ICYMI – Photos from historic SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference
This generation’s SOS Medicare Conference was a huge success. About 300 people attended the two-day event in Ottawa. Health care workers, activists and experts shared stories and research. They heard from federal Health Minister Mark Holland, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara. They strategize on advancing better Medicare in Canada at the Workers Together political action training facilitated by the Canadian Labour Congress.
Check out the photo gallery. Feel free to use any of the photographs. Credit to photographer John Major is appreciated.
Top, left-to-right: Jason MacLean, Chair, Canadian Health Coalition and Linda Silas, President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions; Justine MacIntosh, student organizer with Canadian Health Coalition; Sharon DeSousa, President, Public Service Alliance of Canada and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. Bottom, left-to-right: Health Minister Mark Holland, Frédérique Chabot, Executive Director, Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, and Linda Silas, President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions; Pam Parks, Registered Practical Nurse and president of CUPE 6364; Peter Perry, 3rd Vice-President of the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union and Sandra Mullen, President of the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union; and Siobhán Vipond, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress. Photos by John Major.
Federal Health Minister Mark Holland received applause at SOS Medicare 3.0 when he said he will gave good news to share soon on pharmacare. Watch Holland’s speech here.
Three days later, on Feb. 27, Holland and Manitoba announced Canada’s first pharmacare agreement with a province. The 4-year $219 million deal will give Manitobans free contraceptives, diabetes medications and hormone therapy. Which province will be next?
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh took the stage next at SOS Medicare 3.0 and told conference participants about his party’s plan to strengthen Canada’s public health care system. He rejected Trump’s suggestion that Canada’s health care system be more like America’s. Watch Singh’s remarks here.
The conference was co-sponsored by the Canadian Health Coalition, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
Stay tuned for video footage and for more on what was said at SOS Medicare 3.0.
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