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While education deserves to be a priority at the upcoming Council of the Federation meeting, the most important issue appears to have dropped to the bottom of the agenda:

For the first time in years, health won't be a top priority at the annual premiers conference and critics say it's because the politicians are trying to ignore huge unanswered questions hanging over medicare...

Last year's federal-provincial health accord provided the provinces with $5.5 billion to cut wait times, on condition that they agree on maximum acceptable wait times for key procedures by the end of this year.

But sources say there's been little progress.

"Provinces don't want to be on the hook for not being able to meet those numbers," said a former provincial health official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

While the money injected into the system was undoubtedly needed, it wasn't to be forgotten about once transferred. If provinces are now unwilling even to try to agree as to standards, that's a vivid illustration of why the federal government needs to carefully monitor its contribution and ensure that the funds are actually resulting in progress. Needless to say, there's no risk of anything of the sort happening with the Liberals in power.

Instead, it's the CMA (and its pro-privatization agenda) taking the lead on wait times - and essentially putting the ball back in the premiers' court. If Calvert, Doer and company aren't willing to get health care back at the top of the agenda, then we'll miss what may be the best opportunity to reduce waiting lists within the public system.