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|Monday May 3, 2004 |
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MARTIN:
"I AM MY FATHER'S SON"
PM defends
Medicare and recalls father's promises made as boy at kitchen table
TORONTO--"I am my father's son and I am committed to a public universal
healthcare system more than anything else." This emotional statement came
from Prime Minister Paul Martin to his national caucus last Wednesday on
Parliament Hill. Sources from caucus told The Hill Times that the
Prime Minister was visibly disturbed by the suggestion that came from his
health minister, Pierre Pettigrew, who last week made statements implying
that maybe there should be an exploration of some private healthcare
initiatives. Later Mr. Pettigrew "clarified" that statement saying that he
was misinterpreted.
The "misunderstanding," however, really upset Mr. Martin who responded with
passion to the Liberal MPs who intervened at last week's caucus meeting
chastising the federal minister of Health.
According to Liberal sources, the Prime Minister responded passionately to
his caucus. He reminded everyone that he was raised "at the breakfast table
and dinner table with my father talking and planning and implementing a
universal healthcare system for all of Canada."
And he pounded his fist and said, "I did not get into public life to undo my
father's work. I did not get in to public life to dismantle our universal
healthcare system," sources reported.
Then he stressed forcefully that "I am my father's son and I am committed to
a public universal healthcare system more than anything else in my life."
Immediately caucus members rose to their feet and gave a thunderous response
and a big round of applause.
The caucus source said that if all Canadians had witnessed this moment, Paul
Martin would have a majority government.
During the same meeting the sources said that the Minister of Health "was
instructed to go outside and correct his 'miscommunication' to all the
national media or his head would be on the block."
Mr. Pettigrew's statements were more upsetting for the Prime Minister, one
source said, especially because health care was the topic of last Monday
night's meeting at 24 Sussex Dr. with his Cabinet. It has been widely
reported that the dispute over the timing of the upcoming election was
barely mentioned and, indeed, health care was the centrepiece of the
discussion.
Even the Quebec contingent seems to be, even though reluctantly, on side
with an early call during this spring with Martin's lieutenant in Quebec,
Jean Lapierre, vehemently denying last week's report from The Hill Times
that he had threatened not to run in a spring election in Outremont, Que.
Moreover, during last week's caucus meeting, election issues were also
discussed even though MPs seem to have accepted the notion that an early
election is inevitable. The issue was brought up by Toronto caucus chair Art
Eggleton who, according to the same sources, was cautiously asking the Prime
Minister to consider a delay of a few months.
His suggestion did not get a lot of support, especially from Ontario. In
fact, some members of the Toronto caucus are not pleased with Mr. Eggleton's
handling of the issue. "As an individual MP he is entitled to make any
statement in the National caucus, however he should not give the impression
that he reports the view of the caucus, the majority of us are in favour of
an early election call," the source told The Hill Times. |
