44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 7, 2022 02:00PM
- Dec/7/22 2:29:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, is there anyone who has not heard the story of the man listening to the radio in his car who hears on the news that a dangerous driver is driving against traffic? He yells at the radio, “there isn't just one, there are a hundred”, because he does not realize that he is the dangerous driver. The Government of Canada is behaving in the exact same way, and it is not that funny.
Quebec, the provinces and, today, the Canadian Medical Association are asking the federal government to increase health care funding.
When will the government stop going the wrong way, start heading in the right direction and increase health transfers?
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- Dec/7/22 2:30:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Medical Association asked for an increase in federal health care funding, but that has not happened. This is typical and has been going on for years.
Ottawa says it is co-operating, but that is not true. There is no co-operation. Everyone knows that the federal government is underfunding Quebec's health care system, but Ottawa is still withholding funding. Everyone knows that Ottawa knows nothing about delivering health care, but it still wants to impose standards.
Patients do not need lectures. Patients need health care.
Will the government increase health transfers, yes or no?
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- Dec/7/22 2:31:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government has a long history of working with the provinces and territories, not only to provide funding, but also to ensure a national vision for health care and systems that meet the needs of Canadians.
Since the start of the pandemic, our government has invested more than $72 billion to protect Canadians' health.
We will increase Canada health transfers by 10% in March 2023, which is in addition to the extra 5% increase announced a few months ago.
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- Dec/7/22 2:51:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, well, that answer was not enough from the minister. There is an influx of sick kids in Ontario and parents are panicked. Canada's health care system is in a state of crisis that the Prime Minister cannot ignore any longer. CHEO is calling in the Red Cross to help. Kingston Health Sciences Centre is taking kids from Hamilton and London as their children's hospitals are overrun and understaffed. Conservative premiers are gutting health care, and the government is allowing it to happen.
What will it take for the government to finally sit down with the provinces and provide the funding needed so sick kids can get the care they need?
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- Dec/7/22 2:51:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are worried, as are the parents of kids across this country, and our hearts are with them, but we all need to do everything we can do to keep people well and to observe the public health measures of the public health authorities.
Our government has a long track record of working with provinces and territories, not only to provide them funding, but also to ensure the national vision for a health care that delivers for Canadians. Our government has made significant investments to support health systems, including $72 billion over the course of the pandemic. We will increase the Canada health transfer by 10% in March, as we increased it by 5% earlier—
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Mr. Speaker, I would love the answer the hon. member's question if he would just stop shouting over me. I really would.
I believe in prudent financial spending. If I had my way, we would not be spending such astronomical figures that we actually need the GST. The reality is that the government must have the GST because it is spending so much, and that is being spent on the backs on our children, our grandchildren and future generations.
I fear that their tax payments and their funding of the interest payment for taxes will cripple us in the future.
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- Dec/7/22 7:04:52 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am heartened to hear the non-partisan approach of tonight's take-note debate. I want to thank the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre for being a champion and voice for this. I had the privilege of standing alongside her, the families and the many community leaders who came to this place to advocate, including the incredibly inspiring and strong children.
There is a lot of talk about complexity on this issue. We heard in the previous answer that we need to perhaps revisit this. The truth is this is something that has been studied. This is something that has been captured in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
In fact, families, advocates and indigenous leaders, including Chief Kyra Wilson of the Long Plain First Nation, have highlighted the need for immediate federal funding to build and operate more low-barrier shelters for women fleeing violence. I know the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre championed 24-hour safe spaces in Winnipeg.
Does the member agree we need to expedite federal funding for the building of new safe spaces, including through the government's $724.1-million violence prevention strategy, which today, to our disgrace in this House, sits mostly unspent?
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- Dec/7/22 7:06:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, if the federal government could come to the table with some dollars, I think that would move mountains in finding these women or, at the very least, dignifying where they rest.
Certainly, I would support money from the federal government. Given that this has been a respectful conversation thus far, I am not looking to wade into serious partisanship, but it is true that this is a Liberal government that has spent more than any other government in history. If it is not going to prioritize this, I think that speaks volumes to the value it is placing on doing this. It has the money. It is spending it. Why not provide some money for this issue that we are specifically talking about today, but also for what the member said, safe spaces for women?
The London Abused Women's Centre specifically supports women who have been sex trafficked and human trafficked generally. I believe it was last year or the year before that the Liberal government did not renew its funding and yet the centre helps thousands of women in the area, which is a highly trafficked area. I do believe that this funding should have been restored.
Within the same moral lens, I think that what the member has asked for is perfectly reasonable, especially in light of the fact that yet again, we are having this conversation.
We need to have a conversation. Certainly, the Liberal government should be coming to the table with some funding to support the efforts to find these women and ensure that their resting places are dignified.
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