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VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, January 22, 2003 – Speaking to the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, expressed his conviction that the country’s first ministers, who will be meeting on February 4 and 5, will agree on an action plan with increased funding to improve health care throughout Canada.

There are four reasons for Minister Dion’s optimism. First, the Minister asserted that improving health care is the priority of the hour and the main concern of Canadians.

Moreover, Mr. Dion noted that governments agree on respecting the principles of the Canada Health Act: public administration, comprehensiveness, universality, portability, and accessibility. That consensus, which has been forged in spite of ideological differences, means the country’s first ministers "all support the principle of justice whereby access to health care in Canada ought not to depend on the size of the patient’s wallet."

Third, the Minister believes the federal government has some financial flexibility to inject more health funding.

Fourth, Minister Dion pointed to past experience as another reason to be optimistic. Recalling that government leaders had concluded an agreement on health in 2000 providing for $21 billion in increased federal funding over five years and an action plan that has yielded good results, the Minister noted that numerous studies commissioned by several governments have reached conclusions that are fairly convergent. Referring to the speech given the day before by his colleague, federal Health Minister Anne McLellan, Mr. Dion expressed his conviction that the reforms identified by the federal government correspond to the objectives of the provincial and territorial governments. Moreover, the different orders of government already reached agreement in September 2002 on strengthening their public accountability and should continue their efforts to that end at the meeting on February 4 and 5.

Minister Dion pointed out as well, that total health spending (private and public) in Canada was $112 billion in 2002, according to an estimate by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. That represents 9.8% of Canada’s GDP, one of the highest percentages of all countries. Under these circumstances, additional federal funding would have an impact only insofar as it brought about structuring effects. "Improving our health system is not just a question of money. We need clear objectives," said Mr. Dion.

Recalling the Prime Minister, the Honourable Jean Chrétien’s statement on January 15 in which he affirmed that health and the preparation of a successful first ministers’ meeting is a top priority for his government, that he plans to work cooperatively with other first ministers, and that now is the time for action, Minister Dion concluded that "for the four reasons I have just set out, I am convinced that those wise words by the Prime Minister of Canada will be echoed favourably by his provincial and territorial counterparts."

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