HEALTH CARE TOP PRIORITY

Premier Lorne Calvert today said health care is the top priority for Canadians and is the top priority for Premiers.

Calvert made the statement before leaving for a meeting of premiers in Vancouver. He said national reforms to Canada's health care system need predictable and sustainable funding by the federal government.

"Saskatchewan relies on federal transfer payments to fund health services," Calvert said. "This is not only a Saskatchewan problem. All provinces are facing enormous fiscal pressures as they go about developing their budgets for next year. A key challenge for all of us is the reform and renewal of health care."

"The upcoming meeting in Vancouver is an opportunity to continue to emphasize that the federal government must increase its share of the costs for health if we are to reform it on a national basis. Provinces simply cannot afford to address all the elements of health care reform without Ottawa stepping up to the plate and providing more stable and more adequate funding."

"The funding commitments provided so far by Ottawa fall short of the recommendations in their own Royal Commission Report. This shortfall needs to be addressed, not only for the short term but to ensure that Medicare is put on a solid financial foundation for the longer term. An immediate first step must be to assure provinces and territories that the $2 billion recently provided by the federal government will be built into the base of health care funding and that the federal government's share rise to 25 per cent."

"For example, the one time $2 billion the prime minister committed to means a one time increase of $60 million for Saskatchewan. That will run our health system for approximately 9 days," Calvert said.

The premier is attending the Council of the Federation meeting with his provincial colleagues February 23rd and 24th in Vancouver.

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For More Information, Contact:

Rob Cunningham Executive Council Regina Phone: (306)787-6349 Cell: (306) 539-1126