P.A. MLA sees health deal as a compromise

Saskatchewan and the federal government have come to terms on a health-funding agreement but it wasn’t the deal the province wanted, says one of Prince Albert’s MLAs.

The agreement, which was reached on Tuesday, will see the province receive an additional $348.8 million over a 10-year period — $190.3 million specifically will go towards home care while $158.5 million will be spent on mental health. The deal also means that the health transfer increase will be at three per cent or a three-year moving average based on GDP growth. The final decision will be based on whichever is higher.

The deal follows a lot of tough talk especially after the provinces and territories walked away from the bargaining table last year. At that time the federal government offered to increase health transfer payments by 3.5 per cent annual with an additional $11.5 billion spread out over 10 years for specific areas requiring funds.

The news on Tuesday didn’t come as a surprise to MLA Joe Hargrave (Sask.Party, P.A. Carlton). Although he welcomed the deal, he said the province originally wanted an increase closer to 5.3 per cent.

He calls the deal a compromise.

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“It wasn’t what we were looking for but it did have some positives and specific money for mental health,” he said. “That was one of the big things in there. It does give something and it was something we had to move ahead on. It’s a good thing to be able to get it settled and to move forward.”

Hargrave explained that every province is different and pointed out that Ottawa was able to reach deals with other governments already. He said the province had to act in the best interest of Saskatchewan.

Although Hargrave wasn’t sure how the money will be distributed, he said secured federal funding will be sure to help communities like P.A.

NDP health critic Danielle Chartier, who is also the MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale, welcomed any new funding from the federal government but she is concerned how that money could be spent.

“The Sask. Party hasn’t had a great track record particularly of late,” she said. “There’s been recent cuts and they have ripped up contracts and agreements with health-care workers. We want to see guarantees that this money will in fact result in more money in these priority areas and that it is not skimmed away by the Sask. Party to pay for their mismanagement.”

Chartier explained there’s many tools her party has as the official Opposition including asking questions during committee meetings and question period. In addition, she said they are listening to community members to ensure money is being spent where it’s needed.

She said Premier Brad Wall’s grandstanding might have a lasting negative impact on future negotiations with Ottawa.

She called the funding towards mental health and home care ‘critical’ and said they are areas that haven’t been supported well by the current provincial government.

“There’s no shortage of issues – emergency room wait times, specialist wait times,” she said. “But when it comes to mental health and home care, this is a government [that] three years ago announced a mental health and addictions action plan which has seen little action to date.”

With files from the Canadian Press.

Jeff Labine is paNOW’s health and education reporter. He can be reached at Jeff.Labine@jpbg.ca or tweet him @labinereporter.