Despite the ongoing ambiguity surrounding health transfer negotiations, everything seems to indicate that the states and the federal government are moving towards a 10-year agreement.
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First rumored by the Globe & Mail on Friday, a federal source in the Trudeau administration confirmed to the QMI agency that the plan currently on the table includes investments over the next decade.
Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos was “very optimistic” about the talks that will be held “in the next few weeks”, but did not want to comment on the time frame for the agreement, but praised the “cooperative cooperation” that had been achieved. .
In Quebec, Prime Minister François Legault’s office refuses to confirm anything. Officially, no meeting with Ottawa is yet on his agenda, as the rumor suggests.
“We reject any condition from the federal government regarding federal health transfers,” reiterated Premier Legault press secretary Ewan Sauves.
Mr. Duclos has identified five priorities that are close to his heart:
• Reduction of delays in operations and diagnostics;
• improving mental health services;
• Improving access to family health services;
• Improving long-term and home care for the elderly;
• Modernization of data systems and virtual care.
This last priority is the only one Ottawa has established as a sine qua non for funding, at least publicly.
As Mr Legault indicated on the sidelines of his meeting with Mr Trudeau in Tunisia last November, Quebec has agreed to provide access to data on its healthcare network.
“For us, the sharing of data is not a condition, but a question of transparency,” emphasized Mr. Sauves. Christian Dubé is already creating data for all Quebecers, we don’t mind sharing it at the federal level as well.”
According to our information, Mr. Dubé would even be open to the possibility of adding indicators if Ottawa so wishes. Ontario Premier Doug Ford did the same during a recent press conference.
There are still many gray areas when it comes to new hires when contracts are signed. In order not to damage the ongoing negotiations, Ottawa and Quebec say nothing more.
Premiers are expected to meet in Ottawa in mid-February to discuss the situation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been invited but has not yet confirmed his attendance.
The provinces want the federal contribution to health care to increase from 22% to 35%, which would take nearly $30 billion from Ottawa’s coffers.
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