I think that's a really important point. If you look at the true definition of long-term care—and every province categorizes it differently—if you require the highest level of institutional long-term care, that is a health service, and, frankly, it should be treated no differently from how a hospital is treated. In that case, it should be under the Canada Health Act. I think there's real merit to deeming long-term care facilities hospitals under the Canada Health Act, because, as I said, when you look at the characteristics of patients in these facilities, these facilities are really operating as hospitals. Ultimately, that would bring long-term care up to hospital standards, with better infection control and prevention, and nursing and staff training and education standards, and it would become part of the envelope of federal financial transfers under the Canada Health Act. I think that would be great.
On May 11th, 2020. See this statement in context.