Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in acknowledgement of the Ministerial Forum on Health and Social Services. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Minister of Health and Social Services for taking this initiative and boldly go where the previous Minister would not. I would like to also take this time and opportunity to recognize my constituents, who have raised this issue and their concerns by way of petitions to this House, motions, talking on radio and television. Also, I would like to thank the number of people that have come out to public meetings.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, my riding asked for a public enquiry into Health and Social Services and the delivery of the health and social services in our small communities. The issue, Mr. Speaker, is a question of cost, service being provided to our communities and also the health care that people receive. Mr. Speaker, in my riding there is a large concern in regard to cancer, the way people are dealt with and also in regard to the shortage of professions in our region.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask everyone in the small communities to ensure that they go forth, raise their concerns to the forum and have some positive input in regard to how their voices will be heard and also how this government will take steps to improve health and social services in our community.
Mr. Speaker, I too, will also like to ensure that this government makes all efforts to hear what people are saying, not to put it on the shelf as another report regarding to education and culture. I believe that we may have to stand and admit we were not perfect, we made mistakes, we made cuts where maybe we should not have. Yet, Mr. Speaker, the people in our communities and our health care system have suffered for that. With that, Mr. Speaker, I encourage all people to take part and come forth in regard to the Forum on Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause