During a press conference in Halifax on Tuesday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe suggested that Canadian provinces could refrain from poaching health workers from other provinces’ systems.
“When it comes to people who are already providing services in our respective provincial districts, let’s make sure we respect each other as a province,” Moe said, suggesting they should focus on international recruitment.
Moe, who was joined by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, said new graduates are still considered fair game to recruiters.
“Yes, offer these opportunities to our graduates across Canada at various job fairs so that they become aware of the Canadian opportunities they have,” Moe said.
In response to a reporter’s question, Moe said that while leaders at the table had informally agreed “not to do it,” there was potential for a formal agreement in the future.
During the news conference, Houston said the premiers also discussed capping fees for travel nurses who fly in temporarily from other parts of Canada – at typically high wages – to address gaps in the health care system.
“People in this country have the right to be mobile and work wherever they want,” Houston said.
“But we know that having someone who is paid a different amount than someone who is there day in and day out, as is the case with travel nurses, can create friction on the front line in the healthcare system. ” said Houston.
In September, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador signed on dueling recruiting pushes in each other’s provinces.
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