Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member has raised a number of critical points. I would point out that Stanton and Inuvik are acute care facilities and I think there is a direct correlation to the struggles with their costs and the fact that they are running the most expensive health programs that can be offered in the health care system. I would point out, as well, the Member commented that if health was a private business it would out of business. I would suggest to the Member that if he wants to see what would happen with a private business, then he could look south of the border, the 49th parallel, and see where
tens of millions of Americans don’t have any health care coverage because they can’t afford it, and the first question they ask when you come through the door is: What’s your health care coverage and where’s your credit card?
We have a system that is not perfect, that is expensive, but it is, I still think, overall a very good business. It provides critical programs. I know the Minister of Health will expand on some of these issues.
In regard to the blood services, blood services are past the day of just donating blood at the local health centre these days. Based on the Krever inquiry and all the things that happened with the tainted blood scandal, if the Member will think back a number of years, millions were spent on the inquiry and tens of millions of dollars were spent revamping the blood services system. The instance before us in the supp today is we have some very expensive blood products required by a small number of patients that is critical to their survival. That’s where that cost comes in.
I’ll now ask the Minister of Health if he wants to elaborate. I’ll ask later, Madam Chair, with your indulgence, if the Minister of ECE would speak to the income support question. Thank you.