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Positive. Public. BC’s Voice for Medicare

A Year of Accomplishments

PAOV 2014 has been a busy and successful year for BCHC.
Working in BC communities
This year, the BCHC partnered with local coalition members to host town hall meetings in communities across B.C., raising the alarm about the constitutional challenge to Medicare launched by Dr. Brian Day. The events generated extensive local media coverage, brought together community members to learn about the threat posed by the legal attack and built capacity for advancing real solutions to challenges in our system. The network of advocates who are committed to protecting and strengthening Medicare is growing stronger and stronger.
Engaging youth
We expanded our innovative youth-led education program on the Canadian health care system this year, reaching young people in unique spaces beyond the classroom. We connected with them in neighbourhood houses, work skills training programs, northern and remote classrooms, ESL courses, and health centres.

We also had a blast working with a new youth-led Social Media Team! They created tons of youth-accessible content about key health care issues and sparked conversations amongst young people online.

Defending Medicare in court
In 2014, the BCHC community scaled up the public outcry against Dr. Brian Day’s attempts to use the courts to bring US-style health care to Canada.

We won an important victory this year when the judge granted our application to submit important expert evidence about Quebec’s Chaoulli case, and the US health care system.

Brian Day is feeling the heat, and possibly looking for a way out. Just before the court case was to go to trial in September, he asked for a 6 month delay to seek a resolution with the BC government.

Even if this postponement is simply another delay tactic, and the case goes ahead in March 2015, we’re prepared to defend medicare and to be the voice for equitable, accessible, public health care. You helped protect patients and hold the BC government to account
Following the postponement of the trial, we held a press conference outside Dr. Day’s Cambie Surgical Centre to call for restitution for patients unlawfully billed by the clinic, and, to let the BC Government know that we expect a strong defence of the public health care system – even as negotiations have moved behind closed doors.

More than 1600 people amplified this call, sending messages to the BC Government and the Official Opposition asking them to protect patients and public health care from for-profit clinics.

In response, the government is starting to pay attention. Health Critic Judy Darcy demanded answers in the Legislature (link to video) and Health Minister Terry Lake revealed that the government is now auditing other for-profit clinics in B.C.

Momentum is building thanks to you! You’ve pushed the government to mount a strong defense of medicare in court, helped exert public pressure meaning Dr. Brian Day has backed away from his legal attack for now, and motivated the government to audit more BC private clinics.

The coming year is going to be an important one for public health care in B.C., and Canada.
  • 2015 is an election year! The federal election will have huge consequences for public health care. The BCHC is already building a campaign to help ensure we elect a government that understands the need for strong federal leadership for health care.
  • Our coalition will continue to be at the centre of the fight to defeat Dr. Brian Day’s constitutional challenge against Medicare.
  • Whether in the courts, or at the provincial or federal levels, BCHC will remain a strong voice for medicare in the public discussion about the future of health care in this country.

Your continuing support is crucial to our fight for the strong, innovative, and universal public health care system we all value and deserve.

As a non-profit organization with a small staff, we rely on contributions from individuals and member organizations to run our campaigns.

Every donation helps. If you’re able to chip in, please make a secure donation HERE or mail in a cheque with the donation form (click HERE).

Thank you, and we look forward to working with you in 2015.


Edith MacHattie and Rick Turner, BCHC Co-chairs Follow on Twitter Friend on Facebook Forward to Friend Copyright © 2014 BC Health Coalition, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website and/or signed a petition supporting public health care.

Our mailing address is:
BC Health Coalition302-3102 Main StreetVancouver, BC V5T 3G7 Canada
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