Stop proposed IFHP cuts: National Day of Action, June 18

AOHC urges it members to act on this pressing issue – and to spread the word as you can. Time is of the essence!

- Actions
- Updates
- Who's involved?
- Background

The federal government is planning to strip refugees of temporary health care coverage effective July 1, 2012.

The Canadian government is planning on making significant cuts to the Interim Federal Health program (IFHP), which will result in many refugees in Canada losing access to primary health care services and medications to treat their illnesses. Once these cuts take effect, refugees will only be covered for health care if it is urgent or essential or is a threat to public health or safety.

This decision is bad health policy. Refugees will not get the care they need and are likely to become seriously ill, ending up in hospital beds or emergency departments.

 

Actions:

1. Please take a minute to send an urgent message to your MP (find the list here) and to Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney at either  Kenney.J@parl.gc.ca or Minister@cic.gc.ca

- template letter – adjust and add your own details if you can

2. Sign this online petition calling on Minister Kenney to reverse the proposed IFHP cuts

3. On Twitter?  

- Follow @AOHC_ACSOand retweet
- Minister Kenney is @KenneyJason
- Follow @Docs4RefugeeHC to get involved in the online discussion, or you can join in by using the hashtags #RefugeeHealth, #cdnpoli, and #cdnhealth

Here are some sample tweets:

- Stop the cuts to #RefugeeHealth coverage. Refugees are future citizens and deserve health coverage! @KenneyJason
- The cuts to #RefugeeHealthcoverage will not lower costs, but rather increase the risk to public safety.@KenneyJason
- The federal gov't should protect and improve #RefugeeHealth as an investment that benefits the community! Stop the cuts! @KenneyJason

4. Join your colleagues across Canada at a National Day of Action.

When: June 18th at 1:00 p.m.
Toronto location: The CIC building at 25 St. Clair St. E.

Updates

- June 11: Petition to ask Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, to stop the pending changes to the IHFP reaches 10,000 signatures! Sign the petition here.
-May 22: Dr. Meb Rashid, medical director at the Crossroads Clinic at Women's College Hospital, spoke on CBC radio's Metro Morning program in Toronto about how the federal government's planned cuts will be a catastrophic change to health care provision for the most vulnerable in our society. Listen to it here.
- May 17: The Medical Officer of Health submitted a recommendation to the Board of Health to call on the federal government to reinstate the IFHP to maintain interim support for refugee and refugee claimant health care needs. Read the recommendation here.
- May 11: Doctors across Canada protested the cuts. Ninety doctors in Toronto occupied MP Joe Oliver's office. Dozens in Ottawa rallied on Parliament Hill and press conferences/releases were issued in London, Montreal and Newfoundland.Watch the video here.

Who's Involved?

Individuals, groups, doctors, and associations alike are speaking out openly, calling on Minister Kenney to revise or rescind the changes to the Interim Federal Health Program, including:

- The Canadian Association of Optometrists
- Canadian Dental Association
- Canadian Pharmacists Association
- The College of Family Physicians of Canada
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
- The Canadian Medical Association
- The Canadian Nursing Association

Background:

Canadian Council for Refugees position

The Canadian Association for Community Health Centres