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.
British Columbia New Democratic Party Party individual candidate responses
Baltej Dhillon – Surrey-Serpentine River
Megan Dykeman – Langley-Walnut Grove
Kamal Grewal – Kamloops Centre
Sara Eftekhar – West Vancouver-Capilano
Tina Lee – Summerland-Penticton
David Eby – Vancouver-Point Grey
Nina Krieger – Victoria-Swan Lake
Roly Russell – Boundary-Similkameen
Christine Boyle – Vancouver-Little Mountain
Paul Choi – Burnaby South-Metrotown
Ronna-Rae Leonard – Courtenay-Comox
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 3:39:35PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Surrey-Serpentine River Candidate
Response
Dear Cheryl
Thank you for sharing this information and highlighting the various data points.
I will certainly retain this information and endeavour to better inform myself on the impact that arthritis is having on British Columbians
As you aptly noted, we are going into an election and if given the opportunity to serve I would be happy to meet and receive additional information and bring the concerns to Victoria.
It would be disingenuous of me to make any commitments or promises other than what I have already shared at this juncture.
Kind Regards
Baltej
Baltej S. Dhillon Hon. LLD.,C.Dir. (he/him)
BC NDP Candidate for Surrey – Serpentine River
Date: September 11, 2024 at 8:24:06 AM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Kamloops Centre Candidate
Hi, Cheryl,
Thanks for getting in touch with us. We'll be completing your survey in a few days.
Best regards,
Bill Roberts, KAC EPC
Date: September 14, 2024 at 9:31:59 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: West Vancouver-Capilano Candidate
Thank you so much for the information.
As a Nurse Practitioner, I know the impact arthritis has on my patients. We will definitely review and consider this issue after the elections.
Thank you,
Sara Eftekhar
Date: October 14, 2024 at 12:32:55 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Summerland-Penticton Candidate
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for writing with your concerns around arthritis care. As someone myself who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 26, I understand firsthand how debilitating arthritis can be on one’s life. I was lucky enough to receive excellent care through the Mary Pack Arthritis Centre in Vancouver when I was in university and now through Penticton’s Mary Pack Arthritis Centre.
Having these services available to me through our PUBLIC system have been life- changing. I’m happy to share some of the actions we are taking to improve care for arthritis sufferers, but for me, one of the most important things we can do is to fully protect our public health care system against privatization and the significant cuts we know the BC Conservatives have planned.
- David Eby and the BC NDP will protect, improve, and shorten your wait time for the health care you need. We will keep making diagnostic imaging technology more available, reducing the time spent leading up to surgery. Since 2017, we have almost doubled the MRIs completed to 330,000 each year — thanks to adding 18 more MRI scanners around BC while expanding their hours of operation. In contrast, John Rustad forced health authorities to absorb hundreds of millions in cuts, reducing services like MRIs, causing longer waits. He’s done it before and he’ll do it again.
- There’s much more to do to bring down wait times, but we’re starting to see some promising results — BC now has the second-shortest wait times in Canada for hip and knee replacements and MRIs — we need to keep going, and we won’t stop until the job is done. We know how team based and virtual care benefits people immensely and makes taking care of their health easier. Since the BC NDP launched Primary Care Networks, more people are benefiting from team-based care as their physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and other health professionals are able to share records and target services around a patient’s specific health-care needs.
- Improved Access to Pharmacists: The NDP is expanding the role of pharmacists, allowing them to prescribe more medications and manage routine conditions, which could be helpful for arthritis patients managing pain or inflammation.
- We are also working to continue to serve people through virtual care options that save time for patients and care teams. All of this is also possible as we’re finally starting to turn the corner on healthcare, connecting over 4,000 people to a family doctor every week. Now is not the time for John Rustad’s promised health care cuts — we will keep hiring more doctors and nurses, opening a new medical school in Surrey, recognizing internationally credentialed doctors faster, empowering pharmacists and nurse practitioners, and building new hospitals.
Thank you for writing to me on this issue, I understand personally how important this work is to one’s mental health, livelihood, and quality of life.
Sincerely,
Tina Lee
BC NDP Candidate, Penticton - Summerland
Date: September 25, 2024 at 2:17:23 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Vancouver-Point Grey Candidate
Hello,
Thank you for emailing David Eby and the Point Grey NDP.
I just wanted to confirm receipt of your email as well as the link to your survey and thank you for reaching out to us.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Best,
David Eby
Date: October 10, 2024 at 4:08:28 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Victoria-Swan Lake Candidate
Dear Arthritis Consumer Experts,
Thanks for the opportunity to share our plans with you. Please see a collaborative BC NDP Response Below.
