Dear editor,
I want to support the initiative started by the Council of Canadians in trying to get Prime Minister Harper and his government to sign the new Health Accord in 2014.
When our public medicare started, I was proud to be a Canadian. At that point, though, the federal government was contributing 50 per cent of the funding and now it is down to 18 to 20 per cent.
Since the prime minister will give a new budget speech this week, could he please, please at least include the signing of a new Health Accord?
It would ensure funding for public health care, which will include more home and community care, universal pharmacare and that he would work on national standards for health care.
We have recently learned in our community that our home support for seniors will be slashed by about 50 per cent. With the new push to keep people at home rather than in hospitals and residential care, the messages, at best, are mixed.
It is cost-effective to keep people at home, but public home support is absolutely necessary. Please fund that more. Please!
I hope he will listen to my urgent plea. I am a senior and am a caregiver for a more senior husband.
Gwyn Frayne,
Courtenay