Conservatives fail to show leadership in healthcare
OTTAWA – New Democrats say Canadian healthcare is facing a crisis of leadership and criticizes the Conservatives’ lack of a plan for dealing with the challenges ahead. The NDP says that giving the Senate Committee on Health responsibility for reviewing the 2004 Accord, which expires in 2014, perfectly illustrates this crisis.
“With the exception of the economy, healthcare is the most important issue for Canadian across the country,” says NDP Health Critic, Megan Leslie (Halifax). “Let’s not forget that four million Canadians do not have a family doctor, that overburdened emergency rooms are a still too-common occurrence and that there are desperate needs in our hospitals. The federal government’s role must be to provide leadership and strong cooperation with the provinces to meet the healthcare needs of Canadians. Unfortunately, the Conservatives simply have no plan.”The New Democrats’ deputy leader, Thomas Mulcair (Outremont) says that it is a mistake to place such an important issue in the hands of unelected senators. “Those people are disconnected from reality and unaccountable,” he said. “The Prime Minister is making a mistake by taking away responsibility for reviewing the accord from elected officials and instead asking his Senate insiders and party fundraisers to provide this crucial oversight.”
“In the absence of leadership and action from the Conservative government, we have organized public consultations across the country and we will continue to do so,” said Leslie. “People tell us that they want to have a say and that they want to be part of the decision-making process. We have identified potential solutions to the system’s problems and ways to meet future challenges. However, implementing solutions and improving our system will take political will, something cruelly lacking among the Conservatives.” 
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