transfers

Wednesday December 21, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday December 21, 2016 Ottawa, provinces fail to reach a deal on health spending Ottawa and the provinces have failed to reach a deal on health-care funding, despite a $11.5-billion pledge by the federal government to boost targeted spending on home care and mental health. The federal government has now taken that offer off the table, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Monday, and the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) spending increase will revert to 3 per cent a year as of April 1, 2017. Morneau had told the provinces he was willing to grow that key federal transfer by 3.5 per cent each year over the next five years Ñ at a value of roughly $20 billion Ñ but the provinces balked. "We came to the provinces with a significant offer of funds ... We're disappointed we weren't successful," Morneau told reporters. Jane Philpott, Canada's health minister, said the federal government's money could have made a real difference in the lives of many Canadians. "I woke up this morning feeling very hopeful, thinking about half a million kids that are waiting for care for mental health services and hoping to be able to give them good news today," she said. "We're disappointed that the provinces and territories did not feel like they could accept this offer and that they couldn't find ways to use these resources immediately, to be able to get care out to Canadians.Ó Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said while the provinces rejected the federal funding plan, it was Morneau who was responsible for ending the meeting early. "There was an urgency to close the meeting off. We're here, we desire an agreement, we need to come to a conclusion. Why have anybody attend if there's nothing to negotiate or discuss?" Sousa said, adding Ottawa wasn't willing to listen to evidence that its proposed funding plan would imperil the country's health-care system. (Source: CBC News)Êhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/health-accord

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 21, 2016

Ottawa, provinces fail to reach a deal on health spending

Ottawa and the provinces have failed to reach a deal on health-care funding, despite a $11.5-billion pledge by the federal government to boost targeted spending on home care and mental health.

The federal government has now taken that offer off the table, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Monday, and the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) spending increase will revert to 3 per cent a year as of April 1, 2017.

Morneau had told the provinces he was willing to grow that key federal transfer by 3.5 per cent each year over the next five years — at a value of roughly $20 billion — but the provinces balked.

“We came to the provinces with a significant offer of funds … We’re disappointed we weren’t successful,” Morneau told reporters.

Jane Philpott, Canada’s health minister, said the federal government’s money could have made a real difference in the lives of many Canadians.

“I woke up this morning feeling very hopeful, thinking about half a million kids that are waiting for care for mental health services and hoping to be able to give them good news today,” she said.

“We’re disappointed that the provinces and territories did not feel like they could accept this offer and that they couldn’t find ways to use these resources immediately, to be able to get care out to Canadians.”

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said while the provinces rejected the federal funding plan, it was Morneau who was responsible for ending the meeting early.

“There was an urgency to close the meeting off. We’re here, we desire an agreement, we need to come to a conclusion. Why have anybody attend if there’s nothing to negotiate or discuss?” Sousa said, adding Ottawa wasn’t willing to listen to evidence that its proposed funding plan would imperil the country’s health-care system. (Source: CBC News)

 

Tuesday March 31, 2015

Tuesday March 31, 2015Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday March 31, 2015

Austerity budgets of provinces will offset 75% of Ottawa’s tax cuts: BMO

About three-quarters of the billions in federal tax cuts and increases in benefits promised to Canadians this year will be offset by provincial tax hikes and cutbacks, the Bank of Montreal says.

In a research note early Monday, BMO economist Robert Kavcic calculates that the provincial budgets unveiled in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Quebec have announced a collective $2 billion in new tax hikes on citizens, or cuts to services, to balance the books — part of a new age of austerity prompted by lower oil prices.

By Kavcic’s reckoning, Ottawa has promised a combination of tax cuts and benefit hikes that add up to about $4.5 billion back to Canadians in its current fiscal year.

“It looks like the provinces will take back about three-quarters of it,” he said.

Finance Minister Joe Oliver has delayed releasing the federal government’s budget to give it more time to gauge the impact of oil prices, but a few election-year tax cuts have already been telegraphed. While it’s uncertain what Ottawa has in store, Kavcic says, “most of what Ottawa will be returning to one taxpayer’s pocket, the provinces will take out of the other.”

With debt-laden governments in Ontario and Atlantic Canada yet to telegraph their spending plans, it’s a good bet the theme of austerity will continue, which means even more ways that top-level tax relief will be clawed back in one way or another. (Source: CBC News)

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Tuesday, April 2, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday, April 2, 2014

End of Canada Health Accord results in protests

People turned out to protest across New Brunswick and Canada Monday, upset with the federal government for allowing the Canada Health Accord to expire.

Protesters say the federal government has refused to meet provincial leaders about negotiating a new accord, and predict provincial health budgets will be hurt.

People are angry that the Canada Health Accord — worth $41 billion over the past 10 years —- expired Monday. Instead, Ottawa will increase transfer payments to the provinces by six per cent a year for the next three years, claiming that healthcare is a provincial responsibility.

Protest organizer Morris Shannon said that means less money.

“What it means to New Brunswick is that over the next 10 years we’re going to lose approximately $715 million in payments from the federal government for healthcare,” he said.

Shannon predicts that will mean more more cuts in nursing staff and more bed closures.

One of the protesters was the Marilyn Quinn, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union.

Romanow Report 2002

“It would put great stress on the healthcare system that is already burdened, at a time when our population is aging. We’re concerned about the outcome. We believe that the federal government has an obligation, they need to show leadership and it starts with signing a new accord with the provinces.”

New Brunswick Green Party leader David Coon says the new funding system is unfair.

“Unilaterally, Stephen Harper said, not going to negotiate a new accord, we’re not going to have a Canada Health Accord anymore and we’re just going to transfer money on a per capital basis. That means provinces like Alberta with a relatively young population is going to have way more health transfer money than they really require and New Brunswick is going to be short.”

Health Care Debate 2001

Premier David Alward was questioned about the end of the accord in the House on Friday — and says he’s done all he can.

“Myself, along with other premiers stood up against that Mr. Speaker. We continue to do that across the country.”

Money for health care is only one concern. Protesters are also worried that Ottawa and the provinces no longer share a common vision of what medicare should be. (Source: CBC News)

SOCIAL MEDIA

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Post by Graeme MacKay – editorial cartoonist.

Post by Yahoo Canada News.