House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 56% of the vote.
Health May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the member has not been listening. We have been saying for months the status quo is not on. We know what the status quo is. Status quo is Latin for the mess the Tories left us. It is not on. We cannot go on like this. We need to improve the quality of care for Canadians.
If the member would speak to the Tory Premier of Ontario, perhaps he could make some progress talking about a constructive plan instead of just television ads picking fights about funding.
Health May 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable that the Progressive Conservative Party did not use the opportunity of the weekend's convention to change its policy in relation to funding under the Canada Health Act.
The Progressive Conservative Party would provide funding only through tax points with no cash, removing any opportunity for the Government of Canada to enforce the principles of the Canada Health Act. That would be ruinous for Canada's health care system.
I call upon the PCs to see the light, to change their policy and to do what governing Liberals do.
Health May 11th, 2000
I want to make it very simple for members of the New Democratic Party.
The Canada Health Act, of which they speak so much, has powers in it which are intended to enable the Government of Canada to enforce the principles. Parties like the right wing Alliance and the Tories would do away with the cash component and the transfer, leaving only tax points. They campaigned on that so that there would be no way to enforce it.
Liberals understand that it has to be enforced. We told the House today that we will ensure that the principles of the Canada Health Act are respected in any facility in Alberta. That is the obligation of the government.
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, what does it boil down to? What are the NDP saying?
If the NDP are saying that bill 11 is contrary to the Canada Health Act—
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the NDP pretends to have come up with an idea. It wants more money. Its idea in the 1997 election was a cash floor of $15 billion. We made it $15.5. The NDP said “How about adding $7 billion to health care”. We added twice that since 1999. Before we presented our health budget, the NDP said that we should put $2.5 billion more into transfers for health. We have added $14 billion. The NDP are a little behind the times.
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, there they go again: Empty rhetoric, no ideas, no solutions and no specifics. How does bill 11 contravene the Canada Health Act? How are they going to solve the problems of medicare? For a party on the periphery, it is easy to just talk.
This government will be watching on the ground in Alberta to make sure those private for profit facilities do not contravene the Canada Health Act. That is the role Canadians want us to play and that is the role we are going to fulfill.
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, we spend over $1 billion annually to ensure that health care services are available to aboriginals on first nations territory.
We will continue to work with aboriginal communities to ensure that essential services are available.
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, we are working closely with aboriginal communities to make the necessary health care services available.
When one has responsibilities involving very remote regions, it is always difficult. However, we are working with communities to meet our responsibilities.
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the NDP members claim the bill should be stopped, but they have no idea how they would do that. They claim that bill 11 is a contravention of the Canada Health Act. They have no idea what kind of contravention it is. They claim that there are things wrong with medicare, but they have no idea what solutions to propose.
The member is making it up as she goes along. She has no concept of what to do. It is no wonder that the public in Canada pays no attention to the NDP.
Health May 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, today in the statement to the House I made clear this government's position and its grave concern. We do not agree with the policy behind bill 11. We share the concerns of many Albertans about what might happen. We will watch to see if there are contraventions of any of the principles of the Canada Health Act. We are beefing up Health Canada's ability to do that across the country. We will be on guard for the principles of the Canada Health Act. We will exercise the authority we have to make sure those principles are respected.