16°c A few clouds
19°c Sunny
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Lamoureux asks for research behind Tory health-care cuts
OTTAWA -- Winnipeg Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux wants the federal Conservatives to provide the research that led to their decision to cut refugees off of temporary health-care coverage.
The Interim Federal Health Program provides health-care coverage to refugees when they first arrive in Canada. It pays for items such as doctor visits, hospital care, prescription drugs and eyeglasses until the refugees are added to provincial health-care plans. About 128,000 refugees were enrolled in the program earlier this year.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney cut off all but government-assisted refugees from the program as of June 30. Regular refugees have access to health-care coverage for emergencies or to treat a disease that could be a public-health risk. Government-assisted refugees, those who are entirely supported by the government when they arrive in Canada, will still have most health-care needs paid for. Government-sponsored refugees are those referred to Canada by the United Nations. About one-third of refugees fall into this category.
The change will save about $20 million a year and came amid billions of dollars in cuts to federal spending as Ottawa works to reduce the federal deficit. Kenney has said the decision was made to ensure refugees aren't getting more generous health-care coverage than most Canadians.
Provincial health plans rarely cover prescription drugs, for example.
"Our Conservative government strongly disagrees with the irresponsible Liberal and NDP policy that illegal immigrants and bogus asylum-seekers under deportation orders who refuse to leave Canada should be able to abuse our fair immigration system and receive gold-plated health-care benefits that are more generous than Canadian taxpayers', including seniors and Kevin Lamoureux's constituents, receive," said Ana Curic, director of communications for Jason Kenney.
But Lamoureux said the decision seemed to have been made without any consultation or study to determine the impact it will have. He wants the minister to make public any consultations or studies undertaken before the decision was made.
"There is a great deal of suspicion this was done on the whim," said Lamoureux. "That there was no consultation, that there was no study done."
He also said he will introduce a motion in September at the House of Commons citizenship and immigration committee to undertake a study looking at the ramifications of cutting refugees off of health care.
Lamoureux said Kenney has a tendency to demonize refugees, rather than treat them as people fleeing countries where they face persecution. He said refugees are the poorest of the poor when they arrive, with empty pockets and often little more than the clothes on their backs.
He said if the concern is refugees get more from interim health care than Canadians do, maybe the governments should ensure Canadians get more rather than giving refugees less.
"We don't need to try to bring everyone down to a lower level," said Lamoureux.
Curic said the Liberals are out of touch with Canadians.
Nearly 25,000 people claimed refugee status in Canada last year. Almost two-thirds of the claims were rejected.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 1, 2012 A4
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- Couple faces new charges of sexual assault
- The end of the credit card?
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- Gentle, humble native leader who made history lies in state
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- WAG's 100 Masters exhibit drawing more than art aficionados
- Goose gets cooked in Linden Woods
- Police identify slaying victims
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Police identify slaying victims
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- 'Responsible Winnipeg' ads appear on sign run by mayor-owned Goldeyes' baseball park
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Headingley grass fire destroys dealership's cars
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Man missing since 2009 found safe
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- U of M to chop $5M out of $642-M budget
- U of M researchers awarded $9.5M in grants, U of W $2.2M
- Gentle, humble native leader who made history lies in state
- WAG's 100 Masters exhibit drawing more than art aficionados
- Elijah Harper: The humble man who said no
- Goose gets cooked in Linden Woods
- New main event confirmed at Winnipeg’s UFC 161 due to Barao injury
- Province courts European workers
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Fishing for fashion
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Newly minted MD a beacon for kids in youth program
- North End proud
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- Bethania CEO put on leave during investigation
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Black market in moose thrives
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.