Jagmeet Singh requests emergency debate on health care crisis as prime minister refuses to meet with provinces

OTTAWA – On Monday, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh requested an emergency debate in the House of Commons to push parliamentarians to address the urgent crisis in Canada’s children’s hospitals. The request comes in response to the reports of sick children overflowing pediatric ICUs and children dying due to flu-related symptoms.

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refuses to meet with the provinces to find a solution, Singh calls on all parliamentarians to debate and address the urgent crisis in children’s hospitals so families and their children can receive the care they deserve.

“Parents are horrified by the state of children’s health care in Canada, and hospitals can’t keep up with the influx of sick kids,” said Singh. “The Children’s hospital in Ottawa is calling in the Red Cross, and the Markham Stouffville pediatric department is running at 220 per cent capacity. Alberta’s Children’s Hospital opened up heated trailers to manage the overflow of kids waiting for emergency care. It couldn’t be more clear that federal leadership is necessary to solve this national crisis.”

Singh was joined by an Ottawa nurse to demand that the Liberal government get back to the negotiating table with the provinces and not leave until a solution is found.

At a time when Conservative premiers threaten to dismantle Canada’s public health care, New Democrats are urging the government to provide the funding necessary to fix the crisis and ensure the Canada Health Act is upheld equally across the country.

“The provinces need a negotiating partner, but the prime minister won’t even sit down to talk to them. This is an urgent crisis that demands an urgent response,” said Singh. “Parents are exhausted and this government is pointing fingers, blaming everyone else for the state of care even though Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have underfunded the system for seven years. New Democrats are putting every option on the table to pressure this government to act for the health and safety of children across the country.”