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WHITEHORSE – Yukon Party Official Opposition Leader Currie Dixon announced his support of Canada’s Premiers request for a meeting to secure a fair health care funding deal for the territories and provinces from Ottawa.
Recently, the premiers have been seeking a sit-down meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue; however, the Federal Liberal government has not accepted this request. Outgoing Yukon Premier Sandy Silver has undercut the calls of the other premiers. According to an article in the Globe and Mail published on December 10, Silver states the best way to facilitate a meeting with the Prime Minister is to take health care off the table.
“Canada’s Premiers have been asking for a meeting with the Prime Minister regarding health care for months,” said Official Opposition Leader Currie Dixon. “It’s puzzling to have the outgoing premier suggest the best way to talk to the Prime Minister is to take health care off the table. I support Canada’s Premiers in their reasonable request to have a meeting with the Prime Minister to talk about health care funding needs, and negotiate increased federal funding.”
Even the Yukon Medical Association believes Canada’s Premiers and the Prime Minister should set aside their differences and get back to the table. A December 7 release says ‘governments should work through their differences’ and urges the Yukon government to work with its national counterparts on a real solution.
Across the country, every jurisdiction has experienced major growth in the cost of delivering health care to its people. Federal health funding through both the Canada Health Transfer and the Territorial Health Investment Fund has not grown enough to meet the need.
With the territorial Liberals in the throes of a leadership campaign, candidates need to clarify their stance on this important issue. Yukon’s Premier should be a strong partner supporting other premiers at the national table, in contrast to the approach taken by the current premier who acts as a representative of the Trudeau Liberals at the Council of the Federation.
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Contact:
Tim Kucharuk
Media Director
(867) 689-7874
