Layton promises $200 million to train health-care workers
Last Updated: Thursday, January 5, 2006 | 5:08 PM ET
CBC News
Layton made the comments in Winnipeg Thursday morning, where he announced that his party will set aside another $200 million a year to train health workers. Layton said that would fund the equivalent of another 16,000 nursing training spaces.
"What we're after is increased enrolment in Canadian health science education programs, including post graduate training positions. Nurses are an important focus here, and so is skills upgrading to promote the widespread use of nurse practitioners."
Layton said the money would be transferred to the provinces directly, with the provision it only be spent on training health-care workers.
He also said the NDP would introduce a bill to stop federal money from going to provinces that allow for-profit, private health insurance.
He dismissed the health-care strategies of the Liberals and Conservatives which call for limits to wait times for key medical procedures.
"Proclaiming health-care guarantees will not reduce waiting times," he said. "Training more doctors and nurses will."
