Manitoba finance minister Cameron Friesen says there's still some time for a health care funding agreement to be hammered out between the federal government and the provinces.

Provincial health and finance ministers walked away from a federal offer presented at a meeting in Ottawa on Monday that would increase transfer payments by 3.5 per cent annually, and contribute billions to home care and mental health. The province's are looking for a six per cent increase, but the Trudeau government has so far refused those demands.

"I was very proud that the provinces were standing together," said Friesen. "We delivered a message on behalf of Manitoba and stood our grounds, and we're hoping the federal government will now recognize their unilateral way of not negotiating is not the way forward."

That apparent solidarity on Monday has since taken a major hit after New Brunswick announced on Thursday that it had signed a deal of its own with the federal government that's worth an extra $230 million in health care funding over the next 10 years, and Health Minister Jane Philpott confirms that she and the finance minister are leading talks on similar bi-lateral deals with five other provinces.
own deal with Ottawa.

BC's health minister is accusing Ottawa of trying to "divide and conquer'' provincial and territorial governments and New Brunswick premier Brian Gallant is being criticized for weakening the bargaining position of the provinces.