Mental health advocate devastated by failed spending negotiations in Ottawa

After funding negotiations broke down in Ottawa on Monday, Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen needs to do something to ensure mental health spending remains a priority in Manitoba, a mental health advocate says.

"I don't think Minister Goertzen wants to be the Grinch [who] stole Christmas," said Chris Summerville, executive director of the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society.

Summerville said he was "absolutely devastated" Monday when Canada's provincial health ministers walked away from an $11.5-billion offer for mental health and home care services over the next decade. 

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau also previously told the provinces that he was willing to increase the Canada Health Transfer by 3.5 per cent each year over the next five years, at a value of roughly $20 billion.

Talks hit an impasse when provincial health ministers demanded more during health-transfer negotiations in Ottawa and the federal government withdrew the deal.

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Summerville said whatever disagreements there are between the provinces and federal government over what's just and fair in terms of spending commitments, he wants Goertzen to "keep mental health on the table and not compromise that away."

Goertzen said the federal government offered an ultimatum, not a deal, and Ottawa shouldn't dictate how health dollars are spent by provinces.

Federal health minister Jane Philpott said Monday the money from the Trudeau government could've made a difference in the lives of many Canadians.

Equal funds for mental, physical health

In the 22 years he's worked in mental health fields in Canada, Summerville said, this was the first time he can remember when a federal government designated mental health as a significant concern to Canadians and devoted money specifically toward the cause.

About five per cent of Manitoba's budget goes toward mental health services annually, Summerville said. Roughly 40 per cent of Manitoba's total budget went toward health-care spending in 2015-16.

"What we're asking for is for mental health to come on the same level or equal parity as physical health," Summerville said, adding he thinks Goertzen understands the issues and is committed to improving mental health and addiction services in Manitoba.

The last health accord, reached in 2004, increased health transfers to the provinces and territories to six per cent a year. Under the previous Conservative government, former finance minister Jim Flaherty unilaterally changed funding increases to either match the rate of GDP growth or three per cent a year — whichever is greater. 

With the latest accord no longer in play, the key federal transfer to provinces will be at three per cent a year beginning April 1, 2017.

Goertzen said even the 3.5 per cent increased the Liberals offered amounts to reducing funding by about $2.2 billion over 10 years.

Summerville said whatever final number the Pallister government devotes to mental health, it should be geared toward promotion and prevention strategies.

"It's pay now or pay later; that's the reality. If you allow mental health problems to go unchallenged … you're going to pay for it later along as people reach adulthood in terms of long-term hospitalization, use of social resources," Summerville said.

"Minister Goertzen needs to tell Manitobans how he's going to ensure that mental health issues and problems and illnesses are going to be better addressed here in Manitoba when we've been at the bottom of the health-care budget for decades."