Pressure mounts for feds to address hospital crisis as NDP leaves all options on the table

The Canadian Medical Association is warning that the pressure on children’s hospitals across the country will likely get worse before it gets better, as Canada faces a tripledemic driven by RSV, the flu, and COVID-19.

Dr. Alika Lafontaine, president of the CMA, tells CityNews that as more people meet indoors for the holidays, the spread of respiratory illnesses could lead to even more pressure on hospitals, many of which are already overwhelmed.

“Cuts that have happened within pediatric health care have come home to roost,” said Lafontaine. “Overwhelming capacity within acute care systems and as a result we have to make some really tough choices on who can access care and when.”

Lafontaine says these facilities can’t afford for politicians to wait to take action, as premiers call for health funding talks with the prime minister in the new year.

Related articles: 

• BC Children’s Hospital allows shared rooms to cope with high flu-related admissions

• Canada’s premiers push for more federal health funding

• Trudeau urges vaccinations amid a rise in kids’ illnesses clogging hospital ERs

He says the discussion shouldn’t be about money but about making changes to increase primary care access and eliminate provincial barriers for medical professionals.

“Provinces and territories need to make decisions to change how health care is provided and the federal government needs to enable that,” he explained.

He feels people should start putting more pressure on politicians to act.

“The more that we share our stories about how the health care collapse is affecting us, the more likely it is that politicians are going to pay attention to us,” Lafontaine said.

New Democrats push for action

The issue is also causing some cracks to form in the Trudeau Liberal’s confidence and supply agreement with the New Democrats.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he doesn’t want an election but adds if the prime minister doesn’t start improving the health care system, it’s an option to be looked at.

“If it comes to a point where we’ve exhausted all options and this government’s not acting, we reserve our right to withdraw our support,” Singh said.

“We have a tool that we can use to apply more pressure and we’re going to use that tool.”

The NDP has requested an emergency debate in the House of Commons to discuss the “urgent and escalating.”

Singh wrote to the Speaker to give notice of the request, citing several alarming developments across the country.

Meanwhile, in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s ready and willing to increase funding for provincial health care but only in exchange for improvements to the system.

He notes the health care issue is bigger than the Liberal’s deal with the NDP.

“If health care continues to be such a crisis point for so many Canadians, our arrangement with the NDP is the least of our worries,” the prime minister said.

He adds he speaks with premiers all the time about health care, and that his ministers are working with their provincial and territorial counterparts on the matter.

“I don’t think people care whether or not we sit down together, I think people care whether or not we can start fixing our healthcare system, and that’s what I’m focused on,” Trudeau said.

While pressure is mounting on the government to take action, Lafontaine says everyone has a role to play in keeping others safe.

“Get vaccinated, wear masks, keep away from people if you’re sick.”

-With files from The Canadian Press