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Public opinion pushed provinces, Ottawa into alignment over health care, N.B. premier says

Public opinion pushed provinces, Ottawa into alignment over health care, N.B. premier says

New Brunswick’s premier says public pressure has been the key factor in recent progress toward a deal on health-care funding between the federal government and provinces.

Blaine Higgs said in an interview airing Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live that he was optimistic premiers and the federal government would be able to meet to sign a deal in February. The two sides face a time crunch to get a deal done so that any new changes can be reflected in a spring federal budget.

But as negotiations have dragged on, Canadians have witnessed a series of high-profile instances of failures in the health-care system, including long delays, ER closures and even deaths of Canadians waiting for care.

“The public are expecting a better health-care system in our respective provinces…. They expect if we’re putting more money in the system we have to see results,” Higgs told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton.

WATCH | New Brunswick premier discusses progress on health funding:

‘Public opinion’ part of breakthrough on health-care deal negotiations, says N.B. premier

Rosemary Barton Live speaks with New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs about a potential health-care deal between the federal government and the provinces that would give more funding to ease the current pressure on the health system. After months of stalled negotiations, Higgs says public opinion was part of the breakthrough.

Premiers and the federal government have been locked in a running battle over funding for the health-care system for years, with provincial leadership urging Ottawa to make significantly higher contributions. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during the early days of the pandemic that he was supportive of the federal government taking on more of the financial burden, but negotiations would have to wait until the crisis subsided.

Provinces and the federal government have traded sharp public attacks — including a paid advertising campaign organized by the premiers — but now both sides have indicated that significant progress has been made in recent weeks toward a deal.

One issue was a federal government demand that the provinces commit to using increased health funding on an array of broad subject areas, including reducing operation backlogs, primary care and mental health care.

WATCH | Intergovernmental affairs minister outlines possibility of health deal: 

Premiers, feds aim to reach health-care agreement in February

Rosemary Barton Live speaks with Minister of…

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