Category Archives: BC Politics

Time for Premiers to Stand Up to Federal Bullies on Health Care

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Paul Moist

Paul Moist

National President, Canadian Union of Public Employees

07/24/2013

In order to ensure that all Canadians receive the same high-quality, publicly delivered health care in every community across the country, provincial and territorial governments need stable and adequate funding from the federal government

When Canada’s premiers meet for the annual Council of the Federation this week, the future of health care is a critical item on the agenda.

The timing of this meeting is critical. It is the last meeting of our premiers before the 10 year Health Accord expires. The accord sets the terms for health care funding and priorities between the federal and provincial governments. Too bad Prime Minister Harper is not even taking the time to meet with premiers for a discussion.

The federal government has been neglecting its responsibility to protect public Medicare. We are facing a federal government that has abdicated its role in upholding national standards. They cut funding to the Health Council of Canada, the body responsible for ensuring national standards for quality care were met. They have walked away from discussions with the provinces to control the cost of drugs and forge a national drug coverage program. They cut health care funding for veterans and refugees, and refused to uphold the Canada Health Act’s protections for patients against user fees and extra-billing.

Now, with a new phase of funding agreements on the table, the federal Conservative government has presented a plan for health care that will mean $36 billion less for Medicare over the next 10 years.

The cuts start in 2014 with elimination of Canada Health Tranfser (CHT) equalization, then sharp cuts in CHT increases beginning in 2017. Instead of increasing at 6 per cent a year, the health transfer will be tied to economic growth, with a 3 per cent floor. Over time, the federal government’s share of health care spending will shrink to a small fraction of its original 50 per cent contribution — down to 18.6 per cent by 2024. This is not acceptable.

The federal government needs to be a full partner with the provinces and territories on health care. We need national standards for health care we need to uphold the Canada Health Act. This is important for all Canadians but cuts to health care funding will have deeper impacts on some of us. Women will continue to shoulder the biggest burden, as the primary providers of both paid and unpaid care. Canadians marginalized by class, gender, race, disability and other oppressions suffer most when federal funding and national standards are weakened.

CUPE also wants to make sure that we avoid a repeat of what happened in the 1990s when Federal health transfers were cut. Successive levels of government cut services and privatized them, and ended up imposing higher costs for families and more unpaid work for women; longer waits and two-tier care; more hospital overcrowding and avoidable deaths from medical errors and health care associated infections; and worse quality and higher costs for services delivered by the private sector. This is not a scenario we can look forward to with equanimity, not only because CUPE represents front-line health care workers but because all CUPE members, no matter where they work, depend upon Canada’s health care system.

You know that the Federal government has choices. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has shown that, instead of downloading financial problems onto other levels of government, Ottawa can increase program spending and transfers by $25 billion in 2012 alone — and more over time — while maintaining fiscal sustainability. Over 87 per cent of Canadians — in every region of the country and across party lines — support public solutions to make health care stronger.

We need a federal government that is invested in improving our health care — not one that slowly erodes the public services that make Canada great. We need a federal government that will protect Medicare by vigorously enforcing the enforce Canada Health Act’s ban on user fees and extra billing. We need a government that will be proactive about creating national strategies to address pressing issues in health care, like health associated illnesses. Finally we need a government that is willing to invest in improving Medicare — by creating a national continuing care program that will care for our growing senior population in a publicly-funded and publicly-delivered system and establishing a national pharmacare program.

The role of a premier is to stand up to federal government bullying on behalf of all Canadians. We are asking the Premiers to send a strong message to the Harper Conservative Government: Get back to the table and get back on board to support public health care for all in Canada.

Premiers urged to hold public hearings on Canada-EU trade deal

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The Canadian Press
Published Monday, July 22, 2013 6:37AM EDT

OTTAWA — Critics of the free trade talks with Europe are urging provinces to ensure any negotiated deal gets a full public airing before it is formally signed.

The Trade Justice Network and Quebec-based Le Reseau quebecois sur l’integration continentale has sent premiers a letter in advance of their meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., next week, saying the federal review mechanism is not sufficient.

The umbrella groups, which represent unions and civil society organizations, say provinces must step in because “the current federal government has rejected virtually every amendment proposed by opposition parties to every trade agreement that has come before Parliament for review.”

The Harper government has made a successful Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with 28 European Union nations a key economic and political goal — it would constitute the only major free trade deal since NAFTA two decades ago.

Unlike trade talks of the past, however, Canadian provinces have had to be directly involved in the process since some of the biggest issues — such as liberalized government procurement and public hydro-electricity tenders — fall under provincial jurisdiction.

