The following statement was issued today by Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary, on behalf of Julie Bettney, Minister of Health and Community Services.. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

On behalf of the Honourable Julie Bettney, Minister of Health and Community Services, I am pleased to comment on the announcement today that a federal health care commission has been appointed, to be headed by former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow.

Minister Bettney spoke yesterday with the federal health minister, Allan Rock, about the commission and its mandate. The commission is expected to explore the principles and values which underlie the health system in Canada, and propose new approaches for long-term sustainability of health care in the country. The commission has been asked to submit its report by November 2002.

The establishment of this commission is a welcome development, but we need to ensure there is a voice for provincial governments in the work of the commission. The health system has come under pressure in recent years due to the aging of the population, new types of expensive drugs, new medical technology, capital infrastructure needs, rising public expectations and many other factors. The pressure on medicare has led many provinces to experiment with alternate forms of health care delivery, some of which have tested the principles under which medicare exists in Canada.

In the face of these pressures, a fresh examination of what is funded under medicare is needed, and we welcome the commission's establishment. We are also pleased Mr. Romanow has been chosen to head the commission. Mr. Romanow has served Canada well as Premier of Saskatchewan, the province which bears the mantle of being the birthplace of medicare. Mr. Romanow is intimately familiar with provincial views on the respective roles of federal and provincial governments in the health care sector, and he has an excellent reputation as a fiscally responsible premier.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador believes that provincial governments must be consulted closely and involved in the work of the commission. We must replace the intergovernmental conflict and rhetoric of the past with a real intergovernmental partnership which recognizes that provincial governments have the constitutional responsibility for the delivery of a comprehensive range of health services. The agenda for health reform in Canada can only be set with full provincial cooperation. 

Finally, this commission complements the regional health forums which Minister Bettney will be pursuing later this year. These forums will be aimed at developing the goals and principles for the health and community services system of the future in this province. The outcomes of the forums will provide excellent input for Mr. Romanow to understand the unique requirements of Newfoundland and Labrador within Canada.

2001 04 04                                       2:45 p.m.