Federal and provincial ministers play the percentages in healthcare talks
From cbc.ca
On her way into what would prove to be another inconclusive meeting about Canadian medicare, Jane Philpott felt it necessary to remind everyone that this isn't about "percentages."
"What's most important is the people," the federal health minister explained.
On this, if nothing else, there was agreement.
"We will continue to stand up for Canadians and we will push back on ultimatums being issued by the federal ministers at the expense of real people," said Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen, leading a delegation of provincial representatives who followed Philpott to the microphone.
So yes, this is about the Canadian people and the extent and quality of the public health-care system that is available to them.
Which is to say, it's about the percentages: who pays and how much.
In the beginning, several generations ago, there was an agreement that the federal and provincial governments would share the cost of medicare. And thus were the two levels of government joined together, to spend eternity bickering over how to apportion responsibility.
Provinces have suggested during this latest round of negotiation that the federal government should cover 25 per cent of the total cost of health care. But there doesn't seem to be anything particularly magical about that number.
The federal contribution last amounted to that much in 1980. After falling for the next two decades, it has since risen to 23 per cent. But the federal share could decrease again in the years ahead if health-care costs increase as expected because of an aging population.
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