“The problems Canadians have faced in accessing health care services during the pandemic have intensified the pressures on our health systems that will continue unless the federal government significantly increases its share of health care costs,” said BC Premier John Horgan, this year’s chair of the Federation Council, said in a media statement. “Canadians must have confidence that their health care systems will provide the services they need. There can be no further delay in having this vital conversation with the federal government.” The Federation Council, the association of Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial premiers, wants the federal government to increase its share of health care funding from the current level of 22 per cent to 35 per cent and maintain funding at that level. new level in the future. “It was… 2004 the last time there were significant gains relative to any increases in [Canada Health Transfer]”Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said last week. “What the provinces are asking for is essentially to have a fair funding partner in the federal government, as it was always intended to be from the beginning.” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the provinces are looking for “a fair funding partner to the federal government.” (Liam Richards/The Canadian Press) The office of federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told CBC News last week that he is committed to funding public health care in Canada, though he did not specifically respond to the premiers’ call for the federal government to cover 35 percent of the cost. Duclos’ office said it has invested more than $72 billion in health care since the start of the pandemic, including $2 billion to help provinces deal with surgery delays. His office also said it is committed to bipartisan deals with the provinces that will mean $3 billion for long-term care, $3 billion for mental health services and $3 billion for home care. “We have clearly demonstrated that we are willing to do our part to ensure the sustainability and accessibility of the universal publicly funded health care system that we all love as Canadians,” Duclos’ office said in a media statement. “Canadians are not interested in a sterile fiscal debate. Canadians are interested in results: they want care and that’s what we want to focus on.” In 1977, the way the federal government finances health care changed. Direct federal funding for some health services was reduced and provinces were given the power to collect more income and corporate taxes to directly fund health services. The federal government says that when these tax points are taken into account, the federal government actually covered 27.9 per cent of health care costs in Canada in 2021-2022. When money Ottawa spends on bilateral agreements on long-term care, home care, mental health and some other services are included, the percentage of health care spending covered by the federal government in 2021-22 approached 38.5 %. a federal official said. A federal government official who spoke to CBC News said the premiers’ demand for a $28-billion annual increase to the Canada Health Transfer — with no discussion of where the money will be used — won’t fly with Ottawa.
Long-term funding needed: Horgan
The federal government’s move to fund specific health programs, such as long-term and home care, has upset some provinces. They say the federal government should just give the provinces the money and let them decide where to spend it, instead of tying funding to specific programs. “We are asking for provincial autonomy within the limits set by the Constitution,” Moe said. Horgan said targeted funding for specific initiatives doesn’t help provinces plan for the long term or deliver health care services in the short term. CBC News: The House11:49 PMs gather for review of Canada’s health care system BC Premier John Horgan, chair of next week’s meeting of premiers, sits down with guest host Tom Parry to discuss the push for more federal health care funding and his own decision to leave politics. “One-time funding doesn’t help us build the system. It doesn’t help us implement a human resources strategy,” Horgan told CBC Radio’s The House in an interview broadcast Saturday. “Instead, we find ourselves, in some cases, chasing each other. The highest bidder gets the most nurses. That’s not how Canada should work. This is how we want it to work now.”
Economic development and energy security
Horgan said the prime ministers would also discuss the economic recovery and the cost of living crisis. Last week, Moe suggested the discussion would include the rising cost of energy and how western provinces can, with federal help, begin to address that issue. Moe said he would ask the federal government to look “very seriously at policy developments” he claimed were hindering energy production. He said Ottawa has not done enough to work with the United States to resolve issues such as the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. WATCHES | Premiers to push for more federal health funding:
Health care on the agenda in the upcoming prime ministerial talks
Canada’s prime ministers are set to meet this week for the first time in person since 2019. Health care is expected to be high on the agenda, with hospitals in parts of the country facing severe staff shortages. The pipeline was supposed to bring Canadian oil to U.S. refineries, but was canceled last year by President Joe Biden, who made ending the project a key campaign promise. Moe said his plan for Canadian and North American energy security “includes an East-West corridor” for energy. Quebec Premier Francois Lego has already said his government would not tolerate an oil pipeline through his province. Legault has previously said his government would tolerate a natural gas pipeline through the province — but his government last year canceled a liquefied natural gas project and the pipeline that would have supplied it over environmental concerns. Following the Prime Ministers’ meetings on July 11 and 12 — held in person for the first time since 2019 — the Prime Ministers will address the media and take questions at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria.
