TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 8, 2013) -
Attn: Assignment Editor/Photo Editor
Worried about the Harper Conservative government having walked away from negotiating with Canada's provincial and territorial premiers to renew health funding and improve health coverage and concerned about billions of dollars in impending cuts from federal transfers for health care; thousands are taking a stand in Niagara-on-the-Lake to protect public medicare and uphold health care for all.
When, Where & What:
Just down the street from where the Council of the Federation (provincial and territorial premiers) are meeting, the Shadow Summit will include workshops highlighting the challenges to Medicare and proposals to protect and improve it. The Shadow Summit will run Wednesday July 24 from 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at St. Mark's Anglican Church, 41 Byron St. Niagara-on-the-Lake.
There will be an Assembly featuring a cross-country round-up on the threats to Medicare and those working to save and strengthen it. Health Coalitions and key groups from across Canada will report-in on the key issues. The Assembly will be Thursday July 25, 9 - 11 a.m. at St. Mark's Anglican Church, 41 Byron St. Niagara-on-the-Lake.
There will be a Mass Rally at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday July 25, directly after the Assembly.
| Key Issue: | With most Canadians unaware of it, the Harper Conservative government is taken active steps to undermine public medicare, endangering the future of health care for all in Canada. The Harper Conservative government has: | |
| • | Refused to meet with the provincial and territorial governments to renew the funding agreement for health care. Instead, is planning a cut of $36 billion to health care funding for the provinces and territories. | |
| • | Walked away from discussions with the provinces to control the cost of drugs and forge a national drug coverage program. | |
| • | Walked away from discussions with the provinces to extend the principles of public medicare to cover home and continuing care. | |
| • | Cut and closed the Health Council of Canada. | |
| • | Cut refugee, RCMP and veterans' health coverage and downloaded these costs onto the provinces. | |
| • | Refused to uphold the Canada Health Act's protections for patients against user fees and extra-billing. |
Twitter #Stand4Medicare #CouncilofFed
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Take a Stand for Public Medicare. It's got us all covered.
Contact Information:
Natalie Mehra
Director
416-230-6402 (cell)
www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca
Canadian Health Coalition
Michael McBane
National Coordinator
613-277-6295 (cell)
www.healthcoalition.ca