Letter to Premier Mike Harris Concerning the Government of
Ontario's Advertising Campaign on Health Care
March 28, 2000
Ottawa, Ontario
Attached is the text of a letter sent today by Prime Minister Chrétien to
Premier Mike Harris concerning the health care advertising campaign that was
recently launched by the Government of Ontario.
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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555
Dear Premier:
In recent weeks, I have engaged in a serious correspondence with Premiers on
the subject of health care. My letters have been in a spirit of real exchange on
a serious issue. I committed to working together to plan the future of our
health system with a view to a First Ministers' Meeting later this year. I
clearly indicated that the federal government will provide additional financial
support for such a plan.
I did not expect, and can only deplore, a partisan and misleading advertising
campaign in response.
This is no way to conduct federal-provincial relations. It is especially
unhelpful when, as now, most Premiers and I have accepted to work together to
address the needs of our health system. We will ensure Canadians are aware of
the facts.
As my letters have indicated, the federal government's support for health
care goes far beyond what your advertising claims.
In particular, it is not true that federal support is now only 11˘ out of
every dollar of provincial spending. It is not true that the value of the Canada
Health and Social Transfer to Ontario has been cut by $1.7 billion. These claims
require a willful neglect of the unanimous request by provinces in 1977 that
part of the federal contribution to established programs be through transferred
tax points. These tax points are worth $14.9 billion nationally this year and
rising; they are an integral part of the Canada Health and Social Transfer. You
are aware that the federal government has made additional cash for health and
the CHST its biggest new spending commitment–an additional $14 billion in cash
over five years has been added in the last two budgets. In fact, you
congratulated us on the 1999 budget.
Your government also benefited from our action to eliminate the disparities
in CHST entitlements which went back to the cap on Canada Assistance Plan
transfers imposed by the previous federal government - a measure that you had
always strongly criticized. The equal per capita entitlement will add about $440
million annually to your government's revenues. Given that your spending on
social assistance spending and post-secondary education is down by about $1.25
billion, these enhanced transfers should be available to support health needs.
Overall, these measures mean that value of Ontario's CHST entitlement in
2000-2001 will be $11.571 billion, fully 12% higher than it was when my
government came into office. It will continue to rise in each of the coming
years as both the tax and cash elements grow.
The federal government has assisted provincial finances in other ways. Our
success on the deficit helped lower interest rates and boosted the economy. The
$4.5 billion increment in the Canada Child Tax Benefit will have benefits for
provincial social costs. The federal government has made $1.4 billion in new
investments in health research and information systems.
Of course, Canadians do not want a sterile debate about numbers. They want us
to get on with working together to improve our health system. Most political
leaders, Ministers of Health and Canadians recognize that our health system will
not be cured by additional funding alone. We must work to adapt it to such
challenges as expensive new technologies and an aging population if we are to
succeed in ensuring a sustainable regime for all Canadians.
For my part, I have committed the federal government to work with provincial
governments in this direction. I very much hope that your government, which has
much to contribute, will do likewise. You should put an end to this misleading
advertising and redirect your efforts towards cooperation.
Yours sincerely,
(ORIGINAL SIGNED BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JEAN CHRÉTIEN)
c.c.: Premiers and Government Leaders
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