EDMONTON — As Canada’s premiers meet in Halifax this week for the annual Council of Federation, health care is once again one of the key agenda items. New Environics Research polling released by the Canadian Health Coalition today shows that people across Canada overwhelmingly support initiatives to support and expand public health care.
“Alberta’s provincial government has been doing everything they can to expand the role of private providers in our public health care system, and Albertans are the ones suffering the consequences,” says Friends of Medicare’s executive director, Chris Gallaway. “Whether it be reduced surgical capacity due to privatized surgeries, the failed privatization of our medical laboratory system, or chronic short staffing throughout our public health care system, health care privatization continues to worsen patients’ access to care, and Albertans are taking notice.”
78% of Albertans polled think that the Premier should implement an immediate, emergency increase in health care spending that is targeted at recruiting and retaining public health care workers. But while the provincial government recently boasted a $4.3 billion surplus, the last provincial budget completely ignored the pressing and ongoing workforce and capacity issues that continue to impede Albertans’ ability to access care, opting instead to impose more cuts and more privatization.
“This government's aggressive privatization agenda is only making this bad situation worse, by emboldening for-profit operators to siphon essential human resources out of our public health care system,” says Gallaway. “Working conditions are care conditions, and health care workers are exhausted and burnt out after being forced to work short for years on end — it’s completely unsustainable. This government needs to finally start listening to health care workers and patients, and implement a workforce plan to retain the health care workers we have, while recruiting and training those we need going forward.”
The poll shows that the vast majority of Albertans (71%) understand that our health care system is in a state of crisis, underscoring the urgency of action needed to address the pervasive issues impacting our public health care systems and patients’ access to it. What’s more, almost half of Albertans (47%) say they would be less likely to vote for the Premier if she rejects working with the federal government to implement the impending national Pharmacare plan, as previously announced.
“In Alberta and across Canada, people have always proudly supported our public health care systems, and this most recent poll is no exception,” says Gallaway. “This data should serve as a clear mandate to our premier that Albertans want our provincial government to do everything it can to strengthen and expand our public health care for everyone who needs it. And that means putting politics aside and actually working with the Federal government on these much-needed and long-overdue initiatives like improving Long-Term Care, and implementing the national Pharmacare plan and dental care coverage.”
Friends of Medicare supports the Canadian Health Coalition and other public health care advocates as they bring this message to premiers today.
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