By Canadian Press

Former health minister says new health deal won’t succeed without specific targets

Feb 6, 2023 | 11:55 AM

OTTAWA — Former health minister Jane Philpott says the targeted funding agreements Ottawa signed with the provinces six years ago have not transformed health care in this country like many hoped they would.

She says she has a lot of hope, but also a lot of anxiety, that new talks beginning Tuesday in Ottawa will bring both the investments and the accountability needed to fix what is ailing Canada’s health-care systems.

Philpott was the federal health minister in 2016 when the federal and provincial governments last got together to hash out a new health funding deal.

The provinces wanted a major increase to the Canada Health Transfer but Ottawa ultimately got them to agree to bilateral deals with targeted funding for mental health and home care.

Philpott says it nudged the door open to the notion of doing one-on-one deals with more accountability but it wasn’t as “transformational” as hoped or needed.

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Philpott says any new deal needs to come with specific targets and a way for Ottawa to withhold funding if those targets and reporting requirements are not met.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2023.

The Canadian Press