The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Ottawa - Prime Minister Paul Martin and the country's premiers signed a 10-year, $41-billion health deal early Thursday morning, promising better care for Canadians. Under the terms of the deal, the federal government will ante up an additional $18 billion over six years. Ottawa will add $3.5 billion to transfer payments over the next two years and spend $4.5 billion over six years to reduce waiting times. In addition, transfer payments will be increased by six per cent a year to help the provinces pay for increasing health-care costs, making the estimated total cost over 10 years $41.2 billion. The agreement saw both sides compromise on their initial demands, with Ottawa putting up more money and the provinces agreeing to national standards for wait times on some medical procedures Yellowknife - Two campers in a national park in the Northwest Territories fought off a grizzly bear with rocks and a paddle, then canoed 70 kilometres to the nearest ranger station for medical help, park officials said this week. One of the visitors to Nahanni National Park is recovering from minor injuries to his arm, hand and head. The other was not hurt. Ottawa - Prime Minister Paul Martin and Finance Minister Ralph Goodale say the federal government will still have enough money for cities, the environment and a national day care program, despite a $41-billion agreement on health care.
