In March of 2014, the Harper Conservatives had their first chance to make major changes to Canada’s health care since getting a majority government, and they launched a brutal sneak attack. 

They sabotaged the Health Accord that protects equal care for all Canadians, and they’re cutting your public health funding by $36 billion over the next 10 years. ^1 2 It’s the start of Harper’s long-term plan to destroy our public health care system, and we have to stop it. The Canada Health Accord is the deal between the federal government and the provinces that ensures proper funding, equal access, and high standards for the health care we all rely on. ³

Prime Minister Harper has always wanted to replace public care with an American-style for-profit system. He made his career by leading the National Citizens Coalition, an organization founded by a wealthy insurance broker determined to destroy Canada’s medicare. ⁴

But here’s the thing – he knows that 94% of Canadians, including most conservatives, support national public health care. ⁵ That’s why he’s trying to sabotage the system quietly by cutting $36 billion over 10 years and breaking the pact that all Canadians should get equal care, no matter what province you live in. ⁶ 

By pulling out of the agreement, cutting billions in transfers, and letting standards fall across the country, Prime Minister Harper will undermine our public health system. If he succeeds, cash-starved provinces will face intense pressure to let America’s titanic for-profit companies buy into our system and give us worse care for higher prices. ⁷

Harper knows that if Canadians learn about this, he could lose the next election. We need to raise the alarm, right now, before the worst damage is done to force this government to make a new deal.

Please join thousands and send a message to your Member of Parliament, Prime Minister Harper, and Health Minister Rona Ambrose: Stop the sabotage! Defend Canada’s public health care now. – Then share this with everyone.

Notes:

1. Medicare defenders set to protest as Health Accord expires http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/medicare-defenders-set-to-protest-as-health-accord-expires/article17729509/ 

2. Federal health cuts will cost provinces $36 billion: premiers http://healthcoalition.ca/wp-content/plugins/st_newsletter/stnl_iframe.php?newsletter=37#1 

3. Canadian Health Coalition Resource Page on the Health Accord http://healthcoalition.ca/main/issues/health-accord/ 
4. Dr. Harper’s new and improved medicare http://murraydobbin.ca/2011/04/16/dr-harpers-new-and-improved-medicare/ 
5. Support for public health care soars: 94% of Canadians – including Conservatives – choose public over for-profit solutions http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/884001/support-for-public-health-care-soars-94-of-canadians-including-conservatives-choose-public-over-for-profit-solutions 
6. Tories deliver a hollow boast on health care spending http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/tories-deliver-a-hollow-boast-on-health-care-spending/article11024546/ 
7. Assessment of the fiscal impact of current federal fiscal proposals http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ECO_COFHFX2ENG.pdf