Winnipeg (Treaty No. 1 Territory), July 10, 2023 - As Canada’s provincial and territorial premiers meet, Health Coalitions across Canada are calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to  demand an end to the privatization of public health care by premiers. 

CALGARY — Today representatives from health coalitions, unions, and public health care advocacy organizations across the country have come together to express their deep concerns regarding the decision of Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to enter into an exclusive 15-year contract with Grifols, a multinational pharmaceutical company. 

This deal effectively privatizes the majority of plasma collection in Canada, as Grifols has taken over other private clinics and will be expanding quickly. The terms of this contract are secret, but what has been made public clearly violates the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that created CBS, and goes against the recommendations of the Krever Commission and World Health Organization guidance.

EDMONTON -- Earlier this morning, the new UCP cabinet was sworn in. Adriana LaGrange was named Minister of Health, Dan Williams as Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, and Jason Nixon as Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services.

All of these ministers are new to their portfolios. Both former UCP Ministers of Health lost their seats in the election. The same is true for both past Ministers responsible for seniors, who had been failing seniors in care as per recent Auditor General reports, as well as past Ministers responsible for mental health and addictions, including the government’s failing abstinence-only approach to the drug poisoning crisis. 

Last night, following a hotly contested election in which health care dominated the agenda, Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party was reelected to a much slimmer majority government.

“Friends of Medicare would like to congratulate and thank all those who took an active role in our democracy by letting their names stand for election,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare. “Our province is made better by this exercise in democratic debate.” 

Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity with laboratory workers in their fight for fairness

This morning, Alberta’s medical laboratory workers called on DynaLIFE to return to the bargaining table, and to commit to fairness. Lab workers provide incredibly important services to Albertans, essential for timely diagnostics and treatment. Yet once again, just like when DynaLIFE tried to take away their pension plan, this private company’s profits are being prioritized at the expense of working conditions, public oversight, and patient care. All while Alberta is facing a chronic short-staffing crisis throughout our health care system.

EDMONTON – At a campaign stop this morning, UCP Leader Danielle Smith made a “Public Health Guarantee” to Albertans as we head into the provincial election. As Albertans will no doubt recall, this is the exact same campaign tactic former UCP leader Jason Kenney used before proceeding to privatize large portions of the Alberta health care system once in power.

Friends of Medicare's statement on today's Supreme Court decision

EDMONTON – This morning, public health advocates across the country were heartened to learn that the Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed Dr. Brian Day and Cambie Surgeries Corporation’s attempt to overturn previous decisions made by BC’s courts, a conclusive decision to uphold Canadians’ rights to public health care based on need, not the ability to pay.

The Trudeau government is set to release their next federal budget on Tuesday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

OTTAWA — The Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) signed between the Liberals and NDP last year put the health of people’s teeth, the cost of medication, better long-term care, and the future of our health care system at the centre of federal policy discussion and budgeting.

EDMONTON — In last week’s Manitoba budget tabled by Progressive Conservative Premier Heather Stefanson, their government announced universal coverage for continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps for people living with diabetes. Both Diabetes Canada and JDRF Canada have called this announcement a huge win for Manitobans living with diabetes.

Last week, the UCP passed their final budget Albertans will see before voting in this spring’s provincial election. The government spent the days leading up to Budget Day trying to assure Albertans that health care would be taken care of. Premier Smith and her AHS administrator appointee, Dr. John Cowell even went so far as to declare that our health care system is no longer in crisis, a claim which was swiftly quashed by the people actually working on the front-lines of Alberta’s public health care.

But behind all the political boasting and rhetoric, how does this budget really stack up when it comes to Alberta's health care?