Singh meeting with Trudeau about private health care ahead of sitdown with premiers

OTTAWA –

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will sit down with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this afternoon to discuss private health care ahead of next week’s summit with premiers.

Trudeau is expected to meet with provincial and territorial leaders in Ottawa next Tuesday to discuss a new health-care funding deal.

Singh says now is the time for the Liberal government to make clear that funding private health-care facilities will not improve the shortage of health-care workers Canada is facing.

The NDP leader says that while health care falls under provincial jurisdiction, he believes the federal government could be using the Canada Health Act more aggressively to challenge for-profit care.

Singh is also expected to request an emergency House of Commons debate on the privatization of health care this afternoon.

If the request is granted, the debate could go ahead as early as this evening.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2023.