After 16 years of budget surpluses, we are now faced, under Ed Stelmach's first term as Premier, with a 4.7 billon deficit.

In a short sighted attempt to save a few dollars, the government has proposed removing Gender Reassignment Surgery from coverage under the Alberta Health Care Plan, a move that will save $700,000 in a $13 billion health budget, an amount equal to 28 minutes of Healthcare Department's annual budget.

Financial issues aside, the emotional cost to those affected is incalcuable. The results of this action will be devastating for those with a hope for a better life, and in some cases it will be life threatening. The measure of a society is in how it treats its less fortunate, this proposal is harsh, narrow-minded and backwards, not to mention hurtful to those who are afflicted with a condition they were born with
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I'm asking, no pleading, that my friends go to the site
http://www.thepetit ionsite.com/ 1/re-list- sex-reassignment -surgery- funding-in- alberta
and sign the petition requesting that the government reverse it's proposal to de-list GRS from AHC coverage.
It doesnt matter where on the globe you live, the response will show that the eyes of the world are upon them.

The Health Care budget is due to be finalized April 15th, so we have to move fast. Please sign the petition and, if you feel comfortable , forward this e-mail to friends on your contact list.

Thanks for your help
Nikki

wow, we could only hope to have this problem down here in the US where you're lucky to be able to get any health care at all. Good luck to you. I hope you are able to save this program so Canada can continue to be an example to the US of how a civilized society takes care of it's citizens.