Matt Strauss · TranslatePolitics.ca

Oral Questions

Health

2026-06-17

“I'm accusing you of covering up a scandal by cancelling meetings. Explain why you're doing this if it's not a cover-up.”

Adjournment Proceedings

2026-06-08

“I asked specific questions but you're not giving straight answers. You're wasting the House's time and taxpayers' money by keeping the chamber open late but dodging questions. I want the minister to clearly explain what power she has over Canada Health Infoway. You should give clear answers to respect the voters and the House.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I asked several very specific questions. I asked whether Canada Health Infoway is independent or not. I asked whether the Minister of Health has oversight on its funding or not. I asked whether the Minister of Health has the power to fire the CEO of Canada Health Infoway or not. I have asked whether the minister would come to health committee to explain these things in more detail. The member did not answer even one of those questions. It is 11 p.m. It costs money to keep the chamber open. Tens of thousands of people voted for me so I could ask these questions. Tens of thousands of people voted for the member so she could answer these questions. Why will she not just answer them and respect the House, respect the Speaker and respect the mace?

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“I'm here late trying to get a straight answer about who's in charge of this expensive program. The minister won't give clear answers. It matters because it's taxpayer money. Is she responsible for it or not? Taxpayers have the power to fire us all. Why won't she answer? I'm hopeful, but this is frustrating.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to be here so late. I am hoping that if some of the Liberals get sleepy enough, perhaps they will accidentally answer the questions and provide some light on what has gone on at PrescribeIT. We are here for this particular adjournment proceeding question because, on May 28, I pointed out to the health minister that she said in the House that she had spoken to the board of Canada Health Infoway, and subsequently that caused its million‑dollar CEO, Michael Green, to be fired. The only problem is that the chairman of that board said that the Minister of Health had never spoken to the board, so there was a clear discrepancy. We raised as a question of privilege at the committee that somebody was clearly not telling the truth. The minister responded during that question period, saying she meant that she had spoken with her representative on the board, so in a follow-up question, I asked if her representative had spoken to the chairman of the board. She said she was “not going to get into who said what”. Well, why on earth not? This matters. It is important, because it has to do with how the organization is governed. The next thing the minister said during that question period was that “Canada Health Infoway is a separate entity from the government.” Is that true? How can it possibly be true? If the minister appoints the board chair, subsequently appoints a direct representative of herself on the board and then gives instructions to that representative to fire the CEO, how on earth can the organization be said to be independent? I think, honestly, that this is how organizations come to be poorly governed. This is how they come to blow $300 million on a program that did not work but that should have been billed successfully for $5 million. The minister is making a Schrödinger’s cat out of responsibility. If she does something good, such as fire the million‑dollar CEO, that is because she is in charge, but if the organization does something bad, then suddenly it is at arm's length and she has no control over it. This cannot go on. Is she responsible for what goes on at Canada Health Infoway, or is she not? Is she responsible for how it spends taxpayers' money, or is she not? Does she have the power to fire the CEO, or does she not? I will tell the House who has the power to fire all of us: the taxpayer. Why will the minister not say who said what in the chamber, so the taxpayers can make a decision about who needs to be fired? Why will she not come to committee to answer these questions instead of sending attachés who, frankly, do not answer these questions when we ask? However, I am hopeful tonight, so here we go.

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Oral Questions

Health

2026-06-08

“I think this agency wasted lots of taxpayer money. They aren't giving us the documents we asked for. The minister says there will be a review. How long will it take and how much will it cost? I think we should pull their funding now.”

Adjournment Proceedings

2026-06-03

“My constituents want this bad contract gone. I'm a doctor and this wasteful spending won't help anyone. Stop wasting money on lobbyists. Give the money to hospitals or nurses instead.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, to answer the member's first question, I am terribly disappointed. That was no answer at all. I know my constituents very well. I am from the Waterloo region. It is the tech capital of Canada. My constituents, those who work in tech, would love to get a $50-million contract to do nothing. This organization, after 20 years and $4 billion, has done nothing tangible. I am asking the government why it is giving this organization another $50 million, and the member could not point to anything it is going to do. It is going to look at some things. He went to his doctor's office and the doctor was using technology. I am a doctor, and doctors use technology without Canada Health Infoway blowing $50 million on lobbying firms to tell us to use it. The government needs to stop it. My constituents beg the government to stop it. Do not give this $50 million away. Give it back to taxpayers, build hospitals or hire nurses with it, but stop doing this, please.

