Improving health care in the country is not just about money and transfers from Ottawa, but is also about immigration, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Tuesday.
On the second day of the annual meeting of the Council of the Federation, which brings together the premiers of the provinces and territories in Winnipeg, Ms. Smith said that the federal government could help by facilitating the recruitment of health workers trained in the ‘foreign.
The Alberta premier recalls that it is the federal government that is primarily responsible for immigration, “which is why Ottawa plays a crucial role in this regard.”
Ms. Smith added that the provinces and territories have negotiated certain arrangements with Ottawa that allow them to bring in new health professionals. So Alberta has a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines, she said.
But the Conservative premier believes Ottawa could also help ensure healthcare workers can move freely between provinces.
Health care is one of the main topics of the Council of the Federation’s three-day meeting this week. The premiers also met with representatives of health care workers on Tuesday.
The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions has made several recommendations to Premiers to boost health care. The federation, which represents unions in all provinces except Quebec, recommends, among other things, minimum nurse-patient ratios and the establishment of limits on safe hours of continuous work.
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