We live in a Conservative riding. Many of us are seniors but regardless of our age, we all need health care. The election promises are strangely silent on this issue.
If you think health care is important to you and your community, please consider the Conservative record on medicare before casting your vote Oct. 19.
Harper once headed up the National Citizens Coalition whose goal was to kill medicare. Since becoming prime minister, Harper has quietly put in place the mechanism for deep cuts to federal support for public health care (cutting federal support for health care by an estimated $36 billion over the next decade) and did not renew the expiring health accord with the provinces. At the same time, he has curtailed communication with the provinces, which scramble to make up for the cuts.
Canada is now the only industrialized country with universal health insurance but no drug plan for its citizens.
Many people cannot afford their medications and are going without or reducing their dosages.
If the Harper government is allowed to continue along this path, our country, which has been cited by the U.S. as having such wonderful health care, will find itself with privatized medicine whose citizens will go broke trying to pay medical bills.
Are you frustrated with the waiting times for hip replacements, MRIs and other important procedures? These are the direct result of a government whose goal is to privatize medicine. Their “logic” is to make universal health care fail and the corporations will take over.
If health care is important to you, please make this an issue when listening to promises, talking to candidates, and voting.
Mickie Sexsmith
Vernon
