Hospital Employees’ Union rallies for restoration of federal health funding in Vancouver (video)

On Tuesday (March 31), members of the Hospital Employees' Union (HEU) rallied against federal changes to transfer payments that will see the health-care system lose $36 billion over 10 years.

According to HEU steward Carol Tunney, that means a total of $5 billion in cuts to British Columbia’s system alone. 

The first rally of the day took place outside of the Children's & Women's Health Centre of British Columbia on Oak Street, where union members waved flags, raised signs, and encouraged passing traffic to honk in support.

“They need to renew the healthcare accord and that would mean provinces get their share of funding from the federal government, so that healthcare is funded properly,” said Lynn Taylor, chair of the HEU local at B.C. Children’s Hospital.

The second rally in the city took place at Vancouver General Hospital. Rallies were held provincewide to mark the one-year anniversary since the expiry of the Canada Health Accord.