Pierre Pettigrew

[Health, April 21st, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the five years of funding for prostate cancer research that began in 1999 was a fixed period initiative that provided the necessary boost to increase Canada's capacity in this area.

This government is now taking an integrated approach to cancer control that aims to reduce the incidence, mortality and morbidity of all cancers rather than focusing on a few particular tumour sites. In 2002 the CIHR was created to support health research. In 2003-04 the CIHR allocated almost $8 million to prostate cancer research.

[Health, April 21st, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, what our government wants is partnership with the provinces. We want to play a supporting role to permit the provinces to carry out the very important responsibilities they have toward Canadians. We intend to work with them.

There is no question of conditions. There is no question of accountability. There is no question of one level of government being accountable to another. It is a question of each level of government being accountable to the public, in a completely transparent way.

[Health, April 21st, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to talk with Minister Couillard after the speech I gave in Toronto yesterday. He was completely comfortable with what I had to say.

I agree completely that it is not our place to impose conditions on the provinces. The way we want to work is to develop a plan with the provinces by setting objectives they would agree to themselves, in a completely transparent way. No government is asking for accountability from another, but the point is to be transparent vis-à-vis our citizens, within our own jurisdictions.

[Health, April 20th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased this morning, in Toronto, to explain to Canadians the very plan to which this Prime Minister is totally committed.

We will have, with the first ministers' meeting next summer and following the work of the health and finance ministers, a solid 10 year plan that really ensures that Canadians will have their health care system long into the future.

[Health, April 20th, 2004]

I know that the Bloc loves to howl, but what interests Canadians now is knowing that this government will work with the provinces. We are going to work with the provinces. I had the opportunity to work with Minister Couillard again on Friday, and I saw him again this morning in Toronto.

The members opposite really do not like this, because we want to work with the provinces to renew the health care system for future generations.

[Health, April 20th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, absolutely not. What our government is determined to do is ensure the long—

[Health, April 20th, 2004]

It seems to me that the Bloc prefers to howl, as usual, instead of listening to real answers.

[Health, April 20th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, that was not even the opinion of Bernard Landry, the real leader of the chapter here in the House. When he was finance minister, he recognized that simply making funds available for health would not ensure the real long term sustainability of our health care system for Canadians.

This very morning in Toronto, I gave a speech outlining the plan for health that we are developing with the provinces. This plan—

[Points of Order, April 1st, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I would withdraw anything unparliamentary that I could possibly have said.

[Health, April 1st, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the hon. member for Scarborough East for his leadership in bringing the issue forward. Because of the efforts of the member, I have asked Health Canada to draft regulations in the Tobacco Act proposing a reduced recognition propensity standard for all cigarettes in Canada, and I expect it to be ready by April.