Step 1: Select your province

To be entered into a draw to win $100, send a letter to Prime Minister Harper telling him why you believe it is important that he meet with the premiers and negotiate a new deal for the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and the Canada Social Transfer (CST).

We've included some talking points that you're welcome to use.

Remember to give the letter your own flavour by using local examples and priorities.

When you complete the letter, it will be sent to PM Harper, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty as well as your Provincial premier and finance minister.

Once your letter is sent, your name will be entered into a random monthly draw for $100. Thanks for your help and support – and good luck!

Talking Points

Feel free to paraphrase these points to reflect your own ideas in your letter to the Prime Minister:

  • The Canada Health Transfer and Canada Social Transfer will expire in 2014. I urge your government to stop making unilateral declarations and instead work cooperatively with the premiers to negotiate a new deal for these transfers.
  • I urge your government to protect and strengthen these transfers because they are important to ensuring all Canadians have equal access to quality health care, education and social services. In doing so, these transfers reflect Canadian values which are important to me: fairness, equity and opportunity.
  • These public services are also the foundation of a modern, competitive economy because they help ensure a healthy, educated and productive workforce.
  • We can afford to significantly increase funding for these transfers. Canada doesn’t have a deficit problem; we’re in the best fiscal shape of the entire G8. We don’t have a spending problem; total government spending as a share of GDP has declined every year since 1992.
  • We can afford to significantly increase funding for these transfers if your government fixes the tax fairness problem. Between 2006 and 2013, your government will have spent $220 billion on tax cuts on the richest 1% and big profitable corporations. Instead, that money should be invested in health care, education and social services which help all Canadians.
  • We can afford to significantly increase funding for these transfers if your government didn’t choose to spend billions of dollars on US-style mega-prisons, fighter jets and G20 political slush funds.