Health-care funding a priority as party leaders campaign across country

The leaders of the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois are battling this morning over pledges to provide extra financial help to the country’s health-care system.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says he would boost federal funding for provincially run health-care systems by six per cent annually, but is leaving the door open to offering more if the national economy grows faster than expected.

Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, speaking shortly after O’Toole this morning, says the Conservative plan falls well short of what provinces need.

His party, which is only running candidates in Quebec, is telling premiers that the Bloc backs provincial calls for a far greater jump in federal health-care spending.

The country’s premiers say the current plan of three-per-cent jumps in spending means transfers don’t keep pace with yearly cost increases of about five per cent, and they are looking for about $28 billion more this year and $4 billion annually thereafter.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has said his government wouldn’t talk about changes in spending until after the pandemic passes.

Trudeau is scheduled to speak later today in Victoria, B.C., making an announcement on support for seniors, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will talk about health care as he campaigns in Edmonton.