Ontario: The two-day talks between federal officials with provincial and territorial ministers ended without any agreement. After this, the federal government also distanced itself from making any announcement.
Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said he went to the meetings with good intentions and thinking, but the talks did not take off because of provincial and territorial officials. Duclos accused the premiers of asking their health ministers to focus solely on money. He also said that premiers are solely responsible for not allowing their health ministers to do their job.
Meanwhile, Adrian Dix, who is hosting a two-day meeting of his counterparts, said it was “disappointing” to end the meetings in this manner. Earlier, he had said that provincial and territorial ministers are united in increasing federal funding from 22 per cent to 35 per cent. Dix said the results of these meetings were not what Canadians had expected.
Earlier on Monday, Duclos had said that the government is ready to increase health transfers but some conditions will also have to be met. Some health criteria have to be met and data sharing will have to be done. Dicks said he was disappointed by the federal government’s behaviour and that the talks did not materialise as they all expected.