(Quebec) Quebec will sign the agreement on health transfers with the federal government, although it considers the funding “largely insufficient”, indicate three ministers of the Legault government in a letter, excerpts from which were obtained by La Presse Canadian.
The needs are urgent in the Quebec health network and “this is why Quebec intends to take advantage of its share of the federal funding proposed on February 7,” wrote in their letter sent to Ottawa on Friday, the Ministers of Finance and of Health and the Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie.
Ministers Eric Girard, Christian Dubé and Jean-François Roberge maintain that they will ensure that Quebec’s jurisdictions in health matters are respected.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented provincial and territorial premiers last month in Ottawa with a comprehensive offer of federal health care funding of $196 billion over 10 years.
The deal is for an additional $46 billion from Ottawa over 10 years, provided provinces meet certain conditions on how the money is spent.
Prime Minister François Legault obtained only an additional 1 billion per year out of the 6 billion he hoped to snatch from the federal government.
Ottawa has gradually entered into bilateral agreements with each of the provinces. On Wednesday, only Quebec and the three territories remained to come to an agreement with the federal government.