For several months, the two camps seem to have watered down their wine. The famous conditions that the federal government wants to enforce have become reality the settings or some common priorities.

Ottawa and the provinces would agree on a list of five priorities:

• delays in operations;

• Mental health;

• access to family health services;

• long-term and home care;

• Data exchange and virtual maintenance.

Provinces are demanding that the federal government increase health transfers so that their share of funding reaches 35% of provincial spending, an increase of $28 billion per year.

According to our sources, Ottawa is poised to increase the size of remittances without necessarily hitting the cap required by the provinces. In turn, once the negotiating framework is well established, the federal government could discuss piecemeal with each province according to their specific needs.

The possible presence of Justin Trudeau at a meeting with the Prime Ministers is not confirmed at this time. The government proposes that the channels of communication be open. Mr. Trudeau could attend if there was an agreement.

In the office of Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, we do not confirm the information, but we are showing a certain optimism. This message is encouraging. We know that we still have more work to do together to achieve better healthcareis claimed.

Common Front of the Province

After the statement in November that the negotiations between the health ministers in Vancouver were over a mistakeseveral provincial prime ministers have publicly expressed optimism in recent weeks.

From British Columbia to the Atlantic provinces, they have shown a willingness to come to terms with the Trudeau government. In Ontario, Doug Ford told himself willing to live in Ottawa conditions if the federal government shows flexibility, especially with regard to the importance of the private sector in surgery.

In Quebec, François Legault said to himself more optimistic after meeting Justin Trudeau in December. He added that this is the case a path Ottawa and Quebec can agree on about the sharing of data in the health network.

Prime Minister Trudeau has gone several months without mentioning the introduction of national standards in long-term care, as he did at the height of the pandemic when retirement homes were going through dark times.

Justin Trudeau hinted last week that this is the case still a little work on various issues, including the amounts and parameters of these investments.