Mulcair earmarks $500M for health care
OTTAWA— The New Democrats are betting their $500-million pledge to hire more health-care professionals and add new medical clinics is just the prescription to address the nursing and doctor shortage endured by some Canadians.
The NDP is also promising to devote $40 million over the next four years to a national strategy on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease that would support screening and early diagnosis, improve resources for new patients and families to help them navigate the health-care system, increase funding for research and develop guidelines for the dignified care of patients with dementia.
During a visit to a Vancouver health clinic Monday, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said Canadians are going without a family doctor, suffering “hallway medicine” and that aging seniors are stuck in hospitals because of a lack of home care.
He unveiled an NDP promise to spend $300 million to help build or expand 200 clinics and $200 million in recruitment grants for doctors, nurse practitioners and other health providers, to be directed by the provinces. The grants would range be- tween $15,000 and $50,000 per recruit.
Mulcair said the two initiatives would result in the hiring of 7,000 additional health-care workers and improve access to medical care for five million Canadians.
Mulcair said the NDP’s health-care policy will focus on four areas: better care for seniors; faster access to health-care professionals; national strategy on mental health; and cutting the cost of medication.
Mulcair defended the NDP’s approach to phase in campaign pledges, like its health-care vow.
Mulcair has been coming under heavy criticism from Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who criticized the NDP for back-end loading the money needed to fill many of those pledges.