Big pharma makes record profits while “our parents, grandparents and children are paying the price,” says Singh
This edition of who is saying what on public health care includes news of the NDP tabling its own pharmacare legislation and the millions spent by Manitobans for out-of-province surgeries last year as well as Dr. Alika Lafontaine’s words on transforming health care for Indigenous peoples.
NDP introduces pharmacare legislation
“Our parents, grandparents and children are paying the price. . . while Big Pharma keeps making record profits. . . We’re using our power to force the Liberals to bring in Pharmacare legislation as a first step to delivering free prescription medicine for all Canadians,” said Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, following first reading of The Canada Pharmacare Act introduced by NDP Health Critic Don Davies, June 13, 2023
For background reading, see CTV/Canadian Press coverage following the 2023 federal budget, March 2023 and June 13, 2023.
Manitoba taxpayers paid $24-million for out-of-province surgeries
“(The cost to send people away) is a staggeringly expensive and wildly inefficient use of taxpayer dollars. This needs to be a wake-up call for the government . . .and for Manitobans about what is being done on this issue and how much time, quite frankly, has been wasted on these efforts which should have been conducted within the public system,” said Thomas Linner, Director of the Manitoba Health Coalition, to the Winnipeg Free Press, June 12, 2023
Transforming health care for Indigenous people
“We are committed to an apology as a meaningful step towards reconciliation, and walking with Indigenous Peoples towards a…transformed health system that is free of racism and discrimination; upholds Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination; values, respects and holds safe space for Indigenous worldviews, medicine and healing practices; and provides equitable access to culturally safe, trauma-informed care for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis,” said Canadian Medical Association President Dr. Alika Lafontaine in a statement released June 13, 2023
Privatization the greatest injustice
“The greatest injustice that the Canadian government could give their citizens is privatization of health care,” wrote Dr. Jolene Cannady from Burlington, North Carolina to the Toronto Star, June 13, 2023
Health care compared to the rotting hull of 24 Sussex Drive
“There are now 6.5 million Canadians without a primary care practitioner. With a shaky foundation like that, the collapse of the larger system is as predictable as that of 24 Sussex. . . Had the upkeep been done over the years, the Prime Minister’s official residence would be fine, or at least livable. The same is true of Canada’s health system. It’s the constant putting-off of necessary fixes – driven by fear of public backlash – that has made the situation untenable and urgent,” wrote Globe and Mail columnist André Picard, June 12, 2023
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Not a done deal yet for Manitoba health care professionals
“There are still a significant number of outstanding issues, both monetary and non-monetary, on the table. We must see more progress in order to reach an agreement,” stated the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals (MAHCP) following an agreement to postpone a strike against provincial organization, Shared Health, CBC News, June 12, 2023
Lingering effects of COVID not good news
“It is understandable that after an intense three-year ordeal, people want to put COVID-19 behind them, but it is nevertheless a mistake. . . The damage done to our health care system, our education system, our economy, our workplaces, and our public sphere (makes it) abundantly clear that we need a full-scale government inquiry into how we’ve handled COVID-19 and what we might do better in the future. As the World Health Organization said last month, the next pandemic is only a matter of time. There’s very little evidence that we’ll be any better equipped for it,” said Elaine Chin, founder of Executive Health Centre, author of We Are Not Okay: The Pandemic and its Consequences, to The Globe and Mail, June 11, 2023
Poll finds British Columbians split on whether health care is working
“. . .this notion that Canadians have the best medical system in the world, which we’ve always thought and we’re proud of, is just not true,” said Steve Mossop, executive vice-president of Leger, to the Vancouver Sun, June 9, 2023
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