Mr. Speaker, we cannot accept that kind of answer. The pandemic was a unique situation, something that happens once a century. The government's action cannot be based on the pandemic.
A recurring theme, however, is the federal government's failure to take responsibility for the problems in the health care system. At the end of his career, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien openly admitted that he was able to reduce health transfers without paying a political price. That happens all the time. The provincial governments are forced to make budget cuts and adopt austerity measures to manage their health care system, while the federal government can balance its budget on the backs of the provinces. That is what happened repeatedly under Paul Martin's Liberal government, which made $2.5 billion in cuts in 1996 and 1997 and dismantled the entire health care system.
When my colleague talks about exceptional measures, like those that were implemented during COVID-19, I have a hard time believing him. What we need is for the federal government, which is rather absent these days, to recommit to the health care system.
I have a very simple question for my colleague. Does he agree that health falls under Quebec's exclusive jurisdiction?