CAE,
LIB5
2003877
Standing up
for People
The PlatforlTI of the New Brunswicl< Liberal Party
for the 2003
Provincial General Election
Ljfje~ C k
Nouveau- Brunswick
Standing up for People
The Platform of the New BrunswickLiberalParty for the 2003 ProvincialGeneral Election
A Strong LiberalTeam A Message from the Leader
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Standing up for People
Standing up for Public Health Care
Standing up for Access to Health Care Standing up for Access to Prescription Drug Therapy Standing up for Those with Chronic Conditions Standing up for Reasonable Power Rates Standing up for Affordable Insurance Standing up for Seniors
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Standing up for Pay Equity Standing up for Children and Youth Standing up for Affordable Housing
Standing up for Opportunities
Standing up for People With Disabilities Standing up for Workers Standing up for Volunteers
Building New Brunswick
Building our Future
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Building our Classrooms
Building Healthy Lives
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Building OUI' Schools
Building our Workforce Building our Economy
Building NB Power Building our Roads Building Northeast New Brunswick Building our Businesses Building our Cornerstone Industries
Building Agriculture
Bui1ding our IOisheries
Building Aquaculture Building our Mining lndustly Building our Forestly Industly
Building Tourism
Building on our Heritage Building our Communities Building our Environment Building our Health Care Infrastructure
A Strong Liberal Team
Standing up for Public Health Care:
The L i b e ral T eam stands for public health care for all Nev Brunswickers.
Standing up for Access To Health Care:
The L i b e r al T e a m will create an O jfi c e Q / l fea ltb C a r e R e t e ntion and R ec r uitment
in order to build our health care team.
Standing up for Seniors:
The L i b e r al T ea m will increase access to prescription drug therapy for seniors.
Standing up for Affordable Insurance:
The L i b e r al Team will reduce auto insurance premiums.
Building NB Power:
The L i b e ral T e a m will keep NB Power public in order to ensure reliable
electricity at affordable prices.
Building our Future:
The L i b e r a l T eam will introduce new E arl y C bildb oo d C e ntr es
around the province.
Building our Classrooms:
The L i b e ral T eam will put more teachers in the classroom and bring
down class size.
Building our Workforce:
The L ibe r al Team will improve access to post-second,"y education and
offer incentives to keep our graduates living and \varking in dle province.
Building our Businesses:
The L i b e r a l ' l e am will help small- and medium-sized businesses access
the capital they need to grow.
Building our Cornerstone Industries:
The L ibe r a l T eam will invest in developing our resource industries.
Building our Roads:
The L i b e r a l T eam will build roads and restore road budgets.
Building Tourism:
The L i b e r al ' l eam will invest in accommodations infrastructure and interpretive
tourism experiences.
Standing up for People
A Message from the Leader
We have an incredible oppoltunity to improve the lives of
New I3runswickers, but it can only happen if the governmell['s
first priority is S ' lrmdin g u p f o /' P eopl e .
This means guaranteeing that New Brul1swickers who need a family doctor have access to a family doctor. It means ensuring that our seniors aren't forced to make a choice between prescription drugs and the power bill. It means standing up to insurance companies that are tlying to bully New I3runswickers.
And it means standing up for those - our children, our elderly -
who are the most vulnerable. If we are going to stand up for people then we must build a foundation on which to stand. We need to
Build N ew I 3 l ' llJ1 s w ick.
We need to build better roads. We need to provide businesses Ivith the tools they need to grow. \X1eneed to keep NI3 Power in the hands of New Brunswickers. And we need 10 make sure that the education our young people get loday will help them find a Job tomorrow.
While S 'l a n d i n g u p fo /' P e o p l e includes some specific goals
and targets, you won't find anything like Bernard Lord's "200 Days of Change" checklist. That's because we believe good governmell[ should aim beyond the first 200 days. We need to look at "]600 Days of Progress" and beyond.
[ believe in S t a ndin g u p fo / ' P eo p l e as pan of a S ' ll' O n g L ib e m l T e a m .
Take a moment to learn more about our team members
and why we are committed to S tan d in g u p fo / ' P eo jJl e . If you believe that government should be S ' l rtJ I d in g u p/o / ' P eop l e : if you wall[ to B u ild N el l ' B /' u n s l I i ck , 1 would invite you 10 support our L ib e m ! Team in the coming election.
