Alberta Liberals will build Calgary's new cancer centre
February 20, 2008
"As I mentioned before, even though the health budgets were reduced, health
service delivery was maintained or improved." (Ed Stelmach-Hansard, February
14, 1996)
"[As] the Premier of the province of Alberta and as the leader of this
government I am accountable to Albertans, and I'll stand up for every
decision that this government has made in the past." (Ed
Stelmach-Legislative Assembly of Alberta, November 13, 2007)
Alberta Liberals will build Calgary's new cancer centre
Calgary - The Alberta Liberals will build the long-awaited new facility for
the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. Kevin Taft made the announcement
today as part of the Alberta Liberal Action Plan for Health Care.
Because of a pressing shortage of trained professionals, Taft noted, new
facilities will only work if we make a new level of commitment to training.
"The 600 new acute care beds planned for the Capital Region won't open
unless we have the staff to run them."
"Despite the Tory government's billion-dollar promise in 2005 for new cancer
centres, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre has been left on the back burner by Ed
Stelmach," said Taft. "Tory promises don't help Albertans who need
specialized care, and Tory promises don't move cancer research forward. It's
time to get this built."
The Tories promised a new hospital in south-east Calgary in 1998, Taft
noted, and left Calgarians in the waiting room for a decade.
The Alberta Liberals also committed to a new hospital in Grande Prairie, and
to re-development of the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital earlier in the
campaign.
Because of a pressing shortage of trained professionals, Taft noted, new
facilities won't work without a new level of commitment to training.
"The Tories laid off a whole generation of nurses in the 1990s," says Taft.
"And they let the number of graduating nurses in Alberta fall by half. They
created the current crisis in staffing not by neglect, but by slashing and
burning an excellent public health system." He noted that 1 in 4 Calgarians
cannot find a family doctor-a widespread problem throughout Alberta.
"Albertans are literally dying for lack of timely care because we're short
of professionals, and this government still spends twice as much each year
on subsidizing horse racing as it does on its Health Workforce Action Plan,"
Taft says. The Alberta Liberals will invest $60 million a year to expand the
health care workforce-$30 million more than the Tory government is currently
spending.
"A government spends on its priorities; it's that simple. The Alberta
Liberal priority is excellent, sustainable, public health care for
Albertans," Taft said. "The Tories tell us public health care is
unsustainable while channeling over $50 million a year to the ponies and
signing a half billion dollar, 10 year deal. While health regions are forced
to plan year to year, horseracing gets 10 years of stability. The Tories
have lost their way."
The Alberta Liberals will work in close partnership with post-secondary
institutions to determine how many additional training spaces for nurses and
other health care professionals are needed, and to provide them with a
framework of stable funding to expand programs. "We'll set clear targets
supported by dedicated resources."
"It's time to stop a boom-and-bust approach to Albertans' health," said
Taft. "It's time to recommit to excellent, sustainable, accessible public
health care for Albertans, and to a healthier future."
"As I mentioned before, even though the health budgets were reduced, health
service delivery was maintained or improved." (Ed Stelmach-Hansard, February
14, 1996)
"[As] the Premier of the province of Alberta and as the leader of this
government I am accountable to Albertans, and I'll stand up for every
decision that this government has made in the past." (Ed
Stelmach-Legislative Assembly of Alberta, November 13, 2007)
Alberta Liberals will build Calgary's new cancer centre
Calgary - The Alberta Liberals will build the long-awaited new facility for
the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. Kevin Taft made the announcement
today as part of the Alberta Liberal Action Plan for Health Care.
Because of a pressing shortage of trained professionals, Taft noted, new
facilities will only work if we make a new level of commitment to training.
"The 600 new acute care beds planned for the Capital Region won't open
unless we have the staff to run them."
"Despite the Tory government's billion-dollar promise in 2005 for new cancer
centres, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre has been left on the back burner by Ed
Stelmach," said Taft. "Tory promises don't help Albertans who need
specialized care, and Tory promises don't move cancer research forward. It's
time to get this built."
The Tories promised a new hospital in south-east Calgary in 1998, Taft
noted, and left Calgarians in the waiting room for a decade.
The Alberta Liberals also committed to a new hospital in Grande Prairie, and
to re-development of the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital earlier in the
campaign.
Because of a pressing shortage of trained professionals, Taft noted, new
facilities won't work without a new level of commitment to training.
"The Tories laid off a whole generation of nurses in the 1990s," says Taft.
"And they let the number of graduating nurses in Alberta fall by half. They
created the current crisis in staffing not by neglect, but by slashing and
burning an excellent public health system." He noted that 1 in 4 Calgarians
cannot find a family doctor-a widespread problem throughout Alberta.
"Albertans are literally dying for lack of timely care because we're short
of professionals, and this government still spends twice as much each year
on subsidizing horse racing as it does on its Health Workforce Action Plan,"
Taft says. The Alberta Liberals will invest $60 million a year to expand the
health care workforce-$30 million more than the Tory government is currently
spending.
"A government spends on its priorities; it's that simple. The Alberta
Liberal priority is excellent, sustainable, public health care for
Albertans," Taft said. "The Tories tell us public health care is
unsustainable while channeling over $50 million a year to the ponies and
signing a half billion dollar, 10 year deal. While health regions are forced
to plan year to year, horseracing gets 10 years of stability. The Tories
have lost their way."
The Alberta Liberals will work in close partnership with post-secondary
institutions to determine how many additional training spaces for nurses and
other health care professionals are needed, and to provide them with a
framework of stable funding to expand programs. "We'll set clear targets
supported by dedicated resources."
"It's time to stop a boom-and-bust approach to Albertans' health," said
Taft. "It's time to recommit to excellent, sustainable, accessible public
health care for Albertans, and to a healthier future."
Trackbacks
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as Linear | Threaded