Your people-powered win for fairness
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
Dear Paov,
Wow. You just defeated BC’s most unfair, regressive tax in favour of a fairer way to pay for health care in B.C.:
Success! You told the province to get rid of MSP fees earlier - by budget 2019/2020. This past Tuesday, the province committed to scrap the fees altogether by January 2020. [1]
Win! You told the province to make up part of the MSP fee revenue with a combination of personal and employer taxes. This past Tuesday, the province announced a new employer health tax to replace half the revenue.
Click here to share a celebratory message on social media.
These victories are a direct result of BC Health Coalition members organizing to flood the... MSP Task Force and the B.C. government with your recommendations:
We learned that the MSP Task Force received over 1,500 submissions from individuals. 1,407 BCHC members made submissions. Clearly, the vast majority were from you. [2]
And the MSP Task Force received 26 submissions from stakeholder groups. Over a dozen of these submissions were from BC Health Coalition member organizations.
In other words, you presented the Task Force and the B.C. government with an overwhelming call for fairness. And it worked.
In a province where so many people are struggling to afford the costs of day to day life, this is a huge achievement.
Families will save $1,800 per year, and individuals will save $900 per year.
This means no more juggling MSP fees against essentials like groceries and housing. And no more collections agencies hounding people for MSP fee debt.
This is a win for fairness. This is a win for affordability. This is a win for the people of BC.
Show public support for this victory by sharing a message on social media.
So, what’s next?
The province now needs to confirm how it will replace the remaining 50 per cent of MSP premiums.
There are good signs that your recommendations will have an impact here too: the Task Force’s interim report to government says it’s leaning toward recommending replacing the remaining revenue through personal income tax and other possible measures.
The Task Force’s final report will go to the government on March 31 this year.
Making up the rest of revenue through a combination of personal and business taxes would be a fair reflection of the fact that both people and business benefit from public health care and have traditionally shared the costs.
It’s important to acknowledge victories when we win them. Can you help celebrate this victory by sharing a message on social media?
Click here to share a celebratory message on social media.
Thanks,
Edith and Rick
BC Health Coalition co-chairs
P.S. Already, corporate interests and big business are complaining in the media that this will hurt their bottom line. Can you help celebrate this victory and show public support for the defeat of this unfair and regressive fee in favour of a fairer way to pay for health care? Click here to share a message on social media.
___________
Sources
[1] https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018FIN0005-000238
[2] https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/247/2018/02/MSP-Task-Force-Interim-Report-Final.pdf
The BC Health Coalition exists thanks to the
generous support of people from all across the province. If you'd like
to donate to help fund our work, click here.
British Columbia Health Coalition · 3102 Main St, 302,
Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, BC V5T 3G7, Canada
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