Shandro provides insight on negotiations with Alberta doctors in one-on-one with CityNews
Posted Apr 15, 2021 7:44 pm.
Last Updated Jan 20, 2022 10:52 am.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) — “We’ve had a huge amount of momentum.”
That coming from Health Minister Tyler Shandro in a one-on-one interview with 660 NEWS, where he discussed the negotiations ongoing between the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) and the province.
RELATED: Tentative agreement reached between Alberta doctors and Kenney government
In late February, a tentative agreement was reached between the province and Alberta doctors that allowed for “fiscal sustainability into the future, while maintaining a strong focus on patient care and fairness and equity for physicians.”
“We had been negotiating with them from November to March on that tentative agreement that went to the membership for that ratification vote,” Shandro said. “A lot of mutual understanding both ways, and I think the (AMA) president, Dr. Boucher, has made it very clear that we have to keep on building on that momentum, keep on working together, showing the membership of the AMA that the government and the AMA are working together on a number of files.”
It was a rocky patch for Shandro, with the tentative deal coming not long after the AMA voted 97 per cent in favour of non-confidence in the health minister.
Shandro added he believe the next steps are to continue working with Boucher and staff on those files to keep things moving forward.
Regarding further negotiations, Shandro says the province will keep backing Alberta doctors while talks continue.
“We’re going to keep on funding the grants and the benefit programs of the AMA, keep paying the AMA for their work. No doctor is going to go without the benefits included in the previous grants and benefits program agreement that we used to provide to the AMA, we will continue to provide to the AMA.”
More from 660 NEWS’ one-on-one interview with Tyler Shandro will be available on-air and online on Friday.
