OPINION EDITORIAL
RENEWING PUBLIC HEALTH CARE

By Gordon Campbell Premier of British Columbia On behalf of the premiers of all Canada’s provinces and territories Dec. 4, 2001

On Dec. 10 the federal government will be tabling its budget. It is clear that one of the priorities for a federal budget will be addressing the security needs of Canadians in the aftermath of the events of Sept. 11, an approach all Canada's Premiers certainly support. It is also clear that the other key priority for Canadians continues to be the availability of quality, affordable health-care services.

           

All Canadians need to know that health care will be there for them when and where they need it. But with the economic challenges our country is facing, the financial strain on our public healthcare systems intensifies. The current rate of growth in health-care spending is clearly not sustainable.

 

Every province and territory is committed to the principles of medicare. And every Canadian must be able to access this vital public service, regardless of income and of where they live in Canada. But it will not be possible for provinces and territories to fund the ongoing and significant increases in health-care costs while the federal government's share of health spending continues to decline. This is still the situation despite the partial federal reinvestment in health care resulting from the September 2000 federal health announcement.

 

This budget offers the federal government the opportunity to provide evidence of its commitment to Canadians and take the next step in rebuilding its level of contribution to the rising costs of health care.

 

With all of the money taxpayers pay to all orders of government, there should be enough resources to ensure a level of health-care service that meets Canadians' needs, regardless of where they live. Premiers are committed to ensuring that this happens, but this will be possible only if the federal government decides to increase its funding for the health services you need.

 

All of Canada's Premiers have been exploring ways to improve their respective health-care systems and to ensure sustainability over the long term. Innovations such as primary care reform, new models of paying physicians, home-care services, preventive health programs and telehealth technology are being implemented across the country. Thanks to the tremendous work of physicians, nurses, health administrators, researchers and many others working in health services, provinces and territories have made great gains in improving health-care delivery and meeting health needs in innovative and caring ways.

 

Despite these efforts, however, health-care systems are under tremendous pressure. Costs continue to rise. An aging population, the introduction of new drugs and technologies, and the need for home care and continuing care are all putting strains on the systems.

 

The facts speak for themselves:

 

Provincial and territorial expenditures on health are nearing 40 per cent of provincial budgets. With annual increases in the neighbourhood of seven per cent, the current health-care structures cannot be sustained by provincial and territorial governments without affecting other vital programs.

 

While provincial spending on health care has risen by 41 per cent since 1995, the federal government's current contribution is now at the same level as in 1994.

 

When medicare was launched, the federal and provincial governments both paid 50 per cent of the costs. Today, the federal share of spending on health care and other provincial social programs is down to 14 per cent.

 

Every government in Canada faces tough choices, and the federal government is no exception. The need for increased security measures across the country, which Premiers recognize, will certainly require important investments. However, if the federal government does share Canadians' priority for health-care services that work for patients, then a substantial increase in federal funding must be delivered. The federal government has sufficient leeway to invest both in increased security measures and increased funding support for health-care services.

 

This is not federal or provincial money. It is your money. It should pay first for the services that you decide are most important.

 

What is needed to ensure that health care will be available to Canadians in the future?

 

Today, Premiers are calling on the federal government to use the opportunity of a federal budget on Dec. 10 to re-establish health care as a federal priority. The time has come to fill the gap in healthcare funding. What can be done?

 

More federal funding for health care is needed. In the upcoming federal budget, the federal government must move to restore its share of the funding through both health and social transfer payments and equalization payments to protect and renew health services. The provinces and territories cannot continue to provide desperately needed care, and cover federal funding shortfalls as well.

 

Provinces and territories need to work together with health-care providers and patients to continue to explore ways to deliver health care more efficiently and effectively. This will require imagination and a willingness to consider approaches that have not yet been tried.

 

Provinces need flexibility in the interpretation of the Canada Health Act. There needs to be a fair way to settle disputes between the federal and provincial governments.

 

All of Canada's Premiers are working on your behalf to be sure your taxes go to the health care you need. Everyone needs to work together to guarantee the future of our health-care system. The federal, provincial and territorial governments, health-care providers and all other Canadians have a role to play. By working together, we can ensure that our children and grandchildren enjoy the same access to high-quality health care as we do today.

 

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Visit the province's Web site at http://www.gov.bc.ca/ for online information and services.