Candace Rennick | CUPE’s National Secretary-Treasurer
Canada is in the midst of a public health care crisis. Patients are facing ER closures, long waits for surgery, and a doctor shortage. Health care workers are struggling with fewer resources, heavier workloads and risks to their health and safety.
After decades of cuts, our health care system needs public investment more than ever. But rather than directing health care dollars to build up the public system, governments are instead funnelling money into private, for-profit clinics that charge high user fees and cater to wealthier patients.
This trend is at its worst in provinces with conservative governments. Patients in Quebec who can afford it can pay out-of-pocket for shorter wait times at private clinics. In Ontario, Doug Ford is expanding the list of surgeries that can be delivered in private clinics. Danielle Smith has a plan to turn public administration of some hospitals over to private third parties in Alberta.
Dozens of new health facilities in the Atlantic provinces will be public-private partnerships (P3), where private companies invest in and operate health services for profit while receiving public funding. This is despite the fact that P3 hospitals in Vancouver, Brampton, Montreal, among others, have come in billions of dollars over-budget and failed to meet community needs.
On the federal Liberals’ watch, health care is being privatized at a faster and faster rate. Under new bi-lateral agreements, federal funds make up as little as 21% of provincial health care budgets. What’s more, only 60% of the funding must be spent on public health care, leaving provinces the option to funnel the rest into for-profit care.
But as dire as it is now, things could get worse. A federal election is on the horizon and Pierre Poilievre is leading in opinion polls. If that support holds, we could see a conservative sweep right across the country.
Poilievre calls himself a champion of the working class, but it’s a lie. In his twenty years as a politician, he has voted against the interests of working people at every opportunity.
Although public health care has struggled in the wake of the pandemic, there have been some rays of light. Under the Supply and Confidence Agreement, the federal NDP succeeded in securing prescription drug and dental care, the most meaningful expansion of public Medicare in a generation.
Pierre Poilievre will not say whether he will ax the new programs if elected. But his voting record in the House of Commons shows that he is loyal to big business, not the working class, and we risk losing these vital programs if the Conservatives take power.
If we value our universal public health care system, we are going to have to fight to protect it. We are going to have to talk to our family, friends and neighbours about Poilievre’s track record and where his reckless policies will lead us.
In a minority parliament, an election can be called at any moment. When the time comes, I encourage you to volunteer for your local NDP candidate’s campaign and to attend candidates’ meetings. Let all the parties know that you will be voting to protect health care and all our vital public services.
Sign up for CUPE’s political action campaign to get involved
