NDP demands emergency debate on devastating health care cuts

FILE: On a chilly Sun morning, I joined @getgutsycanada & folks from across the city to protest UCP plans to gamble w/ the health of Albertans with inflammatory bowel diseases. (Photo: DShepYEG/Twitter)

EDMONTON – The NDP Official Opposition will be demanding an emergency debate in the Alberta Legislature over the UCP Government’s shocking plan to cut at least 5,150 frontline public health-care positions.

“During budget debate, I sat with the Minister of Health for six hours and not once did he mention that he would be cutting thousands of badly needed public health-care workers,” said NDP Opposition Health Critic David Shepherd.

“The Premier promised to protect public health care. He signed a guarantee in front of the TV cameras. He has now broken that promise. He lied to Albertans during the election campaign and he wasn’t forthcoming about the cuts he needed to pay for his $4.7-billion corporate handout. Patient care is going to suffer severely as a result of these cuts.

“This Premier must be held to account. At his AGM in Calgary last night, he said these health-care cuts were the right choice – I don’t think Albertans agree.”

On Friday, it surfaced that at least 5,150 public health-care jobs would be cut or contracted out to private providers. A further 2,500 employees within the Government of Alberta are being cut from ministries like Seniors & Housing, Community and Social Services and others.

“This Premier tried to claim it was fear and smear when we accused him of cutting front line nurses and health workers. Today, Albertans can see the so-called ‘smear’ was just the truth and the real fear is in the eyes of every Albertan relying on quality public health care,” Shepherd said. “We will be calling on this Government to immediately stop its plans to push these devastating cuts through.

David Shepherd will be available for comment at the Alberta Legislature following a health-care rally at 11:30 a.m.