Health Care in Crisis: COVID19 & Beyond

Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

The past few months have certainly been a difficult time for all of us, but as we look around the world and to each other, we can see that this pandemic has shone a light on the importance of Canada’s universal public health care system. This pandemic has made it clear that the true measure of a government's leadership will be made evident through the political choices they make as we deal with this health crisis, and as we move forward to deal with the new political and economic reality that will face us after it is done. Sandra will discuss how during an unprecedented pandemic we are witnessing the dismantling of our universal public health system. How Bill 30: Health Statutes Amendment Act, sets the legal framework for privatization at a time where it has become clear that Alberta must fortify our commitment to a health care system not based on profit, but instead on the shared belief that health care is a human right. Speaker: Sandra Azocar, Executive Director Friends of Medicare Sandra has been a social activist for more than 30 years in Alberta. Her previous experience is working as a child protection worker, a community organizer, and a labour activist. Prior to coming to Friends of Medicare, she served as a Vice President of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE). She was a member of the Board of Directors of Friends of Medicare for 6 years before becoming its Executive Director in 2012. Sandra is an oft quoted voice for public health care. She believes that while we have work to do sustaining and protecting medicare, we should also look to expand the system so that Canadians health needs of all kinds can be met regardless of ability to pay. Date and time: Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 10am Mountain Time YouTube Live link: https://youtu.be/P1Fel4qFS4o In order to ask questions of our speaker in the chat feature of YouTube, you must have a YouTube account and be signed in. Please do so well ahead of the scheduled start time, so you’ll be ready. Go the YouTube Live link provided in this session flyer and on the top right of your browser click the “sign in” button. If you have Google or Gmail accounts, they can be used to sign in. If you don’t, click “Create Account” and follow along. Once you are signed in, you can return to the live stream and use the chat feature to ask your questions of the speaker. Remember you can only participate in the chat feature while we are livestreaming. Link to SACPA’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFUQ5mUHv1gfmMFVr8d9dNA