Opinion

"Alberta’s continuing care facilities have a patchwork of ownership models. While these facilities are all funded by public money, they are owned and operated either publicly, through Alberta Health Services and its subsidiaries (CapitalCare in Edmonton and Carewest in Calgary), or privately, by both non-profit organizations and for-profit corporations."

"We have only begun to see the host of changes that are likely to flow from the election of Alberta’s NDP government, but the signs that “things are different” were certainly evident in the government’s Minimum Wage Consultation with about twenty organizational representatives that I attended on behalf of PIA on Friday June 12."

"The many Albertans alarmed at the long and steady decline in the quality of seniors care may finally have cause for hope. For too long, we have put the medical needs of seniors in a different category from the medical needs of the rest of the population, with dramatically negative results. There is good reason for encouragement in the NDP platform commitment to build 2,000 public long-term beds over four years."

"One result of the remarkable May 5 provincial election is that things that for so long seemed unlikely are now not only possible, but suddenly even probable. A good example is the prospect of provincial campaign and party finance reform, which has long been seen as badly needed. We now have not only an NDP government that is committed to this type of reform, but also an Official Opposition that favours it as well, with both parties having made it part of their election platform."

Earlier this month, Josh Bilyk, president of the Alberta Enterprise Group, wrote an op-ed piece critiquing Public Interest Alberta’s efforts to advocate for fair reforms to our province’s personal and corporate income tax systems and to discuss with Albertans how additional revenues could be used for the public good. Speaking on behalf of the business lobby group he heads, Bilyk argued for maintaining what he called Alberta’s tax advantage. But Public Interest Alberta’s 'Alberta Could' campaign clearly demonstrates that our current systems of personal and corporate income tax are disadvantageous to the vast majority of Albertans.

"In a rather rare political episode on January 16, elected members from all major political parties agreed that coal-fired power needs to be phased out in Alberta. The MLAs were invited to talk about their positions on phasing out coal at a panel organized by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), the Asthma Society of Canada and the Centre for Health Promotion Studies EcoPath."

"Vibrant Communities Calgary applauds the From Words to Action report on eliminating poverty from our province. The report was done by the Alberta College of Social Workers, Public Interest Alberta and the Edmonton Social Planning Council."

"Competitive free markets have provided a huge range of consumer goods through sophisticated production and assembly techniques. Unfortunately, no sophisticated techniques can be applied to looking after cognitively impaired, severely injured or profoundly frail people. It requires skill, care and compassion."

"The facilities for the care of our seniors are clearly inadequate despite the crisis warning going back 10-plus years. Ten years ago good studies indicated that the Central Zone would need at least 300 new continuing care/long-term care beds by now. Where are they?"

"While actions always speak louder than words, at the very least we would love to see some words during the Council of the Federation meeting that will indicate that the premiers, including Redford, will be giving more than lip service to this critical issue. For the health of individual Canadians, the economy and the Canadian federation, the premiers also need to demand the federal government play its part in strengthening poverty-reduction strategies by supporting a national comprehensive and co-ordinated plan. A well-developed poverty action plan, in co-operation with other levels of government, civil society, aboriginal peoples, non-profit organizations and the private sector, will help to sustain the Canada we want."