Tony Clement

[Government Programs, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, there is no evidence for the contentions of the hon. member.

When we look at programs we look at them to deliver results and that they are delivered effectively, responsibly and accountably. In this particular case, there is no evidence of that. However, if there is any member of any first nation or any citizen of Canada who has a better plan to deliver real results for the reduction of tobacco use by first nations people, we are all ears.

[Health, September 27th, 2006]

I am not a medical expert.

Mr. Speaker, I would advise the member that she not get too much out of control on this issue as she might get a hernia and then she would be behind Jack Layton, who used private hernia services when he needed--

[Health, September 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member well knows, there is a process by which provincial health ministers deal with these issues. In fact the British Columbia case that she referenced is being dealt with by the British Columbia minister.

I am no expert--

[Health, September 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak on this issue, as I have been doing all summer. In fact, there has been great progress made throughout the country when it comes to reducing wait times, as a result I might add, of the commitment of this new Conservative government to increase the pot for transfer payments for health by fully $1.1 billion and to increase the escalator for health care funding by 6%. That is real money going toward real patients to help solve the problem created by 13 years of Liberal rule.

[Aboriginal Affairs, September 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, obviously nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, we have increased spending for our first nations communities and we will continue to do so, I am sure.

The question before this House is, can we deliver more effectively, can we deliver more responsibly and more honourably? In this case we are doing so because we believe that the taxpayer, including the aboriginal taxpayer, deserves no less.

[Aboriginal Affairs, September 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We have invested in maternal child health. We have invested in diabetes prevention. We have invested in human health resources for aboriginal people. We have made those new investments precisely because we want to have better health outcomes for aboriginal people throughout the country.

What we cannot do is spend money on programs that simply will not work. That is not the Canadian way and that is not the way of this new Conservative government.

[Aboriginal Affairs, September 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and the House that spending for aboriginal health care under the new Conservative government went up by 12% in budget 2006 to $1.985 billion to protect the health of our first nations and aboriginal peoples.

That is the commitment of the government and the commitment is to ensure that every dollar we spend is spent effectively, responsibly and accountably.

[Motions for Papers, September 20th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise and request that the motion be transferred for debate.

[Hepatitis C, September 20th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, indeed I can report to the House that on July 25 of this year the Prime Minister was able to announce the compensation package for those infected with hepatitis C through the Canadian blood system.

It has been a long-standing and difficult issue and the terms of the compensation are more than $1 billion. I can report to the House that, unlike the previous Liberal government which steadfastly refused to render justice for all the victims of tainted blood, this government has acted. We have acted with compassion. Our Prime Minister has delivered on our commitment to see justice done. We are proud on this side of the House to stand--

[The Environment, June 22nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member of a couple of things.

First, I am working very closely with the Minister of the Environment on some issues that are of great importance to Canadians, whether it is reducing toxins in our environment or protecting the quality of the water that we drink by establishing drinking water guidelines. We are also tackling air pollution which, as we know, is not only an environmental issue, it is a health issue for the air that we breathe.

I have every confidence in the Minister of the Environment. I used to be a minister of the environment and I have seen a lot of federal ministers of the environment, but this Minister of the Environment will protect our country and our environment.