Premiers call on Ottawa to “stay in their lane”

Premiers tell the federal government to “stay in their lane” and Steven MacKinnon is appointed as the new federal Minister for Labour and Seniors. On that, and more, here is your Syntax Weekly Health Round-Up.

Around the Hill

• The House of Commons and Senate are adjourned for the summer recess.

Around Government 

• Federal Cabinet Minister Seamus O’Regan (Labour and Seniors) announced his sudden resignation from Cabinet this week, citing his intent to not seek re-election in the next federal election, whenever it may come. The move prompted Prime Minister Trudeau to appoint interim Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon as Minister of Labour and Seniors.
• Health Minister Mark Holland announced total funding of $19.3 million to support nine research teams to study ongoing, new, and emerging threats to lung health. The teams will study a range of lung health concerns, including the impact of poor air quality and wildfire smoke, treatments for lung cancer, and the effects of vaping.
• Minister Holland also found himself caught up in the dog days of summer this week, as he offered the government’s concerned response to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s policy update for dogs crossing the border. Holland took specific issue with changes to the requirement for microchipping, as well as the removal of the requirement for CFIA veterinarians to verify vaccine certificates for dogs.

Around the Dominion

• Canada’s premiers convened in Halifax this week to discuss a number of important topics ranging from housing and affordability, to public safety, to health. The premiers had a primary message for the federal government: stay in your lane. With the premiers bringing back odes to ‘cooperative federalism’ amid gripes that Ottawa has overstepped its jurisdiction with its funding and policy programs in recent years, the premiers reiterated their commitment to healthcare innovation and the importance of accelerating patient access to new and life-saving publicly funded medicines, and improved access to doctors through streamlined licensing based on the Atlantic Physician Registry.
• Speaking at the premiers’ meeting in Halifax this week, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King stated that his government is looking at ways to expand healthcare services in the province, with no intention to change the publicly funded system. Also this week, the P.E.I. government unveiled its At Home Caregiver Benefit which will give between $250 and $1,500 per month to a person receiving care at home to support someone providing them with significant, unpaid, ongoing help.
• In Newfoundland, the All-Party Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Addictions announced it is seeking input and recommendations on how to improve mental health and addictions programs and services in the province. The consultation will focus on the familiarity with current programs and services, the key services needed by youth and young adults who are experiencing mental health and substance use issues, and the barriers faced when accessing services.
• The Government of New Brunswick announced the signing of a letter of intent that could make it easier to recruit trained healthcare workers from Indonesia, including nurses and nursing aides. The letter of intent will facilitate the development of structured pathways for healthcare professionals from Indonesia to obtain Canadian accreditation and licensure. A more encompassing memorandum of understanding should follow in 2025.
• The Government of Manitoba announced it is taking a number of steps to improve wait times for trans patients seeking care, including removing the requirement for a patient to obtain two medical referrals to access specialist care, and expanding the number of primary-care providers who are able to refer patients, including nurse practitioners, for gender-affirming care.
• The Conservative Party of BC unveiled its “Patients First” healthcare platform this week. The plan is built on hiring back unvaccinated workers and using private providers to cut down on wait times. The announcement comes with just three months to go before British Columbia’s provincial election. The Conservatives promise the plan will cut healthcare administration, offer direct funding through a “patient-based” funding model, and hire more nurses and doctors.