Call to Care Statement

Secure the Future of Medicare: A Call to Care
Health care in Canada is a fundamental right without distinction of race, gender, age, religion, sexual
orientation, political belief, immigration status, and economic or social condition. Organizations representing
millions of Canadians will mobilize to defend this right and to ensure that the following principles shape the
direction of the Health Accord renewal:
1. The recognition of the highest attainment of health as a fundamental right throughout life and
the necessity of preserving public health through active measures of promotion, prevention,
and protection including such determinants as housing, food safety, income, education,
environment, employment and peace.
2. The recognition that many Aboriginal people have a poor health status and a high burden of
disease. The current system is failing and requires a transformation of the relationship
between Canada and its Aboriginal people to find solutions together. The Aboriginal people
must be at the First Ministers discussions on the Health Accord as these solutions involve all
levels of government.
3. The recognition of health care as a public good for which no financial barriers must be
erected. We affirm the need for a system of public health care which is organized on the basis
of public administration, public insurance and the delivery of services on a public, not-forprofit basis.
4. Opposition to any commercialization and privatization of health care. Therefore the federal
government must negotiate a general exclusion of health services and health insurance from all
trade agreements.
5. The need for the federal government to fully assume its responsibilities in respect to health,
particularly by securing the adequate and predictable federal health transfers and enforcement
of the Canada Health Act.
6. The reaffirmation of the original vision of a truly comprehensive public health care system for
Canadians providing a continuum of services. The next steps are the expansion of the public
system to include a universal Pharmacare plan, a system of home and community care, longterm care, and a strategy for mental health.
7. The need to move towards a community-based, multi-disciplinary team approach to the
management, organization and delivery of services, especially in primary care. Levels of
services must be sufficient so that the burden of care does not fall on families, mainly women.
8. An accountable health care system through democratic participation and transparent
governance at all levels.
9. The recognition that health care workers are critical to the effective operation of the health
care system and that decent wages and working conditions are essential to high quality care.
We come together to commit to ensuring that governments throughout Canada renew their commitment to
protect and expand Canada’s public health care system to meet the present and future needs of all people
living in Canada, based on the principles (public administration, universality, comprehensiveness,
accessibility and portability) and conditions (no extra billing or user fees, or queue-jumping) of the Canada
Health Act. Regardless of where we live, it is now imperative to reaffirm the social values we all share. These
values must guide our collective choices for future of health care. What stands between Medicare and its
destruction are the peoples of Canada. Future generations are depending on our vigilance.
ENDORSEMENTS (243)
Updated: July 16, 2012
Action santé Outaouais
Alberta Friends of Medicare
Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association
Alliance Against Poverty
Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux
Alliance of Seniors to Protect Canada’s Social Programs
Alternative to Racism Society of Vancouver
Alternatives North
American Income Life Insurance Company
Association coopérative d’économie familiale de Québec
Association coopérative d’économie familiale du Nord de Montréal
Association des locataires de Sherbrooke
Association for the visually impared of the Estrie county inc.
Association of Jewish Seniors
Association of Ontario Health Centres
B.C. Forum
B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union
B.C. Health Coalition
B.C. Retired Teachers’ Association
Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living
Cambridge Provincial NDP Riding Association
Canada’s National Interest Council
Canadian Alliance of Community Health Centre Associations
Canadian Association of Retired Teachers
Canadian Association of Social Workers
Canadian Auto Workers
Canadian Auto Workers – Skilled Trades Council
Canadian Auto Workers Local 1106
Canadian Auto Workers Local 1325 – Retired Workers Chapter
Canadian Auto Workers Local 1520 – Retired Workers Chapter
Canadian Auto Workers Local 229
Canadian Auto Workers Local 27 (Retiree Chapter)
Canadian Cancer Survivor Network
Canadian Doctors for Medicare
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Canadian Federation of University Women
Canadian Harm Reduction Network
Canadian Health Coalition
Canadian Health Professionals Secretariat
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
Canadian Institute of Islamic Studies and Muslim Immigrant Aid
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress Pensioners’ and Retirees’ Association
Canadian Pensioners Concerned
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1302 (Queen’s University Library Technicians)
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1999 (Lakeridge Health)
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2119 (Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital)
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4480 (Lanark County Paramedics)
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4980 (Yorkton Saskatchewan, Sunrise Health Region)
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 894 (Group Health Centre, Sault Ste. Marie)
Canadian Women’s Health Network
Care Watch
Caribbean Canadian Seniors
CAW Local 229 Retirees Chapter-Thunder Bay
Centrale des syndicats du Québec
Centre for Senior Information BC Interior Society
Chatham Kent Health Coalition
Citizens for Public Justice
Coalition des associations de consommateurs du Québec
Coalition des tables régionales d’organismes communautaires
Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights
Coalition Solidarité Santé
Comité des travailleurs accidentés de l’Estrie
Comité des travailleurs et travailleuses accidenté(e)s de l’Estrie
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 433
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 593
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 6
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 7
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 914
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, Local 591G
Concerned Friends of Ontario Citizens in Care Facilities
Confédération des organismes de personnes handicapées du Québec
Confédération des syndicats nationaux
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada – Burlington Chapter
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada – Hamilton Chapter
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada – London Chapter
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada – Oakville Chapter
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada – Stratford Chapter
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada – Woodstock Chapter
Congress of Union Retirees--Thunder Bay
Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain
Conseil provincial des affaires sociales
Conseil régional FTQ Montréal métropolitain
Cornwall & District Labour Council
Council of Canadians
Council of Canadians – Brockville Chapter
Council of Canadians – Guelph Chapter
Council of Canadians – Kawarthas Chapter
Council of Canadians – Peterborough Chapter
Council of Canadians – Toronto Chapter
Council of Canadians – Vancouver/Burnaby Chapter
Council of Canadians Red Deer AB and Area Chapter
Dalhousie Legal Aid Service
Department of Community Development and Social Work, Algoma University
Education and Practice Narratives in the Health Professions
Elder Connections
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
Ethical Action Committee
Federation CJA Social Advocacy Committee
Fédération de la santé du Québec
Fédération des femmes du Québec
Fédération des syndicats de la santé et des services sociaux
Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec
Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain
Guardian Angels Program
Guelph Wellington Health Coalition
Habayit Shelanu Seniors
Hamilton Health Coalition
Health Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador
Health for All
Health Nexus
Health Providers Against Poverty
Health Sciences Association of B.C.
