I address all four MPs from P.E.I. when I ask them to explain how $750,000 was given by the federal government to P.E.I. Home Care but the premier and health minister are saying it can’t go the program currently running here. This excellent care is delivered by RNs and LPNs, and allows patients to leave hospital early and safely.
This is publicly funded Medicare. Please tell us that Medavie is not where you want public funds to go. And if you do support privatization of health care, then I suggest you resign as members of parliament.
I address the premier and all 27 MLAs when I ask; do you realize that the money is an untendered contract to a private health care company called Medavie? This company’s CEO is Bernard Lord, former Liberal premier of New Brunswick. He leaves the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. Both Bell Alliant and Medavie are companies that receive millions of dollars in provincial untendered contracts. Robert Ghiz has followed Lord’s progression though CWTA and Medavie’s boards. Our premier has been a board member of Medavie Health Foundation and a director of Medavie for years before becoming Premier. Medavie belongs to Medavie Blue Cross.
It’s difficult to find the salary for CEO of Medavie or its board members but CEOs don’t come cheap, especially when they are former premiers. Why do we need this extra layer with its deep troughs?
The president of the Nurses’ Union and the president of UPSE have loudly spoken against this assault on Medicare. We know that funding has been clawed back from the home care budget. MLAs and the public hear loud noises from government when they announce funding but no sound is made when claw backs are made in secret that hurt our present home care.
I will continue to oppose this wrong and corrupt announcement. And I speak for the women on the NDP P.E.I.’s Women’s Committee. Still we persist. Our voices must be heard.
Lynne Thiele,
President of Women’s Committee of NDP PEI
