Nurses at a Medicine Hat Wrong Way rally July 20th.
Alberta’s nurses swung into full action for the summer to stop the drastic budget cuts to the province’s public health care system. Nurses held many personal meetings with their MLAs. They have written countless letters to editors and they have rallied in towns all across Alberta, from Fort McMurray to High River.
“Look at what has been achieved over the past month...it's incredible. There are not many (if any) MLA's that are not aware of the campaign now. Let's continue to keep them informed, and keep the heat turned up.” said Ros Gullickson from Local #301 at the University of Alberta Hospital.
Nurses from Barrhead made a huge impact by meeting with local municipal councils. “We need to stand up for our healthcare system,” Donna Nelson, President of Local #136 told them.
Woodlands County Mayor Jim Rennie told Nelson that he, along with the county councillors, fully supported the nurses.
“We’re on your side,” he said while addressing the UNA representatives. “We have the same frustrations as you.”
Nurses had a wide range of different experiences in meetings with their MLAs.
“I noticed he had no idea what was going on at the moment and didn't come really prepared,” Irma van den Hadelkamp President of Local 134 said about her meeting with Ty Lund.
“He also had a remark that nurses were sitting at the desk a lot! He noticed that when his parents were at the hospital,” she said.
When nurses from Local #86 met with their MLA Genia Leskiw they asked her how capable she felt to truly represent the will of her constituents given what happened to MLA Guy Boutilier.
“She wasn't expecting that!” says Frances Galambos President of UNA Local 86. “She assured us that her concern for her constituents is paramount. We told her that we will stay in contact as more health care plans unfold.”
Ray Prins the MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka has been visited by at least two sets of nurses. He was much more blunt and said the 65 or so managers that were fired between 'mostly Calgary and Edmonton' are 'clipboard queens', nurses who didn't do anything - 'front line staff who work hard don't have to worry about their jobs.’ And when the nurses asked him about hiring the new grads he said they will just have to 'work their way in'. And he added about Ron Liepert: 'you may not like him, but he has balls of steel'.
It certainly appears that MLAs were warned they were going to take some heat and to not let it bother them. But they ARE feeling the pressure. In fact, it's likely that when they get arrogant and badly behaved, it reflects their personal reality, how NERVOUS they are.
News media have picked up tremendously on the health care issue and coverage of helipad closures and the Alberta Health Services Code of Conduct as well as cuts and problems, has had a great deal of media time. |
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 UNA First Vice-President Bev Dick said Albertans must speak up for their public health system at a July 20th, Wrong Way rally in Medicine Hat.
American health debate highlights Canadian advantage From an Edmonton Journal Editorial, August 13, 2009.
“When we watch those awful ads that suggest grumblers like former CMA president Brian Day represent mainstream balanced opinion, even those of us who have waited far too long for joint replacements start to talk back defensively to the television screen. Yes, we say to the tube: "But everyone gets treated pretty well, regardless of wealth and status."
And if we are quick-thinking, we might add: "What does it tell you Americans that the vast majority in this country, on the basis of our experience, like our single-payer public system, and that those who don't mostly demand that it be made better with more money and efficiency, not that it be augmented with more private clinics like Day's."
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