Canadians Lobby for Universal Pharmacare on Parliament Hill

The Alberta Pharmacare Working Group supports the hundreds of Canadians from all across the country who are descending on the Parliament Hill today to fight for universal Pharmacare. Albertans will be joining Canadian Labour Congress representatives to speak with MPs and Senators about a Pharmacare program that won't leave anyone behind.

Following today's public signing of the "public health guarantee" made by United Conservative Party leader, Jason Kenney, Albertans were left sifting through carefully scripted rhetoric. Friends of Medicare are unconvinced that the announcement was any more than a PR visual, as it lacked both clarity and commitment to finding public solutions to the challenges within our health care system. 

Opinion: It's time to end forced transfers of dying Albertans

Friends of Medicare Calls for Provincial MAID Legislation

Recent CBC  reports have shown that Covenant Health is not fulfilling its responsibility to ensure patient access to a legal medical service, specifically the right to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Friends of Medicare is calling on the provincial government and Alberta Health Services to take a clear position and enact provincial legislation that will address the inequality of access resulting from a varying interpretation of the MAID law. "Albertans need a position and Legislation that is humane and follows the intent of the federal legislation" says Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare.

MEDIA RELEASE
OCTOBER 5, 2018
EDMONTON

Show me your friends, I'll tell you who you are

Today the United Conservative Party will be hosting Premier Doug Ford in Calgary. This alliance between Premier Ford and Alberta Premier hopeful Jason Kenney, is in short, a concerning one for those of us who are wary about a potential repeat of the massive cuts that Ontario has been experiencing under Ford's leadership.
 

Throw Back Thursday:
Fall of the General Hospital, October 4th, 1998

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the demolition of the Calgary General Hospital. Between 1992 and 2006, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein devoted his attention to eliminating Alberta’s budget deficit. Under his leadership, claiming health care to be one of the areas requiring the most ‘constraints’, Klein oversaw significant cuts to the health budget.

MEDIA RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

“PHARMACARE CONSENSUS PRINCIPLES” CLEARLY OUTLINES THE PRINCIPLES BY WHICH A NATIONAL PHARMACARE PROGRAM SHOULD BE GOVERNED

Pro-pharmacare advocates across the country have achieved consensus about the principles which must underpin a national pharmacare program in Canada. More than 70 national, provincial and territorial organizations agree that Canadian pharmacare must be a single-payer system that is universal, public, accessible, comprehensive, and provides portable coverage. Friends of Medicare is proud to be one of the many signatories to this national consensus.

We are following the current attack on public health care ongoing now at the BC Supreme Court

As Dr. Day takes the stand this week, Friends of Medicare will be watching closely, and supporting our friends and allies at the BC Health Coalition as they fight to protect our public health care system.

In preparation for the Alberta election in 2019, Friends of Medicare is seeking feedback from the community about their experiences with our health care system. From now until the end of this year, we will be releasing a series of short surveys to help us determine what values and concrete health care policies Albertans want to see reflected in the platforms coming from each political party vying to lead Alberta after 2019. Your participation will help ensure that a commitment to public health care is front and centre for the 2019 election cycle, and will enable us to continue to work towards accessible, timely, and quality health care for all Albertans.

Keep your eye on this page in the upcoming months -- it will be updated with the latest survey links as they are released.

Friends of Medicare Commends HESA Report on Pharmacare

Friends of Medicare joins our partners from the Canadian Health Coalition in applauding the the Parliamentary Committee on Health (HESA) on its report on a national public drug plan, "Pharmacare Now: Prescription Medicine Coverage for all Canadians."