Public health care critical to economy, nurse leaders tell premiers

Public health care is too important to Canada’s well-being and economy to fall off the premiers’ priority list.

That was the message from nursing union leaders across Canada, including ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, CEO Andrea Kay and Region 4 Vice-President Grace Pierias, at a policy breakfast hosted by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) during the Council of the Federation meeting in Charlottetown, PEI this past July.

Provincial nurses’ union leaders were seated next to their provincial premiers at the CFNU’s recent policy breakfast to engage in important conversations and listen to an array of influential speakers, including CFNU President Linda Silas and economists, focusing on the importance of public health care to the economy.

The meeting, attended by Canada’s premiers, along with economists Jim Stanford and Kevin Page, focused on the economic importance of public health care, the necessity of good jobs in this sector, and the need to renegotiate funding for key health-care agreements that are set to expire.

These agreements fund services that help seniors, people with complex medical conditions, those leaving hospitals who need support at home and improvements to safety at long-term care homes, among others, to the tune of nearly $2 billion. There are currently no plans to continue this funding.

The end of these bilateral agreements doesn’t have to mark a crushing end to much-needed health-care projects.

“The end of these bilateral agreements doesn’t have to mark a crushing end to much-needed health-care projects,” says CFNU President Linda Silas, adding that without this critical funding, access to care will diminish. “It’s time for a First Ministers’ Meeting dedicated to health care. Prime Minister Mark Carney must work with provinces and territories on a new framework that reflects the reality of the current system pressures.”

She also reiterated the importance of public health care funding to a strong Canadian economy, pointing to findings from the recent CFNU white paper, The Harsh Reality of a Reduced CHT [Canada Health Transfer] Growth Rate, which shows that for every dollar the federal government spends on health, between $1.32 and $1.45 is generated in additional GDP after just one year. We encourage members to read this report.

“Canada doesn’t need more austerity measures,” Silas concludes. “We need sound investment into a public health-care system that works for everyone and strengthens our economy. Nurses’ unions are ready to work with the provincial, territorial and federal governments to protect public health care for today and future generations.”

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