Canada’s health care facing ‘national crisis’ that can’t be solved by provinces: Singh

Singh said the NDP is going to focus on trying to 'force this government to act' as doctors warn that children's hospitals are under severe strain.

Canadian health care is facing a “national crisis” that requires federal action to solve, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says.

“The Red Cross being called into children’s hospitals in Ottawa, trailers being set up because of the overflow in children’s hospitals in Alberta, children dying because of the flu in B.C. It is clear that this is a national crisis and it cannot be solved at the provincial level,” Singh said in an interview with The West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson.

“One of the major concerns is human health-care resource shortage — the worker shortage, health-care worker shortage — that can’t be solved by provinces who are trying to recruit from one province, creating a shortage in the province they recruit from. That’s not a solution.”

He said the NDP isn’t ruling out pulling its support from the governance deal that’s keeping the Liberal Party in power. But for now, his party is going to focus on trying to “force this government to act” as doctors warn that children’s hospitals are under severe strain.

“There may come a time when it becomes clear to us that the Liberal government is just not willing to do what’s needed to help people — and we reserve the right to withhold our support,” Singh said.

Stephenson had asked whether the NDP would withhold support if the federal government doesn’t provide more health funding to the provinces, which are urging more cash amid growing strains.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the supply and confidence agreement with the NDP on March 22, telling reporters it would be in place until 2025 — though either party can back out at any time.

Under the deal, the NDP has agreed to support the Liberals in confidence votes for that period of time in exchange for progress on specific files.