National Solutions for Nova Scotia Priorities

The unanimous positions adopted by provincial and territorial leaders this week in Victoria reflect the priorities of Nova Scotians, Premier John Hamm said today.

At the conclusion of the 42nd annual premiers' conference, the premiers agreed to a health-care funding proposal that accounts for the needs of smaller provinces such as Nova Scotia, along with the positions put forward by Premier Hamm and others on transportation and energy.

"As premiers, we put aside our differences to present positive, constructive solutions to improve our country's health care system and the economy," said the premier.

"I am particularly delighted that all premiers agreed to concrete measures that will ensure health care is delivered based on need, not on where somebody lives. Now it's Ottawa's turn to work together with the provinces and territories to address these priority issues."

At the conference, the premiers agreed to the following:

• urging the federal government to increase its share of federal funding for health care from the current 14 per cent to the 18 per cent it covered in 1993-94;

• a strengthened and fairer equalization formula to ensure all provinces are able to provide a comparable level of public services like health care at comparable levels of taxation;

• exploring greater co-operation between the provinces in key areas of health care like continuing care, human resource management, pharmaceuticals and scope of practice among professionals;

• convincing the federal government to become a real partner in transportation infrastructure, so Canada remains competitive with other G8 countries -- all of which have a national transportation strategy, unlike Canada; and

• ensuring provinces have a strong voice during any Canada- United States talks on a continental energy strategy.

"I came to Victoria with certain objectives for Nova Scotians in health care, transportation and energy," Premier Hamm concluded. "By working with my colleagues, those objectives were all met.

"Perhaps even more importantly, provincial and territorial governments not only focused on working better with the federal government, but also working more effectively among ourselves in the interests of all Canadians."

Nova Scotia will host the 43rd annual premiers' conference in the summer of 2002, at which time Premier Hamm will take on duties as chair of Canada's premiers.