- Member of Parliament
- Minister of Health
- Liberal
- Ajax
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 65%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $134,982.00
- Government Page
- May/29/24 10:11:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I share my hon. colleague's excitement. Hearing about Peter getting care and about more than 120,000 seniors across the country getting the care they need has been one of the great and extraordinary privileges of my public life, to be able to talk to seniors who are getting care, in many instances for the first time in a very long time, and the pride that comes to them. I have talked earlier in the committee about the numbers, and the member in his speech mentioned that we are over 10,000. We are over 10,500 now, and the number continues to grow with that new portal opening on July 8.
I have talked in the House, as well, about when I was in Vanier meeting with denturists and talking to the seniors that they are meeting. In one instance, there was a woman who had the same pair of dentures in her mouth for 41 years. All that was left were plastic plates, which she used to crush food. Hearing that denturist talk about fitting, this week, a new pair of teeth in that woman's mouth and what that is going to mean to her sense of dignity and to her health is absolutely extraordinary.
Whether it is Peter or, just a few days ago, I saw Raphael getting care, this is happening, and we are going to make sure that we do the same thing for pharmacare.
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- May/29/24 8:16:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member is right. We are seeing a really strong take-up across the country. In fact, we are now at nearly 40% of oral health providers having signed up, and that means more than 10,500 providers who are providing service every day. We are literally seeing thousands and thousands of seniors every single day getting care. Therefore, that 120,000 figure in just over three weeks is remarkable.
Before I turn it back to the member for his question, I would say that it is unfortunate. If members want to vote against it and do not want seniors to have dental care, that is their prerogative vote in this House. However, to malign the program and to actively call around and try to sabotage it and get providers to not participate is very contemptuous.
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- May/6/24 3:01:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking the member for Richmond Hill, who has been such an incredible advocate in making sure that all Canadians get the oral health care they deserve.
In the first three days, we have had extraordinary results. More than 15,000 seniors, just in the first three days, have already gotten service. When we think about that, it is a fundamental issue with dignity and prevention. Those are seniors who are not going to wind up in a hospital room.
We need to continue that momentum. More than 8,000 dentists have now signed up, with more and more signing up every day. We are going to get to—
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- Feb/29/24 2:45:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the representations made by the member are inaccurate, and I would invite people to read the documents, which have been fully redacted.
However, this is the contrast with a party that is focused on partisanship and differences. The member opposite talked about working with another party and what that might accomplish. What about dental care? When we focused on co-operation, we were able to get dental care for this country. We were able to make sure that nine million Canadians, including three million seniors, will have access to dental care. They are voting against that. They are against that. Are they against pharmacare? Are they against the other fruits of co-operation that come from—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Feb/1/24 3:10:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Kitchener—Conestoga for his advocacy to make sure that oral health is available for all Canadians.
It is now available for those who are 72 years of age and older, and it is going to be rolling out to nine million Canadians. That is 3.5 million seniors and more than a million kids under 18. It is deeply disappointing that the Conservatives are voting against this and looking to get rid of dental care. It is essential not only as preventive medicine but also for the dignity of seniors who are finally being able to replace their dentures and get the oral health care they need.
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- Oct/18/23 2:48:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here is the truth for seniors. The global inflation problem is not going to be fixed by cutting dental support to 3.5 million seniors, and that is what the Leader of the Opposition would do. On top of that, to get to the tens of billions of dollars of cuts he is talking about, it would mean cuts to our health care system, and it would mean making sure, unfortunately, that the investments, like we saw in B.C., to transform our health system would not happen. What does that mean? It does not mean just poor health outcomes. It means more costs in the future, it means a less resilient country and it means a much worse future for our seniors. That is what he is peddling.
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- Jan/31/23 2:58:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I ask what the member opposite means when they say that Canadians have never had it so bad. What would they say to Canadians who for the first time are having universal child care, are seeing their costs cut in half and that it is going to be $10 a day? What would they say to those who have children and who, for the first time, are going to be able to make sure that they have dental care for every single child across the country? What would they say to the seniors, whom the Conservatives cut off by raising the eligibility age to 67 and are now collecting it at 65? What would they say to the 1.5 million people who have a job now, who did not when the Conservatives were in power?
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