Shawn Graham Leader of tile Liberal Pany of New Brunswick
There are 32,000 New Brunswickers without family doctor. a
Standing up for People
W e ha ve a n i n cr e di bl e o pp or t un it y
t o i m pr o v e th e l i ves o j th o u san d s oj N ew B r u n swic k e r s , b u t i t can o nl y
h a pp en if th e g o v e rn m en t ' s fir s t p rior i t y
is Standing up for People.
Wailing lists for cel1ain surgeries have doubled
since the Conselvative government took power. There are 200 less nurses working in our health care system.
tt ' s ti m e t o s t a nd up /0 1 ' a ccess t o h e a lth c a r e. We n ee d a r ec r u itm e n t s t r a t eg y that Il '0 rk s. A lld Ice l Ie e d a cce s s t o h e a l t h c a r e / o r N e ll i B r t l1l s 1 1 ' i ck e r s24 h ou l' S a d a y . 7 d a) ' s a I l ' e ek.
''As a nurse and a hea l th care recruiter, J understand the challenges w e face in bui l ding our health care team.
Bernard Lord has speculated about privatizing
some health care services. If we are to ensure access to health care for all New Brunswickers
regardless of income, age or language, we need
to keep our health care system in the hands of the people.
1. Create an O fl i ce o/ H eal lhc a r e R e c r u itm e l lt al l d
I ? e t e n tio ll , reponing directly to the Premier
and responsible for: a. The creation and implementation of short-term. medium-term and long-term provincial recruitment strategies for recruitment and retention of:
Retention Strategy puts in place real incentives that will help us bring more doctors , nurses and health care professionals to
A Liberal government will nor allow further
privatization of our health care system.
i . Doctors
It ' s time t o s tand up /o r p u b l i c h ea lth ca r e .
ii . Nurses i i i. Nurse Practitioners
il l . Pharmacists
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New Brunswick .
- I). lkhabilitation
- Professionals
/ I i. Other Health Care Professionals who
are predicted to be in shon supply in
the neJo.110 years.
1. Defend and uphold the five principles
of the C a n a d a H e a lth A ct to ensure that
1 ew Brunswick's health care system is:
Joan Kingston, RN,
Liberal Cancliclate
ew Maryland
b. Recruitment missions to medical schools.
led by the Premier and including represen-
tatives of dle Regional Health Authoritites
and the O ffi ce 0/H ea lt h C a r e I ? ec r u i t m e n t c m d R e t e n t i o n
a. Accessible
b. Universal c. Publicly administered d. Comprehensive e. Portable.
c. Collaboration with Health Authorities to
develop recruitment strategies based on regional priorities.
2. Advocate for "Accountability" to become
the sL'{th principle of the C a n ada He a lt h A c t.
3. Immediately address the recommendations of the Romanow Commission Report.
2. Establish a dedicated fund for Health
Authorities to access funds, based on
submission of a regional recruitment and
retention plan approved by the Office of Ilealth Care Recruitment and Retention.
4. Establish a H ea lth C a r e A dl J o c a t e to aid
citizens when issues need to be addressed,
when information cannot be easily accessed, or when citizens feel they are not receiving appropriate information or treatment.
3. Introduce a P h ys i c ian Re c ruitm e n t B e n f ! f it s
Pl a n that would include:
5. Encourage Regional Health Authorities to
establish ongoing local health care forums
in dleir regions. a.lncentives For General Practitioners in
under-serviced areas
b. Establishment of L o cum C o n tr a ct s to ensure
that family physicians get needed time off,
and to recruit new and expatriated family
physicians using the positive experience of ! ew Brunswick's lifestyle and practice environments
Standing up for Access to Health Care
For a New Bruns,Yick mother without a family
doctor. a child's ear ache can mean hours in the
local emergency room. For a senior awaiting hip
surgelY, operating room closures bring more
weeks of living in pain.
c. Information technology support to assist
physicians in their practice environments
as a step in the development of a single electronic patient record
d.A D e b t A ssis ta n c e P l a n for recent medical
school graduates
Nurses who are stretched to the limit say they
can't give the quality of care that is needed.
