Pallister gambling with $40M in federal health funds, province’s Liberals charge
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/02/2017 (3172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Manitoba Liberals are urging the Pallister government to accept a new federal health funding arrangement or risk losing tens of millions of dollars annually in mental health and home-care funding.
Manitoba is one of four provinces continuing to balk at Ottawa’s funding offer, hoping for a better deal. Alberta, Ontario and Quebec are the others.
Under the previous federal funding arrangement, the provinces received a six per cent annual increase in federal health transfers. It is now providing a three per cent annual hike plus targeted help for mental health and home care. Its total funding offer, with the extras, amounts to an increase of about 3.5 per cent. The holdout provinces are demanding 5.2 per cent.
Interim Liberal leader Judy Klassen (Kewatinook) said Manitoba cannot afford to give up the $40 million in additional funding for home care and mental-health services on offer from Ottawa.
“We need that money that’s been put on the table,” she told reporters Tuesday. “We need that health accord signed and negotiated, and we need it tomorrow.”
Provinces that fail to sign a bilateral funding agreement with the federal government will receive a three per cent health funding hike, with no additional targeted funds.
Ottawa has yet to set a deadline for acceptance of its health funding arrangement, but the provincial Liberals are concerned about what might happen if Manitoba has not signed on before the feds bring down their 2017 budget. Ottawa has yet to announce a date for the unveiling of its financial blueprint.
“The federal government is bringing down a budget. We want to make sure that $40 million is in the budget,” said Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard (River Heights).
Meanwhile, Klassen said there is a great need for improved mental-health services in Manitoba. She told reporters of several people she personally knows who could use the help, including an uncle.
“As recently as last week my uncle tried to commit suicide. Fortunately, the rope broke,” Klassen said.
larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca