AUPE president greets demise of 'Third Way congratulations and caution

Click here for more news & views about the 3rd Way health care privatization proposal

Click here to read AUPE's submission to Health Minister Iris Evans on the "Third Way" proposal

What’s the hurry?

Why are we rushing to attack public health care?

Ralph Klein’s ‘Third Way’ is no cure for what ails health care

The Alberta government is rushing ahead with its so-called “Third Way” attack on public health care.
Health Minister Iris Evans says she won’t let a Legislative committee canvass Albertans on what they think about the planned changes, or extend the inadequate 30-day “consultation” process the government has announced — which is already partly over. (Edmonton Sun, Tuesday, March 7, 2006, Page 16.)

It’s clear that the “Third Way” will amount to little more than the introduction of two-tier, privatized health care in Alberta.

So what’s the hurry?

Please tell Premier Ralph Klein, Health Minister Iris Evans and your MLA what you think of the “Third Way.”
Be sure to send a copy of what you tell them to the Opposition health critics.

And please tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper and your Member of Parliament that they must enforce the Canada Health Act. Remember, the Third Way will not only hurt Albertans, it has serious harmful implications for all Canadians.

Contact information for all of them is included on this Web page.

Click here to for a pamphlet in PDF format containing most of the information on this Web page.

Click here to link to the Alberta government’s Feb. 28 news release on the Third Way.

Click here to read the executive summary of the Alberta government’s Health Policy Framework, released Feb. 28.

Click here to read the Alberta government’s Health Policy Framework, released Feb. 28.


What private health care and private health insurance will do to our public health system:

1) High costs to individuals

We’re already paying taxes and Alberta Health Care fees to run Alberta’s health system. Now the government is proposing “de-listing” some medically necessary services and making us pay private health insurance for coverage. If we can’t pay the extra, tough! The “Third Way” means higher costs to individuals — or going without needed treatment!

2) Longer wait times

There’s a shortage of medical professionals in Alberta now. That’s the main reason for long wait times. Letting health professionals run for-profit clinics to benefit the well-off will drain the system of qualified personnel. Wait times for the rest of us will increase.

3) Worse care

For-profit health providers will skimp on quality to save money, increase their profits, and pay big bonuses to executives. Private insurance companies will deny coverage to the people who really need it. As a result, the quality of care will go down.

4) A higher-cost system

Canada’s one-tier health insurance system is fair and efficient. It’s been proven time and again to be the most efficient way to deliver health services. If we allow private health care, duplicate administration and profit taking will push up the cost of the system.

5) An American Invasion

Because of trade agreements signed by Canada, the “Third Way” in Alberta means other provinces will have to admit private U.S. medical service and insurance corporations. This would make it impossible to stop the growth of harmful two-tier medicine.

6) Economic harm

A private system would be an economic catastrophe for Canada. Major manufacturing companies build plants in Canada to serve the North American market because health care costs here are much lower than in the States. If we introduce U.S. style health care, thousands of Canadian jobs will be lost. There will be a political price for the province that allows that to happen.

Click here to read AUPE’s March 4, 2006, statement on the Third Way.

Click here to read AUPE’s Feb. 19, 2006, statement on the Third Way.

Tell your elected representatives what you think!

Tell the Premier, the Health Minister and your MLA what you think of the Third Way. First, call the Alberta government health comments line, 310-4455, toll-free from anywhere in Alberta.

Then write or email them. Some of their addresses, and information on how to find the rest, are listed below.
Tell the Prime Minister, the federal Health Minister and your MP that the federal government must enforce the Canada Health Act and stop Alberta from introducing private health care over the wishes of its people.

Click here for tips on how to write a letter to a politician and a letter to the editor of a newspaper.

Alberta
For information on how to contact any MLA, call 310-0000 toll-free from anywhere in Alberta.

Click here to find out how to contact any Alberta MLA.

