Justin Trudeau said he was “open to having conversations” with François Legault regarding a possible right of withdrawal that would allow Quebec to receive financial compensation rather than apply the universal federal dental care program.
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“If the provinces are going to work with us to deliver to their homes, but listen, it’s not a quibble, there, we’re here to ensure that Quebecers, like all Canadians, have access to dental care,” assured Ms. Trudeau in a scrum on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the Quebec Minister of Finance, Éric Girard, clearly stated that he would ask for “a withdrawal with compensation”.
How would a possible right of withdrawal work? “We are not there now,” replied Prime Minister Trudeau.
Mr. Girard expressed some frustration with the federal plan for dental care, whose projected bill exploded by $ 7.3 billion out of five, to reach $ 13 billion, more than double than initially expected.
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“Before creating new programs, we must adequately fund those we already have,” Mr. Girard said Wednesday morning.
The latter alluded to the disappointment of Quebec regarding the Health Transfer.
Incorporated in the new Freeland budget unveiled yesterday, the Transfer to the Provinces provides for average annual payments of $4.6 billion per year to the provinces, six times less than what they requested.
“The federal government underfunds health, and there we are injecting additional sums for dental care. Certainly, our preference would have been additional amounts in health, ”said Éric Girard.
Quebec already offers a dental care program covering certain services for children aged ten and under.
Like his leader, the federal Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos has also shown himself open to possible discussions on the “long term” with Quebec.
“In the longer term, there could be discussions like that is always done within the framework of these programs to see if the provinces, including Quebec, would like to assume a greater share of responsibility, a more present leadership in the delivery of this dental care for Quebecers,” said Mr. Duclos.
The federal dental care program could help about 9 million Canadians once it is fully implemented, the federal government estimates.
The happy NDP
The establishment of a universal dental care plan is one of the priorities set out in the agreement between the NDP and the Liberals.
New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh said he was “proud” to have “forced this government” to dedicate such a large envelope for this social program.
Mr. Singh, however, did not comment on Quebec’s request for the right to withdraw with compensation despite several requests.
“We greatly respect the skills of each province,” he slipped.
In contrast, the leader of the Bloc Québécois openly criticized the “notorious centralized dental care program”.
Returning to Quebec’s position, Mr. Blanchet is of the opinion that “we cannot interfere, create conditions to transfer money to Quebec in a sector where Quebec is already active”. “It’s an interference” which recalls the debates around the Health Transfer, said the Bloc leader.
– With Gabriel Côté, QMI Agency