Inuvik, NT – Federation of Labour Presidents from across Western Canada and the Territories have arrived in Inuvik, NT to make their views clear to the Premiers of the 4 Western Provinces and 3 Northern Territories who are attending a Western Premiers Conference from July 7 – 9, 2004 in Inuvik.
Collectively representing nearly 1 million working families in their respective jurisdictions, Labour Federation Presidents from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, & Nunavut are calling on the Premiers to adopt a unified position in support of Canadian not-for-profit healthcare and Medicare.
“We want the Premiers assembled here to take our message forward to the First Ministers conference with Prime Minister Martin later this year that Canadian citizens do not want U.S. American style ‘for-profit’ health care in our country”, said Mary Lou Cherwaty, President of the host Northern Territories Federation of Labour.
“In addition to the Federation Presidents listed above, we are pleased to be joined at our parallel conference by Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions; Sheila Laity of the Union of Northern Workers; and Doug Workman of the Nunavut Employees Union,” said Cherwaty.
“Collectively we represent close to 1,000,000 Canadian families – many of whom are experts from the Health Care sector – we think it’s a marvelous opportunity for the Western Premiers to consult with us about the fixes required to ensure continuation of something that makes Canada unique – our national medicare system,” Cherwaty concluded.
PRESIDENTS SIGN HEALTH PLEDGE
The Federation of Labour Presidents from the four western provinces and the three northern territories are meeting in Inuvik, NT at a parallel conference to the Western Premiers. Our primary focus is to protect and expand publicly funded and not-for-profit delivery of healthcare.
As a result of our discussions, we want the Western Premiers to promote:
1. Restoring federal funding to a minimum of 25%
2. Establishing a Territorial Health Care Fund
3. Ensuring provincial accountability for federal health care transfers
4. Reducing waiting lists by protecting and expanding public delivery of health care
5. Opposition to profit delivery of health care services
On Wednesday July 7, 2004, we will be signing a �Medicare Protection Pledge� designed by the Canadian Health Coalition, in order to highlight our commitment to the National Medicare Program. We will be joined by representatives from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, the NWT Status of Women Council, the Union of Northern Workers, and the Nunavut Employees Union.
This signing ceremony will take place at 7:00 pm in the Long-term Care Multi-purpose room at the Inuvik Regional Hospital, and all are welcome to attend.
For more information contact:
Federation of Labour Presidents
Rob Hilliard Manitoba (204) 782-1356
Larry Hubich Saskatchewan (306) 537-7330
Kerry Barrett Alberta (780) 720-8945
Jim Sinclair British Columbia (604) 908-3044
Mary Lou Cherwaty Northern Territories (867) 444-4567
Alex Furlong Yukon (867) 333-4033
Union of Northern Workers
Sheila Laity First Vice-President (867) 444-3456
Nunavut Employees Union
Doug Workman President (867) 979-2838
Canadian Federation of Nurses Union
Linda Silas President (613) 859-4314