Stefanson leads charge for more health money

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This article was published 08/12/2022 (705 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson is leading the renewed call by the country’s premiers for Ottawa to negotiate a deal for health funding amid acute staffing shortages and surging respiratory viruses Canada-wide.

On Friday, the Council of the Federation called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to convene a first ministers meeting in Ottawa next month to discuss increases to the Canada Health Transfer, following a virtual meeting hosted from Winnipeg.

“All we’re really asking for here is fairness in all of this when it comes to the funding,” said Stefanson, who chairs the council of provincial and territorial premiers. “In order to do that, we need to sit down at the table and have that discussion with the federal government.”

The provinces want Ottawa to increase its share of annual health funding to 35 per cent from 22 per cent, via the health transfer.

No agreement was reached after health ministers met in Vancouver last month, despite the federal government confirming it was ready to increase investments in the health transfer.

In exchange for the cash, Ottawa said the provinces and territories must be prepared to expand sharing and use of common key health indicators. The federal government has said it is also ready to provide funding through “tailor-made agreements” with provinces and territories.

However, provincial and territorial leaders want full autonomy in delivering health services. Stefanson said premiers delivered a proposal for a new funding agreement to Ottawa two years ago that has collected dust.

“We’re accountable every day to people within our jurisdictions and we’ll continue to be accountable to them,” Stefanson said. “We have unique situations in each of our provinces and territories right across the country, so we know what is needed within our areas.

“The delivery of health-care services is within the provincial and territorial divisions.”

Health represents about 40 per cent of the provincial budget, and as costs rise and the population ages, funding the health system is becoming increasingly challenging, Stefanson said.

The Manitoba government said it is on track to spend $7.28 billion on health care in the 2022-23 fiscal year, or 1.9 per cent more than in fiscal 2021-22.

In Manitoba, economists and bond rating agencies have also noted the Progressive Conservative government is well within reach of a balanced budget, after forecasting a $202-million deficit for this fiscal year.

When pressed on their unwillingness to accept conditions tied to increased cash offers as many governments forecast surpluses, the premiers dug in their heels.

“What we’re asking here is for our partner on this, the federal government, to step up and do its part,” Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said.

“Of course, we’re willing to be held to account,” Houston said. “We want the federal government to stop looking away from this.”

Earlier this week, physicians groups across Canada wrote to the premiers and the prime minister to urge them to reach a deal.

Doctors expressed deep concern over forecast declines in Ottawa’s share of health funding in the near term: “The gaps in our health-care system are growing wider with every day that passes without the necessary political leadership to address the growing crisis.”

Premiers said sustainable and predictable federal funding is necessary and cash transfers to cover one-time expenses or programs do not go far enough.

“We are ready to work with provincial and territorial governments to advance health-care priorities and our overall commitments to improve health services for everyone,” federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in a statement.

“We will do so by focusing on the ends before focusing on the means because as we can see now, the old way of doing things does not work.”

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca