Ontario’s Health Minister admits the size of the provincial deficit isn’t shrinking as fast as the government would like.
Christine Elliott told reporters this morning she’d love to see what the government has called the $15-billion figure wiped out by now.
“But that would’ve meant we would’ve had to make cuts, and we don’t want to do that. We know that we need to continue to make investments into health care and education, and we are doing that. This year we are putting more than $1.3-billion more into health care.”
The provincial health minister adds the government will have to discuss with Ontario’s financial accountability office why it says the deficit has doubled to $7.4-billion in the last year.
She’s also seeking answers far and wide from health care providers and young people on the health effects of vaping.
Elliott says her search also includes talking to American health agencies, which are telling her what they’re discovering.
“Seem to be suggesting that there are a lot of other materials that are being used along with traditional vaping inhalers. But we don’t know exactly what is going on in Ontario yet.”
Ontario’s health minister adds she’s been told there are more respiratory health problems among the population that haven’t reached hospitals yet.
And, the legalization of edible cannabis today in Canada is causing her to watch with concern.
She points out she’s aware of how children can get their hands on the products.
“I think we’ve seen and heard of situations where children have ingested them and gotten very ill. So, I think that we need to really make sure we’re going to provide the care around them, and make sure the public is aware.”
Ontario’s health minister adds this was a federal government idea with no plan on how to implement that fell on the province’s to deal with.
