Allan Rock

[Health Care, December 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we are delivering. As we speak, governments are working together to map out home care for the future and make it part of medicare in this country.

Tomorrow I am meeting with the minister of health from Manitoba to discuss that very project. Last week, all the deputy ministers of health in the country met to discuss that very project.

The leader of the New Democratic Party should learn what is going on in the country in relation to health care. There are changes afoot. The federal government is showing leadership and governments are working together to make those problems better.

[Health Care, December 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am working very hard with those provinces. I am working with every minister of health in the country to find solutions for the long term, to address the very issues that the member mentioned in her question, to deal with the crowded emergency rooms, the waiting lists and the shortages.

As recently as last September, all the ministers of health agreed on priorities that we are working toward together to get that job done. It includes increased money from the federal government, money that we substantially increased last February in the budget. We will continue in that vein.

[Children, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am working with the Minister of Human Resources Development and with my colleagues in caucus to fulfill the ambitious agenda which the Prime Minister set out in his speech in the House, which is contained in the Speech from the Throne.

It is an agenda for children. By December of this year we hope to have in place a framework agreement with our provincial colleagues on early childhood development. In doing this we will build on the efforts already in place: the 20,000 women every year who are beneficiaries of the prenatal nutrition program and the 40,000 women and their children every year in community action programs for children. These programs make a difference and we will continue this work.

[Health, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, a few months ago this government gave Canadians 11.5 billion reasons to believe in our commitment to medicare.

At that time the Minister of Finance said when he tabled the budget in the House that as our balance sheet improves we will do more. That is a commitment that Canadians can take very seriously.

[Health, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we have received the letter from Minister Jonson of Alberta and it is under consideration. We will react to it as soon as we have completed our examination of it.

[Health, December 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it sometimes occurs that there are new drugs under consideration that might help those who are dying or are very seriously ill. If the conclusion is reached that the benefits of those drugs outweigh their risks, where the company that is proposing it agrees to continue studying it and we monitor the performance of that drug, then is the member saying that she would deny access to that drug to those who might otherwise die? Would she turn them down when these drugs might improve their condition or indeed even save their lives?

That is at the basis of this policy.

[Health, December 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, in May 1998 Health Canada approved a new policy for approving drugs for the treatment of serious, life threatening diseases where there is promising evidence that the potential benefits of the drug outweigh its risks, where the risks can be monitored and where the company agrees to continue to study the drug.

This policy was developed to help those who are seriously ill and dying. It is about compassion, and we make no apologies for that. I observe as well that the drug referred to in the report today has already been approved in 30 countries around the world.

[Health, December 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I have already answered that we need changes in the system, which I am working on with the provinces.

I can tell the House one thing, the answer does not lie in the approach which this member and his party favour. This is the man who said that a two tiered health care system would strengthen health care in Canada. He said that we need a private system. This man would have us take the American style two tiered system of health care and leave people out in the cold. That is not the kind of approach this government will ever take.

[Health, December 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, part of resolving the issues facing medicare is more money. That is the reason we significantly increased transfers to the provinces some months ago, only after they promised to use it all for health.

Another important part of resolving problems like the one described by the hon. member is better organizing and delivering services. That is why I am working my with provincial partners to make the changes needed in the health care system for the 21st century, and we will continue with that work.

[Health, December 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we have a strategy and it is a good one. It involves $42 million a year to fight HIV-AIDS. It will prevent HIV infections. It will help researchers to find treatments and, one day, a cure. It will support community groups that provide assistance to people in communities across the country who are HIV positive or suffering from AIDS.

Part of the strategy is the creation of an AIDS ministerial council made up of 20 people from across the country who advise the government on whether we are doing it right. That report was a good one and we are studying its recommendations. We have a strategy that is working.