Notley announces 2,000 more long-term care beds in first campaign event in Lethbridge

Notley says they know that all Albertans want to know that their loved ones or themselves can count on a dignified and well cared for future as they age.

“So, they can be supported with the healthcare and supports that they need and that the people who love them can count on a long-term care system that can help them ensure their loved ones are safe, secure and in good care. We also know that we will not be able to do that if we freeze healthcare spending as my opposition has suggested,” Notley stated.

Notley continued to discuss the plan for healthcare being put forward by the UCP, stating that they absolutely will not be able to provide the quality senior care that the province needs if a multi-tiered system is created.

“Where the rich are well cared for while others who have worked hard their whole lives in modest or middle-income services are left destitute because they can’t afford the cost of an American style long-term care or seniors care system, that’s not the future for tomorrow.”

A release from the NDP states the 2,000 new long-term care beds provide benefits to both patients and their caregivers by:

– Reducing crowding in emergency rooms which helps ER nurses and ER team.
– Helping to improve the responsiveness of our paramedics.
– Reducing wait times.
– Ensuring people who need long-term care are being treated in the proper facility.
– Allowing nurses and other staff to focus on patients who should be treated in hospital.
– Ensuring long-term care nurses and caregivers get the space and resources they need to care for long-term care patients.

The $170-million investment announced by Notley will see the 2,000 new long-term care beds added over the next five years, and the beds already created under her government will be kept operational.

Since forming government in 2015, more than 2,100 long term care and dementia beds have already been added in the province.

With the leaders of both parties showing a keen interest in Lethbridge early on in the campaign, is it safe to call Lethbridge a battleground?

“Let me just say this about Lethbridge, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a battleground, but I would say for me it is a priority,” Notley replied. “Lethbridge is a smaller city, but it is a fundamentally important city to all of Alberta.”

That’s because, as Notley put it, Lethbridge has the most diversified economy in the whole province, and she’s proud of the work that her government has been able to do to help that along in partnership with the people of this city.

“Whether we’re talking about the Cavendish investment, which our government was very pleased to help come along, the biggest private sector investment in the history of this city. Or in the tremendous growth in renewable energy brought along as a result of the work of our government on climate change, of course, led by Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips. The fact of the matter is Lethbridge is an incredibly dynamic area, and it’s representative of the whole province. I look forward to continuing to work with the leaders of this city and the residents of this city to help grow it and the rest of the province.”

Though this was a campaign announcement focused on healthcare, it was Notley’s first time speaking to reporters in Lethbridge since the election call, so the topic of pipelines and her government’s relationship with the federal government also came up.

Notley says what they have done concerning Ottawa is to advocate on behalf of Alberta.

“We have stood up for Alberta, we have stood up for Alberta workers, we have stood up for Alberta industry, and we have stood up for Alberta across the board when talking to Ottawa or anyone else. But it’s not always a question of how loud you yell. It’s a question of whether you are relentless in pushing your agenda and you can actually point to success.

“That’s the difference about our government; we can point to success. We can point to a federal government that previously approved the pipeline, that bought the pipeline, and that’s committed to getting the pipeline built. We just got the NEB to re-approve the pipeline, and that happens when you make a strong, forceful case on behalf of the people you represent not when you build firewalls which is the strategy of my opposition,” Notley stated, adding that won’t help anything.

When it comes to appealing to Lethbridge voters with the election now under a month away, Notley believes the best course of action is to continue to talk about the record of the NDP and the two local MLAs, Shannon Phillips and Maria Fitzpatrick.

“Whether it’s the support we’ve been able to provide to grow the diversification and job creation that’s been going on in Lethbridge. Investments in health care and education, new schools, supporting growing classrooms, changes and upgrades at the Lethbridge hospital. All of these things are about standing with the people of Lethbridge and building one Lethbridge. Not picking winners and losers and asking the majority of people to work harder to support that select few at the top, but rather that all of the people come through the recession together and stronger. Our appeal to Lethbridge is that we inherited a difficult situation after 44 years and we have a lot of mess to clean up. We have more work to do, and were asking voters to let us continue doing the work we’ve been doing to create one Lethbridge and one Alberta.”

by Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

Notley announces 2,000 more long-term care beds in first campaign event in Lethbridge

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