Alberta NDP News

The choice: public or private health care

2012-04-22T18:23:00+00:00

Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason says that tomorrow, Albertans will choose between two conservative visions for private healthcare, and a New Democrat pledge to stand up for public health care.

“New Democrats will fight this private health clinic and any other the Conservatives and Wildrose plan to introduce. These are clinics that drain doctors from our public health system and give preferential access to wealthy Albertans. We’ll fight for public healthcare against parties that want to violate the principles of fairness in our health system,” says Mason.

At the Copeman clinic, families can spend $8,200 for a year of preferential access to doctors and health technicians. The clinic is partly funded through tax dollars from the Conservative government. The Wildrose plan for healthcare depends on such “independent clinics” to shorten wait times.

“Private clinics pop up when the public system isn’t given the right resources. Conservatives have chosen to both starve the system of funding and misuse the funding it already has. They’ve been told for years that building more long-term care beds would solve the ER crisis and save money in the long term. They’ve refused,” says Mason. “Private clinics and hospitals simply introduce a profit margin into the mix, raising costs while treating patients as consumers to be shuffled in and out.”

Those hoping for quality, universal care can rely on New Democrats to heal the health system.

“There are easy solutions in front of our eyes – more long-term care and homecare to help seniors stay out of expensive hospital beds. That would shorten ER wait times. We’d hire more family doctors and specialists to keep up with the surge in demand for services,” says Mason. “Someone has to pay for health services – whether it’s through the public purse or the patient’s wallet. We know that publicly delivered care is the most efficient and fairest way to deliver health.

“Voting New Democrat tomorrow is the only way to make sure private health care is fought in the next Legislature.”

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

Marking Earth Day with a promise of action

2012-04-22T15:59:22+00:00

EDMONTON – Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason is marking Earth Day with a pledge to clean up the oilsands and green our cities.

“New Democrats believe in taking care of the environment just as carefully as we take care of our energy prosperity,” says Mason. “Compare that to the Conservative record that’s left Alberta embarrassed around the world. And unlike the Wildrose, we actually believe in science and climate change.

“Today we celebrate Alberta’s environment. Tomorrow, Albertans can vote New Democrat to save it.”

The New Democrat plan would clean up the oilsands by aggressively working to eliminate tailings ponds, putting hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, setting aside more sensitive habitat for preservation and significantly improving environmental monitoring.

New Democrats would also help families do their part by offering $5,000 interest-free loans for energy efficient home retrofits, and by boosting funding for new transit projects by 50 per cent.

Mason has also committed to building a renewable energy research centre in Lethbridge, and to redirecting $400 million from the Conservatives’ failed carbon capture and sequestration fund to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

“Taking care of our environmental legacy involves leadership. There are positive steps we can take on Tuesday to make Alberta a world leader, instead of a laggard on environmental issues. But we can do that only by electing many more New Democrats to the Legislature on Monday,” says Mason.

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

A family feud that doesn’t concern your family

2012-04-20T20:07:58+00:00

Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason says the only families that matter this election are ordinary families – not the conservative family feud that’s spilled into the public eye.

“The conservative family – the same one that’s run this province for 40 years - is feuding this election, and Albertans shouldn’t be confused by their public spat,” says Mason. “Let’s focus on the families that matter – ordinary Alberta families who are just trying to get their kids educated, pay the bills, and keep healthy.

“The conservative parties have turned to nasty personal attacks because on the big issues like oilsands prosperity, power bills, health, environment and education, they can’t criticize each other without mocking their own platform.

“Voting for either party will give them a mandate to follow the same path the Conservative party has followed for 40 years. A vote for either party is an endorsement of the same policies that won’t do anything to improve the everyday lives of ordinary families.

“You don’t have to vote for either of them. You can vote for values and priorities that will make life easier for your family every day. New Democrats are having an impact this election. Our platform is popular, and voters see we’re the only party that’s consistently standing up for day-to-day priorities. Ordinary Albertans are getting engaged and are ready to vote for change. This is the time to stand up and say that Alberta belongs to you by voting New Democrat.

“We can have lower power bills. We can have quality public healthcare. We can make education more accessible and post-secondary more affordable. We can save for tomorrow. We can upgrade more bitumen here to keep those long-term jobs. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.”

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

Mason: put an end to patronage appointments

2012-04-20T15:51:05+00:00

Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason is calling on all parties to commit before election day to a transparent public process for all government appointments.

“Under the Conservatives, public appointments have become political rewards,” Mason says. “Let’s start to put an end to pork-barrel politics by putting the public back in public appointments.”

The Conservatives have yet to proclaim the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act, passed in 2009 amid public outcry about the partisan nature of appointments. It would force appointments to be based on merit.

“Conservatives chose not to put this law into effect because they’re quite happy with the current process – all done behind cabinet doors. It let Alison Redford appoint her leadership rival Gary Mar to his plum, $200,000 plus post in Asia without vetting of any sort,” Mason says. “Ken Hughes, another political appointee to the Alberta Health Services board, just slid back into politics and is running in this election.”

