EDMONTON - Today, dozens of concerned Albertans are gathering on The People’s Bus, chartered by Friends of Medicare and Public Interest Alberta. The bus will be travelling from Edmonton to Calgary, making a stop in Red Deer, to canvass the constituency of the Minister of Health, Tyler Shandro. The groups are concerned about deep cuts and privatization the provincial government is imposing on Alberta’s health care and seniors’ care systems. 

EDMONTON - Today, dozens of concerned Albertans are gathering on The People’s Bus, chartered by Friends of Medicare and Public Interest Alberta. The bus will be travelling from Edmonton to Calgary, making a stop in Red Deer, to canvass the constituency of the Minister of Health, Tyler Shandro. The groups are concerned about deep cuts and privatization the provincial government is imposing on Alberta’s health care and seniors’ care systems. 

“When the UCP was campaigning in the provincial election, Jason Kenney signed the public health care guarantee and stated there would be no cuts,” said Joel French, Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta, “The thousands of health care workers laid off by this government, and 46,000 Albertans kicked off the Alberta Seniors Drug Benefit program can tell you that was a lie.” 

The recent Alberta Health Services review was a grisly reminder of the government’s focus on directions of privatization and off-loading costs onto patients, seniors, and their families.

“The AHS review is ideological cover for this government to privatize our health and seniors’ care system,” said Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare, “Albertans voted for this government, but they did not hand them a blank cheque to insidiously erode our public health care.”

The bus convoy will be greeted in Calgary by even more Albertans who are angry and appalled by the government’s and decisions and directives to slash health care and seniors’ care. 

“The government’s decisions are putting people’s lives on the line, and we think the constituents of Minister Shandro need to know what their MLA is doing to the people of our province,” added Azocar, “Albertans deserve quality health care.”