Giving in to Provinces’ demands won’t improve healthcare, says PM Trudeau

There have been differences between the provinces and the federal government about the share of each government towards healthcare amid the healthcare crisis currently gripping the Canadian healthcare sector.

While the provinces have collectively called for the federal government to up its share in healthcare, PM Trudeau doubled down on the federal stance that increasing the federal share in healthcare will not guarantee an improvement, citing it a “broken system.”

“If provinces continue to not reform or not improve their health-care delivery services, it’s no surprise that Canadians are getting more and more frustrated,” the Prime Minister said at an event in New Brunswick last month.

Earlier in the month, All 13 premiers of Canadian provinces and territories demanded a meeting with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau regarding health funding amid the ongoing Canadian healthcare crisis in a joint press conference on Friday.

The premiers maintained that the federal government has presented “no meaningful response” and is not aptly paying its fair share of costs amid the growing pressure on the healthcare sector across Canada.

Calling for a meeting between the premiers and PM Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford asserted, “The number one issue in this entire country from coast to coast to coast is healthcare, and we can’t do it alone…Nothing should be more important to the prime minister than meeting with the 13 premiers. That’s the bottom line…It’s not that hard to sit down and have a conversation and hammer out a deal. That’s what we’re asking for.”

The premiers are advocating for a $28 billion increase to the Canada Health Transfer, bringing the federal share of Healthcare costs from 22 per cent to 35 per cent.

“One of the only levers I have is saying, ‘I’m not giving you this money with no conditions. I will fully participate in the funding of it, as long as those real improvements are made,” said PM Trudeau while speaking to media outlets about the premiers’ demands.

It may be pertinent to note that PM Trudeau is supposed to meet with Quebec Premier François Legault on Tuesday, with healthcare funding likely being one of the issues discussed.