Ujjal Dosanjh

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, there is no question these are difficult issues. Whether it is diabetes, cancer, or cardiac care, these are difficult issues.

The federal government provides large sums of taxpayers' money to the provinces to deal with health care. In addition to that, we provide $752 million to CIHR for research. We have a Canadian diabetes strategy and we have some funding in place for juvenile diabetes research.

These are difficult issues. I recognize that the hon. member has some passion on this issue and I would be happy to talk to him in detail--

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I know that some of us have the propensity to make outlandish statements. However, the fact is that there has been funding for the Canadian diabetes strategy. There is no question that there is going to be more funding. There is some funding in place for juvenile diabetes research at this time. I was actually at an event where people were raising funds for this issue as well. As I said earlier on, my blood was tested and I was happy to know that my sugar level was within limits.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I would like the support of the members opposite in ensuring that the provinces report according to the agreements that they made with the federal government. There is an unprecedented degree of accountability embedded in the agreement. All funding arrangements require compliance with the reporting provisions. If they have to report, then they will perform. If they have to go to elections every three or four years, they will perform.

The ultimate penalty or the ultimate choice that the people of the provinces will have is to ensure that they either elect or not elect the governments that do not do appropriate things in health care.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I do not know what particular timeframe the hon. member is talking about. I had a meeting with the health ministers about three weeks ago and we talked about this issue. We are actually making progress on this issue.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, those are issues, as the member well knows, that are dealt with by the provincial jurisdictions. I am happy to coordinate these issues with them, but the real debate and dialogue has to happen with those jurisdictions.

The hon. member is raising an issue that was raised by his colleagues in the standing committee with respect to chiropractors. I have an open mind. I think we should be carrying on this dialogue across the country rather than in a partisan kind of fashion.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I was able to attend the CMA annual general meeting several months ago shortly after I became the minister. In fact, one of the things it said to me was that many doctors were tired and were going to retire. We need more doctors. We need more international medical graduates, who are already here, to be integrated into the system. That is absolutely opposite to what the hon. member thinks.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, as I said earlier, there was some money for research on prostate cancer. I believe this is a serious issue. I also believe the integrated disease strategy is also a serious issue. We need to work together, collaboratively, across the country on all these issues, be it diabetes or cancer. I understand the importance of the issue.

I cannot obviously speak for the Minister of Finance in terms of the budget. It is coming for next year. I will keep in mind the serious nature of the comments made by the hon. member in this regard.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, the Canada Health Act embodies the values of sharing and caring for each other that Canadians cherish so much.

We will defend the Canada Health Act and we will enforce the Canada Health Act vigorously. It is very important that we do that because the Canada Health Act is about our values as Canadians, our values about looking after each other, our values about not checking someone's credit card before checking someone's pulse. It is important that we do that. This side of the House will defend the Canada Health Act and enforce it.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, it is actually astounding how wrong the hon. member is on all counts, not just one of the counts.

First, I as a politician have never used rude words about other politicians. I have absolutely never used rude words about other politicians.

Second, if the hon. member produces the quotations he is talking about, I would be happy to talk to him about them.

Third, with respect to the issue that he raises about the state of our health care, all privatizers want to say that our health care is going down the drain. People on that side of the House are privatizers who want to see health care privatized in this country.

There is no question that our health care system can withstand reforms, innovations, enhancements and improvements. However, there is one thing that Canadians will fight for and it is the public health care system that they cherish so much.

[Supply, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I am no medical expert but I understand that this kind of vaccine can only be produced once there is a strain available and we know what strain it is going to be. These are very difficult issues. They are science based issues. That is why we have the chief public health officer. That is why we have the Public Health Agency. It is absolutely independent in making those kinds of decisions. They are the right people to make those decisions. Politicians as government will pay whatever cost there is to make the right decisions and execute them.