Chilly temperatures didn’t stop Red Deerians from enjoying an outdoor barbecue and learning the importance of Labour Day this past Monday.
About 500 people were expected at the free community barbecue downtown hosted by the Red Deer & District Labour Council (RDDLC). The barbecue is in its fourth year.
Kyle Johnston, council president, said about the same number of people attended the event last year.
The barbecue serves as an important reminder to the community that Labour Day is more than just a holiday, said the RDDLC president.
“It’s an important day for all workers — it’s for people to understand that it’s not just a holiday — but to show people the hard times everyone has gone through to be where we’re at today; for all the rights we have, and for bringing awareness to the labour movement,” he said.
The event organizers were educating people about Pharmacare — a proposed universal prescription drug plan covering everyone in Canada. Those who attended were able to sign a petition to support the Canada-wide plan.
Canada’s unions called on the federal government to get the plan right Monday by creating a single-payer, universal prescription drug program for Canada. This according to the website canadianlabour.ca.
Johnston said the labour council also wants the federal government to get Pharmacare right.
He said Canada is one of the few developed countries that has a health-care plan that doesn’t include a Pharmacare plan — providing either free or affordable pharmaceuticals for everyone.
“We’re trying to promote benefits of what a Pharmacare plan would do for Canada. We can alleviate a lot of costs and stresses on our health-care system if people can access pharmaceuticals. (If) people don’t have to ration pharmaceuticals, and the government would be able to purchase it on a wider plan, that would bring down the cost,” he said.
The Canadian Labour Congress launched the national campaign on Pharmacare last year. Since launching the campaign, group has seen significant progress, including the creation of the advisory council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare by the federal government this past last spring.
Those who attended the event were able to sign a petition for Pharmacare. Johnston said people can also sign the petition online at www.aplanforeveryone.ca.
