The following is a letter to the editor from Arnold Viersen, MP, Peace River – Westlock
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Dear Editor
Many communities in rural Alberta face significant challenges to secure general practitioners and family physicians. It’s estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 Albertans do not have a family physician.
But this problem is not isolated to just Alberta. The federal government predicts that between 2022-2031, the Canadian healthcare system will have a shortage of approximately 20,000 general practitioners or family physicians. Under this Liberal government, our healthcare system has been failing. We need doctors in Canada, and we need them urgently.
That is why Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has proposed a Blue Seal national testing standard to get trained doctors and nurses working. Currently in Canada there are 18,900 foreign-trained doctors and 34,105 foreign-trained nurses who are not working in their chosen profession. These medical professionals struggle to transfer their licensure from their country of origin because of Canada’s bureaucratic licensing system.
To establish this Blue Seal, a Conservative government will work with provinces and the healthcare sector to establish a national competency body that will set standards just like the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) does for the Red Seal certificate that exists for many skilled trades.
No family should wait 10 years to get a family doctor. No Canadian should have to show up at an emergency room to only to find it closed.
It’s time to remove the gatekeepers, fix our broken healthcare system and bring home doctors and nurses.
Arnold Viersen, MP for Peace River – Westlock
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of XM105fm or Pattison Media. XM105fm reserves the right to edit submissions for length. Column suggestions and letters to the editor can be sent to news@XM105fm.com.
