Liberals move forward to hire 7,500 new family doctors and nurses
August 23, 2021
Halifax, Nova Scotia – A re-elected Liberal government will move forward to eliminate the health care waitlists, hire 7,500 family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners, and expand virtual care.
Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team have had Canadians’ backs during COVID-19. Eight out of every 10 dollars spent in response to COVID-19 came from the Liberal government. Now, as we work to build a healthier and safer Canada, the Liberal team will create a better health care system for everyone.
“Together, we’ve done whatever it takes to keep Canadians safe and healthy by supporting our health care system during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. “But we can’t stop there. Canadians need better access to our health care system and a family doctor. We need bold action, and we have a real plan to make it happen.”
To create a healthier Canada for all Canadians, a re-elected Liberal government will work with the provinces and territories to rebuild the health care system by:
- Helping to hire a minimum of 7,500 family doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners;
- Supporting the elimination of health system waitlists that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- Expanding virtual health care services to make it easier for Canadians to access our health care system.
A re-elected Liberal government will also invest in the recruitment of a broad range of health professionals to rural and remote regions of the country, by increasing student loan forgiveness and helping them set up a practice in these communities.
This plan will build on the Liberals’ recent commitment to work with the provinces and territories to deliver better care for seniors. It also builds on the leadership of the Liberal government to keep Canadians safe, healthy, and supported through the pandemic, including:
- Procuring an extensive portfolio of vaccines early on, so that every eligible Canadian could be vaccinated by July 2021 — two months ahead of schedule;
- Improving access to virtual care during the pandemic, including through the Wellness Together Canada portal, which more than 1.2 million Canadians used in its first year; and
- Providing a one-time top-up to the Canada Health Transfer and Safe Restart Agreement, and moving forward on pharmacare.
“To make our health care system work better for everyone, and to create a healthier Canada, we need to rebuild,” said Mr. Trudeau.” Erin O’Toole’s Conservatives tried to stand in our way as we supported Canadians through the pandemic and now he wants to bring private, for-profit healthcare to Canada. We can’t let him cut services like health care. We have to keep moving forward — for everyone.”
Backgrounder: Making Sure Every Canadian Has Access to a Family Doctor or Primary Health Team
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For more information, please contact:
media@liberal.ca
613-627-2384