Canadians’ Health Care Needs Ignored
The Canadian health care system is in trouble. Out of a group of 7 highly industrialized countries, Canada ranks second highest in per capita spending on health care, but last in the quality of care received by its citizens, and second last in overall health care performance. The only country to spend more money per capita and to perform worse is the USA. 
Mr Harper has not told Canadians how he plans to fix our country’s health care problems. Here’s what he has said:
What Harper said: In December 2010 Prime Minister Harper assured Canadians that his government “… is the government that funded public health care, increased the transfers 30%, and we are the ones who are going to protect and defend the system …” The reality: In 2004 an historic 10-year agreement was reached between the provinces, territories and the federal government guaranteeing that health care funding levels would rise by 6% a year for 10 years. This is where the 30% increase that Harper boasts about came from. Mr Harper’s government has not put a dime of new money into the public health care system since taking office. The agreement that forced him to increase health spending by 6% a year comes to an end in 2014. So far, though, not a word on how he will “protect and defend the system”. What Harper said: “It’s past time the feds scrapped the Canada Health Act.” – Stephen Harper, then Vice-President of the National Citizens Coalition. “What we clearly need is experimentation with market reforms and private delivery options [in health care].” – Stephen Harper, then President of the National Citizens Coalition. The reality: Under Mr. Harper and the Tories Canadian families are taking on a greater share of health care costs: • 17% more on prescriptions drugs since 2006 • 14% more on dental care since 2005 • 29.2% more on out-of-pocket health care expenses since 2005 What Harper said: “Each province should raise its own revenue for health care”….. – Stephen Harper in an “Open letter to Ralph Klein” The reality: Canadian family caregivers now provide 80% of Canada’s homecare services – that’s $9 billion in unpaid care each year. What Harper said: “Moving toward alternatives, including those provided by the private sector, is a natural development of our health care system.” – Stephen Harper, Toronto Star, October 2002. The reality: Over 45% of family caregivers use personal savings to survive and 65% of these families have a household income of less than $45,000 a year. They can’t afford a private healthcare system. What Harper said: “I know this is a dangerous subject. My advisors say don’t talk about it…. This is just an ideological agenda.” — Conservative leader Stephen Harper at the leadership debate, June 2004, conceding that he shouldn’t talk about his positive view of privatization of health care. The reality: Mr. Harper is aware that health care is a “dangerous subject”. His advisors have told him “don’t talk about it” and so far he has done just that. What is he hiding?
Our Canadian population is aging and requires more health care than ever before. We all know our public health care system is in trouble. Yet Harper has announced no plans to fix it. Instead he wants you to fend for yourself and to let the market decide what kind of health care you get to have.
“I fully support universal health care, and I’m not afraid to talk about it.”
