Carney Promises to Increase Doctor Availability and Allocate $4 Billion to Construct Health-Care Facilities

April 21, 2025 TruthUSA

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has outlined key points of his health-care platform, including $4 billion in new funding for health-care infrastructure and plans to increase the number of doctors in the country by expanding medical school spaces.

Carney made these announcements during a visit to Charlottetown, P.E.I., on April 21, just a week before the general election.

He emphasized that Canada is currently facing a major crisis due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and stated that his plan to strengthen Canada focuses on health care.

Carney stated, “In the U.S., health care is a big business. In Canada, it is a right. It is a right that my government will fight for and invest in.”

The Liberal government plans to allocate $4 billion to build and renovate community health-care infrastructure, including long-term care homes and community clinics.

The Liberal platform document released recently details the health care spending, with $2 billion allocated for fiscal 2025-2026, and the rest split over the following years.

Carney’s plan aims to address the shortage of doctors by increasing their numbers significantly. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that 6.5 million Canadians do not have a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner.

Carney intends to achieve this by expanding medical school spaces, establishing new medical schools, recruiting more doctors internationally, and simplifying the credential recognition process for foreign-trained medical professionals.

He stated, “So to the Canadian health-care professionals practicing in the U.S., let me say this: if you’ve been thinking about coming back to Canada, there’s never been a better time to come home.”

The Liberal platform includes $750 million for expanding medical schools and residency positions. Carney has also committed to reducing the administrative burden on doctors, with an estimated cost of $400 million over four years.

The College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Canadian Medical Association have called for streamlining federal health forms for doctors, citing the negative impact on their work due to administrative burden.

Women’s Health

Carney has promised to continue funding abortion access by making the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund Program permanent. Additional funding is pledged to maintain the program in the following years.

Carney also announced plans to establish a federal in-vitro fertilization program with a budget of $412 million over four years, covering up to $20,000 for a treatment cycle.

In response to these initiatives for women’s health, Carney reiterated his commitment to protecting these rights by upholding the Charter, while criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for his stance on constitutional rights.

During an interview, Carney was questioned about Poilievre’s statement regarding abortion access, to which Poilievre clarified that his party would not introduce laws restricting abortion.

Poilievre recently mentioned using the notwithstanding clause to reintroduce a law that was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, showcasing differing approaches in the election campaign.

Although Poilievre has not released a comprehensive health plan, he has proposed initiatives to facilitate the entry of foreign-trained medical professionals into Canada and expand recovery programs for drug addicts.

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