Liberals keeping Harper target for health transfers: Philpot

[Oscar]

Liberals keeping Harper target for health transfers: Philpott

[ http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberals ... -1.3086326 ]

Laura Payton, Ottawa News Bureau Online Producer @laura_payton Published Sunday, September 25, 2016 7:16AM EDT
Last Updated Sunday, September 25, 2016 2:55PM EDT

Health Minister Jane Philpott says the Liberal government won't increase the health-care funding formula imposed by former prime minister Stephen Harper's government.

"That conversation is largely a conversation between finance ministers and at this point I have no reason to believe that we're going to change that," Philpott said in an interview with Evan Solomon, host of CTV's Question Period.

The provincial and territorial governments have been guaranteed six per cent increases in their transfers from the federal government since former prime minister Paul Martin struck a deal with them in 2004. In 2011, with the deal approaching expiration, the Harper Conservatives told the provinces and territories that they were cutting the annual increase, known as an escalator, to three per cent - with the possibility of more depending on the country's economic growth.

The new formula is to start next April, despite six years of protests by the premiers.

"I do not intend to push for an increase in the escalator," Philpott said.

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