An evidence-based approach that includes harm reduction is urgently needed to save lives in Alberta

Despite 2021 being Alberta's deadliest year yet for fatal drug poisoning, today’s post-budget government release on their model for addiction and mental health continues to ignore the vital importance of harm reduction.

March 14, 2022
EDMONTON

Health Care Workers Deserve Our Respect and Support, not Wage Rollbacks

The Alberta Government is seeking wage rollbacks as high as 10.93% in bargaining with the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA)

Heading into the weekend, Albertans learned on Twitter of the UCP’s shameful bargaining proposal to cut the wages of frontline health care workers, with proposed rollbacks as high as 10.93%.

Alberta still has a long way to go to achieve gender equality

Gender remains an important social determinant of health—We know that gender-based discrimination and ongoing gender inequality in our society results in increased health risks and poorer outcomes. Far too many Albertans still do not have proper access to reproductive and sexual health care, or gender-affirming health care.

Once again, the government is pushing privatization instead of investing in strengthening our public health care when we need it most

Further privatization in health care was the predictable theme of today’s provincial budget. A keystone item was the government following through on their stated plan to greatly expand private surgical services in Alberta, by accelerating the Alberta Surgical Initiative.

“The government’s budget was more of the same. It presents very little in terms of new plans for our health care, instead defaulting to the same old tired strategy of cuts and privatization. It was their plan all along, it was merely delayed as a result of the pandemic,’ said Chris Gallaway Executive Director of Friends of Medicare. “The UCP government’s unprecedented pursuit of privatization throughout this health care budget represents the abandonment of Albertans and our health care system when we need it most.”

The UCP government’s agenda continues to prioritize privatization over Albertans’ health care needs

EDMONTON -- This afternoon the Alberta government tabled their Speech from the Throne. It promised disappointingly little in terms of protecting and improving Alberta’s public health care, and provided no indication as to how the government plans to repair the damage that their approach to COVID-19 has wreaked on our health care system. 

Health care announcements keep being made... but something seems fishy. With all the politicking, real intentions can be hard to parse—That's why we created this decoder. 

Watch out for these words! When the government uses them, what they’re really talking about is their plan to continue privatizing and dismantling our public health care system.

This Op Ed by FOM's Executive Director, Chris Gallaway, originally appeared in the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Herald on February 15, 2022.

Solidarity with Striking University of Lethbridge Faculty

Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity with University of Lethbridge Faculty Association members who are now on strike

February 8, 2022
EDMONTON

Removing COVID-19 protections is a short-sighted decision based on politics, not evidence

Although the Premier insists it will be “a careful and prudent plan,” the government’s track record suggests otherwise

Today, Premier Jason Kenney revealed via Tweet that he will be announcing his government’s plan to lift Alberta’s public health measures. Last summer the government tried a similar approach, leaving Albertans needlessly vulnerable.