The Interview

Does this man have the royal jelly?

Stéphane Dion, the embattled leader of the Liberal Party, put his political future on the line last week. After some tough talk, he backed down and supported Prime Minister Stephen Harper's contentious Throne Speech to avoid sending Canadians to the polls. NRM reached Mr Dion by email before the Throne Speech to ask what he had to say about Stephen Harper, tax cuts, wait times — and Céline Dion.

Photos of Mr. Dion: Ashley Fraser

There's a pretty profound sense of disappointment among Canadians about the Liberal Party right now. Have you let them down? There's no question we have work to do, as a party, to regain the confidence of Canadians and we've been working hard to do just that. I'm confident, on election night, that trust will be fully restored.

I know Stephen Harper's probably not your favourite guy right now, but how do you think he's doing on healthcare? Unfortunately, like the Conservative government has chosen to do with most of the issues they face, they have replaced sound public policy with simple publicity stunts, real action with photo ops.

You've praised Quebec's Chaoulli-inspired healthcare reforms, saying expansion of private sector delivery will only help the public system. Canadians are very clear about the kind of healthcare they want. We all want a high-quality health system with easy access that is not determined by the thickness of the patient's wallet. The Chaoulli decision forces us to look at the proper role the private sector can play in our system. It's indisputable that the private sector plays a significant role. Canadians in every province are comfortable with some private practice. Most of our own family doctors practice in their own office and send us for blood work or tests in private laboratories.

But it goes further than that — CMA president Dr Brian Day is threatening to rip the Canada Health Act to shreds. Many doctors support his ideas. Private sector involvement should in no way jeopardize the five principles of the CHA, notably universal access.

Ever used a private clinic? All of the doctors I have used in Canada are operating within the public system.

You went to see Michael Moore's SiCKO with George Smitherman and Gerard Kennedy. Was that a good time? While painting a somewhat rosy picture of the situation, SiCKO is a healthy reminder of the many benefits of publicly-funded healthcare. That said, there's no question that today Canada's healthcare system faces serious challenges. In particular, we need more doctors and nurses to meet Canadians' needs.

You have a dog called Kyoto. How about naming your next dog SiCKO? If my family gets another dog, we've already agreed to name him Protocol.

You've been beating the tax-cut drum a lot lately. Don't tax cuts always equal health service cuts? I don't think so. Most of the money the federal government spends on healthcare is money well spent. And while I strongly believe in the importance of broad-based income tax cuts, I am much more inclined to find room for such tax cuts from savings elsewhere, and, in the long run, from the dividends that are returned to the government from improved economic growth.

Here's one that's sure to make your blood boil: The Harper government's recent "No" vote on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I believe the Harper government has failed Canada's aboriginal peoples and embarrassed Canada internationally by voting against the UN declaration. With respect to aboriginal healthcare: this is a matter of social justice and a condition of Canada's continued success.

You've got quite a few MDs in your party, like Carolyn Bennett, Hedy Fry and Keith Martin. Are docs more Grit than Tory? I think the Liberal Party appeals to many healthcare professionals because what has guided them is very much in sync with what guides liberals: a belief that, as a society, we are all stronger when we make sure that each and every person has every opportunity to succeed; that each of us cannot simply fend for ourselves, but depend on the support, experience, knowledge and skills of others around us to move forward and grow.

Your cause célèbre is the environment. Canadians are really worried about environment-related illness, from asthma to skin cancer. What would a Liberal government do to prevent these illnesses? The reality is that as the effects of climate change become more and more pronounced we will see more and more environment-related ailments and illnesses. That's why, above and beyond taking real, concrete and comprehensive steps to combat climate change, I will use the regulatory power of the Government of Canada, much more than is the case today, to remove polluting and dangerous products from the consumer marketplace and provide clean air and safe water for all Canadians.

Should Canada make it easier for immigrant doctors to get qualified to work here? Absolutely. Canada is facing serious labour shortages that will only get worse in the years ahead. We cannot afford barriers to mobility or wasted talent because credentials are not recognized. To this end, the federal government must continue to work with provinces and territories, professional associations, and colleges and universities to assist new Canadians in getting their credentials recognized or, where necessary, upgraded to meet Canadian professional standards.

You voted against the Government's last budget, which included a provision of $300 million for HPV vaccines. Do you approve of this kind of federal meddling in how the provinces spend their cash? Opposition parties do not have the luxury of picking and choosing which parts of the budget to vote for. But I can assure you that, as Prime Minister, I will always be a responsible partner with the provinces and territories and will ensure that the federal government be there to assist provinces in the best manner possible.

Everybody agrees Canada's healthcare wait times are a disgrace. Are federal incentives the way to cut queues? Wait times cannot be dealt with in isolation, nor can they be dealt with by simply imposing quotas. We must take a comprehensive, holistic approach to improving our healthcare system, including the reduction of wait times. For me, I believe that starts with ensuring our population is healthier and, as much as possible, that people do not need to visit our hospitals. And when they do, we need to make sure that managerial best practices have been identified and disseminated across the country to ensure that the care they receive is delivered in a timely, efficient and effective manner.

Does the recurring depiction in Montreal French-language newspaper La Presse showing you as a rat upset you? When I announced that I was running for the leadership of the Liberal Party that particular cartoonist which you reference [Serge Chapleau] portrayed me as an angel. So I guess both cartoonist and politician made some progress.

Don't look — can you remember the full title of your doctoral dissertation? "The Politicization of Public Administration: The Case of the French Communal System."

The Leader of the Opposition's residence, Stornoway, is only a few kilometres from Parliament Hill — do you ride your bike to the office? Not nearly as much as I would like, I'm ashamed to say.

You're on the road a lot. Busy people are notorious for not eating well, but you look pretty trim. Got a healthy nutrition tip for people on the go? If I had one tip, I'd say it is always good to watch your portions. This was particularly beneficial this summer. I attended a lot of barbecues and, as much as I wanted seconds at every stop, had I not been as careful as I was, I'd need new suits this fall.

Do Americans ever mix you up with that other famous Dion, Céline? Only the ones who have never heard me sing.

If politics doesn't work out, any chance of a career in Vegas? As my former colleague Herb Gray used to say, "I reject the premise of your question!"

Interview by Gillian Woodford & Sam Solomon