B.C. campaign tries to stop more for-profit clinics

Municipalities across the province are being urged to support a resolution by Victoria and New Westminster at UBCM meeting in September.

Vancouver (23 Aug. 2010) - The Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) is being lobbied to support a resolution at its annual general meeting next month demanding that the province stop expansion of for-profit surgical and MRI/CT clinics.

The resolution will be put forward at the meeting by the cities of Victoria and New Westminster and the B.C.Health Coalition (BCHC) and its members are urging all other municipalities to support the initiative.

"These businesses lead to unequal, two-tier care that most of us can't afford," the coalition says. "It's special treatment for the very wealthy that leaves the rest of us worse off - with dirty hospitals and declining care."

Members of the coalition include the Health Sciences Association of B.C. (HSABC/NUPGE), which is joining the BCHC in calling on members and the public to take action in advance of the UBCM meeting by e-mailing municipal councils and urging them to support the resolution.

"If this resolution passes, it will send an important signal to the provincial government and the private, for-profit clinic owners who are setting up shop in B.C.," the coalition says.

"Municipal governments can play an important role in protecting public health services in their communities. Support for this resolution is just one of the ways that municipal officials can take a stand to protect and improve our public health care system and promote the development of public, not-for-profit health care facilities."

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE

More information:
• Click here to take action today
• Click here to view the resolution