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 Michael McBane, national co-ordinator for the Canadian Health Coalition, centre, spoke to Yellowknifers about medicare Tuesday. McBane is flanked by Bob Haywood, president of the Northern Territories Federation of Labour, left, and Jean-Francois Des Lauriers of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. - Erin Fletcher/NNSL photo |
Ten people gathered at the library meeting rooms Tuesday night to listen and speak with McBane.
McBane regularly tours Canada educating people about the inadequacies and challenges of the present medicare system.
He also gathers concerns and advocates the federal government for a better health care system.
"I'm here to learn and to listen to people's concerns and find out the issues in Northern health care to take back to work in solidarity with the South," he said.
"It's really scary," said one woman of the differences between Alberta and NWT seniors health care.
She said in Alberta the Alberta Blue Cross only pays 80 per cent of seniors health care costs and there's no dental coverage. In the NWT, seniors have full health-care coverage and are covered up to $1,000 a year for dental care.
McBane said health care is part of Canada's "moral fibre."
Privatization would "kill" health care and dissolve the differences between Canada and the United States.
"Fighting to get health care on the federal agenda is really a fight for the future of Canada," said McBane.
"We think it's time for Canadians to become more active," he said.
"It's not good enough to leave it to one MP."
"We don't have to let politicians speak on our behalf. We have our own voices." McBane said there was a "sign of hope" when the three territorial premiers walked out on Ottawa's health-care funding offer earlier this year.
"We need all Canadians to be pressing the federal government," said McBane, adding Canadians should be speaking with their MPs.
Alternatives North helped fund McBane's tour because the organization believes Northerners need an advocate for medicare, said Ben McDonald of Alternatives North. "We want him to advocate on behalf of the North," he said.
Yellowknife was the first stop on McBane's three-meeting tour of the NWT. Wednesday he was in Hay River and Thursday in Inuvik.
