EDMONTON – More than 2,600 people have signed postcards calling on Premier Ed Stelmach to honour his election promise to build 600 new long-term care beds in Alberta.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees gathered the signatures and presented them to Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason today for tabling in the Legislature.
“By breaking his promise to create 600 new long-term care spaces in Alberta, Ed Stelmach has contributed to the rising wait-times and emergency room backups in Alberta hospitals,” Mason said. “The Progressive Conservatives can’t be trusted to protect seniors, or to protect public health care.”
CUPE Local 8 President Collette Singh is a long-term care worker, and said a lack of beds has led to inappropriate placements that put the health of seniors at risk.
“Assisted living facilities are full of seniors who should be in long-term care facilities because they have complex medical needs,” she said.
“It was Brian Mason and the NDP that blew the whistle on the government’s plan to cut long term care funding, and the health minister mocked him for it.” said Singh. ”I hope the minister is paying attention when Brian tables these postcards in the house – because a lot of people think the Conservatives are letting us down.”
CUPE Alberta President Dennis Mol praised health workers for signing the postcards, and pledged continued cooperation with the NDP in the fight to increase long-term care spaces.
“Front-line workers who care for seniors and are frustrated by this government’s failure to prioritize access to proper long-term care,” Mol said.
“Ed Stelmach isn’t listening to Albertans. “Charging seniors more money for less care is wrong. CUPE will continue to hold this government accountable for its failure to improve long-term care.”
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