The Telegraph Journal reports, “The Council of Canadians is trying to mobilize New Brunswickers in their fight to protest cuts to medicare. At a public meeting in Saint John, health-care campaigner Adrienne Silnicki asked a small crowd to join the council and Common Causes at upcoming protests and in a letter-writing campaign intended to push for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to join in discussions for a 2014 health-care accord.”
“Silnicki said the organization expects about 10,000 people to join a protest during a premiers conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake in July. Several buses from Atlantic Canada will send protesters to the Ontario town, and she urged New Brunswickers to join the movement. …She said they are also pushing for people to add their names to a petition, and to speak with their provincial and federal representatives about their concerns over health-care cuts. Silnicki said cuts to veteran and refugee care, as well as the eroding federal transfer payments, leave provinces struggling to cover the cost of adequate health services.”
In January 2012, Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page said he expects that the Harper government’s new funding formula will cost the provinces about $31 billion over the life of the 2014 Canada Health Accord. In July 2012 the provincial premiers forecast the cut would be closer to $36 billion.
“‘Medicare is really at threat and we need to do a lot of work to protect it’, she said. ‘The only way to get Harper there is with your help.'”
For more, please read:
UPDATE: Council of Federation to meet in Niagara-on-the-Lake, July 24-26
National Day of Action for a 2014 Health Accord
Health Care for Refugees Rally
