New ads aimed at federal funding of health care

Canadian Press

(Halifax) Canada's premiers are launching a $1.5-million ad campaign Monday
as they try to turn up the heat on Ottawa to supply more health care
dollars.
The black and white print ads and 30-second TV spots ask a simple and
familiar question: Isn't it time the federal government started paying its
fair share for health care?

The 13 provincial and territorial leaders, represented by the Premiers'
Council on Health Awareness, say more funding from Ottawa is past due.
"There's a need [for the ads]", said Rob Batherson, the spokesman
for Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm. "Paul Martin and the federal
government continue to ignore the No. 1 priority of Canadians, and that's
health care".

Cash for the ad campaign comes from the council's $6-million
taxpayer-funded budget. The spots criticize Ottawa for contributing only 16
cents for every dollar that is spent on health care. To make up the other
84 cents, each province directs a portion of its budget to health spending.
The premiers say that just 30 years ago, the federal-provincial split on
health-care spending was 50-50.

At a cost of five cents per Canadian, the ads will run until the release of
the federal budget March 23, a move Mr. Batherson said was intentional. It
will remind Canadians that the federal government really needs to be shamed
into doing the right thing, starting with the funding formula that was
adopted by Roy Romanow. The premiers are asking Prime Minister Paul Martin
to consider the findings of last year's Romanow report on health care and
make Ottawa's planned $2-billion cash infusion an annual commitment.

Ontario currently dedicates the largest portion of its budget to health
care, at 46 per cent. It's followed by Nova Scotia and Manitoba at 43 per
cent. The Yukon dedicates the lowest percentage, at 13 per cent.

Regardless of the percentages, the under-funded health care system is a
problem from coast to coast, Mr. Batherson said. "This is very much a
non-partisan issue", he said. "You have premiers all coming
together saying for the federal government to only cover 16 cents out of
every dollar that's spent on health care is simply unacceptable."

"Appealing to the public at this time", said Mr. Batherson,
"could light a fire under Ottawa to do the right thing and make a
significant investment in health care".


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