Thank you for contacting me concerning issues of importance to Canadians diagnosed with cancer.
Provinces need increases to the Canada Health Transfer as they work to improve hospital, home care and long-term care capacity. Increases to the Canada Health Transfer will directly affect what happens to hospital and long-term care bed capacity here in Ottawa Centre. Our plan will increase the transfers to 6% at a minimum.
Canada’s investment in research must also keep pace at internationally competitive levels, by retaining world-class scientists, and pushing innovation. Public health requires renewed focus across governments at all levels.
Canada’s Conservatives will increase EI sickness benefits to 52 weeks for those suffering from a serious illness. The current EI sickness benefit limit of 15 weeks is not enough for those undergoing treatment for serious illnesses like cancer. We will ensure that ill workers receive the support they need to recover.
A mandated review/reset for the Public Health Agency of Canada is in order following the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to learn from mistakes to improve infectious disease surveillance, timely response, and Canada’s pandemic preparedness.
I am proud of my work in healthcare in Canada, as the first female President & CEO of the Canadian Hospital Association, and the Executive Director of the Medical Research Council of Canada (now the Canadian Institutes of Health Research). I began my career in healthcare at the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
I hope this provides you and your members with some information on the Conservative Party’s plans which would help support patients, survivors and stakeholder groups.
Sincerely,
Carol Clemenhagen
Conservative Candidate, Ottawa Centre