Developmental Services Sector: Election 2018 Panel Discussion

This discussion is centred around the issues facing people with developmental disabilities and their families in Waterloo Region.  It will provide an opportunity for members and organizations involved in the developmental services sector to hear learn about the policies offered by local politicians and their parties over the next four years.

Care has been taken to ensure this is not a debate.  The panel of participants represent the four major parties in the 5 Waterloo Region constituencies with no candidate running against each other in the upcoming election.

CATHERINE FIFE, MPP Candidate 
Ontario New Democratic Party ~ Waterloo
KATHRYN MCGARRY, MPP Candidate 
Ontario Liberal Party ~ Cambridge
DAIENE VERNILE, MPP Candidate 
Ontario Liberal Party ~ Kitchener Centre
BOB JONKMAN, Candidate 
Green Party of Ontario ~ Kitchener—Conestoga
AMY FEE, Candidate 
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario ~ Kitchener South—Hespeler

The audience will be individuals with an interest in the Developmental Sector, primarily family, self-advocates and persons supported by the Sector and people volunteering or working in the Sector or related Sectors. The purpose of the evening is for candidates to outline their Parties Platform related to the Developmental Sector and to speak to the issues related to the Sector.

This event is being jointly hosted by:

If possible, the organizers would appreciate an RSVP indicating the number of people who will attend:
by email info@wrfn.info, or
by phone 519-886-9150;ext=1

Thu, 26 April 2018, 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Holiday Inn Kitchener Waterloo
30 Fairway Rd S, Kitchener
ON N2A 2N2, Canada (map)

Come out to support Bob Jonkman, Kitchener–Conestoga’s 2018 GPO candidate in this pre-election Panel Discussion.

Pharmacare Town Hall Wednesday!

Of all the countries that provides citizens with Universal Health Care, did you know Canada is the only country that doesn’t also have Universal Pharmacare?

In 2014, Dr. Eric Hoskins ~ Ontario’s Liberal Minister of Health and Long-Term Care ~ wrote an OpEd for the Globe and Mail explaining Why Canada needs a national pharmacare program

It has been estimated that Universal public drug coverage would:

  • reduce total spending on prescription drugs in Canada by $7.3 billion
  • save the Private Sector $8.2 billion
  • increase costs to government $1.0 billion

A Mowat Centre study published by  in in 2015 goes even further:

“Overall, it estimates a universal pharmacare plan would save up to $11.4 billion a year, with $1 billion of that saved just by no longer duplicating administrative costs in the current “patchwork” system.”

However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal Liberal Government have more important things to worry about than the health of its citizens, so the Ontario Liberals Government has stepped up to the plate with an intention to add publicly funded pharmacare coverage for children and youth ~ adding to the patchwork system.

“Because Ontario is adding universal, comprehensive pharmacare coverage to the age group that uses medicines least often. Many working-age Ontarians, who are far more likely to require medicines than children, will still be uninsured.”

Why a universal pharmacare plan makes sense — now

Town Hall Meeting

This Wednesday, June 28th, the new KW Chapter of the Council of Canadians is hosting a Pharmacare Town Hall Meeting from 7 – 9pm at First United Church in Waterloo (map).  Kitchener Centre MP Raj Saini (a pharmacist before going into politics) will be representing the Liberal Party,  Kitchener-Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife will be representing the NDP, and our own Stacey Danckert will be there speaking for the Greens.

With a provincial election in the offing, this should be a lively event.  We hope to see you there!

Sign The Petition

Until July 13th you can sign Steve Morgan’s ePetition E-959 (HEALTH CARE SERVICES)

which calls upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Implement through a Federal law, a Pan-Canadian Universal Pharmacare Plan, in this 42nd Parliament; and
2. Implement a National Formulary for medically necessary drugs including a drug monitoring agency providing regulations and oversight to protect Canadians.
Even though the Trudeau government has demonstrated its unwillingness to do what Canadians ask in such petitions, it doesn’t hurt to try.

For more information download the PDFs of the Pharmacare studies:

CMAJ:  Estimated cost of universal public coverage of prescription drugs in Canada

Mowat Centre: Unfilled Prescriptions: the Drug Coverage Gap in Canada’s Health Care Systems



Postscript

I’ve just learned Kitchener—Centre Liberal MP Raj Saini has backed out.

Dr. Sherilyn Houle (UW School of Pharmacy) will also be joining the panel.

Waterloo Region Climate Consultation

Climate Consultation Waterloo Region - Thursday, August 18, 7:00 PM~ Kitchener City Hall Rotunda

Waterloo Region Climate Consultation

Thursday, August 18, 7:00 PM

Kitchener City Hall Rotunda
200 King St. W., Kitchener
Kitchener, N2G 4G7, Canada

All five MPs in Waterloo Region are teaming up for this multi-constituency consultation.  We need you to commit now to attend this most important of consultations!

We’ll show our support for the People’s Climate Plan. Organizers with the People’s Climate Plan are calling for the national climate strategy that respects climate science and Canada’s commitments in the Paris Agreement, ensures a plan to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and enshrines justice for all workers and Indigenous communities.

Get directions to this event ~ due to LRT construction, out of towners should try to come early in case of detours

EVERYONE needs to come to this important event.

This is a multipartisan event that is the result of collaboration of many different groups. Both Liberal and Conservative MPs will be in attendance, with GPC and likely NDP folk helping to facilitate.