Allan Rock

[Health Care, February 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party would not do well in mathematics. It might get an F because it seems to me that if we devote half the surplus toward tax relief and half toward debt reduction, we have not got any money left for health care.

The Reform Party really has an agenda that is quite hidden. It talks about privatizing medicine, about removing the restrictions of the Canada Health Act, allowing Canadians a choice. We all know what that means. It is code language for an American style system of private health care. We will never be in favour of that.

[Health Care, February 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, soon enough this government will demonstrate in a very tangible way its long term commitment to the health care system in Canada.

The real issue is how can the Reform Party stand and pretend to speak in favour of medicare when it would spend nothing additional on health? Let me quote from a document that was distributed at a Reform meeting in Victoria recently. This is what it would do with the surplus: “Half of the surplus should go toward debt reduction with the other half devoted to tax relief”. Nothing for health.

[Health, December 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it is our intention to work along with our partners to ensure that the needs of our health system are met.

The Prime Minister has already said the health will be the object of our next major investment. With money, with work, with partnership, we are going to reinforce the health care system.

[Health, December 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the best way to proceed is in partnership with the provinces. We have every intention of proceeding in this way.

At the present time we are in the process of discussing with our partners effective approaches to reinforce the health care system, and this will continue.

[Health Care, December 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the priority is to reinforce the public health care system we have in Canada.

The priority is to restore public confidence in Canada's public health care system. The public health care system came about as a result of a partnership between the federal and provincial governments. Both levels of government have a role, an important role to play.

The Prime Minister has already made clear what the government's position is: health is a priority and will be the focus of our next major reinvestment.

[Health Care, December 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we heard the premiers yesterday. As the Prime Minister has often said in this place, health will be our next major investment. We intend to target health, an area in which the federal government has an important role to play, while respecting provincial jurisdictions.

In the next budget, we will take action to fulfil our obligations.

[Health, December 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the member will have to take this matter up with the Premier of Ontario. It is the Premier of Ontario, the Tory Premier of Ontario, and his NDP predecessor who made their choices about how health care would be delivered in the province of Ontario.

As much as we might deplore the choice by the Tory Government of Ontario to prefer tax cuts for those who least need it over health care for Ontarians, it is a matter to take up with the Premier of Ontario.

[Health, December 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the New Democratic Party should be aware that the decision on how such scans are used or financed is a matter for provincial governments.

The leader of the New Democratic Party should also be aware that the provincial government in Ontario has cut back four times through inappropriate tax cuts, four times the amount reduced through reductions to transfer payments. It is a decision of the Ontario government. It is a choice by the Harris government in Ontario of its priorities that has resulted in this regrettable situation.

[Health, December 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member fails to understand that the delivery of health service is the responsibility of provincial governments. The member opposite should bear in mind that governments in provinces across the country have made their own priorities and their own choices in terms of how their dollars are spent.

If there are waiting lists then I wonder whether the member opposite would join with me in meeting with the provincial minister of health in Alberta or other provinces to discuss with them how the provinces will address these issues.

So far as we are concerned we have made clear that we will make reinvesting in health from the federal perspective the focus of our next budget.

[Health, December 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in the last three years the government has increased transfers to provinces by $1.5 billion, has increased funding for the Medical Research Council and has created a health transition fund to assist constructive change in the way health services are delivered.

As the Prime Minister has made clear, we will also make health the focus of our next major reinvestment.