Mason suggests adopting parts of the Ontario appointments secretariat model – an open public application process for all appointments, disclosure of candidate qualifications, conflicts of interest and remuneration. In addition, Mason would have all appointees publicly disclose past or current political memberships and donations.

“After this election, there will be a raft of back-pat political appointments if either conservative party is elected. These are backroom political games, and appointments are the prizes.

“Open applications for government positions and clarity about conflicts of interest would improve our government in many small and big ways. It’s the sort of culture change in Alberta’s politics that Albertans need, because Alberta belongs to them.” says Mason.

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

NDP releases plan for working with Indigenous Peoples

2012-04-19T22:50:26+00:00

Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason is releasing the party’s four-point plan for working with indigenous peoples.
“This plan is the result of extensive work with our Indigenous People’s Caucus. It’s a plan I’m proud to present today to the chiefs of Treaty 6,” Mason says.
Mason met with the Treaty 6 chiefs early this afternoon, and met with the chiefs of Treaty 8 earlier in the election.

A copy of the four-point plan can be downloaded here.

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For more information:
Richard Liebrecht
Media Relations Director
780-638-2797

Saving seniors $60 million with better drug coverage

2012-04-19T22:48:52+00:00

EDMONTON – Alberta’s New Democrats will save seniors $60 million dollars per year by capping the out of pocket expense for drugs at $25 per month.

“Even with current provincial drug coverage, seniors are paying significant amounts out of pocket for drugs. For seniors on fixed incomes, covering dispensing fees on each prescription can quickly add up. We’re going to make sure seniors don’t suffer financially because of suffering health,” says leader Brian Mason.

Right now, seniors with multiple prescriptions pay up to $25 in dispensing fees, charged by pharmacies, on each prescription. That can add up to hundreds of dollars for some.

The New Democrat plan would assure no senior pays more than $25 out of pocket for drugs per month, no matter how many prescriptions he or she has.

“For a senior on a fixed income, $100 per month can make the difference between paying for electricity or not, or cuts to grocery spending. Together with our plan to regulate power prices and provide more long-term and homecare, we’re making sure retirement in Alberta is affordable and comfortable for all,” says Mason. “This is what a government can do when it chooses to collect Albertans’ fair share of our province’s energy prosperity.

“Only voting New Democrat will guarantee that the everyday needs of ordinary Albertans are addressed in the Legislature. Alberta’s New Democrats will make Alberta’s prosperity work for everyone, because we know Alberta belongs to you.”

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

Free basic dental for kids will improve health, family budgets

2012-04-18T22:09:14+00:00

EDMONTON – Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason says covering basic dental care for children under 18 could make a real difference in the health of children across the province.

“I’m always saddened and disappointed when I hear about families that can’t afford to take their kids for regular dental checkups and cleanings. It’s a simple thing, but if you don’t have a good benefits plan, those costs can become a barrier. Yet in the long term, making sure all children have good dental health can save a lot of complications,” says Brian Mason, New Democrat leader. “That’s why we think it’s important that all kids get coverage for basic dental services. In prosperous Alberta, we can afford to give children the healthy start they deserve.

The fully costed New Democrat plan covers most services offered by dentists – cleaning, fillings, caps, and medically necessary dental and orthodontic procedures. The program is backed by an investment of $50 million for the first year to support children age zero to six. It would include ages six to 12 in the second year and 12 to 18 in the third. The New Democrat plan builds on the current services offered to some children through social assistance.

“This is a practical measure we could start tomorrow. It’s one way we can use Alberta’s prosperity to make everyday life better. It’s also one of the many things Albertans lose out on under a Conservative government that refuses to collect a fair share of royalties and taxes on corporations and the wealthiest Albertans,” says Mason. “A vote for New Democrats is a vote to give Albertans the quality public services they need. Alberta’s children deserve this, because Alberta belongs to them and their families.”

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Alberta New Democrats’ Child Dental Care Plan

An Alberta New Democrat government led by Brian Mason would provide universal dental care for children below the age of 18. This would include a strong focus on preventative child dental care, including dental screenings in school and free appropriate care for those who are at high risk for oral health.
Our plan will also include coverage for medically necessary orthodontics and dental surgery.

Costing the Child Dental Care Plan

Costing of the Alberta New Democrats’ Child Dental Care Plan is based on a similar program in Ontario. Costs of the plan are expected to go up initially, decrease over time as Alberta children’s dental health improves.
There is also an expected decrease in healthcare costs because of a decreased risk of oral-health complications and related health benefits.

Are there similar programs in Alberta already?

The Alberta Child Benefit program gives dental care to children 4-17 years, but only to families under the low income cut off. It is not universal and does not support children under 4, the age group which is key to preventative dental.
Dental coverage under the Alberta Child Benefit program includes dental exams, teeth cleaning, x-rays, and fillings and extractions, but does not include orthodontics and dental surgery.
Alberta Health Services recently stopped the Child Oral Health Services Program, where they partnered with community agencies to screen identified high-risk children and then sent them on. This program provided preventive services, but this was for people under the age of 3.

