“Hundreds of thousands of Canadians wait longer than the recommended time for an MRI or a CT scan. That is just not good enough”, said Scheer. “This investment will help our health care providers to deliver quality services with the most up-to-date technology, giving patients quicker access to reliable, potentially life-saving tests.”

Justin Trudeau’s never-ending deficits and out-of-control spending have put Canada on track to hit $1 trillion in debt by 2035. If Trudeau is given four more years, his debt and never-ending deficits will threaten our ability to deliver quality public services like health and social programs.

A new Conservative government will live within its means to protect health care in the long term. As written in a letter to all Premiers in August 2019, as Prime Minister, Andrew Scheer will maintain and increase the current funding formula for the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer.

“Canadians need a government that understands that balancing the budget is the best way to maintain the services that they rely on the most, including health care,” Scheer said. “Canada’s Conservatives will give you more help for your health, so you can get ahead.”

FACTS:

• Justin Trudeau said he would balance the budget by 2019. Instead, he has raised taxes, imposed a carbon tax, and his massive overspending now puts health and social programs at risk.
• According to a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada, Canada’s stock of MRI and CT machines is aging, supply is not keeping up with demand, and wait times for these important diagnostic tests exceed the wait-time recommendations from the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
• By upgrading and increasing available medical imaging equipment, Canadians will have better, faster access to quality tests. Getting earlier access to a test could mean an earlier diagnosis for the patient.
• In addition to improving wait times, this investment will also give provincial governments some additional spending flexibility, as the federal government would pick up the bill for replacing out-of-date imaging equipment that the provinces would likely have to replace.
• Demand for medical imaging tests is only expected to increase as our population ages.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

• Background
• Independent Parliamentary Budget Officer Costing