Minister Will Press Ottawa on Sustainable Health System

Health Minister Jamie Muir will deliver a clear message to the federal health minister this week: A sustainable health care system is an important issue, and Ottawa needs to be a full partner with provinces to stabilize the system.

"A sustainable health care system is the most important issue," said Health Minister Jamie Muir. "We're working hard to find effective and economical ways to deliver services, but we need Ottawa as a partner in ensuring that our system will be stable and sustainable in the future."

Mr. Muir will be meeting with federal Health Minister Allan Rock in Ottawa this week and will ask him to make a commitment to work with provinces to find solutions, as well provide resources, to stabilize the health care system.

"It has been mentioned over and over again that we cannot ensure a sustainable health care system when the federal government only provides 12.5 per cent of our costs," said Mr. Muir. "Ottawa knows that health care is the number 1 priority for Canadians, and they should finally recognize that fact and provide us with adequate and predictable funding.

"In the meantime, we are taking aggressive steps to ensure health services are more responsive, more accountable and more affordable," he said. "And this is not an easy task as we try and manage a growing demand for these services."