A message from our Executive Director:  Together, we can help to rebuild and reimagine a better way

The past few weeks have certainly been a difficult time for all of us, but as we look around the world and to each other, we can see that this pandemic has shone a light on the importance of Canada’s universal public health care system. It has served to strengthen our resolve to continue to fight to protect and expand our public health care. This pandemic has made it clear that the true measure of a government's leadership will be made evident through the political choices they make as we deal with this health crisis, and as we move forward to deal with the new political and economic reality that will face us after it is done.

In Alberta, we have seen our government, during one of the worst health crises we have ever faced, make the decision to bully through a budget that was short-sighted, attacked public services, and set the stage for further privatization of our health care.

Alberta is bracing for the impact of COVID-19. Is our health care system ready for the challenge?

By Alyssa Pretty, Communications Officer at Friends of Medicare. March 18, 2020.

For decades, Canada has benefited from a single-payer medicare system, which is there for us based on need, not ability to pay. While there is certainly room for improvement – the inclusion of dental, optometry, and pharmacare to the medicare umbrella, for a start – people across the country can rest easy knowing that they can rely on our health care system to care for them when they need it, without worrying about how they are going to pay. However, in the face of a global pandemic, the quality and preparedness of our health care system becomes even more crucial. Globally, we are staring down an outbreak of yet unclear proportions. As COVID-19 wreaks havoc on China, Italy, and Iran, we here in Alberta are bracing for impact. Is our health care system ready for the challenge?