Jagmeet Singh could play peacemaker in health care stand-off with provinces

Let’s face it—the premiers’ meeting last week was an absolute disappointment, to put it politely. Public health advocates such as the Canadian Health Coalition went to Victoria, B.C., hoping to find leadership to end the awful health care crisis. Instead, we were handed front-row tickets to the blame game between the feds and the premiers carried on live TV.

The premiers have called for an increased federal share of public health care spending, which has declined. The federal government wants improved outcomes, not provincial budget surpluses or tax cuts. So, who will end this stand-off?

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh could play the peacemaker.

The Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Singh includes four important commitments on health care in return for the NDP’s support for the Liberal minority government. Over the next three years, the Liberals have agreed to launch dental care, continue progress on pharmacare, improve long-term care, and work with provinces and territories to make investments in primary care.

These commitments reflect the two federal parties’ priorities, but they also overlap provincial and territorial needs. Could the CASA be the basis of a compromise between governments that would save our treasured public health care system from chronic underfunding and creeping privatization?

For instance, increases in the Canada Health Transfer to support primary care while respecting the Canada Health Act could be negotiated alongside a universal national pharmacare program. This would improve health care outcomes and provide billions more in savings and funding to provinces. Everybody wins.

“If the federal government is going to be increasing the funding, the least the provinces can do is report on where they’re spending it,” Canadian Health Coalition Chairperson Pauline Worsfold, RN told The Hill Times after attending the meetings in Victoria. “It can’t be just a blank cheque with no reporting mechanisms, there has to be measurable outcomes.”

The popular CASA deal will deliver significant improvements in public health care for patients, families, and frontline workers, but it requires cooperation between the federal and provincial governments, not just the Liberals and the NDP. This is a perfect opportunity for Singh to rise above the fray and bring all sides together to end the health care crisis.