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April 10, 2000
Ottawa, Ontario
Attached is a text of a letter sent by Prime Minister
Chrétien to Alberta Premier Ralph Klein last Friday, April 7.
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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555
Dear Premier:
Thank you for your letter of April 4, 2000 further to our
recent meeting in Calgary and the meeting of federal, provincial and territorial
Health Ministers on March 30-31, 2000. Thank you, as well, for providing me with
a copy of the draft Health Care Protection Act with your letter of March 7,
2000.
I concur with your assessment that our meeting in Calgary
was very productive. I believe we had an open and positive exchange of views on
health care and other issues, and set the stage for future cooperation.
It is clear that we share much common ground on health
care. We agree on the importance of respecting the five principles of the Canada
Health Act. We agree it is essential that nothing be done to open the door
to private for-profit hospitals and a two-tiered health care system. We agree
that governments must find creative ways to ensure that Canadians continue to
have access to high quality public health care. In this regard, Alberta has
introduced many innovative health care reform initiatives that I applaud.
As for Bill 11, I understand that the legislation is still
being debated and you may be considering amendments. With this in mind, we have
some concerns about the potential long-term implications of the current draft
bill, which could be addressed through amendments. I understand that the
Honourable Allan Rock is sending a letter to the Honourable Halvar Jonson
in which Mr. Rock outlines these concerns. I trust that you will welcome
his suggestions in the spirit of constructive dialogue which characterized our
meeting in Calgary.
In your letter, you refer to our discussion of a role for
federal, provincial and territorial Health Ministers in the review and
comparison of all provincial legislation and practices. As I indicated at the
time, I agree it would be useful for Health Ministers to review the different
instruments that have been established across the country to regulate private
health facilities and provide First Ministers with a report in June, along with
their interim report on a long-term plan to renew medicare.
Finally, you point out that our meeting, combined with the
late-March Health Ministers’ retreat in Markham, has moved the discussion of
health care reform to a new, more productive level. I could not agree more. As I
stated when we met, the status quo is not an option. Ministers of Health have
had an intensive dialogue in recent years and have made real progress in their
search for creative solutions. It is essential that Health Ministers continue
with their collaborative efforts to develop a plan to sustain our public health
care system. The federal government is committed to playing its full part,
including the provision of additional resources based on an effective plan for
reform. If we work in this spirit, I am confident our Ministers can lay the
ground for a successful meeting of First Ministers later this year.
Yours sincerely,
(ORIGINAL SIGNED BY
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JEAN CHRÉTIEN)
(ORIGINAL SIGNED BY THE
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