Health Sciences Association of Alberta Vice-President urges Albertans to show their support for public healthcare.
Edmonton— The most destructive and purely partisan attack on Medicare ever, is complete. “Kenney did it after he promised not to. He is setting the stage to sell off our world-class public health system to private interests, piece by piece” says Trudy Thomson, Vice-President of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA). “This is a blatant promotion of a system that puts profits before patients which is something that we, and I believe Albertans, will never support.”
The Health Statutes Amendment Act is the law of the land after Kenney’s government undemocratically shut down debate and rammed it through the legislature. They also did it in the middle of a summer night, at a time when Albertans are focused on protecting themselves and their loved ones during a pandemic. “This proves Kenney and the rest of his UCP cohorts knew they had to hide the process from Albertans and to be blunt, this is the most shameful decision I have seen in my 43 years working in health care in Alberta,” continued Thomson, “It ignores the facts; Alberta’s public health system was and is our best line of defense against this and the next pandemic, privatization reduces accessibility, privatization creates multiple tiers and streams of service that only the wealthy can access and buy their way to the front of the line, and… privatization takes public funds meant for patients and stuffs it into the pockets of wealthy corporations.”
“On top of selling off our health, Kenney also rammed through undemocratic, right’s violating, anti-worker legislation meant to silence me, and any other Alberta health worker concerned about the direction he is taking our province,” added Thomson. “It’s a transgression of the values of a free and democratic society.”
WE NEED YOUR HELP, ALBERTA!
Thomson is making a plea to Albertans.
“As a group of laboratory technologists, respiratory therapists, paramedics and thousands more health-care professionals across Alberta we are asking those who value our public health system to send a message to Kenney to keep his promise, overturn his unwanted legislation and protect our valued health system.”
One of the ways Albertans can show their support for public health care is with an “I ♥ Public Health Care” lawn sign: https://www.hsaa.ca/lawn-sign-order/
Thomson is encouraging people to put up signs where your neighbours can see them and send Kenney and his MLAs a message.
“Health matters to all of us. Don’t destroy it. Let’s make it better.”
HSAA is over 27,000 health-care professionals dedicated to protecting the public health system and the vulnerable Albertans who rely on it.
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Media contact:
Kirk Heuser, HSAA Communications Officer
780-690-8199 | kirkh@hsaa.ca
