Kenney's Health Care Record Demands Answers

Friends of Medicare are calling on Jason Kenney and all future contenders in the PC Leadership race to be clear with Albertans on health care. 

Despite a long record in politics and on health care Kenney did not talk about health care or where he stands on private or public care in his lengthy campaign launch on July 6.

"Jason Kenney was a vocal supporter of Ralph Klein's failed privatization under the unpopular Bill 11. More recently he was behind cuts to health care coverage for refugee claimants that were deemed "cruel and unusual" by the courts. Kenney has shown through his track record he is out of line with Alberta values on public health care," said Executive Director Sandra Azocar. "While Kenney had great praise for Klein's record in Alberta, he made no attempt to distance himself from the disastrous cuts to health care that saw a hospital demolished while nurses left Alberta."

Friends of Medicare will be asking questions of the PC leadership contenders during the race to ensure the debate on public health care is not overshadowed by other issues.

"It's no coincidence that Ted Morton and Gary Mar lost past PC leadership races after openly backing private health care. By 2014 the PC contenders had learned their lesson and every candidate had avoided talking about private care during the race," added Azocar. "We will be watching this race closely and hope to hear not just lip service to public health care but solid policies to improve and expand our system."