Premier
Hon. Ralph Klein
Constituency Office
#128, 6707 Elbow Drive SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2V 0E3
Phone: (403) 252-0346
Fax: (403) 252-0520
E-mail: calgary.elbow@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#307 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 427-2251
Fax: (780) 427-1349
E-mail :premier@gov.ab.ca

Health Minister
Hon. Iris Evans
Constituency Office
#116B, 937 Fir Street
Sherwood Park, Alberta
T8A 4N6
Phone: (780) 417-4747
Fax: (780) 417-4748
E-mail: sherwood.park@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#107 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 427-3665
Fax: (780) 415-0961
E-mail :iris.evans@assembly.ab.ca

Opposition Leader
Hon. Kevin Taft
Constituency Office
9202B - 149 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5R 1C3
Phone: (780) 414-0719
Fax: (780) 414-0721
E-mail: edmonton.riverview@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#201 Legislature Annex
9718-107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K - 1E4
Phone: (780) 427-2292
Fax: (780) 427-3697

Opposition Health Critic
Ms. Laurie Blakeman
Constituency Office
#3, 9908-109 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 1H5
Phone: (780) 414-0743
Fax: (780) 414-0772
E-mail edmonton.centre@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#224 Legislature Annex
9718 - 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 1E4
Phone: (780) 427-2292
Fax: (780) 427-3697
E-mail :laurie.blakeman@assembly.ab.ca

New Democratic Party Leader & Health Critic
Mr. Brian Mason
Constituency Office
#100, 8930 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5H 4E9
Phone: (780) 414-0682
Fax: (780) 414-0684
E-mail :
edmonton.highlandsNorwood@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#501 Legislature Annex
9718 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 1E4
Phone: (780) 415-0944
Fax: (780) 415-0701

Canada

For information on how to contact any MP, call 1-800-O-CANADA
(1-800-622-6232 toll-free from anywhere in Canada.

Click here to find contact information for any Member of Parliament.

Click here to find contact information for any member of the Senate of Canada.

Prime Minister
Hon. Stephen Harper
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: 613-996-6740
Fax: 613-947-0310
Email: Harper.S@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Offices
1600 - 90th Avenue SW, Suite A-203
Calgary, Alberta
T2V 5A8
Telephone: (403) 253-7990
Fax: (403) 253-8203

Minister of Health
Hon. Tony Clement
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: N/A
Fax: NA
Email: Clement.T@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Offices
202 Main St. West (Main Office)
Huntsville, Ontario
P1H 1X9
Telephone: 866-375-8669
Fax: N/A

Leader of the Opposition
Hon. Bill Graham
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: 613-992-5234
Fax: 613-996-9607
Email: Graham.B@parl.gc.ca
Web Site: www.billgraham.ca/

Constituency Offices
365 Bloor St East, Suite 1805
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 3L4
Telephone: (416) 954-2222
Fax: (416) 954-9649

Liberal Opposition Health Critic
Hon. Ken Dryden
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: 613-941-6339
Fax: 613-941-2421
Email: Dryden.K@parl.gc.ca
Web Site: www.kendryden.ca/

Constituency Offices
845 Wilson Avenue, Suite 202
Toronto, Ontario
M3K 1E6
Telephone: (416) 638-3700
Fax: (416) 638-1407

Leader of the New Democratic Party
Hon. Jack Layton
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: 613-995-7224
Fax: 613-995-4565
Email: Layton.J@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Offices
1506 Danforth Ave
Toronto, Ontario
M4J 1N4
Telephone: (416) 405-8914
Fax: (416) 405-8918

New Democratic Party Health Critic
Ms. Penny Priddy
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: NA
Fax: NA
Email: Priddy.P@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Offices
14045 104th Avenue, Suite 102 (Main Office)
Surrey, British Columbia
V3T 1X4
Telephone: (604) 518-5155
Email: kcp2@shaw.ca

NOTE: Where numbers are not shown, numbers had not yet been posted on the Parliamentary Website — parl.gc.ca — as of March 7, 2006.