A motion passed Tuesday by Quebec’s National Assembly politely reminds the federal government to mind its own business when it comes to nursing and health services, while again calling on it to increase its funding.

The motion, submitted jointly by Health Minister Christian Dubé and opposition spokesmen, “recalls the significant imbalance in the financing of the health network” while emphasizing that it is an “exclusive jurisdiction of Quebec”, for which the province “has the right to have one to demand unconditional compensation for any new federal program.”

Keep in mind that Quebec is the only province that has not yet reached an agreement in principle with the federal government to improve health transfers. The government of François Legault is still in discussions with Ottawa, but we categorically refuse to accept the federal government imposing any conditions.

In addition, provinces would fear that Ottawa is looking for new ways to interfere with their health-care autonomy. The motion, unanimously approved by the National Assembly, refers to a letter co-signed by several health ministers and initiated by Christian Dubé.

The latter recently managed to get eight of his counterparts to co-sign a letter calling on Ottawa to stop interfering in their jurisdiction.

The letter to Federal Minister Mark Holland bears the signatures of the health ministers of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon.

What the provinces are criticizing Minister Mark Holland for is the expected submission of a new interpretive brief on the Canada Health Act that “does not help support public health systems, but rather attempts to offer a federal approach that is far removed from reality.”

“This approach does not meet provincial and territorial priorities and does not reflect the needs and realities of our residents,” read the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press.

Provincial and territorial ministers say they need a “federal partner to financially support health systems” while respecting the unique characteristics of each.

In other words, they are asking Ottawa to simply fund care and services without contributing to their organization.

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland’s office has not yet responded to our request for comment on the application and the provinces’ letter.

During a press briefing last week, Christian Dubé alluded to this letter in his response to a question about the health transfer file.

“We asked for six billion, you allocated us a billion that we haven’t received yet… Well, first of all, we didn’t get what we asked for at all. Secondly, when we are told that health is a provincial responsibility, you then impose a lot of conditions,” he said, explaining the lack of agreement in principle eight months after the Council of the Federation accepted Ottawa’s improved offer .

“That’s why we didn’t sign,” the minister concluded.

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