House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 43% of the vote.
Health November 21st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, that is not it at all. It is important to act and to show leadership, but we must act with the provinces and territories toward a national action plan.
Of course, it is also our plan, but the previous Liberal government did not have an action plan. That is nothing but rhetoric, there is no plan. Now, Canada does have a plan and we are proud of the wait times for all Canadians.
Health November 21st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I announced an action plan directed to First Nations living on reserves. For the first time, it deals with a wait time guarantee in Canada. That is action.
The Liberal government had made promises, but no action had been taken to reduce wait times. Our government is a government of action and we have acted for the good of Canadians concerning wait times. We are—
Health November 21st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I have to inform the hon. member that the whole purpose of wait times is not to double them but to reduce them. The hon. member has nothing to be proud of in terms of her government's record.
Our government is acting. Our government announced the first wait time guarantee in the country. We took leadership in our own sphere of competency. We are helping those most vulnerable, moms and kids on first nations reserves. That is the way to start. We have gone one step further than the Liberals ever went and we are proud of it.
Health November 21st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, in fact, just yesterday I announced Canada's first wait time guarantee for prenatal care among first nations where we need to get better care for moms and kids. That means the government is taking leadership which that party, when it was in power, did not do.
Under her party in government, wait times in this country doubled from, to be precise, 9.3 weeks in 1993 to 17.8 weeks in 2003. That is her party's record. Our government has a record of action and we will pursue that initiative.
Health November 3rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a stunning indictment after 13 years of Liberal misrule when it comes to the funding of our health care system. After that mismanagement, it is not surprising that physicians had that point of view when it comes to our health care system.
Canada's new government is taking action to reduce wait times and improve the quality of health care, with 1.2 billion extra dollars this year alone for our health care system. We are acting for Canadians and for health care.
Health November 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, in Canada the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board regulates the price of drugs.
I would like the hon. member to know that there is a process for reviewing these prices. There is no relationship between these matters and the price of drugs in our country.
Health November 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced a historic compensation package for victims of hepatitis C. There was at the time of that announcement a whole schedule that had to be enjoined. There has to be a final settlement which I understand is in train. Then there has to be a series of court proceedings where that final settlement is approved.
We are on track with the Prime Minister's promise to have the money in the hands of these victims in 2007.
Health November 1st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is well aware, a report is under consideration by the Canadian public as well as by the Government of Canada regarding this very issue. We are certainly studying it very closely. The hon. member neglected to mention that food companies in this country have voluntarily gone trans fat free, or are radically reducing their trans fat. We would encourage that trend to continue.
Health November 1st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I have not heard from my colleagues yet; operators are standing by, however.
In the meantime, I can report to this chamber that as a result of the excellent budget 2006, we have an extra $1.2 billion of health transfers going to the provinces to focus on the important medical conditions and the important procedures that every single Canadian has a right to ask for from a government that is delivering.
We are delivering. The Minister of Finance has delivered. I am very proud of the Minister of Finance.
HIV-AIDS October 30th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is incorrect. In fact, this government has put in an extra $472 million for HIV-AIDS sufferers in Canada that will go to support programs for vulnerable people, research, surveillance, public awareness and evaluation.
After 13 years of Liberal inaction, AIDS sufferers in Canada have a government that looks after their interests.