Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Two weeks ago I made a statement in the House regarding the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada and the need for Northerners to get involved, especially in the scheduled hearings in Yellowknife on May 16th. I rise again today to speak on the same issue.
Over the next few months the commission will be hosting public hearings all across Canada, Mr. Speaker, and the purpose of these hearings is to listen to Canadians and to hear what they have to say about the future of our current health care system.
We are fortunate that the commission is coming north on May 16, 2002, and will be hearing from us, the people of the North. I wanted to bring these hearings to the attention of this House and stress to the people of the North how important this is to our health care system. It is indeed a unique opportunity to provide input into what we view should be our future national health system.
Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada announced the release of a consultation workbook. It is designed to give Canadians an opportunity to provide their views on what direction they see the future of health care taking. This workbook is available to every Canadian online, Mr. Speaker, so that we can submit our views to the commission.
The workbook takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and asks for input on four possible scenarios to address health care sustainability. The four scenarios are:
- more public investment;
- more co-payments and cost sharing;
- increased private choice; and
- reorganized service delivery.
Additional information and reference material is provided, so if you do not have a full understanding of the options, a reference is available. The scenarios also provide potential positive and negative impacts that will have to be considered.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of my statement today is quite simple. I urge everyone with a vested interest in our health care system to get involved, whether it be through a presentation in May to the commission or by simply logging on to the commission's website and taking the 15 minutes required to give the commission your views. Your input is critical to the shape of our health care system in Canada.
For your interest, Mr. Speaker, the work book can be downloaded at www.healthcarecommission.ca. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause