Newfoundland and Labrador to co-chair national health meetings

For the next year, Newfoundland and Labrador will be the lead province for the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers of Health meetings held regularly around the country to discuss health policy and programming, and other issues around sustaining our publicly-funded health system for the future.

Health Minister Roger Grimes will co-chair the federal/provincial/territorial meetings with federal Minister of Health Allan Rock. The province assumed the role yesterday from Manitoba following the latest meeting in Winnipeg.

"We are very pleased to take on the role of lead province for upcoming federal/provincial/territorial health meetings," said Minister Grimes. "Given the issues before Newfoundland and Labrador, and indeed all provinces and territories, with respect to the future of our health system, there has never been a more important time in recent years to play such a large role in presenting the country�s collective views to the federal government."

Minister Grimes said that the past year has been consumed with discussions of restoring financial stability to our health system. This led to the investment of over $20 billion into the system by the federal government over the next five years. In the year ahead, the minister looks forward to continued dialogue on controlling our health finances, and seeking opportunities to examine different means of delivering health services in the future, such as through a primary health care model.

Media contact: Carl Cooper, (709) 729-1377.

2000 10 05 2:15 p.m.