BC FORUM News - find out more about the Canadian Health Coalition

July, 2019

Canadian Health Coalition E-News

From the Summer 2019 Edition

Poll after poll shows that health care is a top issue for Canadians. With the federal election just around the corner, we are busy developing new tools and materials to encourage folks to vote for public health care. Expect to hear from us soon about other ways for you to raise awareness about the need to protect, improve and expand our public health care system.

We’ve got this!

To secure the future of public health care, we’re calling on the federal government to assert a leadership role to fund it fairly, keep it public and expand it. It’s time to take action to ensure care continues to be delivered based on people’s needs and not the size of their bank accounts. Read about our campaign here. Let’s build up our public health care system together!

Climate change is a pressing health issue

We recently signed on to the Pact for a Green New Deal along with more than 60 other organizations, unions and associations. The Pact is a broad call to develop a plan to stop climate change and fix our broken economic and social systems. Climate change has many serious impacts on the health of people in Canada and it is putting more pressure on our health care system. Read more about this non-partisan initiative here.

Campaign updates

Cambie Trial

The defense of public health care is underway in the Cambie case in British Columbia. The outcome of this case could affect access to health care for everyone in Canada.

Our public health care system ensures that care is provided based on people’s needs, not on their ability to pay. Everyone is covered by public insurance, regardless of their health status or their income. Medically necessary services provided by doctors and hospitals are paid for by public insurance. Let’s make sure it stays that way!·

We will continue to monitor this trial closely. The expert testimonies will be wrapping up shortly. Read more about the trial and our updates from the courthouse here.

Pharmacare

Currently, 3.6 million Canadians can’t afford to fill their prescriptions. The Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare released its final report last month. After spending a year consulting with Canadians, the Council recommended that Canada adopt a public, universal pharmacare program. This is a big victory for public health care advocates across the country!

We’re continuing to campaign the federal government for a pharmacare program that is universal, public, accessible, comprehensive and portable. The Council’s recommendations should be implemented as soon as possible. This will be a ballot-box issue in the upcoming federal election. We’re calling on all political parties to make universal, public pharmacare part of their election platforms. Canadians have been waiting for this for far too long. Let’s finally make it happen!

Legislative Updates

Accessible Canada Act (Bill C-81)

Last month, Parliament passed Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act. This new law aims to enhance the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in Canadian society. The law will prevent and remove barriers facing people with disabilities in areas within the federal jurisdiction, including employment, communications, and programs and services.

This moment will go down in history! The disability community has been waiting for this law for decades. The Accessible Canada Act will promote inclusion by proactively removing barriers.

Currently, 1 in 5 Canadians has a disability. This number is increasing with the aging population. We all benefit from making our society more inclusive and accessible. Let's work together to make Canada the most welcoming and accessible country for all people with disabilities!

Voluntary Blood Donations Act (Bill S-252)

We are disappointed that the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology decided not to pursue Bill S-252, the·Voluntary Blood Donations Act. This bill would have banned payment for blood and plasma donations across the country.·

Since 2016, a private company has been paying people for their plasma in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick and then selling it internationally. This is threatening our blood supply since it is decreasing voluntary donations to Canadian Blood Services.

Plasma is the first body part that people have been allowed to sell in Canada. Blood and plasma are national, public resources, not commodities. We’re continuing to call on the federal government to ban payment for blood and plasma donations across the country. Read more about this issue here.

Support our work

2019 is a special year for us as we are celebrating our 40th anniversary. Our ability to advocate for public health care in Canada is a direct result of the generous financial support of our donors. Please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to support our work of defending and expanding public health care. Note that due to our strong and successful advocacy work, government rules do not allow us to issue tax receipts.