Ottawa Continues to Abandon Health Care

Health care in the province is not sustainable unless the federal government becomes a real financial partner, Premier John Hamm warned today.

In a speech to over 150 members and guests of the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce, the premier noted that Nova Scotia is still getting less cash from Ottawa for health than it did in 1993. However, over the same period, provincial spending for health care has increased by over half a billion dollars.

"What does this mean for Nova Scotians?" said Premier Hamm. "It means that unless the federal government takes the concerns of the provinces seriously, making positive changes in health care will become increasingly difficult."

Over the last two years, a series of federal and provincial studies have highlighted the lack of sustainability for Canada's medicare system. Premier Hamm noted in his speech a number of initiatives the Nova Scotia government has undertaken to bring positive changes to health care.

His list included:

• the province's first-ever nursing strategy;
• a new information management system to help make better health care decisions;
• more spending on wellness and disease prevention program;
• a comprehensive anti-tobacco strategy; and
• a process to develop a province-wide healthy living and physical fitness strategy in Nova Scotia communities.

"Unfortunately, while our government in Nova Scotia has recognized the importance of investing in a healthier province, the government in Ottawa continues to abandon its responsibilities," said the premier.

According to the fall 2001 report from TD Bank Economics, the Nova Scotia government spends over 40 per cent of its program budget to health care. The report added that only Ontario and British Columbia commit a larger share of program spending to health care than Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, the most recent report on health care spending from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) indicated that since 1997, only Alberta and Newfoundland have increased annual spending on health care more than Nova Scotia.

"So long as the federal government considers 14 cents out of every dollar an appropriate contribution, health care will continue to struggle, here in Nova Scotia and across the country," said the premier.

Premier Hamm and cabinet ministers are in the area over the next two days for a caucus retreat and cabinet meeting.

Canada's premiers and health ministers will gather in Vancouver next week to discuss improving health care in the face of federal underfunding.