Will premiers fight for federal health care funding?

At this week's meeting of the provincial premiers there were some sharp complaints about the federal government.

But missing -- so far -- is any significant complaint about the one issue likely closest to the hearts of Canadians -- public health care.

Yet the federal government plans to kill its longstanding commitment to increase health care funding 6% per year, replacing it with as little as half of that.

As CUPE research materials indicate, that means losing an awful lot of cash for public health care -- many billions.

The premiers lack of action on this comes despite a large demonstration in front of their meeting today. The protestors demanded the premiers stand up to the Stephen Harper government on federal health care funding.

All we got publicly from Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne was a thank you for helping the government focus.

That's not going to get her government any more federal funding. Not even a nickel.

Tomorrow, the premiers will talk health care -- but will they push back even a little bit on health care? Reportedly they will only focus on finding health care 'efficiencies'.

Just as telling, they have allowed only a measly half hour for health care.

It kind of sounds like they don't see it as very important.

If that's it, then they really are letting Harper get away with it -- at their own expense.

By the way, here is a great video fom the Ontario Federation of Labour on the fight back against Stephen Harper's attack on public healthcare: just click here.

Picture 1 -- The crowd gathers at today's rally in Niagara on the Lake demanding the continuation of federal health care funding
Picture 2 -- OCHU/CUPE hospital members from a Toronto hospital at today's rally

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