When you're sick and you go to see a doctor, you probably don't think about politics. You just want to get better.

But politicians really do have a lot to do with our health.They help make the rules that control everything from how much doctors and nurses get paid to how many beds are available in your local hospital.

Yesterday the leaders of all of Canada's ten provinces and two territories got together in Ottawa, Ontario with the Prime Minister. They talked about the rules concerning health care. They also discussed other issues that are important to Canadians, like education and job creation.

What they are trying to figure out is who is responsible for what. And, of course, who should pay.

These negotiations are called the ``social union'' .

"A new beginning for Canada" is what Prime Minister Jean Chretien calls the federal-provincial deal on social programs. The Prime Minister and the premiers of nine provinces and the Northwest and Yukon territories signed the deal . Only the leader of Quebec didn't agree. Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard refused to sign yesterday's accord.

The deal will see the federal government add a few billion dollars for health care in the year to come. That part was fine with Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard. But he refused to add Quebec to a wider deal on paying for and running Canada's social programs. He sees this as a threat to Quebec's future.

Mr. Chretien and the premiers didn't seem too concerned by Quebec's absence from the social union deal.

"This will make Canada better," says Mr. Chretien of the social union accord. "It's the people of Canada who are winning."

"To me, this is how Canada should work," says Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow. Ontario Premier Mike Harris called it ``a tremendous day.''

The health care agreement is expected to send as much $2.5 billion to the provinces. This could mean that hospitals will have more money to improve care. It could also mean that more doctors and nurses and health care workers could get jobs.

The social union agreement will be reviewed after three years. That is when changes can be made if some provinces or the federal government feel it can be improved.

One effect Canadians will clearly feel is called "mobility rights". That simply means that Canadians will be able to use their health care cards if they move to another part of Canada except Quebec. Its a way of making sure that Canadians feel comfortable when they travel or decide to live in another province.

1. Whom or what are these negotiations called?