Since the 2004 Paul Martin deal to fix health care for a generation, which guaranteed federal health transfers would increase by 6% annually, the Government of Canada has sought to constrain the growth of the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). First, the Harper Government lowered the annual CHT growth rate to align with economic growth.

Upon forming government in 2015, the Trudeau Liberals successfully provided time-limited funding outside of the CHT – an approach that has been used on several occasions since to provide funding to provinces and territories. From COVID-19 support, to home care and mental health, and the most recent set of bilateral health deals, the federal government is providing time-limited funding to provinces largely outside of the CHT.

Our latest podcast revisits the process of securing the initial bilateral health agreements seven years ago, a method still in use today. Featuring insights from four health system leaders deeply involved in the 2017 agreements — former health minister Dr. Jane Philpott, Marcel Saulnier, Dave Clements, and Peter Cleary — this episode delves into the creation of these agreements and their potential to drive improvements in health care services managed by the provinces and territories.

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Dr. Jane Philpott, Former Health Minister of Canada

Dr. Jane Philpott is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Director of the School of Medicine at Queen’s University, and CEO of the Southeastern Ontario Academic Medical Organization in Kingston, Ontario. She is a medical doctor, a Professor of Family Medicine, and former Member of Parliament. From 2015 to 2019 she served as Canada’s Minister of Health, Minister of Indigenous Services, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government. Prior to politics, Jane spent the first decade of her medical career in Niger, West Africa and then she was a family doctor with Markham Stouffville Hospital for 17 years, including six years as Chief of Family Medicine. Jane has recently published her first book called Health for All: A doctor’s prescription for a healthier Canada.

Marcel Saulnier, Associate, Santis Health

With nearly 30 years of experience in the federal government focusing on strategic policy, health care policy, and intergovernmental relations, Marcel serves as an advisor to the Santis team and its clients on key health initiatives. Prior to joining Santis, Marcel served as an Associate Assistant Deputy Minister for the Strategic Policy Branch of Health Canada. In his role he advised the Minister and Deputy Minister on health care policy and led Federal-Provincial-Territorial negotiations on bilateral agreements for mental health, home care and virtual care.

Dave Clements, Associate, Santis Health

As an associate at Santis Health, Dave has nearly three decades years of experience in the health care and higher education industries and brings expertise in health and science policy, communications and stakeholder engagement. He has served in executive roles at the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Queen’s University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. He also spent nearly a decade working for the federal and B.C. provincial government, including as Director of Communications and Senior Advisor for the Hon. Jane Philpott, Canada’s former Minister of Health. In 2014 and 2015, he served as executive director for the Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation, appointed by the Hon. Rona Ambrose, then Minister of Health for the Government of Canada.