WINNIPEG — As provincial and territorial health ministers meet in Winnipeg this week, federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel announced that their government would be extending federal funding agreements for mental health, addictions and home care by another year. This is an important step towards ensuring stable and adequate federal funding for health care in the provinces and territories.
“The renewal of federal funding agreements that were set to expire is good news heading into the federal budget. We are grateful that federal health Minister Marjorie Michel has listened to the concerns from the provincial level, and provided clarity for the upcoming year,” said Chris Gallaway executive director of Friends of Medicare. “Now we need to hear a plan for stable, long-term funding to provinces that ensure our provincial health care systems have certainty for the years ahead.”
Friends of Medicare and many others continue to call on Minister Michel to defend and enforce the Canada Health Act, including the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, who made it a priority in their meeting with the minister yesterday. Of specific concern is Alberta’s ongoing push to implement Bill 11, a piece of legislation that legal opinions released over the summer show is a clear violation of the Canada Health Act.
“We continue to call on Minister Michel to do her job and address Alberta’s plans to implement Bill 11, a system of two-tier, American-style health care," said Gallaway. "Albertans need to hear our federal health minister state clearly and publicly that this legislation violates the Canada Health Act, and that her government will act to protect patients and our public health care systems by enforcing the Act if Alberta proceeds with implementation."
Friends of Medicare joined the Manitoba Health Coalition for a public town hall in Winnipeg last night where attendees echoed those at town halls all over Alberta, in making clear that they want their public health care protected and the Canada Health Act enforced.
“In Alberta and across the country, Canadians have been consistent that they support public health care and do not support moves towards a two-tier American-style system being allowed in Alberta or anywhere in Canada” said Gallaway. “We cannot continue to write blank cheques to provincial governments without a commitment that they will follow the law and actually use the money to strengthen public health care.”
Friends of Medicare continues to urge Albertans and all concerned Canadians to send a message to the federal minister and their local member of Parliament to enforce the Canada Health Act.
-30-