Friends of Medicare is concerned to hear that the new chair of the Alberta Health Services board, Stephen Lockwood, is a businessman who is an active supporter of both the Conservative and Wildrose party.
"We hope that Mr. Lockwood understands that "profit is not the cure to our healthcare woes," says Sandra Azocar, Executive Director for Friends of Medicare. "Now is the time to leave behind expensive and destructive health policies that have done so much damage."
Mr. Lockwood admits he donated to the political campaign of former AHS chairman Hughes, who was elected the MLA for Calgary-West in April and is now a cabinet minister in the Redford government. Lockwood also donated money to a Wildrose candidate, which he believes makes him "apolitical."
This political appointment is troubling given that Premier Redford continues to endorse the expansion of private contracts to deliver health services, even when evidence shows private health care is more expensive and does not deliver better health outcomes. We are also concerned that he openly supports the Wildrose party when they are strong supporters of private, for-profit health care.
Azocar reminds Mr Lockwood that "Albertans want their public health system strengthened, not dismantled. We look forward to meeting with Mr. Lockwood to discuss public solutions to a public service."
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