Premier Clark hints at MSP changes later next month

VICTORIA, B.C. — Amid new calls to scrap them, Premier Christy Clark is hinting there could be changes coming to the much maligned Medical Services Premium payments in next month’s budget.

An online petition to abolish the payments has garnered over 60,000 signatures and the Premier says:

Meantime, speaking of the range of health issues, the Premier has also added her voice to those demanding the Trudeau government walk back health transfer payment changes made by the Harper government.

She and Health Minister Terry Lake continue to argue the new per capita transfer system is unfair to BC, because it doesn’t take into account its growing senior’s population.

Included in the BC argument is the Vancouver Board of Trade position that the federal formulae should also take into account the climate driven retirement decisions of many seniors who move to BC after paying taxes elsewhere in the country.