FSNA congratulates First Ministers for moving in the right direction to protect and enhance our health care system
Statement by Rex G. Guy, FSNA National President
The Federal Superannuates National Association (FSNA) congratulates the First Ministers for taking their responsibilities seriously and reaching an accord on health care renewal. They placed the need for improving our cherished health care system above political bickering.
Although FSNA made recommendations to the Kirby Committee and the Romanow Commission to go further in certain areas, it is satisfied that the First Ministers are moving in the right direction to achieve what the majority of Canadians want: the renewal, improvement and sustainability of our public health care.
FSNA supports the Accord in that it will ensure that all Canadians will have access to health services on the basis of need, not ability to pay, regardless of where they live in Canada. The agreement maintains and reconfirms the principles of the Canada Health Act and the stated values of Canadians.
The Association is pleased to see that services such as home care are to be improved and that Health Ministers are being directed to determine, within 9 months, the minimum level of services to be provided for home care and palliative care. It will, however, continue its efforts towards the implementation of a universal home care program.
The Association also feels that implementing measures to ensure that all Canadians will have reasonable access to catastrophic drug coverage by the end of 2005/06 is a step in the right direction, but it would have preferred, and will continue to advocate, a universal pharmacare program for all Canadians.
The Association is reassured to see that politicians came to understand that the health care system is not about politics, but about Canadian values, and that they took steps not only to preserve our publicly funded system, but also to continue to promote healthy living.