Question 1
The Arthritis Consumer Experts Arthritis Medications Report Card is designed to help Canadians evaluate where their province or territory ranks in terms of providing reimbursement for medications approved for inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and lupus. British Columbia is currently ranked 12th in Canada in providing reimbursement access to new biologic (originator and biosimilars) medications for people living with inflammatory arthritis.
What will your government do to improve B.C.’s ranking and address the province’s lagging equitable reimbursement access and patient/physician choice in treating inflammatory arthritis compared to the rest of Canada?
Since 2019, BC PharmaCare has led Canada in launching the biosimilars initiative, saving people money and saving the province over $730 million, thanks to people transitioning from reference biologics to their cost-effective biosimilars, which are highly similar versions of high-cost biologic drugs used to treat health concerns, such as diabetes, inflammatory conditions and certain cancers. This includes more than $226 million in savings between 2023 and 2024. These savings continue to be reinvested into BC PharmaCare to improve and expand coverage of other drugs and medical devices. We will keep working to support inflammatory arthritis treatment and improve access to prescription drugs for British Columbians.
John Rustad’s Conservatives plan to cut billions from the healthcare budget, and bring in American-style two-tier healthcare, investing in corporate profits instead of people. This would hurt us all, but especially for people who use our healthcare system to manage ongoing conditions, like arthritis. We know there’s more work to do, which is why we can’t risk losing the progress we’ve made. Healthcare should always be there when you need it. And David Eby won’t stop until the job is done. We look forward to working together to strengthen healthcare in BC.
Question 2
Indigenous Peoples in Canada have some of the highest rates of serious life threatening arthritis in the world and are at greater risk for becoming disabled by arthritis. Significant gaps in Indigenous arthritis care currently exist in B.C. Care models, such as having an Indigenous community-based patient care facilitator, that address health care in a culturally relevant manner and the many barriers to care have been proven to resolve care gaps more effectively and optimize health outcomes of Indigenous Peoples with arthritis and comorbidities.
Will your government introduce culturally appropriate, patient-centered policies to help Indigenous Peoples navigate the healthcare system and receive coordinated care within their community to manage their arthritis?
The BC NDP agrees that healthcare is an equity issue and we believe that equitable access to services and medication is a core part of high-quality healthcare. Earlier this year, the BC NDP government opened the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC). This centre is a partnership between the VNFC, the Victoria Primary Care Network (PCN), and the Ministry of Health. The centre provides culturally safe, longitudinal primary health-care services to people who identify as Indigenous and live in the Greater Victoria area and who do not have a primary care provider. In addition to this clinic, the BC NDP has taken action to fund Indigenous patient
navigators at clinics and hospitals across B.C. We know there is lots more work to do, and we continue to improve healthcare for Indigenous people and all British Columbians. We can’t let John Rustad undo this progress, it's too big of a risk for people.
Question 3
The next B.C government must take steps to ensure the sustainability of prescription drug plans and the continued affordability of prescription medicines for B.C. patients. Over the first five years of the B.C. biosimilars initiative, the Province has saved $732 million, thanks to people transitioning from originator biologics to their cost-effective biosimilars, which are highly similar versions of high-cost biologic drugs used to treat chronic diseases, such as inflammatory arthritis, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, age-related macular degeneration, and certain cancers.
Will your government commit to reinvesting biosimilars savings to increase accessibility to new medicines and expand coverage for existing medicines for people living with inflammatory arthritis?
The BC NDP are committed to reinvesting these savings to continue to improve and expand coverage of other drugs and medical devices, including for people with arthritis. John Rustad is planning tax breaks for those at the top and will make the rest of us pay for it through cuts to healthcare. John Rustad’s healthcare plan calls for a $4.1 billion cut in health spending. We can’t afford to let Rustad slash healthcare like he did before. Healthcare should always be there when you need it — and David Eby and the BC NDP will keep working to ensure people get the care they need.
Question 4
Some individuals with severe osteoarthritis require joint replacement surgery to achieve better quality of life, less pain and more joint function. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the guideline for knee and hip replacement is to receive surgery within 26 weeks. In B.C. in 2023, only 57% of knee replacement patients and 65% of hip replacement patients were treated within that guideline and below the Canadian average. This deeply impacts the lives of B.C. residents with osteoarthritis who require these surgeries.
Will your government take steps to ensure timely, specialized care for B.C. residents struggling with osteoarthritis, including joint replacement surgery wait times that are within medically recommended guidelines?
David Eby and the BC NDP will protect, improve, and shorten your wait time for the health care you need. We will keep making diagnostic imaging technology more available, reducing the time spent leading up to surgery. Since 2017, we have almost doubled the MRIs completed to 330,000 each year — thanks to adding 18 more MRI scanners around BC while expanding their hours of operation. In addition, B.C.’s surgical renewal commitment delivered more surgeries for patients than ever by March of this year.
