This week forty-seven members of parliament were met by medicare allies from across the country. People from all walks of life flew into Canada’s capital to meet with their Members of Parliament and urge their support to protect, strengthen and extend medicare.
The delegates were briefed by communication experts and the Canadian Health Coalition on our asks for the 2014 Health Accord: home and community care, pharmacare, and the enforcement of the Canada Health Act to protect universal health care from those looking to make a profit off sick Canadians. They also took a message to the Hill to stop the $36 billion cuts that the federal government will be taking from the Canadian Health Transfers, and the need to take pharmaceutical patent extensions out of CETA. Public health care needs federal leadership to ensure everyone has access to the full-spectrum of care from cradle-to-grave.
Meetings with MPs happened throughout the day, but many of the lobbyists were able to break and attend question period where three questions were asked by the NDP and Liberals on medicare.
In addition to events happening on the Hill, The Council of Canadians ran a tweet-in/ call-in campaign. Canadians called or tweeted their MPs and asked them to support public health care and demand federal leadership for Canada’s most cherished social programme.
The Council of Canadians would like to thank everyone who participated by calling, tweeting, or emailing their MP. We also extend our thanks to those who were able to join us on the Hill. Your commitment to strengthening and extending public health care is overwhelming!