INDEPTH: Health Care
The 13 leaders made the announcement Friday at the end of a health-care summit in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
The leaders say they'll also ask Ottawa to increase its share of all other health-care spending to 25 per cent of the total at the federal-provincial health-care summit in September.
Dalton McGuinty
Ottawa now pays for about 16 per cent of health-care costs.
"A national pharmacare program is a natural extension of the federal government's responsibilities," said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, the conference host.
Costs unclear
Jean Charest
McGuinty said having Ottawa as the single buyer of drugs will help reduce costs, but he and the other premiers refused to talk about specific dollar figures.
"I expect the cost will be significant," he said.
The premiers say a pharmacare program is a natural fit for the federal government, since it is responsible for many related areas, such as patent protection and drug testing.
New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord said Prime Minister Paul Martin made it clear during the federal election campaign that he supports the idea of a national pharmacare program.
"What we're saying today loud and clear to Mr. Martin is we agree with your proposal," he said.
Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh welcomed the provincial proposals but he stressed that Ottawa has only committed to funding "catastrophic" drugs rather than a full pharmacare program.
Quebec participating
Quebec would also participate, but would run its own program, paid for by Ottawa, said Quebec Premier Jean Charest.
"We expect to be fully compensated for the program that we have in place," he said.
Alberta Premier Ralph Klein supports the pharmacare idea, even though it would give Ottawa say on how the money was spent. He called the idea, first proposed by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, "a stroke of brilliance."
The premiers also proposed additional money for the three territories and Labrador to pay for travel costs associated with health care. And they proposed that aboriginal leaders be invited to a special meeting in September with health ministers.
Joe Handley, the Northwest Territories government leader, said native people have a shorter life expectancy and suffer higher rates of some diseases, such as tuberculosis, than other Canadians.
"We believe very much that aboriginal leaders have to be part of the solution," he said.
Related
Video
- Eric Sorensen reports for CBC-TV (Runs: 2:39)
- Dalton McGuinty gives a statement to sum up the premier's conference. (Runs: 5:12)
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