Tories offer $100-million health care prescription
Last Updated: Friday, September 5, 2003 | 7:52 PM AT
CBC News
Tory Leader Pat Binns said Friday his party will find an additional $100 million to spend on health care if handed a third mandate.
- INDEPTH: P.E.I. Votes 2003
The Tories will spend $400 million on the system this year, which amounts to 40 per cent of the total provincial budget. That's $100 million more than four years ago, and Binns said he'll add another $100 million in the next four.
"It's a substantial commitment, but to do the things that are important to Islanders we feel it is necessary, and we believe it is affordable based on the growth in our economy," he said after the announcement.
The funding is qualified: Binns said he is counting on growth in the Island economy, and more cash from the federal government.
The premier said the Tories are counting on the feds to raise funding to the levels called for in the Kirby and Romanow reports on health care.
"That could be the weak link in all of our plans, not just in P.E.I. but across the country, so I think that is clearly an issue you are going to continue to see high on everyone's priority lists over the next number of months and years."
Binns pledged to hire 20 more doctors for the Island, and another 80 nurses.
Money would be spent on an expansion of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital; $10 million would be spent on equipment; and $400 would go to health support for children.
The disability tax credit and coverage under the disability support program would be expanded as would the provincial drug plan. That would cover off the cost of oxygen and some alzheimer's medications.
Binns concluded by saying the government would establish a seniors secretariat and appoint a dedicated minister.
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