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.
Funding health care and B.S.E. The two - health care and B.S.E. - are actually related, particularly in the Canadian economy. B.S.E. is of course the "mad cow disease", fatal to the cow and to anyone who eats the animal. The crisis caused by one Alberta cow, actually a major error by its owner who sold the obviously sick animal for slaughter, has caused major problems for a once booming cattle industry in Canada, and serious financial and anxiety illnesses for the cattle producers. The U.S. border has been closed for over a year to shipments of live cattle, the usual destination for these animals. After doing little for a year (the Manitoba government did the same), the Federal Agriculture Minister announced in early September that Ottawa will spend nearly $500 million to help the industry. Andy Mitchell said the money will be used to increase slaughter capacity, pay ranchers to keep their cows, and help expand markets. He also appeared to allow Manitoba to use some of the $65 million in federal-provincial aid funds to help the farmers. That very day, Manitoba Opposition Leader Stuart Murray released his own plan to help solve the crisis. The Tories, who have been strong and persistent critics of government inaction released a five- point plan to increase slaughter capacity in the province, fund a business plan and to provide forgivable loans and cash advances. Some optimists claim that the New federal/provincial plans will provide strong competition to the U.S. producers in export markets, as they are currently enjoying the high prices and lack of competition from Canadian suppliers. They also feel the aid will increase the cattle prices for producers to give them a profit. Critics are not so sure, saying the $488 million, which sounds like a lot, really may have little effect on prices and export markets unless the government is willing to provide a long term commitment to new packing plants and new markets. The crisis continues but at least now the government inaction has ended and some cattle producers are smiling with hope for a future. The much heralded health meeting between the Prime Minister and the premiers turned into as expected a war of words - the premiers wanted more money and Paul wouldn't give enough. Paul's first offer of $12.6 billion over six years would not even come close to solving the medical crisis or to making Ottawa pay the 25 per cent of health costs recommended by the Romanow Royal Commission. Poorer provinces such as Manitoba were demanding equalization funding to provide the same system as wealthier provinces. During the election campaign Martin, desperately afraid of losing, promised to meet with the premiers and "fix health care for a generation." The premiers insisted Paul's first offer would not fix anything and demanded more. This did not surprise federal Health Minister Ujal Dosanjh who is a former NDP premier of B.C., who wisely noted that premiers always ask for more money, which he always did. As negotiations continued, Paul Martin offered an illusionary $58 billion over 10 years which included the $12 billion earlier offered, split into $25 billion for direct funding, $28 billion for equalization, and $4.6 billion for the territories. The provinces quickly responded arguing that the real increase was only $1.7 billion per year for 10 years, which would fall far short of their needs. They counter offered a plan for $38 billion, dropping their national Pharmacare request, asking for only a billion dollars per year to help the provincial drug plans. The Liberal government rejected the premiers' plan as not better, just more costly, saying their proposal was more realistic. Health care professional organizations issued statements deploring "the all about money" arguments and claimed the concentration should be on priority areas for federal spending to fix the system. This thinking is not popular with most of the premiers who want the feds to pay with the provinces deciding the priorities. Finally, after a 24-hour marathon session, the provinces accepted a 10-year deal of $41 billion with $2 billion now and 6 per cent more each year. There are lots of stipulations and the provinces must monitor and lower wait times. Included in the money is $500 million for Home Care and expensive drugs. Paul did not "fix health care for a generation" but probably long enough for the expected two year length of his minority government. However, Stephen Harper and Roy Romanow were not impressed by the lack of controls on the money. See 'Extra' P.# Con't from P.# One interesting extra federal proposal was to increase by $700 million over five years, money for Native health care on top of the $1.7 billion they already spend. This plan to provide extra dollars, the majority of which will promote disease prevention programs, diabetes, suicide prevention and programs for youths, was welcomed by Native leaders, most of whom of course are Liberal supporters. The plan was applauded by the premiers, some of whom called diabetes among Natives a national emergency. As well, $100 million of the money will be spent to increase Native employment in health care. Some comments by some of the normally left-wing media were surprising in relation to how fixing health care should be approved. One editorial deplores the fact that millions of provincial dollars spent on upgrading diagnostic machines has not lowered waiting times or reduced waiting lists. It suggests private business could buy the machines and the provinces could contract and pay for the services at a set fee. This idea is exactly what the Manitoba P.C. leader has been promoting for the past few years - a mix of private and public health care paid for by Manitoba Health. Some of the premiers, notably Manitoba's, so far have refused to consider this common sense approach. At present diagnostic machines are only in use during the working day in many places with staff not working shifts. This most likely would change in private clinics which would increase the scans and the like to cover the needs of the patients ? not a 9 to 5 approach. It must be cautioned that taxpayers should be wary of the Federal Government just dumping more and more money into health care without some controls and say in how the money is spent. If they do, there will be no incentive to control spending and spend smarter. As Paul Martin himself said: "There is only one taxpayer."
