Open letter to the Prime Minister and the Response

L.A. Lavell
Executive Correspondence Officer
Agent de correspondance
de la haute direction

Thank you for your response in place of the PM but I must insist that the
Prime Minister have the curtsey to respond to my email letter.  While I
appreciate that the Federal Health Minister must be included, my letter,
besides supporting our National Health Care System, was directed to the
Prime Minister solely for his acceptance and approval to put more money
back in to the Health Care system / social transfers, which is in authority to
do so.

It is imperative that 25% in social transfers for health care be
implemented immediately and that the Federal Liberal government do it without haste!
We do not want private care only publicly delivered and funded health care
will be acceptable!

I strongly urge the PM and the Fed MOH to realize that Canadians will
accept no less and if an election is called, the budget that was just released
will not cut it for Canadians.

Late yesterday, our province Premier John Hamm, released that they might
have to look at alternate private ways to deal with the need for more
health care.  Bologna!  It is an excuse.

It is not too late for the PM to put the 25% into the transfers for health
and I encourage him to do the right thing now, as too many Canadians are
suffering.

Thank you
Sincerely

Debbie L. Kelly

----- Original Message -----
From: "Prime Minister/Premier ministre" <pm@pm.gc.ca>
To: <healthnetwork@hfx.eastlink.ca>
Cc: <minister_ministre@hc-sc.gc.ca>
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 10:27 AM
Subject: Health general - 30


Dear Ms. Kelly:

On behalf of the Right Honourable Paul Martin, I would like to thank you
for your e-mail, in which you raised an issue which falls within the
portfolio of the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Health. The
Prime Minister always appreciates receiving mail on subjects of
importance to Canadians.

Please be assured that the statements you made have been carefully
reviewed.  I have taken the liberty of forwarding your e-mail to
Minister Pettigrew so that he too may be made aware of your comments. I
am certain that the Minister will give your views every consideration.

L.A. Lavell
Executive Correspondence Officer
Agent de correspondance
de la haute direction

Debbie Kelly  healthnetwork@hfx.eastlink.ca   2004/03/25 09:27:39
AM 

March 24, 2004

Dear Hon. Prime Minister:

Upon hearing the budget released yesterday, I have great cause for worry
and concern.  Concern that the very government who is elected to serve
this country and its citizens, has put lives at stake.

The Romanow Report and extensive consultations that took place for 18
long months and included the most extensive public input ever, is being
basically ignored!  Canadians are demanding that the federal government
put back health care funding to at least 25%.  Provinces, especially
Tory provincial governments are using the lack of sufficient stable
funding for health care as a means to try to priviatize areas of health
care.

I want you to be very aware Hon. Prime Minister, that the people of
Canada will not tolerate dismantling of our publicly delivered health
care system and pitty the government who does.

Governments have wasted enough of our hard earned tax dollars on expense
claims, living high on the hog, escaping taxes, and helping friends.  We
have had enough!

Sen. M. Kirby and his company Extendicare profit-making company should
be thrown out of the senate because he certainly is not there for
Canadians and he is definitely in a conflict of interest.  The Canada
Health Act MUST be UPHELD and protected.  The pending court case is
disgraceful for this federal government to go through and to put its
people through.

Enough lives have been lost due to extreme cuts to social transfers and
we insist that stable federal funding be immediately increased up to at
least 25%.

The solution to our health care system's problems is more beds and
staff, but since the federal government reduce transfers from 50% to the
provinces, many people have suffered or died.  That is not what I would
want on my conscience if I were an MP.

I realize that this letter will be read by someone other than yourself,
but I want to be reassured that you, Mr. Prime Minister will read this
email and hear my concerns.

With all the scandels, mismanagement of our money, the severe lack of
commitment to secure our health care funding with lives hanging in the
balance, I don't believe the Liberals will have a chance to win a
successful election unless they give Medicare (healthcare) the serious
stable funding it deserves.  Mr. Romanow hopefully didn't waste hundreds
of thousands of dollars to have his Report put on a dusty shelf.  We
have seen enough of money waste to last a life time and more money must
be committed to the provinces to properly fund health care.  Everyday
that goes by, another life is lost.  Let's stop the pain and suffering
of Canadians to ensure they have access to a sufficient number of beds,
diagnostic testing, specialist, treatments as well as doctors and health
care staff.

This country was raised on helping each other.  BUT I have yet to see
the protection and security of our Public Health Care system, a National
Child Care Program, a National Pharmacare Program and a National Home
Care Program.  The most greatest National resourse we have are our
citizens, especially our children.  The Liberal government admitted we
have a national child poverty problem in this country.  These people
with their children will be sick and cost far more than they should to
our health care system and this care would be totally preventable.  But
thanks to the lack of stable funding and other funding for our sacred
social programs, health of all Canadians is in jeopardy!

I don't want to be answered by your staff, but by you.  We want Sen.
Kirby to back off or remove himself from the Senate because he is
disloyal to the people he is supposed to represent.  But then again we
didn't elect him, did we?

Canadians do NOT want to negotiate health care in their Collective
Agreements.  Medicare was started with a good foundation and it was up
to the government to move health care ahead to include Home Care,
Pharmacare, dental care, etc., but instead we see the profiteers lobby
and make friends with the very government they are elected to protect.
Making profit on the backs of the most frail and sick is deplorable.
This country is better than that and we have to stand up for our
children, our elderly, our citizens and our sick.  No other solution
will or can be accepted.

Mr. Prime Minister, I urgently request you to reconsider the
insufficient funding for health care and to properly increase the
government's commitment to Canadians by ensuring ALL Canadians will not
see our health care sicker.  That will only come from secure stable
funding and implementing the Romanow Recommendations in FULL!  Thank you


Sincerely

Debbie L. Kelly,

cc:  CHC, Network Organizations and Unions

3600 Windsor St.
Halifax, NS.
B3K 5G9

902-455-9164, fax 455-0400