Seniors

EDMONTON Minister Fred Horne's response issued today to the seniors and advocacy groups who comprise the Seniors’ task force of Public Interest Alberta is a series of vague and disingenuous claims. The Minister’s statement, 'the government is cutting seniors benefits, are inaccurate. I would like to correct the record. At no time have we indicated we would cut benefits, and to suggest so is misleading,' is clearly erroneous to anyone who has been following this story in the media since the plan was announced in the 2013-14 provincial budget.

"After being kicked out of the health minister’s constituency office early Friday morning following an all-day sit in, a group of seniors angry over proposed drug plan changes have declared a partial victory but vowed to continue their fight. About 20 protesters with Public Interest Alberta’s seniors task force crowded into Fred Horne’s Saddleback Road office Thursday morning, demanding a meeting with the minister and Premier Alison Redford about the government’s plans to introduce a new pharmacare plan."

"A group of seniors angry about proposed changes to their provincially-run drug plan that had occupied Health Minister Fred Horne's constituency office were removed by police late Thursday night. One of the protest organizers, Bill Moore-Kilgannon of Public Interest Alberta, tweeted, 'We just got kicked out of Fred Horne's office by police. Back tomorrow morning for media conference at 10.' Seniors involved in the protest say they will issue a statement at 10 a.m. outside Horne's constituency office."

"A group of seniors, camping out at Health Minister Fred Horne’s constituency office, was told to leave early Friday morning, after remaining inside the office well into the night Thursday. Early Friday morning, the group was asked to leave the office by police. 'Seven of us did bed down in this constituency office last night,' says Noel Somerville, Public Interest Alberta (PIA)’s Seniors Task Force chairperson."

Several seniors attempting an overnight sit-in at Health Minister Fred Horne’s Edmonton office were ushered out by police late Thursday.The various seniors groups—organized by Public Interest Alberta’s Seniors Task Force—staged the sit-in at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday inside Horne’s office to demand answers on the government’s delayed Pharmacare drug program.

EDMONTON—Seniors who staged a sit-in at Health Minister Fred Horne's office are angry that Premier Redford will not meet with the representatives from various seniors organizations to explain if her government will be pushing ahead with the plan to cut $180 million out of the current seniors drug plan and implement a means-tested plan. 

"Protesters who staged a one-day sit-in to speak out against proposed changes to their drug costs say that seniors have been hoodwinked by Premier Alison Redford. Bill Moore-Kilgannon said on Friday that Ms. Redford promised during her campaign to lead the Progressive Conservative Party that she would not impose means tests for seniors’ drug costs, but has reversed her position. 'That’s why there’s a sense of betrayal from these seniors’ organizations and why we were adamant that we wanted to meet with the Premier,' said Mr. Moore-Kilgannon, who is with the advocacy group Public Interest Alberta."

"The Public Interest Alberta’s Seniors Task Force understands that the Alberta Premier’s Office has issued a statement refusing to meet with seniors’ organizations currently occupying Fred Horne’s constituency office. Seniors know that Alison Redford was elected on a promise not to change the seniors drug program and therefore won’t be leaving Horne’s office and are prepared to stay the night."

EDMONTON—A number of seniors’ organizations from Public Interest Alberta’s Seniors Task Force are demanding to know why the Alberta Government is planning to eliminate the seniors drug program in favour of a means-tested system while both the Health Minister and Premier have previously committed to not eliminate the plan.

"A group of seniors has camped out at Health Minister Fred Horne’s constituency office, demanding a meeting with the minister and Premier Alison Redford about the seniors’ drug program. The protesters say the Alberta government is planning to eliminate the seniors’ drug program and replace it with a means-tested system. The group says the premier promised, in writing, that she would not eliminate the seniors drug plan just one month before she won the Conservative party leadership."