Stop Trashing Public Sector Workers and Our Labor Unions

An opinion piece in The Montreal Gazette last week written by Paul Moist, the President of the CUPE is reminding us that one thing we can be proud of as Canadians are  things like Universal Health care,  public education and many other social programs. 


I agree with him on one thing, now is not the time cut services. Not while in the middle of a recession. Some may argue we are in recovery others say we aren't; depending who you talk to and what you read. Folks are still losing their jobs; with that comes the increased need for public services and social programs.


Yet, the Quebec Government is proposing tuition fees for the CEGEPS (for those outside of Quebec: it's between high school and university; it replaces your grade 12), raising hydro fees as well as implementing service charges in an effort to reduce our deficit.  Moist suggests that the Charest government should never have cut income taxes. Yeah, I know, not a very popular idea and an idea that would send the right into a tizzy, but they would bitch about the paying tuition fees to send their kids to CEGEP, pay toll fees, a hike in their hydro bill, etc. In other words, another demonstration of how there is no way to win with the right.


Moist also says that over 80 000 jobs were cut across Canada just inside those first four months of the recession. Quel surprise.


He makes a good pitch about investing in the public sector. However, will anyone buy? Not ol' Stevie, that's for sure. By the looks of things, certainly not Charest, nor most other provincial governments.


The right like to bitch about the public sector and their unions. Case in point, Shona Holmes. In her facebook support group, she, egged on by Mario Coluccio, the managing director of CMPI in New York City who first recruited her to meet the press club and  to further his agenda and that of his group to make sure the U.S. doesn't get health care reform, has been trashing labour unions; mainly, nurse's unions. You can catch the discussion forum here. In that debate, one girl, a nursing student puts forth some strong arguements: 


"Unions are there to look out for the rights of the workers and advocate for their wages and working conditions. In the case of nurses' unions, this means also looking out and advocating for patients and clients as well. The working conditions of nurses are the conditions in which patients find themselves."  



I believe that this arguement best summarizes Moist's arguement in his editorial piece.


Needless to say, Shona Holmes as well as her husband and Coluccio continue to despise the public sector and their labour unions and to this day, continue to trash them. They still maintain that unions are what's really to blame for all of society's ills and maintain that patients would have better care without them.


Let's remember where Shona Holmes stands though. She is trying to dismantle our universal health care system in addition to trying to make sure President Obama's health care reform never sees the light of day.


 CUPE has come out against privatized health care in Canada. 


They are unfortunately not alone. Here is a letter to the editor from some affluent red-neck in Montreal in rebuttle to Moist's opinion piece:  

Re: "Public sector a good investment" (Opinion, Oct. 6).

Would you invest your money with Paul Moist, the president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees? Public-sector workers contribute zero money to government coffers, but here in Quebec they account for 60 per cent of government spending. Private-sector workers contributions are not enough to cover the bloated public sector payrolls as it is.

This year, when Quebec's deficit will reach $6 billion, the public-sector payroll amounts to $3.6 billion. The public sector is bankrupting the country and destroying the economy, and the only response from the union is , "Give us more money." Public-sector unions should be outlawed.

Tim Taylor

Beaconsfield

Well, Mr. Tim Taylor, take your kids out of public school then. Cut up your medicare card. Don't apply for old age pension. Oh, if you and / your family fall into a difficult situation, don't count on social services to help you out. Be careful what you wish for, chappy. One day, you will get old and sick or hurt. You may lose your job with no hope of another in the foreseeable future. Everyone is vulnerable.Beaconsfield is an affluent suburb of Montreal. Another example of one who doesn't realize his sheltered life in the 'burbs can fall apart one day and may have a need for one of our social programs. A public sector worker who cares enough to help. This is something anybody from the right should always remember, including Shona Holmes with her ritzy house with a pond in oh little town of Waterdown, Ont.

