Allan Rock

[Privilege, February 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, that is correct.

[Privilege, February 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, you are very kind.

I thank my colleagues opposite for raising this point, having brought to my attention that some days ago a news release left my office in relation to the appointment of a Liberal Party caucus committee on an issue. The news release was inappropriately on the stationery of Health Canada. It ought to have been on the stationery of my riding office or my office as a member of parliament. I am grateful to the member for bringing it to my attention and to the House's attention. He is right. It ought to have gone on the other stationery and I regret that it did not.

I want the House to know that I asked the member for Waterloo—Wellington to look into this issue because we are very concerned about the issue of youth smoking. At the end of the day I hope that members will agree that that issue and how we do something about it is more important than the issue of stationery.

[Health Care, February 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that hospitals are run and services are delivered by the provincial governments. I urge her to take up her complaints with the appropriate provincial Minister of Health.

Speaking more broadly, let me observe that there are really two ways to ruin medicare in this country. One way is to follow the Reform path, repeal the Canada Health Act and bring in the American private insurers. That will do it. The other way is to follow the advice of the NDP and bankrupt the country so we cannot afford health services.

We prefer to take a balanced approach and to preserve medicare for now and into the future.

[Health Care, February 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made clear that health is the priority of this government. He has made clear that in the budget to be tabled soon that priority will be reflected. It will be clear that we are going to ensure the future for our public health care system, that Canadians now and in the future will have access to high quality health care.

[Social Union, February 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in the House of Commons the exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and the provincial premiers concerning the social union.

[Health, February 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that the Canadian Blood Service is owned and funded by the provinces. It is regulated by the Government of Canada. We do not fund it.

If indeed the CBS requires more funding to do its work, I am certain that it will tell the provincial ministers that is the case and the provincial ministers will have to decide whether to put it in funds.

[Health Care, February 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line for this government and for governments throughout the country is access to quality health care for Canadians.

One of the things that made yesterday a historic day is that we had every government in the country, all 13, saying that they are committed to the principles of our health care system, that they will use additional money provided through our budget to improve it. Health ministers know where the priorities are: to solve the present urgent problems and to make sure we plan for a medicare that is sustainable for the 21st century.

[Health Care, February 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, what I said and what is quite clear to the case is that we are now in a position to invest significantly more money through the budget over the coming years for health care. The provinces, including Quebec, have agreed to use that additional money for health care. The provinces have reaffirmed the principles of the Canada Health Act. By using that additional money and that common resolve to deal with the urgent present problems and plan for the future of sustainable medicare, Canadians will indeed see a return to access to quality care in this country.

[Social Union, February 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, let me speak in terms of health care. Let me tell the hon. member that it was all governments, including Quebec, that reaffirmed the principles of the Canada Health Act. It was all governments, including Quebec, that undertook to spend any additional money for health.

All the governments of Canada, including the Government of Quebec, undertook to spend any additional money for health.

That is in the interests of Canadians and that is an achievement.

[Health Care, February 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, had the member read what we were saying, we were proposing accountability by governments to Canadians, that both the federal and provincial governments be accountable. We spend $80 billion a year on health care and we do not know what we get for the money.

We are proposing that once and for all, governments work together to measure outcomes and results and report to Canadians on what they are getting for their health care dollar.