Liberal Leader Mark Carney has presented key planks of his health-care platform which includes $4 billion in new funding to build health-care infrastructure, as well as a plan to increase the number of doctors in the country through various measures such as increasing spaces in medical schools.
Carney made the announcement while visiting Charlottetown, P.E.I., on April 21, one week before the general election is held.
The Liberal leader stayed on his message that Canada is facing the “biggest crisis in our lifetime” due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and said his plan to “build Canada strong” has health care at its “core.”
“In the U.S., health care is a big business. In Canada, it is a right,” Carney said. “It is a right that my government will fight for and invest in.”
Carney said a Liberal government would spend $4 billion to build and renovate community health-care infrastructure such as long-term care homes and community clinics.
The Liberals’ costed platform released over the weekend says half the health spending would be done in fiscal 2025-2026, with another $1 billion in 2026-2027, and the remaining $1 billion split over 2027-2028 and 2028-2029.
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Carney’s health plan also aims to increase the number of doctors in Canada by thousands to address the longstanding shortage. The Canadian Medical Association estimates 6.5 million Canadians do not have a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Carney said he plans to increase the number of doctors by expanding medical school spaces, building new medical schools, recruiting more doctors internationally, and streamlining the recognition of credentials from foreign-trained doctors and nurses.
“So to the Canadian health-care professionals practicing in the U.S., let me say this: if you’ve been thinking about coming back to Canada, there’s never been a better time to come home,” Carney said.
The Liberal platform has earmarked $750 million to expand medical schools and residency positions. Carney has also pledged to reduce the administrative burden on doctors. Although specific details have not been released, the initiative is projected to incur a cost of $400 million over the next four years.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Canadian Medical Association have called for a streamlining of federal health forms having to be filled out by doctors, saying the administrative burden is negatively impacting their work. The College has identified the Disability Tax Credit and the Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Sickness Benefit as a “significant or main source of administrative burden.”
Women’s Health
Carney has also pledged to continue funding abortion access by making the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund Program permanent. Funding is set to run out after fiscal 2026-2027 but the Liberals have pledged to maintain the $20 million annual funding in the two following years.
Carney also pledged to establish a federal in-vitro fertilization program worth $412 million over four years, which would cover up to $20,000 for a treatment cycle.
After mentioning these measures related to women’s health, Carney said he would protect these rights by “always standing and defending” the Charter, while accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of “committing to override your constitutional rights.”
A reporter remarked to Carney that Poilievre has stated he would not use the notwithstanding clause in the Charter to go after abortion.
Poilievre said on April 11 he would not remove access to abortion if his party formed government.
“I can guarantee you there will be no laws restricting abortion passed when I’m prime minister,” said Poilievre. “For 20 years, the policy of the Conservative Party has been that there will be no restrictions brought in on a woman’s right to choose.”
Poilievre said last week he would use the notwithstanding clause of the Charter, section 33, to re-introduce a law allowing for mass murderers to serve consecutive prison sentences. The Supreme Court had deemed this unconstitutional in a 2022 decision, saying section 12 of the Charter protects against cruel and unusual punishment.
Poilievre has yet to release a broad health plan, but he has previously pledged to create a certification system to make it easier for foreign-trained doctors and nurses to work in Canada. During the current campaign, he has pledged to expand recovery programs for drug addicts and said he would not cut the dental care and pharmacare programs implemented by the previous Liberal government.
