Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, I have a ministerial statement.

Today, I am very pleased to announce that a very special blood donor clinic is taking place to replenish blood supplies in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario for the holiday season. Not only is the purpose a noble one, but the drive is being sponsored by three organizations: Hemophilia Manitoba, the Red Cross in Winnipeg, and Manitoba Health.

On behalf of the Manitoba government, I would like to express my pleasure with the opportunity to join with Hemophilia Manitoba and the Red Cross to sponsor this drive. This co-operative effort is a first and shows that community partnerships are a rewarding and effective way to achieve a common goal.

Madam Speaker, with your permission, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the presence of Mr. Mark Brown, president of Hemophilia Manitoba and Mr. Mark Neskar, executive director of the Red Cross in Manitoba, who are in the gallery for this particular announcement.

The clinic is taking place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Bingo Royale hall at 932 Erin Street in Winnipeg, which is adjacent to the offices of the Hemophilia Society of Manitoba. As an additional element of the partnership, Monarch Industries is supplying free parking at their lot just south of this particular location.

I would like to tell honourable members how the clinic was developed. On November 4, I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of Hemophilia Manitoba to discuss a wide range of issues, including blood collection. We recognize that continued media publicity of the tainted blood issue was hurting blood donations and that the then forthcoming Krever report would exacerbate the situation. It was suggested that a drive be put together by Hemophilia Manitoba, the Red Cross, and the Ministry of Health, which could help in maintaining public awareness of the continuing need to donate blood, particularly during the coming holiday season.

I was very pleased that the Red Cross responded positively to this proposal when they were invited to join in the partnership. The need for this clinic is shown by figures the Red Cross gave to us recently, that donations have dropped off by 15 percent in this past year. Within the government, we have already drawn our employees' attention to the clinic and have encouraged them to participate.

The intent of the drive today is to focus on the future. The immediate goal, of course, is to ensure adequate blood supplies during the holiday season. Looking farther ahead, we want to send a strong, positive message to our citizens about the continuing need to give blood, as we and other governments work through the implications and recommendations of the Krever report and move Canada and Manitoba into a new era in our blood system.

Madam Speaker, this clinic is the first time such a partnership has been formed to secure greater citizen initiative to donate blood. I hope we can work together in other initiatives to ensure a continuing safe and dependable blood system for Manitobans and indeed all Canadians.

Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for providing me with a copy of the statement just before we came into the House, and we on this side of the House welcome this initiative.

One of the wonderful things about this nation is that we have created, on this northern part of the continent, a system of co-operation and caring for each other that is probably unparalleled in the world. As a result of this, we have our universal medicare system that is also unparalleled and recognized as one of the best in the world. Together with that, we have had a blood collection system that has been universal, that has been freely accessible and that has worked over the past several years--albeit with some severe difficulties--and come through crisis. Nonetheless, that system has worked to help our fellow Canadians, fellow Manitobans in their time of need.

We have come through a major crisis and many people are suffering, yet we have been large enough I think to admit that mistakes have been made, and we are working together on solutions for that.

In typical Canadian and Manitoban fashion, we recognize there have been mistakes in some of the administration of the past, but the principle, that is, the principle of a universal blood system and a system that is freely accessible to all continues, and that is why we welcome this initiative today. In fact, to have the Red Cross together with the Hemophilia Society I think sends a strong message to all Manitobans of the strength of our blood system and our hope in the future.

So we on this side of the House welcome this initiative and support it to the highest possible degree. Thank you.