Health care advocates lobbying health ministers in Toronto

Harper government turning a blind eye to privatization while stalling pharmacare

Toronto (7 Feb. 2007) - Provincial and territorial health ministers meet Friday to discuss timely access to health care, and health coalitions from across the country will be organizing events to draw attention to the dangers of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's federal health strategy.

Natalie Mehra, director of the Ontario Health Coalition, says Canadians should not let themselves be manipulated by the federal Conservatives.

"The Harper government has virtually abandoned public health care, turning a blind eye to privatization and stalling a national pharmacare plan. Harper has abdicated the federal government's responsibility to protect equal access to all by failing to enforce the Canada Health Act," she argues.

"His government is allowing open queue jumping for the wealthy. Harper's health strategy includes no concrete resources or federal coordination to improve access and reduce regional disparities," Mehra says.

"He is engaging in a smoke and mirrors health public relations campaign, making much out of small funding announcements, supporting for-profit privatization, and doing nothing substantive to improve the system."

The failed Mike Harris model

Mike McBane of the Canadian Health Coalition says the conference underscores "the absence of a meaningful federal role" in improving the health system.

"The provinces are doing all the work and this shows clearly in the conference agenda," he argues, adding that federal Health Minister Tony Clement is "doing nationally what he did in Ontario" when he served in the cabinet of former Tory Premier Mike Harris.

"(Clement) has politicized very minor funding announcements to maximize public relations without providing substantive improvements," he says.

"Harper's wait time guarantee exploits wait times to promote a parallel private system or force patients to travel great distances," McBane adds.

"We already have a problem with regional disparities in the supply of health care and health human resources. Harper's plan and two-tier health care will do nothing but reduce the needed supply and coordination of doctors, nurses and health professionals in the public system, worsening access for most people." NUPGE