PSAC Home  |  2002 news releases  |  2001 news releases  |  français

PSAC News release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       December 2, 2002

 

  JOB WELL DONE,

COMMISSIONER ROMANOW!

OTTAWA-- PSAC President, Nycole Turmel, congratulates Commissioner Roy Romanow for standing up for public health care services in Canada by making strong recommendations to ensure that publicly funded, fully accessible health care remains a basic right of all Canadians.

"Commissioner Romanow listened to Canadians from all walks of life, including PSAC members who voiced their concerns on health care during the union’s Access Conference held earlier this year," Turmel said. "Canadians rejected privatization of the Canadian health care system and the recommendations in the report reflect the will of Canadians."

Like other members of the Canadian Health Coalition from the labour movement and other community-based organizations, PSAC members called for:

  • a universally accessible health care system;
  • a restriction on the number of private health care services available;
  • the restoring of federal transfer payment to traditional levels;
  • the establishment of multidisciplinary, or "all-purpose" community health clinics;
  • the exemption of Medicare from free trade agreements;
  • the inclusion of home and long-term care services and a comprehensive drug plan;
  • the recognition of the value of the workers who provide the services;
  • accountability.
    •

    "Commissioner Romanow has heard our concerns and responded in kind," said Turmel. "We fully support the creation of a Canadian Health Covenant that would include our collective vision of the health system."

    Romanow states that "privatization does not work" and that governments must invest to ensure equal access for all. However, the report does say that some services such as laundry, food preparation, cleaning and maintenance services could be delivered by the private sector. The PSAC disagrees. "These services are an integral part of our health care system and should not be delivered for profit. There is no room in the health care system for privatization. As the Commissioner himself said, we have tried it before and it doesn’t work," says Turmel.

    Romanow recommends the creation of a new Canada Health Transfer in order to provide stable funding for the system with five year guarantees. He believes that $6.5 billion should be added to Medicare every year until 2005, at which time the total annual federal contribution should be $15.3 billion.

    The new money would be used to promote disease prevention, including a national immunization programme, and early detection as well as improved palliative home care for people with less than six months to live, a programme to allow "informal" care-givers to take time off work to care for loved ones and full coverage of the drugs needed in "catastrophic" cases. He suggested the creation of a new independent drug agency to control costs and ensure safety.

    The PSAC is satisfied that the Romanow Report reflects the wishes of the majority of Canadians to bring about the changes to Canada’s health system necessary to guarantee that it can continue to be among the best in the world. "Now, it is up to our politicians to endorse the report and make the changes happen," concluded Turmel.

    - 30 -

    For information:
                                        Nycole Turmel President, Public Service Alliance of Canada (613) 560-4330

     

    44-021202