The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) participated in the rally for public health care in Halifax on Tuesday, July 16 during Canada’s Premiers’ summer gathering.
NUPGE President, Bert Blundon, announced the union’s National Executive Board, representing 425,000 members across the country, scheduled its summer meeting to coincide with the Council of the Federation, in order to deliver a unified and urgent message for decisive action on healthcare.
“This is a make-or-break moment for public health care in Canada,” said Blundon. “Our governments must work together on a credible plan to tackle staffing shortages, improve retention, and ensure accessibility to quality health care in all communities. Let’s be clear: Privatization has been a catastrophic failure—too costly, chaotic, and ineffective. It’s time to return to a serious commitment to public health care.”
Healthcare professionals who make up over a third of NUPGE membership, have identified shortages, chronic underfunding, and flawed policies as the root causes of the current healthcare crisis.
Blundon said any meaningful strategy will need to involve those who are tasked with delivering care to Canadians every day. “These dedicated professionals have invaluable insights and recommendations to share. They need to be at the table if we want real change.”