Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also appreciate the Members bringing this forward. I believe that, actually, for a relatively small number of people there should be some consideration for compensation here. Unfortunately, the ask as stated refers to all those who escort, and I think quite a number of Members and certainly I had reservations about it being that broad. Nevertheless, there is undoubtedly an issue here for those family members and especially the breadwinners that must take time off, as we’ve heard from others, for extended leave to escort and accompany family members or unilingual patients that need this particular support and, again, for a long period of time. I would mention that there are also sometimes benefits that escorts enjoy. An

opportunity to visit family members at a distant place and opportunity for shopping and so on, so there is the opportunity for some benefits, but for those that are on extended leave, those benefits start to fade.

I recognize and emphasize that the dollars for actual medical care are probably the priority, and I support all those who have concerns that we don’t want significant dollars removed from providing medical care to be directed towards this, so that needs to be a consideration. I’m sure it will. We’re always talking about balance here. I do not support the removal of significant health care dollars, as I mentioned, to pay for medical escorts generally, but then there are, of course, exceptions. To the extent that this motion recognizes and accommodates these concerns, I support the intent here, but as it is written, “compensating medical and non-medical escorts for their time,” it is much too broad and the concerns I’ve noted are not captured. So, on that basis I will be abstaining. Mahsi.