Finance committee  But when we look at priorities, it's also about how you collect that one dollar. Since 2006, you've lost over $200 billion in tax cuts. Why? So the provinces get less. The provinces have done the same thing—don't get me wrong. They've also done the same thing, so everyone's guilty here.

Finance committee  If you hadn't cut your taxes, you could have had a national drug plan. You could have had child care for every child in this country. You could have done that.

Finance committee  I'm quickly reading Dr. Turnbull's comments—

Finance committee  Oh, okay. But the CMA is very clear in its statement and is asking the same thing that we are: you need to attach the funding, which is a lot of dollars, and dollars from Canadians—they're not ours to spend—to targets. One of the areas they address is pharmaceuticals. The cost of pharmaceuticals in this country is three times the cost of inflation; it is after hospital costs.

Finance committee  Yes, it has been very clear from most of the provincial premiers that the squeeze will come. Never mind that the squeeze will come when the federal government reduces its financing, but what's happening right now is that we see a big squeeze because of the cost of drugs and because of the cost of our health care system, mainly in the acute care sector.

Finance committee  Good afternoon. I am president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. The CFNU represents close to 160,000 nurses working in hospitals, in nursing homes, in homes, and in our communities. I thank the committee for providing us this opportunity to appear. I have to say that it reminds me of my days in the emergency room, when we didn't know what would come through the door.

Health committee  Just one, the province of Ontario, which lived the SARS experience. They have the Justice Campbell report. Let's also be clear, the fact document did not even quote Justice Campbell. That in itself should be a red flag for everybody around this table.

Health committee  My question to him would be, how come when his own report of December of last year from the council of executives recommended the N95, they didn't support that recommendation? It was supported with their own report.

Health committee  With all due respect to David Butler-Jones, I'm sure if he were to go on a unit where 100% of the patients were affected with H1N1, he would be wearing an N95--well-fitted. That I guarantee. The evidence is not clear. We've been working on this with the agency for three years. No one can say 80% or 90% that the evidence is clear on what to wear.

Health committee  I want to point out that we have been meeting routinely for three years now. There will be more, but there is little to show for it.

Health committee  I'll take the first, the cost, and then let my colleague speak on the organizational structure. The number one reason we hear on the debate between the respirator and the surgical mask is the cost attached to the compliance because of a lack of education. They all have to be fit-tested, and an education program on how to use them needs to apply, so it's attached to a cost.

Health committee  Thank you. My remarks will focus specifically on infection prevention and safety in the health care system. It appears that, with the exception of Ontario, the provinces and territories are set to follow the Canadian pandemic guidelines, which are based on occupational health and hygiene, not safety.

Health committee  You would have seen in our brief, on educating your own.... That comes from research, both in rural and aboriginal communities. If we're able to find education programs that are built on career-laddering programs in rural communities, they will stay there. Those are their communities; they will stay there.

Health committee  Yes, for sure. The hospital budget restriction is an issue across the country, and in your province, too, which I just came from. The issue of part-time/full-time depends on where you live. Alberta, for example, has a full-time rate of 38% in nursing, which is purely ridiculous, compared to the Maritimes and your province, which is close to 70%--between 65% and 70%.

Health committee  I will take the example of EI, which we've been working on since 1999. I'm not sure if the committee knows, but if you're a plumber in this country, you can apply with your employer to take an apprenticeship program under EI, get your education, your salary paid, and then you get the next level of being a plumber.