We can make life better for everyone by disaster-proofing our health care system against future crises, and at the same time by making sure people get the healthcare they need.

COVID put a massive strain on Canada’s health care system.

Doctors, nurses, and care aids made huge sacrifices, working impossible hours under very difficult conditions.

We came together with pots and pans every night to show our gratitude and keep them going.

COVID showed us how important our healthcare system is.

Now we can come together to build a stronger healthcare system for everyone.

Canada got through the pandemic in much better shape than many other countries.

Strong public services helped Canadians stay home and stay safe.

If we caught COVID-19, access to a public healthcare system gave us a very good chance of surviving it.

We can strengthen our healthcare system so healthcare workers and patients never have to go through that again.

Long-term care

The pandemic also exposed serious gaps in our long-term care system and heightened existing inequalities in people’s access to healthcare.

Private long-term care homes had much higher rates of outbreaks and deaths than public facilities. We need to make long-term care homes like Revera public to protect our seniors if another crisis hits.

Serious staff shortages due to a lack of funding meant the loss of lives.

People living in low-income neighbourhoods – many of whom are racialized, Indigenous, Black or new to Canada – were hospitalized due to the virus at over double the rate of those living in higher income areas.

This inequality is growing, but the gap can be closed.

Pharmacare

Inequalities also exist in Canadians’ access to prescription drugs.

One in three working people don’t have prescription drug coverage. The less you earn at work, the less likely you are to have a benefit plan that covers prescriptions.

A poll conducted by Heart and Stroke and the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions showed 93 per cent of Canadians think it’s important for everyone to have equal access to prescription drugs.

Most people feel that it's the federal government’s job to make sure that happens.

We need a national pharmacare plan so that people don’t have to choose between putting food on the table and buying the medication they need.

A healthcare system for all

Erin O’Toole and the Conservatives have never shown much support for our public healthcare system and the healthcare workers who battled the pandemic.

This election is our opportunity to improve healthcare access for Canadians who need it and make sure the Conservatives don’t get a chance to move us backwards.

This is our chance to choose a government that will protect and improve Canadian healthcare.