In contrast, John Rustad forced health authorities to absorb hundreds of millions in cuts, reducing services like MRIs, causing longer waits. He’s done it before and he’ll do it again. There’s much more to do to bring down wait times, but we’re starting to see some promising results — BC now has the second-shortest wait times in Canada for hip and knee replacements and MRIs — we need to keep going, and we won’t stop until the job is done.
Question 5
The time to address models of care in arthritis is now after years of being at the back of the line of health care planning and delivery in B.C. There is a pressing need to explore, invest in, and innovate different care models that allow British Columbians to receive timely access to suitable care and support for managing their disease.
What will your government do to provide high quality, accessible, evidence-based models of care, such as team-based care or expanded virtual care, for B.C. residents living with arthritis?
The BC NDP is committed to providing innovative, high quality, evidence-based care to make healthcare more accessible to everyone in B.C., especially people with chronic conditions like arthritis.
We know how team based and virtual care benefits people immensely and makes taking care of their health easier. Since the BC NDP launched Primary Care Networks, more people are benefiting from team-based care as their physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and other health professionals are able to share records and target services around a patient’s specific health-care needs.
We are also working to continue to serve people through virtual care options that save time for patients and care teams. All of this is also possible as we’re finally starting to turn the corner on healthcare, connecting over 4,000 people to a family doctor every week. Now is not the time for John Rustad’s promised health care cuts — we will keep hiring more doctors and nurses, opening a new medical school in Surrey, recognizing internationally credentialed doctors faster, empowering pharmacists and nurse practitioners, and building new hospitals.
Sincerely,
Nina Krieger
BC NDP Candidate
Victoria-Swan Lake
Date: October 11, 2024 at 6:17:10 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Boundary-Similkameen Candidate
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for your email, and your patience in receiving a response. This is an issue that has touched my life personally, and I appreciate your efforts to increase the dialogue, resources and support for it. I have attached answers to your five questions.
As an MLA, Roly has gone to bat many times over the last four years for healthcare in our riding, helping to reduce closures, expand access to facilities and medications, and attract doctors to our rural towns. This is all part of the bigger picture of what health, illness, and wellness look like in our province and our towns.
If you have any additional questions please let me know. Thank you again for your important work.
Best wishes,
Erin
campaign office
Date: October 13, 2024 at 5:29:48 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Langley-Walnut Grove Candidate
Dear Cheryl:
Thank you for your email. The work the society does is very important, and I appreciate you keeping me informed on your issues.
I understand that David Eby responded to your survey detailing the BCNDP’s commitment to prevention, treatment and care for arthritis. We are committed to providing innovative, high quality, evidence-based care to make healthcare more accessible to everyone in B.C., especially people with chronic conditions like arthritis.
John Rustad’s Conservatives plan to cut billions from the healthcare budget, and bring in American-style two-tier healthcare, investing in corporate profits instead of people. This would hurt us all, but especially for people who use our healthcare system to manage ongoing conditions, like arthritis. We know there’s more work to do, which is why we can’t risk losing the progress we’ve made. Healthcare should always be there when you need it. And David Eby won’t stop until the job is done. We look forward to working together to strengthen healthcare in BC.
For your information you can find our entire platform here.
Thank you again for the information.
Megan Dykeman
BCNDP Candidate for Langley-Walnut Grove
Date: October 13, 2024 at 5:29:48 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Vancouver-Little Mountain Candidate
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for your email and advocacy for more support for British Columbians living with arthritis. I understand the central BC NDP campaign has responded to your survey, but I wanted to reach out and make a connection as well
If I'm elected I'd be happy to meet and talk more.
All the best,
Christine Boyle
BC NDP candidate for Vancouver-Little Mountain
Date: October 14, 2024 at 2:03:57 PM PDT
Subject: Re: Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey for British Columbia Election
From: Burnaby South-Metrotown Candidate
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for your email!
By now I'm sure you've received the BC NDP's official response to the Arthritis Consumer Experts' survey. However, just in case, I wanted to personally send you our collaborative BC NDP response (see attached) and thank you so much for your important work in supporting those with Arthritis.
I look forward to working with you to ensure that everyone has access to the care they need. Should you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Warm regards,
Paul Choi
BC NDP Candidate for Burnaby South-Metrotown
Date: October 15, 2024 at 5:55:16 PM PDT
Subject: Answer to your questionnaire
From: Courtenay-Comox Candidate
Dear Cheryl,
Thank you for your email. Attached please find the answers to your questions.
Thank you,
Ronna-Rae Leonard
Campaign
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.