The health talks in Victoria, BC with the Federal Government and the Provinces brought out some harsh response and controversy about the announcement of the six percent annual increase to be reduced after 2017.
The good news of the story is that at the very least, the maintaining of the annual increase will last for several more years, giving the provinces the needed supply of funding for an ever increasing demanding health care system. The Baby Boomer generation is continuing to put a strain on all government budgets and while efficiencies will be looked at and adjusted accordingly, the overall cost will continue to increase.
The big scare is that the government will tie funding increases to the rate of nominal GDP which means if the economy is not growing, or is shrinking, funding may go down (Although the Conservatives say it will be a minimum 3% regardless of the economy).
The most frustrating end of it is how the federal government’s position is non-negotiable which makes me wonder why there is an increase of barrier type politics. Not being able to work together on major issues like healthcare between the two levels of government could also lead to other divides that could cripple provincial services.
I would hope that resolve rather than conflict will come out of the talks at the end of the day. While I know that the provinces are looking after their end of things as much as possible and wanting to get the best deal at all costs, surely the federal government can try to find ways to balance their stances with the provinces.
Flat out stating no negotiations will occur with this deal doesn’t stand near at all with the political and democratic process that should take place when the two levels need to work together to achieve success for the country as a whole. If the province and the federal governments are at arms with each other, we will never be prepared for the future in a balanced and understanding approach.
***Starting today, I will end the blog post with a question. If you are interested in responding, please comment. Thanks!
Question of the Day: “Do you feel the needs of the healthcare system are too great to see a decrease in funding after 2017?
