Madam Speaker, one of my biggest fears is that our systems, whether it be the health care system or any other Canada-wide system like the agricultural system, will become Americanized.
Allowing indiscriminate access to the private sector would make our health care system more like the American system. That would not be good for the middle class, as it would lead to excessive debt. We agree on that.
Having said that, if opportunities to rely on the private sector have opened up in recent years, it is because successive Liberal and Conservative governments since the Jean Chrétien government have not provided sufficient health transfers.
If my colleague's budget were 28% to 32% short over a 30-year period, would he be able to manage a crisis, if one came along?
That is the reality in the health care system.