Over 80 Municipal Candidates Pledge to Become Public Health Care Defenders

The BC Health Coalition has commitments from 81 municipal candidates who have each signed a pledge to protect public health care. As public health care defenders, the candidates have agreed to:

• Speak out vigorously against the privatization of health care in their communities
• Fight to keep and improve local public health services
• Advocate for open, accountable, and transparent public processes with respect to health services
• Demand sufficient funding for local home support services
• Demand fair distribution of not-for-profit, long term care beds throughout the province
• Stand up for fair wages and benefits for health care workers
• Improve the overall health of communities by proposing and supporting changes that
• reduce poverty

-We are pleased that so many candidates have identified public health care as an important municipal election issue," said Joyce Jones, co-chair of the BC Health Coalition. -Municipal officials can play a significant role in protecting our public health care system and preventing privatization."

The BC Health Coalition will be working hard over the next three years to ensure that elected candidates honour their pledges to protect public health care. Jones encourages all candidates who have yet to sign on as public health care defenders to visit www.bchealthcoalition.ca and download the Health Coalitions pledge.

Click here to download the BCHC list of Public Health Care Defenders

For more information contact:

Joyce Jones, co-chair; BC Health Coalition at 604-987-0168 or 604-786-7530 (cell)
Melanie Leckovic, co-chair; BC Health Coalition at 604-785-8148 or 604-785-2752 (cell)