As well, expected extensions in pharmaceutical patent protections will likely result in higher provincial health care costs.

With so much involved, the groups say the provinces must hold public hearings, adding there is precedent for doing so.

“If there is a difference between the CETA and these other trade and investment agreements it is surely that the Canada–EU agreement will have far greater impacts on provincial sovereignty, as well as on policy flexibility at all levels, including municipally,” the letter notes.

“We therefore urge your government, and the Council of the Federation, to champion the idea of a democratic review of the CETA in between conclusion of the negotiations and a formal signing of the agreement.”

Adam Taylor, a spokesman for International Trade Minister Ed Fast, insisted Sunday that the talks with the European Union are the most transparent and collaborative trade negotiations Canada has ever conducted.

“From the beginning, provinces and territories have been active participants, and municipalities and stakeholders from across the country from a variety of sectors have been consulted regularly,” Taylor wrote in an email to The Canadian Press.

“Together, we are working hard to conclude an agreement that generates benefits in every region of the country and creates jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadian exporters, workers and families,” he said.

Most analysts believe a deal could be signed in principle this fall, despite several missed deadlines.

Officials on both sides of the Atlantic contend only a few difficult issues remain to be resolved, including expanded access for Canadian beef exports and European demands that Canada allow more imports of European dairy products.

But analysts also warn momentum could be stalled if the talks are not concluded quickly, particularly as the European Union is refocusing its attention on a deal with the more lucrative market in the United States.

Ottawa has maintained a deal could boost Canada’s economy by $12 billion and create about 80,000 jobs, although critics say the benefits are exaggerated.

Five selected to review NDP election loss

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By Colleen Kimmett
Published July 19, 2013 02:41 pm  http://thetyee.ca

A law student, a teachers’ union representative, a sitting MP, a former COPE president and a Manitoban will make up the five-person panel tasked with reviewing the BC NDP’s surprising defeat in the 2013 provincial election.

In a vote last night, the party’s executive selected the three men and two women.

They are:

Eugene Kostyra, former Manitoba cabinet minister and senior advisor to Premier Gary Doer.

Cindy Oliver, president of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC.

Andy Ross, former president of Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union Local 378.

Pam Sihota, law student based in Terrace, BC.

Jinny Sims, Member of Parliament for Newton-North Delta.

NDP leader Adrian Dix ordered a review of his party’s campaign performance after being soundly beat by the Liberals in May, despite pollsters predicting an NDP win in the months and weeks leading up to election day.

The NDP dropped in its share of the popular vote, compared to 2009, and lost seats in what had been considered fairly safe ridings.

The reviewers’ demographic makeup is in keeping with the campaign review terms of reference, which stipulated inclusion of at least one woman and representation from labour.

Those terms of reference outline a broad mandate for the panel, which include determining the reasons for the loss and recommending strategies for success in 2017.

The panel is required to report to the NDP provincial executive in time for the 2013 convention, which is expected to take place this fall.

Colleen Kimmett is a senior editor at The Tyee.

First It Was Mulroney, Now It’s Harper Who Wants To Negotiate Away Even More Canadian Sovereignty With CETA

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The right for democratically elected governments to make policy for local citizens will be seriously compromised.

At both this years Canadian Labour Congress and CUPE BC Conventions in Vancouver, union activists heard about the pending erosion of Canadian sovereignty, democracy, environmental and government services control and social programs delivery.

That is right, pending.

At this moment, and since 2009, the Canadian government has been negotiating CETA (The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) with the European Parliament, negotiating a trade deal that goes beyond NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and the WTO (World Trade Organization) , and could be a reality sometime in 2012, if not stopped by Canadians.

This trade agreement contains a dispute process that allows corporations from Europe to directly challenge and sometimes overturn Canadian laws that interfere with profits, for public health or environmental reasons, according to the Trade Justice Network.

Further, CETA’s services, investment and procurement chapters, would give European big business legislation with which to fight Canadian federal,provincial or local public policy and remove initiatives that put good, green jobs and the transition to more sustainable, local economies for Canadian’s at risk all to assist the the European corporations agenda.

For example, CETA would ban the benefits of local outsourcing and local hiring. Municipal services, like water and power, would be restricted in the same way while European P3 (public-private partnerships) would get favor in municipal tendering to the detriment of community and regionally controlled local public services.

“The right for democratically elected governments to make policy for local citizens will be seriously compromised”, Trade Justice Network.

For more information: http://tradejustice.ca/en/section/1