‘Money’s money’
Premiers want more federal dollars for health care, but they differ on approach
Canada’s 13 premiers are united on the need for more health-care cash from Ottawa, but not on how many strings they’re willing to accept with the money.
Health care was expected to be the focus of the final day of the summer meeting of the provincial and territorial leaders. They have been asking the federal Liberals to increase their share of the funding to 25 per cent from an average of about 20 per cent.
Ottawa has suggested it’s willing to provide more money, but wants much of it spent on federal priorities such as mental health.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said he’s willing to listen.
“What the premiers are saying is let’s deal with the funding situation first,” he said Friday before heading into the meeting. “Then we discuss federal government priorities. If their priorities are long-term care and seniors care, that will be the priority of almost every province and territory.”
On Thursday, British Columbia’s Christy Clark said her province would talk about it, as well.
“Money’s money,” she said.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard repeated his province’s opposition to any federal funding strings at all on Friday.
“We are totally opposed to targeted funding,” he said. “This is a concept we will never let go. We will decide how to use the funds.”
Kathleen Wynne of Ontario acknowledged there is a way to go before the premiers present a united front.
“I think there’s an acceptance that there needs to be accountability for those dollars and there’s a range of issues that we have to tackle as provinces and territories,” she said. “But there’s definitely a discussion about how much targeting and how much specific allocation would be acceptable.”
Meanwhile, the goal of an agreement on improving internal trade appears to be receding.
“There are still some hills to climb there,” said Wynne. “Pesky hills. “We’re going to need to work.” Clark pointed to a increased rumbling of protectionism in the United States, exemplified by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s criticism of NAFTA during his speech Thursday night.
“If there was ever a time when Canadians need to come together and have free trade in our own country, it must be now when Americans are making noises like that.”