B.C. Health Care Coalition Action Alert: Seniors deserve quality Public Health Care!

Dear Friends of Medicare,

On June 20, 2008, the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) announced that 350 public long-term care beds will be closed and replaced with beds operated by private, for-profit companies.

These closures create more havoc for island seniors and their families. A June 23 Nanaimo Daily News article called it "...a good example of the health authorities doing the dirty work and taking the heat for this government's privatization agenda."

In 2001, the BC Liberal Party promised 5000 new not-for-profit long term care beds. It has failed to deliver on an overall increase in bed numbers, and almost all new beds are in the for-profit sector. According to Statistics Canada, BC has the lowest number of residential care beds in the country - 36.5 per 1000
seniors over 65, compared to the national average of 47.1.

Seniors and people with disabilities deserve high quality, public facilities. They do not deserve to be shuffled into beds designed to make profits for corporate shareholders.

B.C. Seniors need your support!

For more information on how you can take action, go to: www.bchealthcoalition.ca