Question More: Decreasing Health-Care Transfers

During the 2011 Canadian Federal Election, the number 1 issue for Canadians was Health Care. According to Macleans Magazine, “The official Conservative election platform actually included no mention of the 6% escalator, but in a news release sent out 17 days later, the Conservative campaign referenced the promise three times.”

Our low-tax plan to eliminate the deficit while protecting Canada’s universal health-care system by maintaining 6 per cent annual increases in federal transfers to the provinces and territories … A re-elected Conservative Government will build on our strong record of protecting Canada’s universal health-care system by increasing funding for health care by 6 per cent per year and making sure that Canadians see better treatment from the new money … Eliminating the deficit while protecting Canada’s universal health-care system by increasing federal funding by 6 per cent per year.

Source: http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/14/what-did-the-conservatives-promise-on-health-transfers/

Now, Jim Flaherty will insist that future health-funding increases will be linked to growth in the economy when he meets with the Provincial Premiers on Monday. Linking health-care funding to GDP was not mentioned in the election promise above. People voted according to what the Conservatives said during the election campaign, that they will “eliminate the deficit while protecting Canada’s universal health-care system by maintaining 6 per cent annual increases in federal transfers to the provinces and territories.”

Universal Health Care affects all Canadians. Not only has the Conservative Government misled their own voters, they are turning their backs on all Canadians. So now, like the prisons, the provinces will be forced to cover more of the health care cost if the Conservatives get their way. The reason for the Conservatives to back track their promise is that they are blaming the slowing economy. But if that were the case, then why would they put forth costly bills like the Crime Bill and the Fair Representation Act and waste money on luxury hotels and rescue plane rides.

What are your thoughts?