The premier of New Brunswick says there's room to move on his government's nursing home policy if other ways of addressing finances can be found.
Brian Gallant and Social Development Minister Cathy Rogers met with seniors groups Friday for about two hours.
Seniors are upset with a policy announced in the spring budget that would see the government use the assets of wealthier seniors to help pay for their nursing home care.
"[Government] has made no commitment that they're moving forward at this point, but they've indicated very clearly that they want to work with us," says Cecile Cassista of the New Brunswick Seniors Coalition.
Gallant says the policy has not been put in place yet, and he has asked the seniors groups to help find ways to address the province's financial situation and improve care.
Cassista says seniors are willing to work with the government, but are adamant that the assets policy be removed.
Both sides say the discussions were productive – to a point.
"Seniors basically don't have an answer from the government,” said Cassita. “We don't have a definite answer, but certainly as seniors organizations, [we] have to continue working, pushing forward."
"We’re going to take their ideas and we're going to discuss them, of course, all with the goal of ensuring that we improve the quality of life for seniors in our province, but making sure that it's also going to be done in a sustainable way – addressing our financial challenges as a province,” said Premier Gallant.
While both seniors and government say they’ll talk again, seniors say they’ll accept nothing short of the status quo.
"[Government is] going to start spending their money now,” said Leonard LeBlanc of the New Brunswick Senior Citizens Federation. “They won't be saving. They'll spend it, they'll give it away, so the government is no further ahead."
Neither side gave indication of when their next meeting will happen.
With files from the Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic’s Andy Campbell.