Hospital Employee’s Union
Illusion-Emploi de l’Estrie
Inter Pares
InterChurch Health Ministries Canada
International Association of Fire Fighters
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Jamaican Canadian Association
Jewish Senior Alliance
Kamloops Health Coalition
Kingston Faith & Justice Coalition
Korean Inter-agency Network
L'Association coopérative d'économie familiale de
Les AmiEs de la terre de l’Estrie
Les Frères et Soeurs d’Émile-Nelligan
London and District Labour council
London Health Coalition
London Region Area Council of the Congress of Union Retirees Canada
Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle
MacKillop Centre for Social Justice
Manitoba Nurses Union
Médecins québécois pour le régime public
Medical Reform Group
Mnaamodzawin Health Services
N.S. Citizens’ Health Care Network
National Association of Women and the Law
National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation
National Union of Public and General Employees
New Brunswick Federation of Union Retirees
New Brunswick Health Coalition
New Brunswick Nurses Union
New Brunswick Society of Retired Teachers
New Brunswick Union of Public and Private Employees
Newfoundland & Labrador Nurses Union
Niagara Regional Labour Council
North End Community Health Centre
North York Latino Americano Seniors
Northern AIDS Connection
Northern Waters Presbytery
Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union
Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group
Nova Scotia Teachers Union
Oakville/Mississauga KAIROS Group
Occupy Hamilton
Older Canadians Network
Older Women’s Network
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens’ Organizations
Ontario Federation of Labour
Ontario Federation of Union Retirees
Ontario Health Coalition
Ontario Humanist Society
Ontario Nurses’ Association
Ontario Public Service Employees Union
Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation
Ottawa Raging Grannies
PEI Health Coalition
Peterborough and District Labour Council
Peterborough and District Labour Council
Ploughshares Ottawa
Politics Re-Spun
Positive Living BC
Prince Edward Island Federation of Labour
Prince Edward Island Nurses’ Union
Prince Edward Island Retired Teachers
Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation
Provincial Council of Women of Ontario
PSAC Local 610 (UWO Graduate Teaching Assistants Union)
Public Health Social Justice Collective
Public Service Alliance of Canada
Québec Association of Retired Teachers (QART)
Québec Provincial Association of Retired Educators
Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario
Regroupement des Associations des Personnes Handicapées de la Gaspésie et des Îles inc.
Regroupement des organismes communautaires
Regroupement québécois des CALACS
Retired Teachers of Ontario (District 3 Algoma)
RightOnCanada.ca
Riverdale’s Seniors Council
RNAO – Parish Nursing Interest Group
Saint John and Area KAIROS
Sarnia and District Labour Council
Saskatchewan Health Coalition
Saskatchewan Union of Nurses
Saskatoon Community Clinic
Sault Ste. Marie Federal NDP Riding Association
Sault Ste. Marie Provincial NDP Riding Association
SCommunications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Local 29
Seniors Health Advisory Committee
Service budgétaire de St-Félicien
Service Employees International Union – SEIU-West
Sierra Club Canada
Société des enseignantes et des enseignants retraités francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick
Solidarité populaire Estrie
Solidarité populaire Estrie
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Federal NDP association
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Provincial NDP association
Stratford and District Labour Council
Students for Medicare
Syndicat des infirmières, inhalothérapeutes et infirmières auxiliaires
Table d'action contre l'appauvrissement de l'Estrie
Table des regroupements provinciaux d’organismes communautaires et bénévoles
Table régionale des centres de femmes de Montréal métropolitain-Laval
The Council of Canadians, Calgary Chapter
The Council of Senior Citizens’ Organization BC
The Northern Waters Presbytery Peace and Justice Circle of the United Church of Canada
The Union of Canadian CAW Staff Representatives
Thunder Bay Health Coalition
Timmins and District Labour Council
Toronto and Area Council of Women
Toronto Council on Aging
Toronto Health Coalition
Toronto Seniors Assembly
Toronto Seniors Forum
Union des consommateurs
United Church of Canada
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
United Nurses of Alberta
United Steelworkers
University of Regina Academic and Administrative Pensioners Association
Vancouver Cross Cultural Senior Network
Vancouver Island Persons Living with HIV/AIDS Society
Wellness Training Services
Windsor Essex Health Coalition
Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care
York University Graduate Students’ Association
www.healthcoalition.ca