British Columbia 2013 Election Campaign

Question 1 response: Through tough economic times, Today’s BC Liberal government has made smart investments in health care that mean better care for all British Columbians. Our $8-billion funding for health capital includes new hospitals and new hospital towers in Abbotsford, Victoria, Kelowna, Vernon, Surrey and Vancouver – and many more major projects are progressing as well. Over the next three years, we will invest an additional $2.3 billion in health care capital projects. Additionally, we will continue to invest in the budget for the Ministry of Health, increasing spending for health operations by an additional $2.4 billion over the next three years. We are proud that BC has some of the best cancer outcomes in Canada. According to 2012 estimates in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics report, British Columbian men and woman have the: Lowest overall mortality rate for all cancers in Canada; Lowest overall incident rate of cancer in the country; Lowest incident rate for lung and colorectal cancers; and Best five-year survival rate for breast cancer in Canada at 91.8 per cent. Since 2001, we have opened two additional cancer agency centres – one in Abbotsford and one in Prince George. As a result, BC now has a total of six cancer agency centres. Today’s BC Liberal government has increased spending on cancer care and control by 173 per cent since 2001. Question 2 response: Today’s BC Liberals have taken strong action to make prescription medications more affordable. The Pharmaceutical Services Act, which came into force on May 31, 2012, has allowed us to reduce the price of generic drugs to 25 per cent of the brand name price as of April 1 this year, and will allow us to further reduce it to 20 per cent as of April 1, 2014. Previously, generics cost 35 per cent of the brand-name price. We also worked with other jurisdictions in Canada to lower the price for six widely-used generic drugs, which could produce savings of $100 million for provincial and territorial drug plans once fully implemented. We are proud of what our government has achieved. For example: B.C. provides 100 per cent coverage of psychiatric medications for those in need; PharmaCare provides 100 per cent coverage, with no deductible and no co-pay, for families on income assistance and people in residential care; and By ensuring no family pays more than four per cent of their income towards their prescription drug costs, PharmaCare protects B.C. residents from catastrophic drug costs. Today’s BC Liberals will continue to work to make prescription drugs more affordable for all British Columbians. Question 3 response: Through the Provincial Health Services Authority, the BC Cancer Agency provides a province-wide, population-based cancer control program for the residents of British Columbia and the Yukon. Today’s BC Liberals will continue to enhance health care spending going forward, and we will build on our record of success. Recently, we made two changes that we believe will make a difference in the fight against cancer: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in Canada, yet it is also one of the most preventable. Effective Oct. 15, 2012, young people under the age of 18 have been banned from tanning beds in British Columbia. We launched a province wide colorectal cancer screening program on April 1, 2013, which will assist in early detection of the disease and save lives. Today’s BC Liberals recognize that research is important to unlocking the causes of this disease, and many others. Since 2001, we have invested more than $850 million in health research. Recipients of funding include the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Genome BC, and the Centre for Drug Research and Development. We will continue to invest in and support outstanding health research in British Columbia. Question 4 response: Today’s BC Liberals are committed to looking for ways to improve the excellent cancer care that is delivered in British Columbia. We will continue to examine evidence-based proposals and consult with stakeholders going forward.

Question 1 response: BC Greens really believe in our province’s health care system. We want to restore it to its glory days, and ensure that our system remains universal and single-tiered. Greens have plans to bring more doctors to our province, and ensure that care in both urban and rural areas is of a high standard. BC Greens also believe that prevention and early detection are key to helping control healthcare costs in our province. Through a number of programs we will make British Columbians healthier, and ensure that they can get the tests they need to ensure they get an early jump on any potential problems. Question 2 response: BC Greens are concerned with the high personal cost of health care in BC. We would phase out MSP premiums and instead fund healthcare from general revenue. Greens would also put in place programs to reduce the financial burden on British Columbians fighting illness and their families. Question 3 response:  Greens are concerned with the supply of medication from pharmaceutical companies. BC Greens would explore options to ensure that supply meets demand in our province, including the consideration of a Crown corporation to bulk purchase and dispense medications in BC. Question 4 response: BC Greens believe that treatment should be equal for all British Columbians, regardless of the cause of their illness. Compression garments are a common treatment for Lymphedema, and Greens believe that all those affected in our province should have equal access to this and other effective treatment options. Adam Olsen, Saanich North and the Islands Barinder Hans, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant Chris Aikman, Comox Valley Colin Hamm, Nechako Lakes Ian Gartshore, Nanaimo Jerome Dickey, Richmond-Steveston Matthew Pedley, Vancouver-Fairview Mayo McDonough, Nanaimo-North Cowichan Michael Patterson, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Richard Hosein, Surrey-Green Timbers Spencer Malthouse, Victoria-Swan Lake Stephen O’Shea, Abbotsford West Susan Low, Esquimalt-Royal Roads

Question 1 response: Adrian Dix has been a proponent of timely treatment of cancer and has been particularly active proponent for early screening. Adrian personally launched a public service campaign to encourage British Columbians between the ages of 50-74 to talk to their primary care provider about getting tested for colorectal cancer. As a reaction to that the BC Liberals began a province-wide colorectal cancer screening, a program that will undoubtedly save thousands of lives. Adrian Dix and the BC NDP government will improve public health care for British Columbians. Emphasizing a better use of health dollars, we will invest in prevention, and in additional health supports such as nurse practitioners, midwives and rehabilitation professionals. The BC NDP will also invest in innovation, incorporate cost-saving technologies, and learn from best practices in Canada and around the world. We will build partnerships to leverage the opportunities that come from BC being home to a vital and growing life sciences and health research sector. These steps will help control costs and improve care. By strengthening alternative levels of care, they will help take the pressure off acute care ERs and reduce waitlists. They support quality public health care, one of the strongest expressions of British Columbians’ shared commitment to a fair and compassionate society. Those steps include improving care for seniors, people with disabilities and people with chronic conditions, improvements in front-line mental health care, particularly for children, and increasing access to primary care services, particularly in rural areas. Question 2 response: The BC NDP knows that the cost of prescription drugs continues to grow. We will work to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. A BC NDP will: Expand BC’s low cost drug program. Restore the Therapeutic Initiative’s role as BC’s drug watchdog and make its expertise available to private drug plans, clinicians and consumers. Expand province-wide academic detailing to ensure prescribers are informed about the most appropriate drug use, and provide physicians with timely expert feedback on their prescribing patterns and trends. Question 3 response: The BC NDP believe cancer patients should have timely access to medications. We are committed to improving access to health care services via expanded home support and multi-disciplinary health care teams through community clinics. If the BC NDP forms the next government, we would look forward to meeting with you to discuss this issue in further detail. Question 4 response: The BC NDP has not considered the issue of extending reimbursement levels for lymphedema treatment. The BC NDP would be glad to meet with you after the election to discuss this issue. For details on the NDP’s plan to improve public health care, please read our platform, Change for the Better: Practical Steps, which you can access here. Jane Shin, Burnaby-Lougheed Selina Robinson, Coquitlam-Maillardville