News

Enough is Enough

EDMONTON
August 3, 2021

Enough is Enough! Friends of Medicare protests removal of Alberta's public health measures 
For the past 4 days, Albertans have been coming together to say Enough is Enough! Ongoing protests have been held each day in Calgary and Edmonton against this government’s reckless decision to end the most basic public health measures we have to deal with COVID-19 and the variants facing the province, Canada, and the world.
 
The Alberta government has announced that by August 16 they will: 
 
  • End nearly all public health measures, including masking;
  • Close all testing centres;
  • Require those with serious symptoms to get tested at a doctor's office or the Emergency Unit at a hospital;
  • Largely do away with tracing contacts of people infected with COVID-19;
  • Remove isolation requirements for people who test positive; 
  • Stop asking people with mild symptoms to get tested; and,
  • Stop issuing medical data on COVID-19.
 
Fom Friends of Medicare

Written by
August 03, 2021

  • Enough is Enough

    EDMONTON
    August 3, 2021

    Enough is Enough! Friends of Medicare protests removal of Alberta's public health measures 
    For the past 4 days, Albertans have been coming together to say Enough is Enough! Ongoing protests have been held each day in Calgary and Edmonton against this government’s reckless decision to end the most basic public health measures we have to deal with COVID-19 and the variants facing the province, Canada, and the world.
     
    The Alberta government has announced that by August 16 they will: 
     
    • End nearly all public health measures, including masking;
    • Close all testing centres;
    • Require those with serious symptoms to get tested at a doctor's office or the Emergency Unit at a hospital;
    • Largely do away with tracing contacts of people infected with COVID-19;
    • Remove isolation requirements for people who test positive; 
    • Stop asking people with mild symptoms to get tested; and,
    • Stop issuing medical data on COVID-19.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    August 03, 2021

  • Friends of Medicare stands with Capital Care and Carewest workers

    EDMONTON
    July 29, 2021

    Friends of Medicare stands with Capital Care and Carewest workers

    Friends of Medicare stands with health care workers from Capital Care and Carewest protesting the expected sale of Alberta’s public Long-Term Care facilities. We join members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Local 049 today at their noon-hour rally in opposition to the Alberta government’s continued privatization of Alberta’s continuing care.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    July 29, 2021

  • Continuing care announcement is the “no-money miracle’ approach

    July 9, 2021
    EDMONTON

    Continuing care announcement is the “no-money miracle’ approach
    Today, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced the allocation of $400 million in operational funding over four years, for 6,000 continuing care beds across the province. Of these, 2,200 will be new beds, and the remaining 3,800 will be refurbished or renovated from existing “underutilized” spaces in private facilities.
     
    “This announcement was more of the same old, repackaged with a no-money miracle as a selling point,” says Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare. “It’s just more proof that this government lacks any type of innovative and new approaches when it comes to providing care to the people who need it.”
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    July 09, 2021

  • Government applauds nurses, cuts their wages in the same breath

    July 7, 2021
    EDMONTON

    Government applauds nurses, cuts their wages in the same breath
    Yesterday, Finance Minister Travis Toews announced that the government would be moving forward with plans to cut salaries of Alberta’s nurses. The newly proposed 3% salary rollback comes in addition to previously announced rollbacks, in the form of reduced shift and weekend premiums. All together, Alberta’s nurses are facing at least 5% compensation reduction.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    July 07, 2021

  • Albertans for Ethical Drug Policy demand end to Alberta’s war on harm reduction

    Albertans for Ethical Drug Policy demand end to Alberta’s war on harm reduction

    June 26, 2021

    CALGARY - June 26 is the Global Day of Action Against Oppressive Drug Policy, Support, Don’t Punish. Today, Albertans are coming together at for the YYC Day of Action, to commemorate and remember the lives that have been lost as a result of this ongoing opioid pandemic, and to call on this government to stop the unjust assault on harm reduction services.
     
    Albertans for Ethical Drug Policy, business owners and community members are marking this occasion with the release of a joint statement, to renew our calls to stop the unjust assault on harm reduction services. Harm reduction, including supervised consumption services (SCS) not only save lives, but they also help to keep people healthy, connect them with services, and ultimately saves money for the health system.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    June 28, 2021

  • Bill 70 gives dangerous liability shield to for-profit seniors’ care providers during global pandemic

    Bill 70 gives dangerous liability shield to for-profit seniors’ care providers during global pandemic

    June 16, 2021

    EDMONTON - Friends of Medicare and Public Interest Alberta join organizations from civil society, labour, and senior citizens representing hundreds of thousands of Albertans speaking out against Bill 70: COVID Related Measures Act, which is expected to be voted on by the Legislative Assembly today. Twenty-three (23) organizations have signed an open letter to demand that this legislation not be passed into law because of the dangers it poses to Alberta seniors and their families. The letter was emailed to Premier Kenney, Minister of Health, Tyler Shandro and UCP MLA Richard Gotfried, the sponsor of this bill. The open letter will be tabled today in the Alberta Legislature by MLA Christina Grey, Critic for Labour and Immigration & Official Opposition House Leader. 

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    June 16, 2021

  • Govt review of AB's continuing care system simply changes who pays, who benefits

    June 1, 2021
    EDMONTON

    Government review of Alberta's continuing care system simply changes who pays, and who benefits
    Yesterday, the Minister of Health and MLA Richard Gotfried announced the release of the final report of the Facility Based Continuing (FBCC) Review Panel. This 15 member panel was appointed by the health minister to discuss issues relating to the FBCC Review, being conducted by MNP LLP, a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm. This review is intended to serve as a reference for the impending legislative review which will see the consolidation of 15 pieces of current legislation that oversee our current continuing care system.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    June 01, 2021

  • Friends of Medicare's statement in recognition of National Nursing Week 2021

     

    Nurses deserve to be valued and respected beyond National Nursing Week
     
    May 10th to 16th marks this year’s National Nursing Week. Friends of Medicare would like to take this opportunity to recognize the instrumental role that nurses play throughout every aspect of our health care system—a role that has been amplified and become all the more vital as we battle the disastrous consequences of a worldwide pandemic.
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    May 11, 2021

  • Privatization & profiteering continues as K-Bro is awarded sole contract for laundry & linen services in Alberta

    April 27, 2021
    EDMONTON

    Privatization & profiteering continues as K-Bro is awarded sole contract for laundry & linen services in Alberta
    Today, K-Bro Linen Inc. announced that they had been named the successful bidders for the Request for Proposals put out by Alberta Health Services in October 2020. They will become the sole providers of laundry services for AHS across the province of Alberta. While this news comes as no surprise, it is a disappointing indication that this government is bent on perpetuating privatization experiments within our public health care system.
     
    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    April 27, 2021

  • FOM joins Canada-wide call for national LTC standards amid COVID-19 deaths

    April 27, 2021
    EDMONTON

    Friends of Medicare joins Canada-wide call for national long-term care standards amid COVID-19 deaths

    Today Friends of Medicare joins provincial and territorial Health Coalitions from across the country, Canadians 4 LTC, advocates, family members, and seniors for a National Day of Action for Long-Term Care Standards. All across Canada, we will be virtually protesting the failure of our federal and provincial governments to set national standards for long-term care. The scale of suffering and preventable death in Canada’s long-term care homes throughout the pandemic has precipitated a moral obligation for meaningful change. However, our political leaders have failed to lead.

    Fom Friends of Medicare

    Written by
    April 27, 2021