Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not dare to follow the example of French President Emmanuel Macron, who created a controversy in his country by saying this week he wanted to “piss off” the unvaccinated who fill hospital beds and threaten the safety of their fellow citizens. Asked Wednesday about Mr. Macron’s words, Mr. Trudeau limited himself to saying that he shares the frustration of Canadians towards those who still refuse to be vaccinated despite the surge in infections with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. At most, he implored the unvaccinated to “do the right thing” by rolling up their sleeves as quickly as possible. He thus avoided making people talk about him as his French counterpart has the singular talent to do.
If it weren’t for his colorful statement on the “Ostrogoths” of Sunwing’s infamous flight, Mr. Trudeau’s press conference would have left reporters hungry, with little to eat. After going invisible for almost two weeks, as the premiers spent their Christmas recess dealing with the Omicron crisis, Trudeau may have felt the need to shout ‘present’ for the new wave of this pandemic that never stops playing tricks on us. But his press conference in the presence of his finance and health ministers reinforced the impression that when it comes to managing the pandemic, the federal government is playing a secondary role.
Federal spending
“My role as Prime Minister, and that of the federal government, is to be there to provide the vaccines, to provide the rapid tests, to secure the borders and to be there to [procurer] treatments, to be there with financial backing, Trudeau said. We are a federation where the delivery of health care is the responsibility of the provinces, and they will make the determination on how best to serve their citizens. “
No one can accuse the federal government of having skimped on resources during the first waves of the pandemic. Federal spending related to direct measures to fight COVID-19 and support people totaled nearly $ 350 billion, according to the economic update filed on December 14 by the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland.
Ottawa has transferred $ 63 billion to the provinces to help them offset the additional costs resulting from the pandemic, noted this week the Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, not to mention the additional 25 billion that the Liberals have promised. to the provinces during the last election campaign.
Limits to the spirit of generosity
However, this spirit of generosity seems to have its limits, the Trudeau government always turning a deaf ear to the demands of the provinces for a substantial and permanent increase in the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), which continues to decrease in relation to spending by the provinces. provinces in health. And nothing will change over the next six years, according to spending forecasts in M’s economic update.me Freeland.
Shortly before Christmas, Ottawa unveiled the amounts of TCS that the provinces will receive in 2022-2023. The envelope goes from 43.1 billion dollars to 45.2 billion, an increase of 4.8% compared to 2021-2022, or roughly the same pace as inflation. Quebec will receive 400 million more in TCS, for a total of 10.1 billion dollars.
However, the pandemic has exacerbated the distress of our provincial health systems. Comparisons between Canada and most other developed countries are becoming increasingly distressing. The consequences of the pandemic will be felt for several years due to operations and postponed diagnoses.
COVID-19 has exposed huge flaws in the organization of health care in the country. These are not alterations that the Canadian health care system requires, but in-depth reform. While more federal money cannot solve all the problems in the system, the provinces alone do not have the means to make the necessary changes.
Partnership with provinces and territories
“As we emerge from this pandemic, I expect you to work in partnership with provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system and public health supports, supported by an increase rapid investments in primary and virtual care and mental health services, so all Canadians can get the care they need, no matter where they live, ”reads the mandate letter, released on June 16 last December, which Mr. Trudeau sent to Mr. Duclos.
The time has come for Mr. Duclos to walk the talk of Mr. Trudeau. If the next federal budget does not contain a significant and permanent increase in the CHT, the minister will have failed in his task.