No matter where you live, or who you are, you and your family deserve timely access to quality public health care — when and where you need it. 

That's why Friends of Medicare and well-known public health care advocate, Dr. Paul Parks are touring the province to hear from Albertans on what we are experiencing in our health care system, and to discuss what changes could make our lives and our health better. 

EDMONTON — The 2025 provincial budget will be tabled in the legislature next Thursday, February 27th. Heading into the budget, the provincial government continues to roll out their expensive and chaotic restructuring of public health care in Alberta, while doubling-down on their failing privatization strategies.

This letter was written by Friends of Medicare's Leduc-Beaumont Chapter Chair, Cam Heenan, and was originally published in the Edmonton Journal and the Leduc Rep on July 16, 2024.

EDMONTON — Friends of Medicare, and activists within the disability community are at the legislature today to call on the Alberta government to improve the province’s home care system. Our online petition containing more than 33,000 names of individuals who have signed in support of improved home care funding and services in Alberta will be tabled in the legislature after Question Period

Following recommendations in the Facility-Based Continuing Care (FBCC) review, the UCP government has repeatedly made clear their intention to shift the delivery of Alberta’s continuing care services to include a greater proportion of care in-community. But while disabled Albertans, seniors, families and advocates have long called for an expansion to our home care system, we have seen no meaningful investment to support this shift in care delivery. 

Last month, residents from Leduc, Beaumont, and surrounding communities who are concerned about their public health care, came together to launch a new Friends of Medicare chapter. At their founding meeting in February, members elected an inaugural chapter board, including new Chapter Chair, Cam Heenan.

EDMONTON — Following yesterday’s leaked documents, Danielle Smith’s government followed through on announcing a massive restructuring of public health care in Alberta, as well as a new Alberta Health Services Board chaired by a former conservative cabinet minister, Lyle Oberg. None of this was part of the UCP’s platform in this year’s election.

After years of unprecedented pressures on our public health care system, health care workers and patients in this province are seeking certainty when it comes to something as important as our public health care system. They aren’t looking for changes of this scale being directed by politicians, rather than health care experts and community needs.