2023-11-01 18:22:36
(Montreal) Under the leadership of Quebec Minister Christian Dubé, the provinces tried to show a united front in health by co-signing a letter in which they asked Ottawa to simply finance services without getting involved. Federal Minister Mark Holland, however, maintains that he wants results.
In a reaction sent the day following the publication of an article in La Presse Canadienne on the subject of provincial mobilization, Minister Holland’s office wrote that it continues “to work with [ses] provincial partners” with the aim of “improving health outcomes”.
It is recognized that the country’s health systems are facing “significant challenges” and that it is for this reason that Ottawa has invested “nearly 200 billion dollars over ten years” to improve the care offered to Canadians.
Of this envelope, we recall that 25 billion are planned “for targeted agreements with the provinces and territories”. We therefore say we want to “offer them the flexibility necessary to meet their specific needs and challenges”.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly of Quebec adopted a motion aimed at recalling the “significant imbalance in the financing of the health network”, while insisting on the fact that it is an “exclusive field of competence of the Quebec” for which the province “is entitled to request unconditional compensation for any new federal program”.
The motion also supported the letter co-signed by nine provinces and territories and sent to Minister Mark Holland on October 20. The missive asks Ottawa to stop looking for new ways to encroach on their health autonomy.
In addition to the signature of Christian Dubé, the letter bears those of the Ministers of Health of Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon.
Remember that Quebec is the only province that still does not have an agreement in principle with the federal government on improving health transfers. On this subject, Mark Holland’s office mentions that the minister “had a productive meeting with Minister Dubé” last Friday.
“Care is constantly evolving and our government remains determined to protect and strengthen our public health system,” we add.
In Quebec, the watchword remains to refuse “any condition” imposed by the federal government on health. So far, Ottawa’s demands boil down to four priorities which are already those of François Legault’s government.
We are talking regarding improving access to a family doctor; to support healthcare workers and reduce surgical waiting lists; improve access to mental health and addiction services; and improve access to digital data on the state of the health network.
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