The Honourable Mildred Dover, Minister of Health and Social Services, has refuted misinformation released yesterday by the Opposition Liberals, speculating that the Department of Health and Social Services is projecting a double-digit deficit for the year.
"The public statements by the Opposition are an exaggeration and have no relation to fact," says Minister Dover. "The deficit figure quoted by the Opposition misleads the public."
Minister Dover emphasizes the struggle to manage health care dollars is not isolated to Prince Edward Island and that other provinces face similar challenges. "In the face of constant cutbacks in federal health care funding, all provinces continue to struggle. There is less money from the federal government for health care every year. As Minister of Health and Social Services, I hear my counterparts at federal/provincial meetings pleading with federal health officials to listen and act on Canadians' requests for more federal funding for health care."
The Health Minister stresses the current long-term trend of reduced federal funding for health care cannot continue, especially given the cost increases that are occurring in areas such as drug costs. "My Ministry is taking a proactive approach to responding to federal under-funding for health." As an example, Minister Dover cited the recent appointment of Mr. Bill Harper as the Ministry's new Assistant Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services. "Bill's talents and extensive financial experience in Provincial Treasury are assisting the Health department to identify even more strategies to target precious provincial health care dollars to patient care, a priority area for this government."
The Minister affirmed her belief that the Opposition's latest statement is nothing more than another scare tactic. "Last week the Opposition suggested the province was vulnerable because of its allegedly high debt load," said the Minister. "When they were proven wrong, we never heard from them again. Their latest statements about health care deficits are another attempt to mislead a public that understands the federal government is the source of health care under-funding in PEI."
The Minister adds, "While the Opposition talks about cutbacks, our government talks about priorities and working with Islanders to ensure that those priority programs are delivered. We have done it in the past and will continue to do it into the future," says Ms. Dover.