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March 21, 2000
(Finance)

 

Minister comments on meeting with Paul Martin

Finance Minister Lloyd Matthews said today that he had a productive meeting and discussed a number of issues with federal Finance Minister Paul Martin in Ottawa on Friday.

"It was a good opportunity to sit and talk about issues important to Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Matthews. "We spoke about the need for additional health care funding, the disadvantage of per-capita funding for provinces like ours, and the need to look at innovative ways to allow provinces to benefit more fully from resource developments."

The two ministers talked about the federal government�s responsibility to provide adequate funding to allow the provinces to deliver quality health care. Minister Matthews said that Minister Martin indicated that the federal government would certainly respond with additional dollars once the health ministers and first ministers have had an opportunity to meet on this issue.

Per capita funding was also a topic of discussion. Minister Matthews stressed concerns associated with this type of funding arrangement for provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador which have smaller populations and large geographic areas to cover.

"With regards to equalization, Minister Martin indicated that he understands the significant restraints that the current clawback arrangement poses for provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, especially as we try to attain a higher level of self-sufficiency," said Minister Matthews. "In an effort to reach that goal, the minister said that he is open and willing to discuss new ideas and approaches in an effort to allow us to retain a higher level of benefits from resource developments for a period of time. In all, it was a good meeting, and has given us substantial basis for further discussion."

Media contact: Paula Dyke, Communications, (709) 729-0329.

2000 03 21                                                 10:10 a.m.


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