'Why did P.E.I. cave in?' Health coalition says deal with feds not good enough

The P.E.I. Health Coalition is worried the deal for annual health funding the province signed with the federal government won't meet the needs of Islanders.

The P.E.I. government signed the agreement last month, joining the other three Atlantic Provinces. But five provinces — Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia — are still holding out in hopes of receiving a better deal.

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Mary Boyd, chair of the P.E.I. Health Coalition, said she doesn't understand why P.E.I. agreed to a deal that delivers less money than is needed to cover health-care expenses, and could lead to inequality in health-care services across the country.

'Why did it settle for less than we need?'

"We could end up with 13 different health-care systems in this country," she said. "There would be no unity. And why they would cave in when five provinces are holding out, that represent over 90 per cent of the population of Canada? Why did P.E.I. cave in? Why did it settle for less than we need?"

The P.E.I. Health Coalition is part of the Canadian Health Coalition. It's mandate is to advocate for the "preservation and improvement of universal public health care across Canada."

Boyd is encouraging P.E.I. and the other provinces and territories to go back to the table and reach a national deal with Ottawa.

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Last month, Premier Wade MacLauchlan said the agreement was "the best deal we can get for today."

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