Speaking to CTV's Question Period, Roy Romanow says Canada's health-care system should remain publicly funded, but stresses that a large cash infusion is needed.

CTV News Staff

The man who's studying the future of Canada's health-care system, Roy Romanow, says it should remain publicly-funded.

In an interview on CTV's Question Period Sunday, the head of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada said health care costs a lot of money no matter who pays for it, and the system should not only be saved but expanded.

"You either pay the money out of one pocket to private caregivers or you pay it out of the other pocket through a publicly-funded, progressive income tax system," Romanow said.

"It doesn't matter. It's the total overall health-care costs and it's been proven that if you have a single-payer, publicly-administered system, you have a more efficient system."

The former premier of Saskatchewan is expected to deliver his report on health care to the federal government next month. He has indicated he will recommend more money for health care, but hasn't said where it should come from.

Romanow told CTV he believes that Canadians are prepared to pay higher taxes if the money is spent on health.

"If a tax increase should be necessary -- but I'm not so sure that's the case. That will depend on governments of course, and it depends on the range of recommendations which ultimately will be made," Romanow said.

However, Finance Minister John Manley said Friday the government will not raise taxes nor introduce new ones to pay for a renewal of the health-care system, though he added he'll consider all options.

"I've only heard that there might be a recommendation to that effect," Manley told reporters after meeting private-sector economists. "I think that Canadians are not anxious to see tax increases.

"We are on a program that we announced before the election in 2000 that we have legislated to reduce taxes. We don't have a plan or an intention to increase taxes."

Manley said increasing the GST is out of the question.

"Just so this is really, really clear: If anyone thinks that we have a plan to increase the GST for health or any other purpose, they can forget it. Is that clear?" Manley asserted.

When reports surfaced last month that a GST hike was in the cards to help pay for health care, Manley responded by saying he'd rather jump off the Peace Tower than raise the GST.

The Romanow report is likely to recommend to Prime Minister Jean Chretien that Ottawa provide money for prescription drugs and home care. That idea would require an injection of billions of new dollars into health care to implement.

Under the present system Ottawa covers the cost of all drugs administered in hospitals but not those purchased outside.

The Romanow report is also expected to reject user fees for basic medical services but endorse "smart cards" to deter abuse of the health-care system.

Electronic health records have been promoted mainly as a way to improve efficiency, since doctors could quickly retrieve a patient's medical history without asking a lot of questions.