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“I want to complain about Canada Health Infoway. The government should stop giving it money. The Minister of Health shouldn't give it another $50 million this year. It's a backward organization. The CEO got fired. I asked them and they couldn't name one program that's helping people. I think it's badly run. I think it's become a slush fund. The Liberals shovel money at it. Then insiders shovel the money around. They shovel it to lobbying firms. I don't like that. I don't think the government should give it any more money.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are here tonight because, on May 6, I asked the Liberal Minister of Health how much more money she was planning on giving Canada Health Infoway, given that it had blown $300 million on PrescribeIT for no tangible benefit to the taxpayer. She answered that the CEO of Canada Health Infoway's “behaviour was [totally] unacceptable”, and that is why she asked the board of directors to fire him. Then she said that she was going to give Canada Health Infoway another $50 million this year. I will say, I am grateful that she gave a clear-cut, numerical answer rather than dodging the question. That is commendable. However, that clear-cut, numerical answer was totally unacceptable. Why would she give such a backward organization another $50 million this year? That is my question. I have a bit more time, so I want to say that I took the unprecedented step tonight of emailing this question to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Health's staff. I would never break the rules in this place and comment on the presence or absence of another member; however, I do want to share that I have a terrible feeling that I will be disappointed and that neither of them will answer my question tonight. When this organization came to health committee, I asked its chair, after $4 billion had been pumped into this organization, after 20 years, could he name one tangible program, something it managed, directed, built or designed, that is currently benefiting taxpayers? He could not. He only said that it rolled out a lot of federal funding, answering in vague platitudes. It seems to me that Canada Health Infoway has become a slush fund. The Liberals shovel money at it and then Liberal insiders shovel money around, including to lobbying firms such as Crestview Strategy and, I think, Summer Strategies was the other one. Obviously, it is badly run. The Liberals say it is independent, but then the health minister calls it up and gets the CEO fired. Why would they give such a backward organization another $50 million this year?

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Oral Questions

Health

2026-06-03

“You know PrescribeIT wasted $300 million. You know you had to fire the CEO. So why give the same group that can't point to one accomplishment in 10 years another $50 million this year? That makes no sense.”

Oral Questions

Health

2026-05-28

“So are you saying the person who represents you on that board never talked to its leader? Did he lie to a House committee? Will you talk to your board person again and fire even more Canada Health Infoway execs?”

“I want the health minister to explain herself. She gave an excuse about firing someone at Canada Health Infoway. I think she's hiding something. I want the truth.”

Statements by Members

Civic Education

2026-05-27

“I'm glad students are here to learn about Parliament. I hope they stay involved. To the other party, my party will pressure you about youth issues today. Try to give real answers.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure today to welcome 58 students and staff from Jacob Hespeler Secondary School in my hometown of Hespeler, who are visiting Parliament Hill today to observe our democracy in action. These students are taking part in an important learning experience, gaining first-hand insight into Canada's parliamentary system, civic engagement and public service. I would like to recognize the dedication of the teachers and chaperones, Dave Lambert, Ashley Pederson, Mishelle Bird and Cole Boland, for helping to guide and inspire the next generation. I welcome all 58 members of the Jacob Hespeler Secondary School visiting today to Ottawa. I hope their visit encourages them to stay engaged and involved in shaping the future of our communities and our country. To the Liberal members across the aisle, Conservatives will be asking hard questions today that pertain to the real-life future prospects of these young people. I beg them to try actually answering today and put on a proper show.

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Oral Questions

Health

2026-05-06

“You Liberals wasted $300 million on Canada Health Infoway for PrescribeIT and now you admit it failed. The board only fired the CEO after we Conservatives complained. Now tell us, how many more dollars will you give this messed-up group?”