Odessa Orlewicz posted on Librti Social

The new Health Professions and Occupations Act (Bill 36) is heading to legislature next Monday. There are serious concerns about how this new legislation will affect the governance of public and private health professions from creating amalgamated super colleges to removing the current elected board system to be replaced with ministerial appointment of board members. It is important that we voice our concerns on these matters. Please email your local MLAs with your specific concerns pertaining to these drastic changes. Below you will find an email template that you can read to understand the proposed changes and copy and paste to send. Prefer a PDF version? You can find one here on our website.

You may find your local MLA with this link:

https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members

Please also email/cc, or call the following key politicians as well to ensure all parties know our concerns CONTACT ALL BC MLA's

Liberal MLA Kevin Falcon, the Leader of the Opposition,

kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca or (250)-356-6171

Liberal MLA Health Critic Shirley Bond

shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca or (250)-386-2771

Premier David Eby

premier@gov.bc.ca or (250)-387-1715

Minister for Public Safety & Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth

PSSG.Minister@gov.bc.ca or (604) 927-2088

Our previous actions have already made an impact, let us keep moving forward. Thank you for your help and participation!

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Re: Health Professions and Occupations Act

Dear [Your MLA's Name]

I am writing out of concern and opposition to Bill 36, which would make sweeping changes to the governance of regulated health professions in British Columbia and dissolve the current Health Professions Act. I am asking that you oppose Bill 36 for the reasons outlined below.

1: The policies and decision-making of Minister Dix have not worked and have led to the rapid atrophy of BC’s health care system such that hospital and community medicine is on the brink of collapse. The Health Minister, whose policies should be helping improve healthcare in British Columbia, has contributed to its deterioration and ruin. Inexcusably, this crumbling healthcare system is negatively affecting the health and well-being of all British Columbians while demoralizing healthcare professionals throughout the province.

2: Current governance of regulated health professions in British Columbia includes profession-specific boards, including individuals whose merits and qualifications are based on the candidate's expertise and experience within their profession. If the Health Professions and Occupations Act is confirmed, these boards can be usurped by government-appointed members and be used and manipulated in such a way as to further the government’s agenda. Essentially, the BC government will take over the governance of all healthcare licensing and regulation.

With board members that will be appointed by the health minister, this leaves the door open to politicize healthcare. This is extremely dangerous. Appointed board members are neither beholden to the public nor patients. They are beholden to those that appointed them, and that is a serious conflict of interest that cannot be allowed.

3: Any proposed change to the Health Professions Act should be done prudently and with due consideration such that patient care is emphasized and protected and that healthcare professionals are not unduly undermined. This process should be done with careful calculation and deliberation and not simply rushed/pushed through.

4: The BC government press release states that "the legislation will simplify and streamline the process" – We know that this is simply never the case, as government initiatives rarely simplify or streamline anything.

5: Under the guise of public safety, Minister Dix is seeking to further erode autonomy and self-governance for each profession. Simply put, this is a power grab and continues the trend of government overreach exhibited by Minister Dix. His track record over the last two years has proven that public safety and improving patient care are not his principal goals.

6: The last few years of the increasingly failing public health system are prime examples of how politicians have systematically crippled healthcare under their governance. The Globe and Mail reported just this week that British Columbians are dying before they even reach the stage of diagnosis. (https://rb.gy/f3drmt) Now is not the time to tinker with regulatory bodies, amalgamation, and legislation that is not solution oriented. The focus needs to be directed on supporting and strengthening our failing system, not dismantling allied health and private practice, which are functioning well without government interference.

We currently already have an exodus of healthcare professionals from the province, and we cannot afford to lose additional highly skilled and specialized professionals. We have seen the government mismanage our healthcare system such that British Columbians are sick and dying, and we cannot afford to let them "improve" all healthcare professionals.

It is my belief, for the many reasons outlined above, we must be opposed to Bill 36. It does not benefit British Colombians nor their health, or BC’s healthcare system, nor does it benefit BC’s healthcare professionals.

Our healthcare system is crumbling, and now they want to "streamline" that to all professions. No thank you - we've got enough problems, we need solutions. Bill 36 is not a solution.

For the future and sustainability of our healthcare system, I urge you to please oppose Bill 36.

Respectfully,

[Your Name]

leg.bc.ca

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