December 10, 2020
Statement from Premier Brian Pallister on the Dedicated First Ministers' Meeting on Health Care
In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made two promises; the first to host a dedicated First Ministers’ Meeting on health care, the second to restore the federal-provincial funding partnership with a new health accord and long-term funding agreements. The prime minister kept one promise and broke the other.
Today, the federal government had the opportunity to stand up for a quality, accessible and sustainable health-care system and resume its rightful role as a true funding partner, and they failed.
Demand for health care has never been higher. Federal support for health care has never been lower. The federal government used to fund 50 per cent of health-care costs, now the provinces and territories are burdened with almost 80 per cent of all costs and the divide continues to grow.
Wait times for Canadians from coast to coast to coast have never been longer. Wait times to see a specialist have tripled nationally.
Today, the prime minister chose not to focus on the long-term health-care needs of all Canadians. The prime minister also rejected the premiers’ request for a further dedicated meeting on addressing the Canada Health Transfer funding imbalance and the need for a true federal-provincial partnership. The federal government has failed to demonstrate what Canadians already know – that health care is their number one priority.
- 30 -