I work in the public sector. I'm an administrative agent for the Youth Protection Agency of Quebec and as such, I'm a member of CUPE.  As a high school teacher in the public school system in Montreal and a social worker, my parents were public sector employees who were also members of unions.  My father wanted to shape young minds; to share his knowledge of subjects like history, litterature and art. My mother wanted to help society's disenfranchised and to help families care for their sick relatives more effectively, to find suitable end of life care for  the terminally ill, to help the elderly get the resources they need to survive. Both of them cared enough about their work more than making a killing in the private sector.

A social worker  who works at the same Youth Protection Agency as I do, knows all too well what it's like to work on the front lines,  was none too amused with Mr. Tim Taylor's letter. She writes a rebuttle to his letter: 

Re: "CUPE leader all wet" (Letters, Oct. 8).

I'm a CUPE member and a public-sector worker. I earn a salary. I pay provincial and federal income taxes and contribute to employment insurance and the Quebec Pension Plan. I also pay sales tax.

How can it be said that I contribute zero money to the government?

I also pay into a pension plan and make RRSP contributions so I won't be a burden on public funds when I retire. I'm not destroying the economy. Neither is my union. I pay union dues to support my union.

I work for the Youth Protection Agency. Our job is to protect our most valuable asset - children. We work to help children who have been abused or neglected regain their lives and become productive citizens. Sadly, we do not always succeed. We care deeply about our work; this is not the kind of job you do unless you care.

Public-sector workers look after children in daycares and hospitals. They teach our children in schools. They work with children with special needs. We contribute to society in many ways. We deserve better than to be blamed for all of the woes of society.

Margaret Godbeer

I can attest that I more taxes taken off my pay-checque working at the agency than I did working in the private sector and my salary is the same as it was in my previous job. However, I would never want to go back to the private sector (unless my life depended on it, of course).  No, not because I'm a member of CUPE or any other labor union for that matter. I would rather work toward the common good rather than working to line the pockets of some company. Same reason why my parents worked in the public sector. 

Moist also sees the need to not only maintain our services but to expand upon them, which would create jobs at the same time. He suggests to the Quebec government and other provincial governments. Who could say no to job creation during a time of job losses? Logically, no one, but, since when did our politicians, particularly those right of centre, did things logically?

So the next time anybody thinks about bashing the public sector and the unions who represent them. Remember, you and/or your family may need them someday, yes, even you Charest, Stevie, and the other politicians,  and you will want them to care enough about their jobs in order to provide the assistance you need.

The Sweetheart of "Faux" News &the Darling of the American Right...The Lies Continue

Well, she's baaack!! That's right America's Right Winged Darling was being interviewed on Faux news. Inspite of the fact no one says she would have died & that Doctors who have been interviewed said that no one dies of the is condition; she still maintains that would not have survived had she waited in Canada.


What's worse (not that I'm surprised) is how biased Faux News (took the nick name from A Creative Revolution) is. They also had T.R. Reid, the author of  The Healing of America-The Search for Better, Cheaper & Fairer Health Care & he must be wondering why they even had him on. Clearly the host wanted nothing to do with him, while not letting him get a word in or interrupting him while he does. An example of this is when Reid cited info from the John's Hopkins School of Medicine declaring that more Americans Go To Canada for treatment, he was dismissed while the host turned immediately to Shona Holmes. Yes, after all, she is their star & they certainly can't have an American of reason stealing her thunder now can they? While T.R. Reid mentions a study done at a reputable U.S. medical school; Shona refutes that arguement citing absolutely no facts & no study, yet she has more credence than Reid. Yah, REAL Responsible media.


You can read an article by T.R. Reid debunking a few myths in the Washington Post  on August 23, 2009.



Shona Holmes also states that it's absolutely untrue that Americans come to Canada for health care. Well, Shona, meet Kathleen & Maureen, two American women living in B.C. who as much as they would like to go back state side, they can't. Gee, I wonder why?? 




What's even funnier is in August, before this little smut fest, I wrote a letter to Shona Holmes (you can find a copy of my letter here), I did send her the link to this second video featuring Kathleen & Maureen. 


