Today, Public Interest Alberta and Friends of Medicare are recognizing Alberta Seniors’ Week by calling on the UCP Government to bring back a Seniors’ Advocate.

“Alberta seniors deserve better than empty rhetoric from this government,” said Bradley Lafortune, Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta. “Seniors in this province are calling for real action on health care, affordable prescriptions, and income security.”

“That’s why we are calling on this government to bring back an independent seniors advocate as a first step to supporting seniors to live in dignity,” said Chris Gallaway, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare. “Instead, this government has ignored the calls of seniors across Alberta and continued their reckless agenda of cuts and privatization.”

Yesterday afternoon, the Alberta government announced they will be further privatizing home care services, releasing a request for expressions of interest and qualifications (RFEOIQ), set to close in July of this year. This plan will see Albertans with complex health and care needs being sent into the community, without providing details as to whether additional supports will be made available. 

Today the Alberta government reiterated their plans to privatize Alberta’s medical laboratory services, announcing that they have finalized their agreement with DynaLIFE to begin providing community lab services as of December 2022.

Government must stop ignoring drug poisoning crisis and support an evidence-based public health approach

Yesterday, the government of Canada approved the British Columbia government’s request to decriminalize small-scale personal possession of illicit drugs, starting next year. This policy change is one part of a wider public health and harm reduction approach to the ongoing drug poisoning crisis. In response, Premier Kenney put out a late evening, highly politically charged statement attacking the decision.

May 27, 2022
EDMONTON

Western Premiers’ call for more health funding must be targeted towards stronger public health care

Statement in response to today's Western Premiers’ Conference in Regina:

Today, the western Premiers met in Regina to further their demand for a 13% increase to federal health transfers. Friends of Medicare continues to call for strings to be attached to any new federal health funding.

May 25, 2022
EDMONTON

All Albertans Deserve Paid Sick Days

Friends of Medicare will be speaking at the Rally for Paid Sick Days for All Albertans today at the Legislature at 4:30 p.m.

Friends of Medicare stands with Health Sciences Association of Alberta members, health care workers and others who will be rallying today to demand paid sick days for all Albertans. Paid sick days allow workers to take the necessary time off to rest and recover from illness without fear of lost wages or job repercussions. At the same time, they keep other workers and their families safer and healthier, saving lives while minimizing the impact on our strained public health care system.

May 24, 2022
EDMONTON

Support for EMS is urgently needed this Paramedic Services Week

Friends of Medicare's statement on Paramedic Services Week 2022:

This week is Paramedic Services Week, and Friends of Medicare would like to take this opportunity to recognize the instrumental role that paramedics play in our health care system—and especially when a public health crisis is at hand. 

OPINION: LaGrange needs to rethink opinion on Red Deer hospital

May 19, 2022
EDMONTON

Albertans need a Premier who will protect and strengthen public health care

Last night, Jason Kenney announced his decision to resign as UCP Leader after receiving 51.4% in his leadership review. Details of a process to replace him have yet to be announced.

This change in leadership is happening at a time when Albertans are struggling with a health care system in chaos; surgeries are again being cancelled due to short staffing, families are having to line up outside of Emergency Rooms to get in, EMS red alerts are becoming increasingly common, and tens of thousands of folks are struggling to find a family doctor.