Mr. Speaker, in this exceptional crisis that we are all going through together, I think all the parties have had a role to play to varying degrees. We in the NDP have always said we are not just a party that opposes; we are also a party that proposes. Obviously, we are never totally satisfied. There are still so many people who are suffering and not getting assistance. However, we made a few proposals that were heard, including the $2,000 monthly benefit, the 75% wage subsidy and making the wage subsidy available to community groups and NPOs, as well. We made a few similar proposals that have meant we are helping more and more people. We proposed that self-employed workers and part-time workers should be able to access this universal benefit, even if they still have a little bit of income. That was not the case at first, but a change was made.
I would like to draw the government's attention to two minor proposals that could make a real difference for many people. I know the Minister of Canadian Heritage has announced some targeted investments for the cultural sector and for artists. I would simply like to take this opportunity to ask him to not forget all the groups and artists who have been making investments for months or years thinking they would go on tour, make an album or create an exhibition, or because they were preparing for a festival. Obviously, most of the festivals planned for this summer have been cancelled, and perhaps this fall's festivals, too. All those activities are a write-off. I think we should be taking losses related to those investments into account and coming up with a plan to help the cultural sector. I just wanted to propose that.
As for community groups, they are eligible for the 75% wage subsidy, which is good, but it can be hard for them to prove a loss of revenue, given that they do not operate the same way as an SME. Furthermore, in a crisis, they receive more donations and government grants than usual. Under such circumstances, their needs are immense, but they may not qualify for the wage subsidy, because demonstrating a loss of revenue is not as easy for them as it is for a private company. This issue is worthy of attention, because groups in our communities have been delivering outstanding services lately. I am thinking in particular of food banks and services delivering food to people who are elderly or isolated. Those are two small things, but they can make a big difference for many people in our communities.
I know I do not have much time left, but there is one more point I would like to raise. It is the impact of successive cuts, year after year, to provincial health transfers. As a result of these cuts, our public health system is underfunded, which has put a colossal burden on the provinces, and this has contributed to the tendency to privatize services and take shortcuts. For instance, orderlies are asked to cover two floors instead of one, and nurses are forced to work overtime. Our public health care system has been weakened and diminished. Today, as our health care system is put to the test, that fact has become all too plain.
I would like to set the record straight right now. Federal transfers to the provinces went up by 6% per year for a 10-year period while there was an agreement with the provinces. The previous Conservative government made cuts. The calculation is a bit complicated, but transfer payments now go up by about 3% per year. That is a net loss for the provinces, and it means they have to shoulder much of the burden. According to our calculations, that means the provinces will have $36 billion less with which to provide good health care services to people over a period of 10 years. Unfortunately, the Liberal government stuck with the Conservative government's decision.
I think one of the lessons to be learned from this crisis is that we cannot allow the provinces to bear the burden of the entire health care system by themselves. The federal government needs to give them a hand. Health care funding used to be shared fifty-fifty within Canada. That balance is no more. We need to listen to the provinces and increase health care transfers.