Issues, Campaigns and Government Relations

For Immediate Release Health Sciences Association of BC says today’s provincial budget makes important investments in health care and affordability measures, but professional shortages in the health care system require action. HSA represents more than 18,000 highly trained professionals working in medical imaging and lab testing, physiotherapy, social work, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, early childhood development, and many other health science...

By Samantha Ponting, HSA Communications 2019 marks the 100th year anniversary off the Winnipeg General Strike, when 35,000 unionized and non-unionized workers in Winnipeg walked off the job in support of striking building and metal workers. Beginning May 15, 1919, and lasting over six weeks, the Winnipeg General Strike is a landmark historical event recognized for its expressions of working...

By Samantha Ponting, HSA Communications Ingrid Mendez and her partner didn’t come here from Guatemala because they thought Canada was a beautiful country. “I’m not saying it’s not,” she explained. “No, we’re here because we were forced to leave. We came here because w e needed to save our lives and those of our families.” Now Mendez works actively to...

Successful Charter challenge to provisions banning extra-billing, private insurance would create two-tier system By HSA President Val Avery Public health care is one of Canada’s greatest achievements. But our most-cherished social program is under threat. A group of plaintiffs led by Dr. Brian Day, CEO of the for-profit Cambie Surgeries Corporation, is challenging the constitutionality of key provisions of B.C.’s...

This morning the BC government introduced Bill 41, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. This bill requires all provincial laws to align with UNDRIP, and is an important and concrete step to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into a provincial legislative framework. Once passed, BC will be the first province...

BC is failing workers experiencing domestic and sexual violence. Paid, job-protected leave from work is critical for employees experiencing violence who may need to relocate or seek community services, such as medical attention, legal services, or counselling. For workers experiencing trauma, it can be difficult to focus on work and perform job duties safely. We also know that the workplace...

Domestic violence and workplace safety: Why policy change is neededBy Samantha Ponting, HSA Communications When we talk about health and safety in the workplace, domestic violence issues rarely enter the discussion. Yet for someone who has been awake most of the night from duress, their ability to manage workplace risks and hazards can become a serious issue. “For those people...

President's Report: This federal election, let's vote for a universal Pharmacare program By HSA President Val Avery It’s official. The federal election has been called and Canadians will head to the polls on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019 to elect a new government. In the coming weeks we can expect to see and hear a lot from the various political parties...

The effects of for-profit health insurance on public health care delivery: Examining the researchBy Samantha Ponting, HSA Communications Given Canada’s close proximity to the US, Canadians often hear horror stories from Americans about healthcare, whose bodies and bank accounts are at the mercy of a very broken system. We hear anecdotes of multi-thousand dollar medical bills, personal bankruptcy, preventable deaths...

As a result of systemic violence, thousands of Indigenous women and girls have gone missing across Canada. This violence is both historic and ongoing. The National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls called this violence "a national tragedy of epic proportion" and a "deliberate and often covert campaign of genocide against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people."...