Thumbs downto the Qub0065c government, for the major problems with its pharmacare program problems that could have been avoided. Caving to corporate pressure, the government introduced a hybrid public-private scheme that does not control drug costs the way a single-payer plan could. The majority of people in the province, about 4.2 million people, are forced to rely on private insurance through work or their family a giant gift to the insurance industry. The public plan covers about 3 million people, mainly lower income people with higher health care needs. The set-up leaves the province without the power to control pharmaceutical prices or influence doctors prescribing practices. The pharmaceutical and insurance industry lobbyists have fought to protect their interests at every step. The Qub0065c government has further increased pharmacare costs by extending drug patent protection provisions beyond the federal limits. The government has rejected calls for reference-based drug pricing and patent protection limitations.
Thumbs upto the municipal workers in Sept-les, members of CUPE 2589. The local followed work that was contracted out, winning a fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. The victory ensures that CUPEs collective agreement applies to the contracted out waste collection workers, and that they have the same bargaining rights as other city workers.
Thumbs upto the Qub0065c government, for its moves to preserve access to post-secondary education. Residents of the province have the lowest university user fees in Canada (college is tuition-free). Tuition fees have been frozen for 15 of the last 20 years.
Thumbs upto the coalition at Montra006cs CLSC St-Michel, for fighting for increased home care funding at the community health centre. The group, representing seniors, people with disabilities and their families and friends, took on the governments underfunding of CLSCs, which was forcing the use of more private providers. When they won new funds for the CLSC, they made sure they went into increased services, instead of paying off the centres debt.