UCP responsible for addressing healthcare issues here

By Lethbridge Herald on February 16, 2023.

Editor:

I read with concern NDP MLA Phillips’ comments on her faulty narrative regarding healthcare in Alberta and specifically privatization. She was long on negative comments regarding both U.S. and Alberta healthcare but short on solutions. 

In the Herald article she says, “this is a direct result of the chaos that has come from the UC P war on healthcare workers, specifically doctors and nurses.”

Lets get the record straight: it was the new UCP government that successfully negotiated new contracts with our doctors in 2022-2026, adding $46 million to their salaries with many more incentives. Check it out for yourself at https://www.alberta.ca/new-physician-agreement.aspx. 

It was also the UCP government that renegotiated new contracts with the UNA with a 4.5 per cent increase, additional perks and continuing to keep Alberta nurses the highest paid in Canada.  Also, the UCP government renegotiated the contract with Alberta Union of Provincial Employees which covers off a substantial amount of the rest of our healthcare employees. 

It is no easy task negotiating contacts with major unions, especially during a “once in a lifetime pandemic.”

 Keep in mind that most doctors are individual corporations. Is that by definition private healthcare for profit? There is already, in Alberta and every province in Canada, providers of healthcare for profit. 

An example in Lethbridge is Radiology Associates, a fantastic operation, that provides timely medical procedures that are paid for by AHS. Alberta government/Alberta taxpayers = healthcare for profit. 

So I must ask Lethbridge West NDP MLA Phillips, what did your party accomplish from 2015 to 2019 to make healthcare better for Albertans? Phillips is good at holding a press conference, pretending she has answers to complex problems but really is only interested in using scare tactics.

Well, here is my scare tactic: if the Notley/Phillips NDP was successful in forming the next Alberta government, they would continue to throw money at problems rather than creating real solutions. 

With Notley’s real boss Jagmeet Singh and the real big boss, Justin Trudeau – all enemies of oil and gas – we would quickly see revenues dwindle and expenses continue to rise. To solve the revenue problem, within two years the Alberta NDP would introduce a sales tax.

Healthcare must be one of the most complex government departments to change without just throwing more money at it. Our government is focused on solving three critical immediate goals. 

They also need to look for alternative means to deliver government paid healthcare. It is also critical during these transitions, that front-line workers and Albertans are not unduly affected by these need changes. Finally, and this is critical, the government must take immediate action to open up hundreds of additional education seats in our universities for doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.

Barrie Orich 

Lethbridge