Dear Hon. Minister of Health, Ujjal Dosanjh:

Thank you for your reply to our letter of July 23, 2004.  While we are
cautiously optimistic that the First Minister's Meeting results will bring
the needed change to Medicare, we have much concern.

There is no shortage of issues for our Health Network in Nova
Scotia.including the government's follow-up and accounting on the First
Ministers' Agreement, wait times and access to Emergency Departments, the
deteriorating condition of rural health services, the state of home care,
the government's plan to assume the medical costs for residents in long-term
care facilities, extra-billing by physicians including the setting-up of a
so-called health co-operative to institutionalize this deplorable practice,
and the continued growth of for-profit services such as in home care.

Canadians see and understand our elected officials to take the leadership
role and establish safeguards to protect our lives.  The dramatic decrease
in health dollars to the provinces caused incredible grief and dispare to so
many.  The results were to drasticly close beds and reduce staff.

We now have emergency departments that have completely unacceptable wait
times, anywhere from 10-14 hours.  We received a report that a person died
recently while waiting in the Bridgewater emergency department.   Our own
Halifax emergency department nurses caused much media frenzy when they no
longer could stand the waits for beds.  Even the ER doctors came out
publicly and identified the need  the long waits and  the need to move
patients to beds.

Federal, Provincial, municipal or territorial leaders must understand the
people of Canada's needs.  You need to talk to the people who USE the system
not just the people who work the system.  Mistakes, overlooks,
misjudgements, medical errors toppled with the severe lack of beds and staff
make our medicare system in jeopardy.  All it takes to fix the system is the
will of the politicians.  You can make a difference, our provincial
governments can make a difference, now we will wait to see if the will of
the elected policitians is truly there for the people of this great nation.

Tommy Douglas was elected the GREATEST CANADIAN for a reason - Medicare!
Without it, we are just another pretty country.

Please, Hon. Minister, accountability, eliminate for-profit services (to
save our dollars), stable funding increases, secure stable services for
rural areas along with the greatly needed beds and staff in all provinces
will go a long way in providing health services to all and reduce suffering
for the sick and dying.  We need emergency services in all areas of our
provinces and stable funding, a long term plan and really good health
promotion, a national pharmacare and home care program and increase in
services will give Canadians the vision that Mr. Douglas dreamed for us.
Let's make that dream come true!

Thank you
Sincerely yours,

Debbie L. Kelly, Chairperson
Nova Scotia Citizens' Health Care Network.