XPost: can.politics, nb.general, nf.general   
   XPost: bc.politics   
   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   CBC News Posted: Dec 02, 2014   
      
      
   'End of medicare': Maude Barlow raises alarm on health spending   
      
        Maritimes to 'pay a price' under Ottawa's health plan	   
        Canada Health Accord expires, prompting protest, uncertainty	   
      
   Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, says Canadians   
   don't realize medicare is at risk. (CBC)   
      
   Maude Barlow, who chairs the Council of Canadians, says the Harper government   
   will quietly reduce federal health care funding starting 2016.   
      
   Barlow estimates that Newfoundland and Labrador will lose $500-million a year,   
   or roughly $1,000 per person.   
      
   "It is really, in my opinion, the beginning of the end of medicare if we allow   
   this to happen," she said.   
      
   "But most Canadians don't even know it happened and, so far, it is not an   
   election issue because it doesn't kick in until after the 2015 election," she   
   said.   
      
   "So we're trying to tell Canadians this is what it means to you — and to tell   
   Newfoundlanders specifically this is what's going to be removed from your   
   health care dollars."   
      
   Barlow said the Council of Canadians, which describes itself as an advocacy   
   group aimed at holding governments and corporations accountable, is blaming the   
   federal government for allowing the Canada Health Accord to expire.   
      
        Canada Health Accord expires, prompting protest, uncertainty   
      
   The 10-year-old, $41-billion dollar deal between Ottawa and the provinces and   
   territories provided stable funding and set common goals on wait times, home   
   care and prescription drugs.   
      
   Barlow is worried that a reduction in health care spending would lead to the   
   privatization of many medical services. She is concerned that will result in a   
   patchwork of different health care standards across the country.   
      
   "We want to really get the word out to Canadians," she said.   
      
      
   Corrections   Dec 02, 2014 6:22 PM NT   
        A prior version of this story had referred to health care spending cuts as   
   having been in effect.   
   In fact, the federal government is not increasing funding at the same rate it's   
   been increased over recent years.   
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