Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My comments will be brief. I appreciate the mover and the seconder for bringing the motion forward. As a member of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, I was party to an update from the department last month on what they are doing in regard to the Medical Travel Policy. As I understand it and remember from that update, they are in the process of developing recommendations around non-medical escorts. So my preference is to wait for that recommendation and that work to come from the department.
I agree with most of what is in the suggested motion, but I can’t say that I agree with absolutely everything. One of the conditions that is being suggested for a non-medical escort gives me some pause. I do agree, certainly, with consistent application of any policy, that’s an absolute, and I do agree with monitoring and evaluation of any policy, in this case the Medical Travel Policy.
So that said, I do not wish to vote against the motion, but I will be abstaining. Thank you.