VICTORIA B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, released the party’s health platform today in Victoria. Weaver unveiled the platform at the campaign office of Dr. Chris Maxwell, B.C. Greens candidate for Victoria-Swan Lake.

Over the past couple months, I have emphasized the need for government leadership and increased government funding if we are to truly tackle poverty and homelessness in our province. Over the course of the next few articles I will begin to outline what government leadership might look like and identify where that funding could come from. In this first post, I focus on health care funding and the Medical Services Plan premium that unfairly burdens low and fixed income British Columbians as well as small business owners with an overly heavy tax burden. In addition, I provide details concerning British Columbia’s under representation in the federal funding allocation for provincial Health Care via the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). As I will demonstrate, British Columbia is receiving $153 million less that it should through this program.