Wayne

I’m still trying to figure it all out. BIPOC, non-binary, they/them, fren of doggos, #invisibleillness, views are my own and don’t reflect blah blah blah.

[Wayne @sketeru]

This tweet really says it all. Welcome to the #hellscape that is UCP’s Alberta.

[Rachel Notley @RachelNotley]

The UCP has voted against Bill 201, the Alberta Health Care Insurance (Access Fees) Amendment Act, that would ensure no Albertan would have to pay out of pocket to access health-care services in Alberta.

“I am disappointed that the UCP would vote against every day Albertans,” said Gurinder Brar, MLA for Calgary-North East who introduced the bill last month. “The line to see a doctor is getting longer every day under the UCP, and we haven’t seen this government take real action on ensuring all Albertans have access to a family doctor when and where they need one.”

Over the summer, a clinic in Calgary attempted to charge additional fees for physician access, which was finally halted after significant public opposition. 

“The corners that physicians are being backed into by the consistent undermining of our health system by the UCP goes directly against the very values of public health care,” said Brar. “That’s why this bill was so important. It would fully protect Albertans’ rights to quality public health care, which the UCP is insistent on dismantling.”

Attempts by the UCP to privatize sections of the province's public health system failed, as was seen when the government awarded private contractor DynaLIFE as the sole proprietor of lab services across the province. The private company could not meet its contractual obligations, and was bailed out by the public system.

“This move sends a clear signal that the UCP do not care about every day Albertans and their right to access health care,” said David Shepherd, Alberta NDP Critic for Rural and Primary Care.

“The ideological moves being made by Danielle Smith and the UCP have already caused inordinate harm to our public health care and it is Albertans, particularly in rural areas, that are suffering the consequences. I am deeply troubled by the UCP’s lack of action and awareness on how dire this situation is.”

Paying out-of-pocket to see a doctor is not a new concept from the UCP, as Premier Danielle Smith pitched a “spending account” in a 2021 article as a way to “normalize” health care user fees. 

In a conversation with Alberta Enterprise Group about the article, Danielle Smith referred to the health spending account as a “nice little debit card” where people can pay for the health care they need based on their own choices, in order to restore the “payment relationship” with doctors.

“The UCP’s priorities are wrong,” said Shepherd. “Other provinces have taken concrete actions to support family doctors so their citizens can access the care they need. But the UCP is ignoring the real issues here at home and spending its time bickering with Ottawa and gambling with Albertans retirement security. They should be focused on Albertans who need access to a family doctor, who need to be able to afford their bills at the end of the month, and who need a government that actually cares about them.”

[Wayne @sketeru]

@JustinTrudeau honest question. How is it that we call #Putin on his #warcrimes yet are refusing to call #netanyahu on his? Our pledge to the #UniversalDeclarationOfHumanRights and #ConventionOfTheRightsOfTheChild feel a little hollow right now. #disillusioned

[UNRWA @UNRWA]

"We were truly outraged"

@TamaraAlrifai tells @CNN of the constant horrors in #Gaza as another @UNRWA school in the north - sheltering thousands of people - was bombarded several times yesterday.

These attacks cannot become commonplace, they must stop.

[UNRWA @UNRWA]

"We were truly outraged"

@TamaraAlrifai tells @CNN of the constant horrors in #Gaza as another @UNRWA school in the north - sheltering thousands of people - was bombarded several times yesterday.

These attacks cannot become commonplace, they must stop.

[James Christian Parsons @Dred_Tory]

In honour of Pierre Poilievre's continuing leadership on the anti-racism file, I thought I'd do a thread on all of the meaningful anti-racism initiatives the CPC has sponsored since its 2003 creation, with a focus on its 2006-15 term in government. Ready?

Here goes... 🧵 1/?

[Lorian Hardcastle @Lorian_H]

Watching Notley's presser on a leaked powerpoint presentation to Cabinet re: UCP's vision for health care.

Concerns that care will be fragmented: an acute care organization, a primary care org, a continuing care organization, mental health org, 13 advisory councils, etc. /1

[Rachel Notley @RachelNotley]

We’re sharing documents that have come into our possession. I'll be completely candid - they showed up in the mail. I don’t know who sent them.

There are 35 pages of photos of a presentation to cabinet detailing the UCP’s scheme to rip apart Albertans’ public health care.

[Occupy Calgary #ABResistance #EnoughIsEnoughUCP @CalgaryOccupy]

~🧵"Who’s ACTUALLY telling Albertans to “eat cake”?"

Definitely, NOT the feds. They're the only bright light or beacon of hope at this time.

#NeverTrustTheUCP #DSDoesNotGAFAboutUs

[Wayne @sketeru]

@NoContextHumans That is correct.

[Barbara Larochelle 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 @BarbLarochelle]

Danielle Smith: Here’s a plan I have to take your money.

Albertans: Ew. No.

DS: We’re going ahead with it.

Albertans: Well, we don’t want to vote for you if you do.

DS: Oops, I meant obviously, no one is going ahead with that! NDP was lying about that. 1/

[Wayne @sketeru]

$43B in total damages and future funding for reform. Very overdue but a step in the right direction. https://t.co/EfTAn9fxxQ

[Alberta You See Pee 🍉✊😷🟠 @youseepeeYYC]

Listen to this. Really listen.

Canada does exactly the same.