Canada’s premiers turn up the heat in new push for more health funding
Global News
Canada’s premiers have launched a new ad campaign aimed at ratcheting up public pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to negotiate more federal health funding to the provinces.
Canada’s premiers are dialing up the political heat in their efforts to get Ottawa to increase federal health transfers to the provinces and territories.
The premiers have launched a new advertising campaign through the Council of the Federation, which comprises all 13 provincial and territorial premiers, aimed at ratcheting up public pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet with them and negotiate a higher federal contribution to health-care costs.
“As federal health care disappears, so do our doctors,” one ad says, pointing to the provinces’ stance that federal health funding levels “continue to decline.”
“Provinces and territories are doing their part, but we need the federal government to restore health care funding now to keep our systems strong,” the ad continues.
The campaign, which launched Monday and includes online, print, radio and billboard ads, comes as provinces have been facing their own calls for urgent action on significant pressures within health systems across the country.
An exodus of health-care workers, particularly nurses, from the public system, nationwide shortages of family doctors, ongoing waves of COVID-19 and surges of patients in need of mental health, home or long-term care are all factors that have led to ER closures, health worker burnout and calls to address a “crisis” in health care.
Health care delivery is a provincial responsibility, but the Council of the Federation, made up of Canada’s 13 premiers, is using its new ad campaign to toss the health care hot potato over to Ottawa, saying the long-term sustainability of Canada’s health care systems “cannot be maintained while the federal government’s share of health-care funding continues to decline.”
“To ensure the tests, procedures and other health care services Canadians across the country need — when they need them — they should not have to wait any longer for federal action,” Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said in a statement. Stefanson is currently serving as chair of the Council of the Federation.
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