November 24, 2024
Yesterday in the Legislature, Green Party MLA for Memramcook-Tantramar and Health Critic Megan Mitton called on the government to cease privatization efforts within the healthcare system and to develop an action plan to bring the management of services offered by Medavie Health Services back under public control.
“Canadians are proud of their publicly operated and funded healthcare system,” said Mitton. “The privatization of healthcare services costs more than if they were kept in the public sector, due to administrative costs, performance incentives, overpayment, extra procedures, and corporate profits.”
In proposing her motion, Mitton cited several examples of privatization by successive governments, including:
- In 2007 the Liberal Graham government signed an agreement with Medavie to transfer ambulance services to that company.
- In 2017 the Liberal Gallant government later turned over the public Extra-Mural Program to Medavie Health.
- In 2022, the Conservative Higgs government gave the administration of NB Health Link to Medavie.
“The privatization of healthcare services by successive Liberal and Conservative governments is contributing to loss of healthcare system staff, loss of managerial control, loss of accountability and a loss of democratic decision making within the healthcare system,” Mitton told the Legislative Assembly.
-30-