This past week Brian Mason, Alberta NDP Leader, announced a plan that will save hospitals, families and seniors money.

What Mason called for was the creation of a pharmaceutical agency to purchase drugs in bulk, negotiate rates with drug companies and find inexpensive generic options to brand name drugs.

This idea would save the government millions per year in drugs purchased by the province’s health regions. New Zealand first implemented this idea, and they spend about half of what we do on drugs. These savings could then be put into an improved Pharmacare plan for seniors.

Right now, seniors pay up to $25 per prescription. But many seniors have multiple prescriptions. With a fixed income, it can be difficult for seniors to pay hundreds of dollars in prescription costs each month. Under the NDP’s plan, the cap would be $25/month per person. Saving seniors hundreds of dollars, while giving seniors the dignity and respect they deserve.

Liberals and Progressive Conservatives can not be trusted with any promises for perscription drug reform, due to resistance from the many drug companies and insurance agencies who donate considerably to the two parties.

The NDP is the only party that stands up for ordinary Albertans and their families.

More information about the NDP’s perscription drug plan.

One thing I would like to shed light on in this election as a candidate is what I like to call, Alberta’s hidden debt. I’ve been told on many occasions that I should be thanking the Progressive Conservatives for getting Alberta out of debt. I beg to differ.

The Progressive Conservatives did not invent oil. Our province is rich in resources, but the government has actually mismanaged our resources and short changed the citizens of this province

To get back to what I call Alberta’s hidden debt; I do not believe that Alberta is as debt free as the financial books would have us believe. Sure, we may not owe any money to creditors, but we do owe a lot to ourselves. We are still living the effects of the Klein cutbacks that happened more than a decade ago, while Ed Stelmach was a cabinet minister. With older schools crumbling and newer communities without schools, how can the Progressive Conservatives say that we are debt free? Our infrastructure has not kept up with our growing cities. Our public healthcare system needs improvement. So many communities in this province have poor access to health care facilities. Our debt is in the essential services that everyday Albertans deserve. Albertans demand better.

We can have change in this province! I am proud to be a candidate who will fight for this change.

The Alberta NDP is the only party standing up for ordinary Albertans. The Progressive Conservatives and Liberals can promise all they want to the people of this province, but when they take corporate donations, they have someone else to pay back first before delivering on their promises to the people of this province. Only the NDP refuses donations from corporations, as we can see the clear conflict of interest this brings into politics. We want big money out of politics, by banning corporate and union donations. It’s time to make politics fair.

I hope that I can be a refreshing choice for the voters in Calgary Hays. I believe that an elected official should serve the people who elected him/her. If elected, I will fight everyday for my constituents.

I hope that I can count on your vote.