| Federal Budget Underfunds Health Care in Ontario
In a statement to the Ontario Legislature on December 11, 2001, Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott declared that the federal budget has dismissed the concerns of Ontario residents and demonstrated that they don't understand that Canadians' number-one priority is health care.
Mr. Arnott informed the House that out the $6.8 billion in increased operating spending by the province since 1995, 90% of that amount was given to health care. He noted that since 1994, the federal government's cuts to health care represent $2 billion per year in Ontario alone.
“The federal government has increased overall spending by 9.4% in this budget and they did so, to quote the Premier from today's Globe and Mail, without “one cent for Canadians' number-one priority, which is health care. I do think it's wrong,” he said. I say the Premier is absolutely correct,” he advised members of the Legislature.
In December 1999, Mr. Arnott first raised the issue and introduced a private member's resolution in the Legislature highlighting the fact that the federal government was not paying its fair share for health care. The resolution recommended a full restoration of the funds that were cut and the establishment of an escalator clause to increase funding to match rising costs such as those needed to take care of an aging and growing population.
Mr. Arnott described how the Government of Ontario agreed to advance with that initiative:
“With the support and leadership of the former Minister of Health, Elizabeth Witmer, a similar government resolution was brought to this House…with the Premier leading off the debate and vigorously defending Ontario's interest. On April 13 of that year, all members of this Legislature supported my resolution and it passed unanimously.”
When Premier Harris introduced the Government resolution on April 3, 2000 he said: “I would like to credit the leadership of Ted Arnott, the member for Waterloo-Wellington, who tabled a similar resolution before the House rose last fall.”
While illustrating the inadequacies of the federal budget, Mr. Arnott was optimistic that the Government of Canada would eventually get the message from Ontario and from provinces across Canada that were unhappy with the lack of health care spending. He later said:
“The federal government will have no choice but to understand fully and support accordingly the priorities of Canadians.”
“It is never too late to work together, and with continued support from members of the Legislature, we in Ontario can continue to show the leadership needed, achieve a restoration of the federal funding that was cut and demand that no less than 50 per cent of all new health costs be covered by the federal government.”
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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Official Record of Debate(Hansard)
FEDERAL HEALTH SPENDING
December 11, 2001
Mr Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): Canadians consider health care to be their most treasured social program. Citizens want their governments to understand this and make health care the number one spending priority. Unfortunately, the government of Canada doesn't understand the priorities of Canadians, because yesterday the federal budget dismissed the concerns of Ontario residents by allowing federal underfunding for health care to continue.
The facts are clear. The Ontario government's operating spending has increased by $6.8 billion since 1995, and 90% of that increase was given to health care. As compared to the federal funding levels in 1994, the federal cuts to health care represent $2 billion per year in Ontario alone. The federal government has increased overall spending by 9.4% in this budget and they did so, to quote the Premier from today's Globe and Mail, without "one cent for Canadians' number one priority, which is health care. I do think it's wrong," he said. I say the Premier is absolutely correct.
I introduced a private member's resolution in this House two years ago that addressed the fact that the federal government was not paying its fair share for health care. In it, I called for a full restoration of the funds that were cut and the establishment of an escalator clause to increase funding to match rising costs such as those needed to take care of an aging and growing population.
With the support and leadership of the former Minister of Health, Elizabeth Witmer, a similar government resolution was brought to this House on April 3, 2000, with the Premier leading off the debate and vigorously defending Ontario's interest. On April 13 of that year, all members of this Legislature supported my resolution and it passed unanimously.
Although yesterday's federal budget demonstrates a lack of understanding, I remain optimistic, for Ontario is not alone in our sentiment. There is an outcry from provinces across Canada, and they continue to voice the need for fair funding for health care. The federal government will have no –
The Speaker (Hon Gary Carr): I'm afraid the member's time is up.
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