Responses from the Electoral Candidates
Responses are arranged according to the date we received them. The first response received in each party appears at the top of that section.
The Green Party Political Association of British Columbia individual candidate responses
Jerry Kroll – candidate for Vancouver Mount Pleasant
Dan Hines – candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson
Donovan Cavers – candidate for Kamloops-South Thompson
Sue Moen – candidate for North Island
Yvonne Prest – candidate for Kootenay-East
Hillary Crowley – candidate for Prince George-MacKenzie
Simon Rear – candidate for Vancouver-Kensington
Date: April 21, 2017, 2:18 PM
Subject: re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for BC Election 2017 – Arthritis in British Columbia
From: Jerry Kroll
Response:
Thanks Cheryl! Let me get the Boss (Andrew) to put something solid over to you that we can both count on and move forward with. I’m well aware of the arthritis community and am excited to improve things!
Best regards,
Jerry Kroll, BC Greens
Vancouver Mount Pleasant
Date: April 21, 2017, 5:30 PM
Subject: re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for BC Election 2017 – Arthritis in British Columbia
From: Jordan Bober
Response:
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you on behalf of both Donovan Cavers and Dan Hines (Kamloops-North Thompson) for this information! As you may have seen in the BC Green Party's Health platform, we have a number of proposals that we believe will go a long way to helping people living with arthritis in BC, including:
- A strong focus on prevention (or "healthkeep")
- A focus on bolstering primary care with interdisciplinary health teams
- Developing an Essential Drugs program to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals.
Cheers,
Jordan Bober
Campaign Manager
Dan Hines - Kamloops-North Thompson
Donovan Cavers - Kamloops-South Thompson
www.kamgreens.ca
Date: April 21, 2017, 8:30 PM
Subject: re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for BC Election 2017 – Arthritis in British Columbia
From: Sue Moen
Response:
Thank you for the information and questions. I am sure our head office is preparing a concise and targeted answer sheet, but I wanted to reach out personally and let you know that this matters to me I am a very small campaign and just don't have the time to pull all the information from different plancs in the BC Green Party platform that will affect and improve the quality of life for people living with arthritis, but I sincerely believe we have the most progressive and integrated approach to health and well-being of all the parties. Please visit www.bcgreenparty.ca/platform for more information.
Thank you for writing
Sue Moen
BC Green Party Candidate
North Island
Sue Moen
Candidate North Island
BC Green Party
https://www.facebook.com/suemoenforMLA/
@suemoen
Date: April 22, 2017, 8:46 AM
Subject: re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for BC Election 2017 – Arthritis in British Columbia
From: Yvonne Prest
Response:
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for your passion and the work that you do. My brother suffers from arthritis and even though he is only in his forties, it affects his ability to work and care for his children. Here are my responses to your questions.
Take good care,
Yvonne
Question 1 - What will your government do to bring a high quality, evidence-based model of arthritis care for all BC residents?
We would put funding into speaking with specialists and building a preventative educational model and handbook for those in need. Within our public education school system as well, preventative care and knowledge will be implemented into curriculum to the community before it becomes a reality. A BC Green government will invest $35 million in nutrition and physical activity programs to promote learning readiness and improve student health. (Previously Announced in the BC Green Party Strategy for Lifelong Learning.)
Research shows many children are not eating the balanced, nutrient-rich diet required for optimum cognitive function.
Question 2 - What will your government do to introduce patient education and exercise programs, such as GLA:D, that have been proven to significantly reduce hip or knee osteoarthritis symptoms?
Education is our top priority in all arenas. Again, these programs would be put into place at the public level within schools and hospitals. If they have proven records of success than of course we will back them. Andrew Weaver is a scientist, if the facts are there, we support them!
Question 3 - What will your government do to improve the healthcare and lives of Aboriginals living with arthritis in BC?
Our goal is to ensure that health care is accessible and non-threatening. In isolated areas, we will create incentive programs to ensure that adequate specialists are available for the public. Also, education is key as mentioned. Free adult education programs are a priority for the Green Party.
Question 4 - What will your government do to improve the province’s ranking and ensure that BC residents living with arthritis, with the help of the
doctors who treat them, are able to choose the medication most appropriate for their specific disease and risk factors? The Green Party plans to establish a ministry responsible for healthy living, wellness and preventative medicine. Develop an Essential Drugs program to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. And lastly, add $100 million over 4 years to hire and support more social workers who can support people on disability and ensure that they are meeting their health needs.
Question 5 - How will your government establish better prevention programs and facilitate flexible work arrangements to help reduce the direct and
indirect costs of arthritis to BC employers and the BC economy? The Green party would like to begin the transition to liveable incomes with an increase in Persons with Disabilities (PWD), income assistance and shelter allowance rates. We also plan to launch a basic income pilot project that will test its ability to reduce poverty, improve health, housing and employment. Most importantly, we will eliminate Medical Service Plan (MSP) premiums by rolling them into the payroll tax and personal income tax.
Question 6 - Will your government take steps to increase the number of rheumatologists and arthritis trained allied health professionals to ensure timely, specialized care for BC patients with arthritis?
Absolutely.
Thank you,
--
Yvonne Marie Prest
BC Green Party
Kootenay-East Candidate
A Province That Works. Together.
