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Health concerns straight from Kakfwi's heart

PM may be opening door to more health-care funding

Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 10/03) - Premier Stephen Kakfwi says walking out of national health-care discussions last week wasn't politically motivated, it was just the right thing to do.

That move, however, may lead to more discussion -- and possibly better funding for the North -- from what Prime Minister Jean Chretien said was a closed matter.

NNSL photo

  • The NWT's health and social services budget is $199.9 million a year, 23.22% of the total GNWT budget. On a per capita basis, that's about $4,739.
  • It costs about $65.8 million to run the NWT's hospitals and health centres, not including administrative expenses.
  • Nearly 56% of department expenditures go to health services programs while 24% goes to community health programs.
  • The government committed an additional $8.3 million to recruit new doctors and nurses to the NWT, money that helped push the forecast deficit over $100 million for 2002-2003.

    The offer

  • Prime Minister Chretien offered $12 billion in new health funding for the provinces and territories over three years.
  • For the NWT, that meant $15.6 million over three years; $10.8 million for Nunavut and $12 million for the Yukon.
    (Source: GNWT 2002-2003 Main Estimates)


  • Kakfwi and his territorial counterparts, Paul Okalik from Nunavut and the Yukon's Dennis Fentie, walked out of the first ministers conference last Wednesday.

    They were outraged over a three-year $12 billion deal that allocated just $38 million of new money over the same period to the three Northern territories. Kakfwi called the proposal "appalling."

    "There's nothing political about this. We want to get something done so the people of the North feel they are a part of Canada," said Kakfwiupon his return to Yellowknife Saturday.

    Since that dramatic moment, the premier said, he has received an outpouring of support from constituents, government officials and members of the media.

    Premier 'courageous' The NWT Medical Association, the Union of Northern Workers and NWT MLAs have all supported the premier's stance.

    "Rapid development in the NWT, coupled with health standards that are far below the Canadian norm, compels Ottawa to deliver on the package supported by the premiers," said MLAs in a joint statement.

    NWT Medical Association president Dr. Ken Seethram said Kakfwi stood up for the North.

    "He's very courageous and has done something very positive for the territory," said Seethram.

    National Conservative Party leader Joe Clark and NDP leader Jack Layton also applauded Kakfwi, Okalik and Fentie for their actions.

    "I've never experienced that," Kakfwi said of the support, adding it was not something he expected.

    "I never spent a lot of time thinking about it," he said. "We did it because we didn't have an option. We did it because we felt in our heart it was right."

    "I think everyone was overwhelmed with what happened."

    Kakfwi said it was time the three territories took a stand against the federal government, which has promised meeting after meeting with no tangible results.

    "What I am looking for is a resolution," said Kakfwi, who added he is tired of meetings.

    "The last time we had a commitment to meet, nothing was resolved."

    He said the solution is simple: the federal government has to recognize that per capita spending does little for the three Canadian territories.

    Kakfwi said the current formula means Quebec and Ontario see the bulk of any new money and the territories are left with scraps.

    "We're the ones with the most need. We live in a part of this country where people have no access. A majority of our people in the communities are aboriginal and are already suffering from a lower standard of health care," said Kakfwi.

    He added that people choose the territories as their home and they deserve to have the same access to services as the rest of the nation.

    "Of all the human injustices inflicted on people, the greatest of them is inequality in health services," he said, quoting Martin Luther King.

    The three territorial federal liberal MPs, including the NWT's Ethel Blondin-Andrew, have met with the PM to suggest more equitable funding for the territories.

    Kakfwi said he is encouraged by what he has heard from the MPs and the prime minister.

    "The prime minister has indicated he accepts per capita is not acceptable. Meetings have started. The prime minister's most senior people are working on it. Ethel Blondin-Andrew is taking the lead with the MP from Nunavut and the MP from the Yukon. All are Liberal MPs and they are saying they want to help," said Kakfwi.

    "That's a major commitment, to get the prime minister of this country to agree per capita doesn't work."

    Now the hope is a deal can be reached. Kakfwi said he hopes it is reached soon.

    Roy Romanow is expected to brief the government on his take of the health deal this week. Kakfwi said he hopes something will be settled before then.

    The territories are looking for a deal that would see them receive half a per cent of all new federal funding. The formula translates into an additional $20 million for each territory.

    That money, Kakfwi said, is vital to the NWT health-care system.

    "Just after Christmas, because of the needs of our territory, we approved a supplemental amount of $8 million every year," said Kakfwi.

    "I know Nunavut runs a huge deficit. We do the same with our hospitals and health and social services. Every year we can't contain health-care costs."

    -- with files from Kathleen Lippa