BC FORUM News

Federal NDP Health Critic Libby Davies
shares March “Health E-Newsletter”

March, 2012 - MP Libby Davies, Vancouver East and Federal NDP Health Critic, has emailed the March edition of her “Health E-Newsletter” that provides a snapshot of up-to-date information on health issues in Canada, as well as highlighting key health issues the NDP are focusing on in Canada’s Parliament.

Libby invites readers to share their thoughts and suggestions for future issues. Contact her office at libby.davies@parl.gc.ca.

A recap of the NDP’s roundtable on the impact of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement on our public health care system.

On March 5th, the NDP deputy Health critic Anne Minh-Thu Quach, along with NDP Industry critic Brian Masse, co-hosted a roundtable on the impact of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on health care, including the privatization of certain health care services and the costs of prescription drugs.

The Conservative government has quietly been negotiating CETA with the European Union for the last year, and neglecting to tell Canadians about the negative impacts it could have on their public health care system.

The terms of CETA promote the deregulation of health services, opening the door for foreign companies to come in and launch their own private health services. CETA could also drastically increase medication prices, costing Canadians an additional $3 billion annually.

The NDP will be holding a series of roundtables in the coming months to discuss the potential impacts of CETA and continues to urge the Conservative government to protect our public health care system while negotiating this Agreement.

Questions in the House of Commons on Conservatives’ funding of health care.

This week I asked a question in Parliament to Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq about the government’s funding of health care in the 2012 budget.

“Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives promised to protect health care funding but they turned their backs on Canadians, short-changing provinces by $31 billion, that is $31 billion less for doctors, nurses, front line health services that we all depend on. Will the Conservatives finally work with the provinces to protect our public health care system? Will they live up to their campaign promise on health care transfers?”

An article by public health experts warn that junk food should be labeled as pathogens.

In an article published in last month’s Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Dr. Norm Campbell, along with professors Kim Raine and Lindsay McLaren, argue that products with excessive sugar, salt, and saturated fats, which when consumed can lead to major health problems, should be classified as pathogens (‘producers of illness’).

While the article may make a dramatic statement, it raises interesting points about how we view our food and the responsibility of governments and the food industry to protect our health.

“Dr. Campbell, a specialist in hypertension and the effects of sodium on it, denied that his idea amounts to nanny-state interference in the marketplace, arguing there is as much or more reason to regulate food as to control highway speed limits or air traffic, government interventions that Canadians tolerate. Some evidence suggests that salt in food alone contributes to 14,000 deaths and 40,000 hospitalizations yearly”, he said.

The NDP creates an action plan to address drug shortages.

I know many of you have been concerned upon hearing of recent drug shortages across the country. This is an urgent situation for many Canadians receiving treatment for a vast array of chronic and acute illness, including heart conditions and chemotherapy.

Understanding the urgency of the situation, I called for an emergency debate in Parliament, which took place on March 12, 2012. After the debate, we in the NDP realized we needed a plan to deal with drug shortages, to combat the Conservative government’s lack of action on the issue.

We put forward a motion calling on the government to develop a national strategy to anticipate, identify, and manage drug shortages. The motion also requires drug manufacturers to use a mandatory reporting system to alert Canadians of upcoming drug shortages, given that our current voluntary system has failed.

Finally, the motion called on the government to fast-track approval of new drugs to replace the ones we are running out of.

I know that this motion was a first step in resolving the issue of drug shortages, and I will continue to press the Conservative government to follow through on our motion to make sure you and your family have access to the medications you need.

Questions in the House of Commons on show more leadership on health care.

On March 6th, 2012, I asked a question in Parliament to the Minister of Health about why the Conservative government is not taking more leadership on health care, and helping to support the provinces as they provide essential health services.

“Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are balancing the books on the backs of provinces. Without any consultation, the Conservatives unilaterally rewrote the formula for federal health transfers. Their plan means higher costs to provincial budgets and fewer front-line health services for families. Provinces deserve to have a say. Why will the Conservatives not get back to the negotiating table and why are they playing hardball with the provinces on health care?”

Get tax tips on how to may be able to claim your medical expenses.

It’s that time of year again – tax season. Did you know you can claim many health and wellness-related expenses?

The Caregiver Tax Credit allows you to claim a credit if you have an adult relative who lives with you and is dependent on you because of physical or mental impairment.

The Medical Expenses Tax Credit allows you to claim a long list eligible medical expenses – from contact lenses to prescription drugs.

The Children’s Fitness Tax Credit allows you to claim up to $500 per child for their participation in physical activity programs.

These are just summaries, so for full information on tax credits, check out:

www.cra.gc.ca