Allan Rock

[Information Commissioner's Report, October 17th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, over the last 10 years the health status among the aboriginal population has improved, with reduced infant mortality and longer life expectancy, which is not to say there is not a great deal more to do.

We are grateful for the recommendations the auditor general has made in his most recent report. We take encouragement from the fact that the auditor general has pointed out that we have made progress since his recommendations in 1997. There remains more work to do and we are committed to doing it.

[Health, October 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the most important part of what was said last night is what was left out. The reform alliance did not say that it would surrender federal power to enforce the Canada Health Act. It did not say that it would no longer transfer cash to the provinces. It would give it all away in tax points.

No federal cash means no federal role and no federal role means no national standards. No national standards means a ten tier health care system in Canada. The reform alliance would destroy Canadian medicare and we will not let it do that.

[Health, October 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member may know more than we do or the public does about what Minister Mar intended or said. Let us wait and find out what the man is saying.

The member can rest assured that if there is any proposal that will undermine the Canada Health Act we will be there to respond. The member should be joining with us in responding to and opposing the pernicious platform unveiled by the reform alliance yesterday with respect to health care. There is the real threat to medicare, sitting right over there.

[Health, October 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it appears the Alberta health minister was musing aloud. There may be more details he wishes to make public.

All I can say from what little I have seen of these statements yesterday is that we have always believed that the responsibility for funding the health care system, as well as access to services under the health care system, should be universal. That is the principle from which we start and that principle should be respected throughout the system.

[Health, September 27th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we saw just today reference to the fact that Premier Harris intends to do everything he can to assist the Alliance electorally.

Perhaps the hon. member will take up with the premier of Ontario and the Ontario officials the need to provide in hospitals with this new federal funding the kind of responsive accessible care that Canadians need.

For our part the Government of Canada will continue to ensure the system is properly funded so provinces are in a position to provide the care that Canadians need.

[Health, September 27th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we are. The recently concluded agreement with the provinces includes a billion dollars in federal money, available now, to allow the provinces to put dialysis machines, CT scanners and MRIs in place wherever they are needed in Canada.

Let me say to the hon. member that the government believes the best way to deal with the threat of privatization is to make our public health care system as strong and as accessible as it can possibly be. We have taken a giant step toward that objective.

[Health, September 26th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we will be there to do just that, but we would not be if we followed the policies of the Alliance. The Alliance would turn all the revenues over to the provinces. As the Leader of the Opposition said in his letter to the premiers, the Alliance would leave it to the provinces to interpret the Canada Health Act.

The Leader of the Opposition would give provinces the right to withdraw from all social programs with compensation. That would result in 10 different health care systems across the country. We would lose something that is part of the foundation of the nation. That will be an issue in the next federal election. Canadians will choose the Liberal vision—

[Health, September 26th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, indeed we are there to protect the principles of universality.

The Leader of the Opposition expressed the fond hope last week that in view of the agreement for medicare renewal health care would not be an issue in the coming election. We are here to tell him that health care will be an issue in the coming election but perhaps not the way he would like to see it.

The issue will be whether Canadians support the Alliance approach of gutting the Canada Health Act, turning over all revenue to the provinces and taking Ottawa out of the position to enforce the principles. That will not happen.

[Health, September 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the member is new on the job. I think she has missed the central point.

The central point is a historic agreement. All heads of government in the country put on paper common ground with respect not only to substantial increases in funding, but a concrete action plan toward shared priorities, including more doctors and nurses, better equipment, information technology and an accountability system to make sure taxpayers know how that money is spent. That is a great achievement.

[Health, September 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, first let me welcome the hon. member to her new role as the health critic for the Canadian Alliance. It is not a position that kept her predecessor very busy. In fact we did not get many questions on health from the Alliance at all. It is a little self-conscious about its position on an issue about which Canadians feel so strongly.

I am delighted that her first question allows me the opportunity to talk about the extraordinary agreement reached among 14 governments just a few days ago of over $23 billion in additional transfers to renew and restore Canadian health care across the country.