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Cabinet Shuffle September 2021

September 21, 2021 3:43 PM

September 21, 2021
EDMONTON

Kenney sacrifices Shandro to salvage political career while health care system hangs by a thread

Today the Alberta government saw its second cabinet shuffle in less than three months. This time, Premier Kenney has named a new Health Minister: Jason Copping, MLA for Calgary-Varsity and previously, the Minister of Labour and Immigration. 

As we have seen over the past 20 months, our health care system is in urgent need of leaders who understand that Medicare is an ethical trust, who value and respect the principles of public health care, and who are committed to its success. Unfortunately for Albertans, our Health Ministry has sorely lacked the kind of leadership that is necessary to govern such an important portfolio.

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Government once again fails to put in measures to immediately meet the health care capacity crisis

September 10, 2021 1:34 PM

September 10, 2021
EDMONTON

Government once again fails to put in measures to immediately meet the health care capacity crisis

Yesterday’s announcement from Health Minister Tyler Shandro regarding our health care system capacity failed to introduce any new public health measures to address the growing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the province.

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Government's latest proposal continues to let down front-line workers and patients

September 08, 2021 3:10 PM

September 8, 2021
EDMONTON

Government's latest proposal continues to let down front-line workers and patients
While the government’s latest proposal in the ongoing negotiations with the United Nurses of Alberta rescinds their previous plans to cut wages by three percent, they continue to undermine nurses’ value by rolling back compensation through other areas of their collective agreement, in what would amount to an immediate pay cut of two percent for Alberta's nurses.
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Health Advocates to Kenney: Show up and do your job

September 07, 2021 9:34 AM
September 1st, 2021
EDMONTON

Health Advocates to Kenney: Show up and do your job
Friends of Medicare are calling for Alberta’s missing Premier, Health Minister, and Chief Medical Officer of Health to show up to work, do their job, and take action to save lives and our health care system.
 
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Provincial Health Coalitions Put Federal Parties on Notice

August 19, 2021 10:00 AM

August 19, 2021  For Immediate Release

Provincial Health Coalitions Put Federal Parties on Notice: Canadians Demand Real Action to Fix Long-Term Care

(Canada-wide) - With a federal election called for September 20, provincial Health Coalitions across Canada are putting all federal political parties on notice. The federal government could have already set real national standards for long-term care in legislation or an emergency federal-provincial-territorial funding accord with sufficient funding attached to leverage real change. Instead, nothing has happened. Canadians expect all political parties to commit to bring in national standards for long-term care as a matter of national priority.

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Government continues to disrespect Alberta’s front-line workers

August 16, 2021 12:39 PM

August 16, 2021
EDMONTON

Government continues to disrespect Alberta’s front-line workers

Late last week, Albertans learned that Alberta Health Services is contemplating plans to address nursing shortages by hiring contract nurses. AHS has been in ongoing negotiations with United Nurses of Alberta, and has proposed a 3% pay cut for the nurses it employs, which the UCP government has claimed is necessary in order to get Alberta’s finances “back on track.” Now we see that they are considering offers from Greenstaff Medical Canada to contract nurses for $55-$75 an hour — compared to $36.86-$48.37 per hour earned by AHS nurses currently.

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The power of the people can never be underestimated—Even under this reckless government

August 13, 2021 10:26 AM

August 13, 2021
EDMONTON

The power of the people can never be underestimated—Even under this reckless government

After 15 straight days of protesting the government’s reckless decision to remove Alberta’s most basic and necessary COVID-19 protections, the government has finally taken notice, and moved to “pause” the removal of these protections for 6 weeks, until September 27.

“Today the voices of Albertans proved louder than the irresponsibility of our government. Albertans have shown that we’re able to protect each other when the government won’t,” stated Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare. “Faced with a government that has given up on providing leadership and making difficult decisions, Albertans have demonstrated that we truly are in this together when it comes time to protect each other, our children and the most vulnerable.”

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The old boy’s club is alive and well in Alberta’s health care

August 12, 2021 1:27 PM

August 12, 2021
EDMONTON

The old boy’s club is alive and well in Alberta’s health care
Alberta Health Services has managed to largely avoid the scrutiny of Albertans after many years of instability and costly reorganizations. But now, this government has made clear that they are willing to compromise that, via the appointment of privatization ideologues to the AHS board.
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FOM stands solidarity with nurses for patient safety

August 11, 2021 8:39 AM

Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity with nurses for patient safety
Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity today with the United Nurses of Alberta, as they stand up for patient care with information pickets at hospitals and health facilities across the province.
 
Albertans have seen firsthand how invaluable nurses and all their health care colleagues have been to our province throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet health care workers have seen continued disrespect from the provincial government, culminating in recent attempts to slash their wages. 
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Enough is Enough

August 03, 2021 12:02 PM

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: 
 
 
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