CALVERT TO OTTAWA FOR FIRST MINISTERS' MEDICARE MEETING

First Ministers are meeting in Ottawa tomorrow and Wednesday to collaborate on a new partnership to improve medicare.

"I believe there is an historic opportunity before the Prime Minister to make a meaningful reinvestment in health and for First Ministers collectively to make improvements to the quality and accessibility of health services," said Premier Lorne Calvert. "We must use this meeting to forge a new medicare for the 21st Century."

"Canadians are expecting their leaders to work together to improve our health system, not squabble about jurisdiction and who gets credit for spending Canadians' tax dollars. The Romanow Commission has laid out for Canadians a plan to re-shape medicare for the 21st Century. This week we must begin to implement that plan."

Calvert laid out two objectives for the meeting:

"There must be a significant new federal reinvestment in healthcare – big enough to be an investment in changing and improving healthcare, while also supporting the existing core of services that make up the majority of our health system."

"We must establish the best possible mechanisms to gauge the effectiveness of our health services and thus be accountable to Canadians. As well, I support the establishment of a health-specific transfer from the federal government to enable Canadians to clearly see how much the federal government is spending on healthcare."

Calvert said he was confident that First Ministers would find agreement in these important areas.

Meetings begin Tuesday evening with a private dinner for First Ministers at 24 Sussex Drive, followed by the First Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday at 111 Sussex Drive.

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For More Information, Contact:

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