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Seniors need to stand up for health care

How many low income seniors died in 2011 because they could not afford their medication?

Health Canada reports that B.C. has the highest percentageof seniors who cannot afford their medications. Bob Rae, in an interview with the CBC, mentioned that seniors in Ontario who qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement, because they are living below the poverty line, automatically receive a drug card fro that provincial government. Here in B.C., seniors living below the poverty line have received Fair Pharmacare benefits instead — that is, up until last year.

In 2008 and 2009, the Liberal government was illegally taxing the GIS. When this was brought to the attention to the federal finance minister, he ordered the B.C. government to cease and desist. The 2010 taxation forms were changed to exclude the GIS from taxation. Christy Clark made up for this by canceling the Fair Pharamacare Program from seniors collecting the supplement.

How many low income seniors died in 2011 because they could not afford their medication?

It was probably not her intent to euthanize these seniors but her inflated ego got in the way of common sense. After all, a dead low income senior certainly helps her health care budget. With a byelection approaching I would encourage the electorate and especially seniors to carefully weigh their decisions before casting their ballots. Please get out to vote in the important by-election. Your life depends on it.

Leonard Hollands