Today is Tommy Douglas Day!
Every year, October 20 is a day for us to celebrate the contributions of Thomas “Tommy” Clement Douglas: the "Greatest Canadian" and the man who brought universal public Medicare to Canada.
Yesterday, Albertans overwhelmingly recommitted ourselves to Canada! Today, we need to recommit to protecting and strengthening our invaluable public health care system.
Today also happens to be my 43rd birthday. 🎂
And what I really want this year — my birthday wish — is that you take a moment to join us in the fight to save our public health care system by getting or renewing your Friends of Medicare Membership for 2027.
43 years ago today, I was born in rural southeast Saskatchewan where universal public health care was the norm, thanks to the work of Tommy Douglas and the many activists who tirelessly fought for Medicare. I am the first generation in my family to have lived their whole life under universal Medicare, but I’m increasingly worried whether future generations will be able to say the same.
Because right now, our health care system is under threat.
Two-tier, American-style health care is on our doorstep as our provincial government continues to implement Bill 11. This is an agenda that no one voted for in the last election, and one that is an existential threat to Canadian Medicare.
Which is why we need your support more than ever before.
We have toured to 25 communities across Alberta and are working hard to grow our network of local chapters and volunteers. We are doing everything we can to ensure Friends of Medicare can reach as many Albertans as possible so that we can continue to be a powerful collective voice for change.
But we can’t do it without you.
And as you know, at Friends of Medicare we don’t just fight to keep what we have; we continue to work to achieve Tommy’s dream of truly universal Medicare, which includes our important wins like expanding national dental care coverage and continuing the fight for universal Pharmacare.
Together we can stop two-tier, American-style health care from coming in to Canada.
I know this because Albertans continue to make it clear that we want stronger public health care. By working together, we can stop the destruction of our most valued public service. A plan to protect and rebuild our public health care system is ready to go, we just need to do the organizing work to get us there.
With your help, I know we can achieve this.
Today, I ask you to make my birthday wish come true: secure your 2027 Friends of Medicare membership, make a one-time donation, or become a monthly donor today!
In Solidarity,
Chris Gallaway
Executive Director