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EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees is deeply concerned by suggestions in today’s Mazankowski report on health care that the facilities and services run by the Alberta Mental Health Board should be handed over to health regions, AUPE President Dan MacLennan says.

"As the union representing more than 2,000 of the Mental Health Board’s employees, we are not persuaded that this is the appropriate way to solve the problems of mental health care delivery in Alberta," MacLennan said.

"We fear for the welfare of both patients and our members in the ensuing upheaval," MacLennan said. "We are not convinced that handing responsibility for mental health to the regions will result in consistent delivery of these important services in all parts of the province."

If the province goes ahead with this particular recommendation of the report of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Health, which was headed by former Conservative deputy prime minister Don Mazankowski, it must ensure that AMHB employees are treated fairly and enabled to retain their rights and collective agreement, MacLennan said.

As the province’s largest union, representing more than 18,000 health care workers throughout Alberta, MacLennan said AUPE has other concerns with the Mazankowski report and the way it is being sold to the Alberta public.

"We are troubled by the insistence of the panel members that they do not intend to ‘de-list’ medical services now covered by health insurance while recommending that an ‘expert panel’ be established to make decisions on what health services are publicly insured," he said. "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck – and this sounds like a plan for de-listing.

"We are also extremely disappointed by the panel’s suggestion that health insurance fees should be increased," he went on. "This would be a tax increase of the most regressive form, and we hope the government will not follow this recommendation."

MacLennan also said he was also disappointed that the Mazankowski panel’s outright rejection of a dedicated tax for health care. "I’m surprised that when the government plans to continue cuts to business taxes next year that it won’t commit that money directly to health care delivery instead.
"These savings should be put into the health care system. Instead the panel proposes a tax increase for those who can least afford it while refusing to consider an option that would benefit everyone."

MacLennan said the panel appears to have failed to take into account the high degree of co-operation that now exists among health regions and the many cost-saving initiatives already implemented throughout the system that have improved the delivery of health care in Alberta.
In a briefing for health union officials this morning, MacLennan said, "Mr. Mazankowski assured us that these are recommendations, not stated public policy. We hope the government will think carefully before enacting reforms based on this study.

"We are going to have to study this report with care over the next few days," MacLennan concluded. "When we have done so, I have no doubt we will respond more on specific concerns.
"For the time being, it is fair to say that this report raises real concern for our members and Albertans generally, who are all concerned about the preservation of a fair and equitable health care system."

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cell phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cell phone)

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