TRURO, NS – The president of CUPE Nova Scotia, Danny Cavanagh, says Nova Scotians should not be fooled by Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in the final days of the federal election.
“Under his government,” says Cavanagh, “health care privatization would flourish. The Conservative platform says they would allow private delivery of health care ‘options’. They would refuse to increase health care funding, except $50 million a year for a cancer strategy. The Conservatives have no plan to reduce drug costs for Canadians.
“In fact,” he says, “they promise faster drug patent approval, which would sacrifice patient safety and mean higher monopoly prices on medicine for a longer period.”
Says Cavanagh, “The Liberals have had every opportunity to “guarantee” the preservation of our public health care system but they have done nothing. Issuing a few letters of concern to provinces that are letting private clinics grow has done nothing to protect the public system.
“The NDP, on the other hand, would stop the further privatization of health care with tough rules to ensure that no federal money is used to support or subsidize private health insurance systems. Their plan to increase the number of health care workers, particularly nurses and nurse practitioners, shows their commitment to the public system and to upholding our right to health care.
“Nova Scotians need to think long and hard and make a positive choice in health care this election,” says Cavanagh.
For information
Danny Cavanagh
CUPE Nova Scotia president
(902) 957-0822 (cell)
John McCracken
CUPE communications representative
(902) 455-4180 (o)