Wednesday July 22, 2026 | CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI [Posted at 6:56 pm PT]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
As Canada’s Premiers gathered in Charlottetown today for their summer meeting at the Council of the Federation, NDP Member of Parliament and federal NDP critic for Health Gord Johns addressed a Canadian Health Coalition rally with a message on how to save Canada’s public healthcare system.
“Medicare was built on a simple promise. When you’re sick or injured, you get the care you need based on your health, not on the size of your bank account,” Johns said.
“But today, that promise is under threat. And instead of standing up for Medicare, the Prime Minister is standing by and watching it be dismantled,” said Johns, who is the federal MP for Courtenay-Alberni on Vancouver Island.
The 13 premiers did in fact highlight health-care and the importance of consistent and sufficient federal health-care funding (transfers to the provinces for their general revenues) as part of their Council of the Federation closing press conference and news release.
Premier Rob Lantz of PEI — who chaired the council of the Federation summer meeting — today said that the premiers had “a robust discussion about health care in this country and the need for the federal government to come to the table as a strong, stable reliable partner that’s able to fund universal health care, universal access to health care across this entire country”.
So the premiers are supportive but they see more federal funding as key to doing what they need to do in their respective provinces.
Recent concerns:
Johns pointed to recent actions taken by the government of Alberta, where he says more surgeries, more doctors, and more public dollars are shifting into private, for-profit delivery.
“The Canada Health Act wasn’t written as a suggestion,” said Johns. “It is federal law. And if provinces violate its principles, the federal government has the authority and the responsibility to act”.
Johns concluded by sending a clear message that with Canada’s sovereignty under threat, Canada’s public Medicare system can help unite Canadians and build a stronger Canada.
A parallel private health care system (for example in Alberta) is one of the warning signs already visible across the country, says the Canadian Healh Coalition today, listing off “hallway medicine and stalled long-term care projects in British Columbia; illegal private clinic fees in Nova Scotia; seniors in Ontario charged thousands of dollars out of pocket for cataract and joint replacement surgeries; and mounting pressure on public systems in New Brunswick, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec”.
A great achievement:
“Medicare is one of Canada’s greatest achievements. Canadians don’t want an American-style, for-profit health care system where your credit card matters more than your health card,” Johns said.
Today Council of the Federation Chair Rob Lantz (Premier of PEI) did highlight health-care as something distinctly Canadian and important for people and the economy.
Rally:
Johns’ speech to the Canadian Health Coalition rally was attended by health care workers, patients, family members and the wider community.
They held their rally outside the premiers’ Council of the Federation meeting in Charlottetown.
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- NEWS SECTIONS: CANADA-NATIONAL | COUNCIL of the FEDERATION | FEDERAL NDP