Premier Ranj Pillai met in Whitehorse today with the federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities Dominic LeBlanc and federal Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos.
Today’s discussions built on progress from last week’s working meeting of First Ministers on health care in Ottawa and advanced Yukon-specific negotiations on bilateral agreements on health care funding.
New investments by the federal government will support a number of shared priorities, including expanding access to family health services, attracting and retaining health care workers, improving access to mental health and substance use services and health system modernization.
Premier Pillai underscored the importance of addressing the unique challenges associated with health care service delivery in the North, including through northern-specific investments such as the Territorial Health Investment Fund. Ensuring secure, sustainable and long-term funding for northern health needs will support the implementation of the Putting People First health transformation strategy, including the creation of a health authority.
As the Yukon continues to grow and demands on our health care systems increase, it is critical that we advance the implementation of Putting People First and ensure the territory is on a sustainable path forward as we modernize and improve services for Yukoners. While Premiers have accepted the federal government’s overall proposal, work is now underway towards a Yukon-specific agreement that will address the distinct needs of our territory. These discussions build on more than two years of work by Canada’s Premiers to strengthen our health care funding partnership with the federal government, as well as pan-territorial efforts to secure increased northern-specific health funding. I would also like to assure Yukoners that sharing personal health information was never part of the discussions and it would be illegal to share such information under the Yukon’s Health Information Privacy and Management Act.
Premier Ranj Pillai
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Diana Dryburgh
Communications, Executive Council Office
867-332-9283
diana.dryburgh@yukon.ca