I know that at the very least, my letter was read by her husband, David given that he had already attempted to to antagonize me online,  along with Mario Coluccio,  the managing director of CMPI, a public interest group lobbying against President Obama's health care reform.


Another thing that pisses me off about Shona Holmes is that she presumes to speak for all Canadians, particularly sick Canadians. NO, she means Rich Canadians. 


What is ironic is that the American Health Insurance industry that Holmes so vehemently defends would refuse her coverage due to a pre-existing condition.  Had she been living state side, she would still have had to take out a mortgage on  her house. If Canada adapted this American Health Care system, she would still have to mortgage her home. Under both those circumstances, she would never be able to sue her government.


What is hypocritical is that she & her merry band of Conservatives, like Canadian Constitution Foundation don't believe the Government should be involved in health care; that the Free market should take over health care & yet they`re suing the Ontario Government. Well, isn't this lawsuit essentially asking for Government to get involved??


You can hear an interview done on CBC's The Current with Kathleen Kelly yesterday here. It's under the heading Medical Exile - Patients First. 


Apparently, a hearing is supposed to begin soon in the Shona Holmes' law suit & let's all hope & pray that OHIP & the Ontario Attorney General have their shit together. A  win for Holmes & CCF would indeed be very damaging to Canada's Universal Health coverage whether or not ol' Stevie ever gets a majority government as I`ve already illustrated in a previous posting. 


Affordable & quality health care should & must be available for ALL. This is one thing where Capitalism should play no part in.

Harper: Time to 'Fess up! Let's Talk Health Care!

Ol' Stevie is off to Washington to meet with President Obama tomorrow & Liberals are asking him to defend our health care system state-side. Something Harper was able to avoid, even when in an interview with ABC news correspondant, Jake Tapper. To summarize Harper's answers to Tapper's health care questions, he basically said he left that entirely to the provinces & basically pulling the old Sergent Schultz routine (I know nut-ting! I know nut-ting!).  To be fair, I can forgive Harper not jumping into the health care debate in the U.S for one reason: Obama's health care reform plan doesn't call for a single-payer health care system like in Canada; it doesn't resemble Canada's model at all. Shona Holmes' ad & other ads like her's are nothing more than a red herring. 


However, as our prime minister, why doesn't he defend our health care system here, in Canada to the likes of the Canadian Constitution Foundation & the last three presidents (present one included) of the Canadian Medical association & other interest groups who are doggedly trying to dismantle the Canada Health Act & our single payer system??


When the Liberals ask Harper to defend our health care system, they asked the wrong question; my question to that is are they asking Harper the wrong question intentionally in order to box him into a corner? If this is the case, the Liberals should continue running with this. It's a  great strategy for the Liberals  to slam Harper with  his views on  health care. I do mean his REAL views. Not the 2005 campaign where he promises to maintain our single-payer system & even try to improve on it. "There will be no private, parallel system," Harper told a campaign rally in Winnipeg. & that would respect the Canada Health Act & reduce waiting times. 


The video of Harper speaking to fellow Conservatives in Sault Ste Marie behind closed doors released September 9  revealed the REAL Harper; the Stevie of Reform, the NCC & the Canadian Alliance Party.The video is posted on Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Harper. In the video, it is quite obvious that someone edited out alot of footage; undoubtedly more damning stuff. I would even venture to say he expressed his old & true views of our health care system & in which direction it should go.  


Here are various quotes from Stephen Harper in days' past regarding Health Care in Canada to refresh our memories: 


"It's past time the feds scrapped the Canada Health Act."
- Stephen Harper, then Vice-President of the National Citizens Coalition, 1997.


"What we clearly need is experimentation with market reforms and private delivery options [in health care]."
- Stephen Harper, then President of the NCC, 2001.




In his 2002 Throne Speech Reply, Stephen Harper said: "A government monopoly is not the only way to deliver health care to Canadians. ... It (the federal government) must remove any barriers, any chill to increase private capital investment plans that the provinces have for our health-care system."

