SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Member of Parliament

Rachel Blaney

  • Member of Parliament
  • NDP
  • North Island—Powell River
  • British Columbia
  • Voting Attendance: 65%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $145,542.18

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 162 - Feb/16/23
Ms. Rachel Blaney
  • Feb/16/23 5:07:24 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, first of all, I will talk through you. I will also let the House know that, unlike the member, I will not be saying anything terrible about him, as he said earlier about me. That is fine. I am a pretty genuine person, in my opinion. However, what we are seeing again and again through this system is increased privatization. We have outlined in many speeches in this House all the different ways that Canadians are being charged for health care. It is happening. It is very nice that there is a loophole. There are several loopholes, and the Liberals need to fix those loopholes because the creep is happening. I do not know what else to say. It is a fair fact. We have reported it repeatedly and it has been in the media. I would encourage the member to look at that and do his own research. It is not my job to educate the member. Hopefully he can do it himself.
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Context: House Hansard - 162 - Feb/16/23
Ms. Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River, NDP)
  • Feb/16/23 4:38:42 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will be so happy to intone the name of the father of medicare and the system, Tommy Douglas. I just want to remind the member that it was passed by the Liberal government because that human being was sitting in this House and had demonstrated what it meant in Saskatchewan, and that is the only reason that we have this amazing system in this country today. I appreciate the member's hurt feelings. I understand these are sensitive issues that make us all concerned, but right now we are seeing privatization creep into this system. We have shown that in private systems, often the cost to the patient is double what it would be in our medicare system. When we start down that path, what it means is that more and more people who have resources would be going to the private system, and all the staff would be following that. People in Canada, who have relied on it and who voted in this country that Tommy Douglas was the greatest Canadian ever for the system, will see it deplete. The NDP is standing in this House today saying there should be a line. We are crossing that line, and we had better stop it. When will the Liberals take responsibility for that creep?
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