Two Conservative MPs slammed the Liberals' proposed healthcare plan Thursday, claiming the federal government proposed a low amount of spending because it "spent the cupboards bare.".“After waiting eight years and doubling the national debt, the prime minister told Canadians who are desperate for more healthcare funding, ‘Sorry, we can’t do more on healthcare because we are broke,'" said Conservative Shadow Minister for Health Dr. Stephen Ellis (Cumberland-Colchester Province, NS), and Quebec Political Lieutenant Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles, Que.)..During a working meeting between the federal government and the 13 premiers, the Liberals announced a 10-year deal healthcare deal valued at $196.1 billion, including $46.2 billion in new spending. The deal would allow for a $2 billion boost to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) in order to address "immediate pressure on the health-care system, especially in pediatric hospitals, emergency rooms and surgical and diagnostic backlogs.".READ MORE: Premiers 'disappointed' by federal government's $46 billion healthcare offer.But the premiers said they were "disappointed" by the deal, in particular because they requested a $28 billion boost to the CHT.."It's significantly less than what we're looking for," said Manitoba Premier and head of the Council of the Federation Heather Stefanson. "I think it was a little disappointing in terms of the new money that was there.".In a press conference following the meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the amount offered by Ottawa was a "significant injection of money into the healthcare system when it's needed," but there needs to be "better outcomes" when it comes to frontline workers, infrastructure, and data collection..Ellis and Paul-Hus described the Liberals as having "spent the cupboards bare" through its deficit spending, meaning the federal government "now doesn’t have enough left to help the senior waiting for a hip replacement or the child suffering from cancer."."Despite record-breaking spending on everything but health, the situation at hospitals and clinics is worse than ever after eight years of this prime minister," they said..The MPs pointed out since Trudeau became prime minister eight years prior, more than five million Canadians do not have access to primary care, specialists treatment wait times are at a three-decade high, and half of doctors and nurses report feeling burnt out..“This is a far cry from the prime minister’s broken promise to recruit 7,500 more doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners to care for Canadians," Ellis and Paul-Hus said in reference to the Liberals' 2021 election promise.“Conservatives will closely examine the details of the proposal put forward by the Trudeau Liberals and will listen to the feedback of provinces, territories, and healthcare professionals."
