Alberta calls on Ottawa to reverse military health funding change
Posted Oct 10, 2019 6:55 am.
Last Updated Oct 10, 2019 6:56 am.
EDMONTON – Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro is calling on the federal government to reverse a decision that will see provinces pick up more of the cost of treating members of the military for medical operations and other health care.
Today Health Minister Tyler @shandro sent a letter to the Trudeau government to reverse their cuts to hospital care for the women and men of Canada's Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/Z6dR94QDEm
— Jason Kenney ???????????????????????? (@jkenney) October 9, 2019
Shandro says the Alberta government was not consulted about the change, which will cost the province about $2 million per year.
Last year, the province budgeted to spend more than $22 billion on health care.
Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen is also critical of the change, noting it could cost his province almost $1 million.
I'm proud to stand up for our Canadian Armed Forces personnel and call on Justin Trudeau to do the right thing: cancel his cuts to funding for health care provided to military personnel. pic.twitter.com/R0ngOOBRd6
— Tyler Shandro ???????? (@shandro) October 9, 2019
A report from Global News showed Ottawa has been renegotiating new reimbursement agreements with provinces, which has raised fears some hospitals close to Canadian Forces bases that regularly treat military personnel could lose millions of dollars.
Shandro says the decision is disrespectful towards the provinces and is hypocritical given Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s recent commitments to expand medicare.
