If we talk about our own federation and our own individual cooperative health centres in Saskatchewan, they are very strong financially. They've been around for a long time and have built that maturity over time through very strong relationships with the Ministry of Health as well as with the local regional health authorities. We consider our relationships strong, but because of the provincial nature of health funding, I think initiating new health co-ops—building, forging, and nurturing those relationships—is a difficult task indeed. Health ministries are basically the largest ministries in all the provinces and are highly complex. Grassroots organizations who are trying to fill cracks in the health system, to address a community-based need, face a significant obstacle in navigating those organizations. I think they could use additional support federally and provincially to actually get rolling and get initiated.
On July 27th, 2012. See this statement in context.