By Wendy Margolese, Christian Science Media Representative for Ontario and Legislative Liaison for Canada.
Will there be enough money in our provincial health-care pot to satisfy your health needs now and in the (near) future?
The premiers for the provinces and territories met in Victoria this month to discuss the take-it-or-leave-it funding offer presented by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty last December. Some provinces regard this as the starting point of negotiations for the funding of a new model; others accept that this is a non-negotiable offer that may only be tweaked in nature.
They are united, however, in their concern as to how the new funding model will satisfy the rising cost of health care in the future.
The new model gives the provinces freedom to sort out their own health- care priorities and their specific application of Ottawa dollars. However, with that freedom comes more responsibility to manage rising costs……….Read more