizens and they agree to abide by the principles of the Canada Health Act.
The New Democrat proposal and the Hoskins proposal is to do that very same thing with pharmacare. The federal government would provide transfer funds to the provinces, they would negotiate a shared formulary and the provinces, if they wish to participate, would provide drugs at no cost, respecting the principles of the Canada Health Act, and receive money in exchange.
Does my hon. colleague agree with the NDP that it is a viable way of delivering pharmacare into the public system, just like we deliver all other covered health services under the Canada Health Act?