"I know this is a dangerous subject. My advisors say don't talk about it, but the fact is sometimes provinces have allowed in the past few years, they've brought in private services covered by public health insurance... Why do I care and why do we care as a federal government how they're managed? What we care about is whether people can access them. This is just an ideological agenda."
- Conservative leader Stephen Harper at the leadership debate, June 15th 2004, conceding that he shouldn't talk about his positive view of privatization of health care.

Notice the paralell between this last quote & what he tells Jake Tapper his view about Canada's health care system: 

"Yes, but the responsibility for the health care waits, in our country, are the responsibilities of provincial governments. 

I have taken the view, as the federal prime minister very different than some of my predecessors as I don’t lecture the provinces publically on how they should be running their health care systems. 

What we try to do is work with them in a cooperative manner so we can be helpful in addressing the challenges.  

All around the world, what we are seeing all around the world is important to understand is that there have been tremendous breakthroughs in medicine.  We can treat more things, more ways through new technology, drugs than ever before.

At the same time, all of this costs money.  If you are prepared to spend an unlimited amount of money, you can do an almost unlimited number of things in people’s health care.  But you don’t have an unlimited amount of money no matter what your system is.  And these are challenges that every system has to address.

But I’m not – I’m not going, quite frankly, criticize how our provinces are running their health care systems because I know the challenges that face them are very big."

In both those statements he hints at not only leaving the provinces to decide how to handle their health care systems & basically keep the federal government out of it, but also supports private health care. 


Right now he is skirting the issue of one of the most important social programs to most Canadians. Even Eric Mang of the harperindex.ca admits that "....it may not have been politically prudent for Mr. Harper to allow himself to be dragged into the Shona Holmes debacle" given that her ad in the U.S. has been proven to be an outright lie.


However, indirectly, he is, in my opinion. 


The Canadian Constitution Foundation a Conservative public interest group funded by donations & our tax dollars which backs right-winged legal cases; cases which support everything Harper has said in his days with the Reform, NCC & Canadian Alliance Party,   is backing Shona Holmes law suit against OHIP & the Ontario Government.  This is why the Shona Holmes case is so frightening. Call me a conspiracy theorist if you will, but if one stopped & think about this; given Harper's real views of private for profit health care; it's not that crazy. Awhile back, I don't think anyone believed Harper would ever get a majority government, thus, would never be able to implement privatized health care. As such, I believed that if Shona Holmes' suit is successful, this would be a way for Harper to push privatized health care through the back door of parliament without losing any of his constituents. 


So, why did Harper change his tune about health care in his 2005 campaign?  If there is one thing most Canadians; right, centre & left agree on is our universal health care program. Some may whine & complain, but they would never give it up in favour of the U.S. health care system. Yes, most Canadians do agree our system needs some improvements, but they agree that we should improve our single-payer system & clearly DON'T want a paralell health care system such as the one the U.S. 

Bottom line, if Harper revealed his true views of our health care system even inadvertantly; it would indeed be a deal breaker. Even most of those who voted for Harper consistantly support our health care system & thus wouldn't vote for him.

The Liberals would be best to lay off those 'think big & global' & 'talking to India & China'---average Canadians wouldn't relate to them, particularly those who lost their jobs due to sub-contracting their jobs out to India & China. They should, instead, take Jack Layton's cue from last year & make it about the kitchen table; something I think the Liberals can actually sell even better than Layton could. One of the reasons why I believe the Liberals & NDP should merge as I mentioned in another previous posting: ...And Let the Insanity Begin! but I digress. 


One of the biggest issues important to average Canadians, no matter if they're right winged, Centrist or Left-winged, would be health care & they would do well to continuously hammer ol' Stevie over the head with it...give him the rope to hang himself with. I strongly believe that sooner or later, he will hang himself with  his disdain for our health care system & promote private health care. I sincerely hope that the Liberals (& the other political parties) will take this on, not for their sake, but for the sake of our health care system.