News Release

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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PM announces new healthcare funding for territories

Extends Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative for further two years

August 25, 2011
Yellowknife, NWT

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced significant support to improve local healthcare for Northern families by extending the Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative (THSSI). He was joined by Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), Floyd K. Roland, Premier of the Northwest Territories, Eva Aariak, Premier of Nunavut and Darrell Pasloski, Premier of Yukon.

"The North's greatest resource is the people who live and work here. The support being announced today is yet another concrete way that our Government is improving the health of Northerners," said Prime Minister Harper. "This is about working with the territories to ensure Northern families can get the medical attention they need near their homes thereby reducing the costs, time and travel of being treated further south."

Northerners face unique healthcare challenges related to population, distance, availability of medical professionals and costly medical equipment, and higher rates of certain diseases.

The two-year extension of the Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative will provide territorial governments with valuable resources to continue health system reforms, participate in pan-territorial health initiatives and offset medical transportation expenses. More specifically, territorial governments will be able to explore innovative solutions to address service delivery gaps, balance prevention and promotion activities with clinical service delivery and identify evolving needs and responsive strategies to address them.

The Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative is overseen by a Federal/Territorial Working Group made up of Assistant Deputy Ministers from Health Canada and each of the three territories' Departments of Health and Social Services.

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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