Standing up for People
e. Increased oppoInmities for alternate methods of remuneration for physicians
12.Establish a C o m m l lnil y H ea lth C e nlr e (CHC)
in each of the Regional Health Authorities. Each Health Authority \vill be asked to sub-
mit proposals for the approval of additional
CHCs during 2004/2005. Based on these proposals, dedicated funding for eight additional CHCs will be provided for the fiscal year
2005-2006
f. Increased opportunities for physicians to
palticipate in clinical research in their
communities g. Parental leave for physicians.
4. Provide resources to the College of
Physicians and Surgeons to facilitate thc recruitment and integration of physicians from other jurisdictions. l}Access new federal money to enhance dle
Extramural Programs in each Regional Health Authority.
5. Pmvide financial incentivcs to facilitate recruitment.
14.Improve ambulance scrvice by providing: a. Increased training rcquirements for ne\v staff
6. Establish a N ell ' I 3 r U 11sl I l / c k H e alth C ar e
Bl ir st ll J ' P r og r a m available to students
entering their last two years of study in
one of the professions identified as experi-
encing a shonage, when those students agree to work in the province after graduation. b.Funher integration of ambulance service
personnel into the healdl care system
c. A single centralized dispatch for land and
-air ambulance
d.Integration and enhancement of first-
responder services
7. Create an income tax credit for recent gradu-
ates in those health care professions that are experiencing a shOitage. if the graduates
remain in. or return to, New Brunswick. e. Introduction of a common dispatch centre to promote a more integrated approach to the dispatch of all public safety services.
8. Increase the number of Ne w Brunswickers
] 5.Develop a I ) 'ewel A ss i s l a n c e P r og r a m to
increase access for New Brunswickers who must travel to receive services. practicing medicine in Ncw Brunswick by: a. Funding 15 ne\v medical school seats-
10 francophonc and 5 anglophonc panncr uni\'crsities
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in
16.Establish multi-year funding plans based
on budgets submitted to dle Depanment of Health and Wellness by Regional Health Authorities.
- b.lmplementing
- an integrated support system
to recruit medical professionals, beginning in high school and continuing through university, medical school, and residency programs.
9. Increase available nursing resources by:
Standing up for Access to Prescription Drug Therapy
a. Creating 375 new full-time nursing
positions to accelerate the conversion
of casual nursing hours in the Regional
Health Authorities
Thousands of seniors and low-income earners
in New Brunswick live day-in and day-out with
uncertainly and anxiety because they cannot afford their !xescriptions. The Conservative b.lmplementing
a phased-in retirement pro-
government
promised a review of the gram for nurses. allowing them to continue
to \vork within the health care system without negatively affecting pension benefits
Prescription Drug Program but never delivered. When you rely on medication to improve your quality of life - when an expensive pill is all that stands between you and debilitating pain
this is an uncertainty that you cannot afford.
c. I~emoving barriers tha t prevent reti red nurses from working in the system.
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" T hrough my medical practice} J h ave seen a number oj
10.Provide dedicated funding to the Faculty of Nursing at both UNB and U de M in order to establish:
There needs to be a better way.
New Brunswickers struggling with the rising cos t o j p rescription drugs. Th e L iberal Plan will help increase access to these i m portant medications. },
/I ' s time t o s tand up . fo r imp r o v ed a ccess 1 0 pr esc r ipt ion d r ug Ih e r ajJ ) ' .
a. Full-lime I urse Practitioner Programs
b.38 new seats for basic nursing students in
New Bruns\vick
1. Improve access to cIr-ugtherapy by:
c. A program to recognize and compensate nurses who act as formal mentors to nursing students in clinical settings. a.1nitiating a review of the Prescription
Drug Program
b. Raising the ceiling on income eligibility for senior citizens benefiting from the Prescription Drug Program
Dr. Larry Kennedy
Liberal Candidate
Vicroria-Tobique
11.Creale 24 'urse Practitioner positions imme diately. The Health Authorities will be asked to submit proposals for an additional 24 f\ursc Practitioners for approval in 2004/2005.
c. Implementing a yearly automatic cost-of-
living adjustment
1. Maintain NI3 Power as a fully publicly owned