SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 314 - May/21/24

Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

May/21/24 2:52:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives are excited because they think they have found a new bumper sticker, but what would they say to families? Not only are they taking away their carbon rebate, but they would also be taking away child care. They would be taking away their dental care. They would be taking away their diabetes medication. What they would give in exchange for taking all those things away from vulnerable people is a false, empty promise. That is what we have on the other side: empty rhetoric and attacking vulnerable people at a time when they most need help. We will continue to stand with those who need help.

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Context: House Hansard - 314 - May/21/24

Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

May/21/24 2:55:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for somebody to live with dignity, they need access to dental care. For somebody to live with dignity, they need access to their diabetes medication. For somebody to live with dignity, they need access to the medicine, support and health care that we are making sure we deliver each and every day. For the party opposite, the Conservatives, to say that the solution to global inflation and the crisis that people are seeing all over the world is to slash supports to vulnerable peoples and attack the very supports that lift them up in the darkest times that we have faced in generations, we say “no”. We will continue to be there for Canadians and make sure they get what they need.

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Context: House Hansard - 314 - May/21/24

Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

May/21/24 3:08:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the first order, if we are going to have safe hospitals, we have to provide science-based, evidence-based information and not support misinformation, because, too often in our hospitals, it is actually misinformation that is fuelling much of the aggression that our doctors and nurses are facing. Secondly, I would say to the member opposite, with regard to the health committee going and listening to people on the ground in British Columbia and hearing directly from those affected by this toxic drug crisis, why were the Conservatives not there? Why did they not send anybody to listen? Why are they not actually on the ground listening to the people who are suffering in this crisis? It is time to act on solutions and evidence.

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Context: House Hansard - 314 - May/21/24

Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

May/21/24 3:09:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the only thing that separates the member opposite and her concern for victims and families is that my colleagues and I on this side of the House want to use evidence-based solutions to make sure that we respond to the crisis with things that are working. The reality is that the strategy the member is advocating was first led by Newt Gingrich in the United States. It was the greatest disaster of his career. He has completely abdicated any responsibility for it, saying that it was a disastrous mistake. Stephen Harper's advisers are saying the same thing. What they are advocating would not work.

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Context: House Hansard - 314 - May/21/24

Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

May/21/24 3:12:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her important work on this issue. We share the goal of ensuring that everyone across the country can access the medication they need. This is essential. I have a very simple question for the vast majority of Conservative Party members who oppose abortion. Why do they also oppose access to contraceptives? The only answer is that these members oppose women's rights in general.

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Context: House Hansard - 314 - May/21/24

Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

May/21/24 3:14:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, the hon. member across would be aware that his party was against any of the mechanisms that actually brought these documents to light. It was this government, and in fact, I was the House leader at the time, that made sure that we had an ad hoc process to make sure that there was a way to properly vet secure documents. That is why these documents in full, unredacted are available for everybody to see. The Conservatives refuse to participate in that and they continue to search for some way to pretend those documents are not available. However, to any Canadian, not just any parliamentarian who wants to see those documents, they are available in their entirety.

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