Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow, Canadian Union of Public Employees president Paul Moist and the former chair of the Canadian Health Coalition Kathleen Connors spoke in defence of public health care in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador last night.
Just prior to the event, Barlow tweeted, “Great crowd at St. John’s town hall on health care! We need to get the word out about coming federal cuts to medicare!”
This morning CBC News reports, “The head of a national non-profit group is warning that Newfoundland and Labrador could lose millions in federal health care dollars. Maude Barlow, who chairs the Council of Canadians, says the Harper government will quietly reduce federal health care funding starting 2016. Barlow estimates that Newfoundland and Labrador will lose $500 million a year, or roughly $1,000 per person.”
Barlow told CBC Radio’s Noon, “It is really, in my opinion, the beginning of the end of medicare if we allow this to happen. But most Canadians don’t even know it happened and, so far, it is not an election issue because it doesn’t kick in until after the 2015 election. So we’re trying to tell Canadians this is what it means to you — and to tell Newfoundlanders specifically this is what’s going to be removed from your health care dollars.”
The article adds, “Barlow is worried that reduced funding will lead to the privatization of many medical services. She is concerned that will result in a patchwork of different health care standards across the country. ‘We want to really get the word out to Canadians’, she said.”
Council of Canadians Board member Pam Beattie also tweeted these comments by Barlow at the forum:
– “We need and must demand an expanded health care system. Pharmacare would save $11 billion a year.”
– “Every generation has had to fight for health care and ours is no exception.”
– “Harper has to go and when he goes he’s not taking health care with him.”
And Council of Canadians health care campaigner Michael Butler tweeted that Barlow said:
– “No health accord means a loss of $36 billion for health in Canada and close to half a billion in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
– “In Canada we are moving backwards with our health care, we must stand for medicare based on need, not pay.”
Tonight Barlow and Moist will be speaking in Corner Brook.
In an op-ed published in Newfoundland and Labrador in advance of these two speaking events, Barlow and Moist wrote, “Everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador should be asking Members of Parliament – and candidates in the upcoming federal elections – what they are doing to stand up to protect health care.”
Further reading
Barlow says health care an election issue in Newfoundland & Labrador
Photos by Michael Butler