For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

NDP only party offering a tax cut this election

2012-04-18T16:18:18+00:00

EDMONTON – Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason says small businesses deserve a break, so he’s offering them the only tax cut of any party this election.

“Conservatives forget about small businesses in their rush to accommodate big corporate interests. They’ve forgotten that small business creates many jobs. Small businesses are also most vulnerable to labour shortages in boom times and consumer spending cuts in recessions,” says Brian Mason, New Democrat leader. “We’re making Alberta’s prosperity work for small businesses by cutting their taxes by a third. That’s money they can use to build their businesses in good times and keep their doors open in tough times.”

Cutting the small business tax rate to two per cent from three will save small Alberta businesses $165 million per year. That amount is covered through modest increases to taxes for larger corporations and royalties.

“When you walk through Edmonton neighbourhoods, you see that small businesses are almost always at the centre,” Mason says. “They’re gathering places. They’re convenient. They employ local people. They’re the ones putting posters up for community events.

“Helping small businesses survive and thrive is a key part of our plan to revitalize communities across Alberta. If anyone is surprised the NDP is offering a tax cut, it’s time they take a second look at our practical, fully-costed plan to make Alberta’s prosperity work for everyone.”

The contributions of small business to Alberta

Small businesses make up 96 per cent of all businesses in Alberta.
In 2010, there were 144,396 small businesses.
Alberta’s small businesses are responsible for 37 per cent of all private sector employment in the province.
In 2010, there were 490,357 Albertans employed by small business.
Small businesses contribute almost 30 percent of Alberta's total economy.

For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

NDP near gender parity among candidates

2012-04-17T20:10:26+00:00

EDMONTON - Alberta’s NDP is a strong voice for women this election, with the most female candidates of any party and a strong platform on women’s issues.

“I’m proud to lead a great team of women this election. We’re the only party near the 50/50 equal split between men and women. A vote for New Democrats is a vote for strong female voices in the Legislature standing up for issues that matter to women,” says Brian Mason.

The party is running 41 female candidates – 47 per cent of our slate. That’s almost double the percentage of the closest party, and is a seven per cent increase over the last election. According to Equalvoice.ca, the Conservatives are running 22 women, just more than 23 per cent of all their candidates. Twenty-three per cent of Liberal candidates are women, or a tally of 20 candidates – that’s a five per cent decrease from the last election. And finally, the Wildrose is running only 11 female candidates – 13 per cent of their slate, and a half-per cent decrease from the last election.

New Democrats will make Alberta’s prosperity work for everyone:

Name a minister responsible for the Status of Women, and re-instate the Women's Secretariat
Develop a multi-stakeholder, cross-ministry strategy to end family and intimate partner violence
Cap fees at $25 a day for infant care and $9 a day for after-school care by adopting a funding model similar to Manitoba’s
Increase the number of emergency and transitional shelter spaces available and improve support for victims of family violence
Create a task force to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce the vulnerability of Indigenous women to exploitation
End wage discrimination in the public sector and government contracts
Expand training programs so that women can access non-traditional occupations

“Brian Mason and New Democrats are the party to make a difference in the everyday lives of women,” says Rachel Notley, candidate for Edmonton-Strathcona. “It’s often women who bear the brunt of Conservative cuts to and underfunding of public services. New Democrats are building a child care system that makes working outside the home much easier. New Democrats are the only party willing to make equal pay for equal work a priority.”

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797

Cuts to or privatizing services? the big question in the Conservative platform

2012-04-17T17:27:16+00:00

Alberta’s New Democrat leader Brian Mason says Albertans should be concerned about the Conservative plan to make $2.2 billion in cuts over the next 4 years.

“Cutting $2.2 billion isn’t playing around with the margins. It’s not skimming some fat off the top. It’s unbelievable that in a province so prosperous, the Conservatives would rather make deep cuts to services than simply collect a fair share of revenue from our resources,” Mason says. “Ms. Redford must tell Albertans before election day which services she plans to cut and which she plans to privatize in order to pay for all the tax credits and discredited health plans in her platform.”

Mason points to a promise in Ms. Redford’s leadership campaign to conduct a review of all government services to see which can be privatized or taken off the government books.

“If she doesn’t specify her plans for cuts and privatization of services, then Albertans will have to assume that a vote for the Conservatives is a vote for deep cuts and irresponsible government. None of this is needed. By voting for New Democrats, voters can choose expanded and improved health, education and public services, more savings and long-term upgrading jobs. We can do that by getting a fair share for royalties, corporate taxes and personal taxes for the wealthiest 1.6% of Albertans. A vote for New Democrats is a vote for making Alberta’s prosperity work for everyone. New Democrats are the only party that knows Alberta belongs to you.”

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For more information:

Richard Liebrecht

Media Relations Director

780-638-2797