Jean Chrétien

[Health, April 29th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Ambassador Sergio Marchi, our representative in Geneva, who has done an excellent job since last week working in Geneva to make sure that we would have the result we have.

Of course, when there are things that have to be done, what can be done, we will do it. I think that we have been praised, the federal government, provincial government and municipal government by all the international organizations to have done an excellent job under extremely difficult circumstances, something that the opposition does not want to recognize.

[Health, April 29th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the occasion to thank Dr. Brundtland who responded very quickly to the request to review the decision.

The people of Toronto, the people of Ontario and the people of Canada are very happy that through the work of the municipal, federal and provincial governments together we have managed to achieve that success very rapidly. Of course it will never be good enough for the guys who are slipping all the time in the polls in Canada, the Alliance Party.

[Presence in Gallery, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, with your leave, I would like to point out the presence in the gallery of a member of the National Assembly of France, Mr. Lenoir, who is on an official visit to Canada.

[Health, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I met with many officials last Friday in Ottawa. There were scientific representatives from Genome Canada and the Health Council of Canada who praised the government for what it has done for medical research and all of the government activities over the last few years. The hon. member should have been there. He would have been very impressed.

[Health, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, all government programs are involved in this crisis. All our front line people in the provinces and federal government are working very well to contain the crisis. They are managing to do a fantastic job according to international institutions.

The system is working quite well. On the question of specific disasters, there is a law where funds can be applied for. However that kind of disaster is apparently not covered by this law.

This morning I met with the Premier of Ontario and I looked at what we could do to help.

[Taxation, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has just paid me a very surprising compliment. He said that the candidates vying for my position have more centralizing tendencies than I do. I accept his compliment.

[Taxation, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know of many programs introduced over the past few years to help the disadvantaged in Canada and in all the provinces that were met with strong public disapproval. People want the federal government, like the provincial governments, to very actively address the social problems facing our society.

[Taxation, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we met with provincial representatives only a few weeks ago, at which time we reached a very significant agreement on health, and we have transferred, starting this year, over $5 billion to the provinces to help with their health care system.

As for the fiscal imbalance, it is true that we have a surplus. In 1995, when Quebec wanted to separate from Canada, it said it had to because Canada was bankrupt. Now we are proving that a good administration can make a federation work, and work well, reduce taxes and pay down part of the debt.

[Taxation, April 28th, 2003]

I am sure we shall be able to have a constructive dialogue with him. We will not always agree, but he will never use separation as a threat.

[Taxation, April 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the members on this side of the House, I would like to extend my most sincere congratulations to the new Premier of Quebec.