First of all Mr. Speaker, and with the greatest of respect to the Honourable Member and to the Honourable Member from Thebacha, I do not know where anyone is getting the impression that there is something to hide. I do not know how a board of inquiry under the Medical Profession Act would give the impression of secrecy.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, the Act says that the board of inquiry can take evidence as it sees fit. That, to me, means that they could hold public hearings as they see fit, except, of course, where patient confidentiality or other sensitive issues would be an invasion of privacy, and should logically prevent that kind of public inquiry.
Mr. Speaker, I do not agree, respectfully, with the Member's first contention. As far as the holding of public inquiry is concerned, Mr. Speaker, I will say it again, this legislature has approved a bill, an Act, the Medical Professional Act, which specifically spells out how to deal with situations where a medical practice is questioned, in a way that is fair to the physician, in a way that allows the board of inquiry all the tools to investigate thoroughly the matter at hand, undertake research, call in outside help, compel the attendance of witnesses, including the physician whose conduct may be at issue, and I am not sure that power is in the Public Inquiries Act, this Act is tailor made to deal with the situation of medical practice. It allows for the representation of the territorial medical profession on the board of inquiry and it is made for this situation.
Mr. Speaker, I fail to see why we would not use the legislation and the process that is in place to deal with the specific issue at hand in the Member's constituency. We should use the legislation that has been adopted by this House for this situation. I do not see why we should not use that legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.