Health  Mr. Speaker, I first want to congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance for creating a national mental health commission to help Canadians who need help to deal with this challenge. The Canadian Psychiatric Association had this to say, “This is an important first concrete step toward getting a mental health strategy for Canada”.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as far as the composition of this commission is concerned, what is clear is the importance of having a diversity of opinions to represent Canadians. The people have a variety of skills in order to address complex issues. The agency can consult whomever it wishes for assistance with its research and responsibilities.

Health  Mr. Speaker, that is totally incorrect. I have confidence in the competence of all AHRC members. I can state that they represent a wide variety of opinions. I can also say that there is, of course, far more going on there than there was under the former government. There is now more direction and more protection for women in this context.

Children  Mr. Speaker, I can certainly assure the House that the hon. member's facts, figures and assertions are completely incorrect. We support our funding for children. We support, in particular, the children at risk in aboriginal and Inuit communities. All I can say is that after $25 billion of social service cuts by the previous Liberal government, provinces found it more difficult to deal with social services issues.

Children  Mr. Speaker, the question is premised on a complete fiction. This government is supporting kids' services. We have done it in terms of our tax policy. We have done it in terms of our social spending. We have done it in terms of our first nations and Inuit policy. That is the record of this government.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as Canada's health minister I am committed to protecting the health and safety of all Canadians. As soon as I was informed last week of the potential risks associated with the levels of mercury in canned albacore tuna, I instructed my officials to issue an advisory in addition to the one published back in 2002.

Chemicals Management Plan  Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to do so. Indeed, earlier today, through the challenge to industry, the new Government of Canada is moving on with separating 15 to 30 substances every three or four months and publishing the list in the Canada Gazette. Industry is required to provide information on any of these substances in its possession within six months.

Aboriginal Affairs  Mr. Speaker, as the hon. members knows, this is an incredibly serious issue and a dire situation. I can assure this House that Health Canada is on the scene with medical professionals. Indeed, we have additional funds this year alone to, unfortunately, deal with suicide crisis intervention services.

Health  Mr. Speaker, it is quite the opposite. According to the latest report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the most recent data indicated that 42,000 more surgeries were performed than in the previous year in five key surgery areas. In fact, more surgeries were performed overall.

Health  Mr. Speaker, let me correct the record for the hon. member. In fact, 85% of the Canadian population has wait time targets that were not in place under his government. We are working on the other 15%. When it came to priorities, the leader of the official opposition, in his maiden speech to the Toronto Board of Trade, mentioned a whole host of priorities.

Health  Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to put into the record, yet again, CIHI's most recent information on the studied year, which indicates there are 42,000 more surgeries in five key surgery areas. That is an increase in accessibility of 7%. It also indicates an increase of over 2% in surgeries performed outside these five key areas.

Health  Mr. Speaker, indeed the Prime Minister made the announcement indicating that 17 pediatric hospitals across the country from Halifax to Vancouver are part of this important initiative to reduce wait times for Canadian kids requiring medical care. We are investing taxpayers' money, $2.6 million, in a 15 month pilot project, the first pan-Canadian wait times information system to help kids who need surgery.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister indicated during the election campaign and as we have indicated as a government, we support the Canada Health Act and the principles of the Canada Health Act which include universal accessibility and universal coverage. I had a conversation with my Quebec counterpart this morning.

Health  No, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we are investing in the public health care system on behalf of the people of Canada to fix the mess that was there because of the Liberal government for the past 13 years. That is what we are doing on this side of the House. We support the Canada Health Act.

Health  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is incorrect. In fact, we are fully funding Canada Health Infoway. We consider it a key component of the government's agenda for electronic health records. I encourage the hon. member to check her facts. We are delivering on our health care promises.