Email: koe@bcgreens.ca
Date: April 22, 2017, 5:33 PM
Subject: re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for BC Election 2017 – Arthritis in British Columbia
From: Hillary Crowley
Response:
Dear Cheryl,
Thank you for your questions. I had to covert the file to a Word document in order to type my answers. I hope you can re-format it to meet your needs.
Regards,
Hilary Crowley
BC Green Party candidate
Prince George-Mackenzie
What will your government do to bring a high quality, evidence-based model of arthritis care for all BC residents?
CARS HAD AN EXCELLENT MODEL OF CARE FOR ARTHRITIS WHEN I WORKED FOR THEM AS A COMMUNITY BASED PHYSIOTHERAPIST TRAVELLING TO RURAL AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES BACK IN THE 70S. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS MODEL IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE GREEN PARTY WILL PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO DISEASE PREVENTION, WHICH INCLUDES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM K-12 AND BEYOND. A LOT OF EFFORT WILL GO INTO HEALTHY FOOD PROVISION. THESE 2 INITIATIVES WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF OA. THE GREEN PARTY WILL FACILITATE MORE TRAINING OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FROM NORTHERN AND RURAL AREAS IN THE NORTH TO ENSURE THAT NEEDED THERAPY IS AVAILABLE LOCALLY.
What will your government do to introduce patient education and exercise programs, such as GLA:D, that have been proven to significantly reduce hip or knee osteoarthritis symptoms?
THE GREEN PARTY TOGETHER WITH ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WILL PROMOTE THE USE OF THESE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING GLA:D. 43 PHYSIOTHERAPISTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRAINED IN THIS IN BC AND IT IS HOPED MORE WILL UNDERGO TRAINING IN THE COMING MONTHS. CLINICS SHOULD SOON START OFFERING THIS PROGRAM.
What will your government do to improve the healthcare and lives of Aboriginals living with arthritis in BC?
THE GREEN PARTY WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH FIRST NATIONS TO BOTH REDUCE THE INCIDENCE AND PROVIDE THE NEEDED THERAPIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ARTHRITIS. WE WILL PROMOTE TRAINING OF INDIGENOUS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO WORK IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE THE BEST CULTURAL LEVEL OF CARE.
What will your government do to improve the province’s ranking and ensure that BC residents living with arthritis, with the help of the doctors who treat them, are able to choose the medication most appropriate for their specific disease and risk factors?
WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT THE DRUG COMPANIES ARE NOT THE ONES PROVIDING THE RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE FOR THE DRUGS. THIS MUST BE DONE BY INDEPENDENT SCIENTISTS. THE MOST EFFECTIVE DRUGS SHOULD THEN BE GENERIC REDUCING THE OVERALL COST OF DRUG THERAPY. THE GREEN PARTY WILL DEVELOP AN ESSENTIAL DRUGS PROGRAM TO REDUCE COSTS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
How will your government establish better prevention programs and facilitate flexible work arrangements to help reduce the direct and indirect costs of arthritis to BC employers and the BC economy?
THE GREEN PARTY HEALTH POLICY PUTS A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION. WE PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN. WE WILL FUND COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS. WE WILL FACILITRATE TRAINING OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED.
Will your government take steps to increase the number of rheumatologists and arthritis trained allied health professionals to ensure timely, specialized care for BC patients with arthritis?
WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE STEPS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO ENSURE TIMELY SPECIALISED CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH ARTHRITIS. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF RHEUMATOLOGISTS IN BC BUT THEY ARE CERTAINLY NEEDED TO PROVIDE BEST CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, LUPUS AND SUCH.
Date: May 1, 2017, 5:06 PM
Subject: re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for BC Election 2017 – Arthritis in British Columbia
From: Simon Rear
Response:
Hi Cheryl,
I'm not a medical expert, but I have seen how debilitating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases can be. My long-time friend, Rae, has been struggling with several of these conditions since age 14. It seems that there is no easy answer, but a lot of research and education is still required to alleviate the suffering of the many of us who are affected by these diverse conditions.
The BC Green Party leader, Dr. Andrew Weaver, is a devoted scientist. Please see his biography here, http://www.bcgreens.ca/andrew_weaver_bio. Since question #1 asks for an "evidence-based model of arthritis care". I can offer our devotion to science and a healthy environment as a foundation for Arthritis care and research in BC. Our platform specifically includes a commitment to "Establish a ministry responsible for healthy living, wellness and preventative medicine".
The health and wellbeing of BC residents is an important priority for the BC Green Party. Our full platform on health is relevant to all of your questions, so please take a look: http://www.bcgreens.ca/health.
In response to Question #3: I have worked professionally with First Nations' communities in BC, and I am committed to ensure that their unique needs are considered and prioritized. The BC Green Party platform specifically regarding Aboriginal peoples is available here..
Our policies on Income Security and New Economy would have a positive impact on those who are unable to work full-time by increasing the income for Persons With Disabilities, and by protecting those who work part-time or on contract. This is in response to Question #5, and hopefully will allow more BC residents to earn and contribute in diverse ways.
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to our Public Education Platform. Our BC children will learn and grow to become the doctors and researchers that we need to overcome arthritis and other auto-immune conditions like MS, which are so prevalent among Canadians. They need our full support, and the BC Green Party wants to ensure that proper nutrition and exercise are delivered alongside excellent educational opportunities.
Thank you for your complex questions. I hope I have addressed them thoroughly.
Sincerely,
Simon Rear
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.