September 10, 1996
(Health)

The following is being distributed at the request of the Conference of the Provincial and Territorial Health Ministers:

Health Minister Lloyd Matthews met with his provincial and territorial counterparts yesterday and today to discuss health issues during their annual meeting. Primarily, discussions centred around the blood system as ministers considered different options for organizing, funding and managing the blood system. The following communique expresses the consensus reached among provincial and territorial health ministers. Discussions will continue today and tomorrow with federal Health Minister David Dingwall.

New Blood System for Canada

Provincial and territorial ministers of health unanimously reaffirmed their position regarding substantive reform of the Canadian blood system, based on four guiding principles agreed to at the health ministers' meeting in April.

Those principles are:

• safety of the blood supply
• integrated approach
• clear accountabilities
• transparency

Provinces and territories, except Quebec, are resolved to establish a new national blood authority, created through appropriate legislation, and incorporating the best features of the current system with a streamlined and accountable governance structure.

The new authority will be responsible for managing all aspects of the blood system, and will be arm's length from all governments.

Ministers intend to discuss governance, financing, transition from the current system and the role of the Red Cross later today with their federal counterpart.

"This new authority must continue to incorporate the volunteer component of the system that has served Canadians so well," said Ontario health minister Jim Wilson, chair of the Conference of the Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health.

Quebec does not support the creation of a new national entity to manage the blood system, and takes the view that the blood program must be incorporated into its own health and social services system. Collaboration between the two systems could be explored in the future.