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2020 in Advocacy

November 2020

  • On November 9, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a significant investment in broadband that is set to see 98% of Canadians connected to high-speed internet by 2026. The CPA was pleased see this commitment, as it is one of the main issues we’ve called for in our advocacy in 2020. This infrastructure is critical in connecting to health, education, and social supports during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Read more about the government’s investment here.
     
  • The Organizations for Health Action (HEAL), a coalition of 40+ regulated health care professional organizations that the CPA belongs to, released a new core advocacy document aimed at the federal government Beyond COVID-19: HEAL’s recommendations for a healthier nation. As a task-force lead for this project, the CPA made significant contributions to this work, which makes recommendations for achieving a healthier Canada. The document looks at opportunities to strengthen health supports for Canadians through a COVID-19 lens and focuses on priority policy areas of mental health and seniors care. The CPA will continue to work with HEAL to advocate for the recommendations. You can read more about this project here.
     
  • On November 6, the federal government released their latest report from the Canadian Pain Task Force, an external advisory group working to help Health Canada understand and address the needs of people who live with chronic pain better. The CPA contributed to the consultation on which the task force report is based and looks forward to continuing to contribute to the work of the task force as it seeks to improve access to treatment and build capacity to better understand, prevent, and manage chronic pain. Read the full report here.
     
  • The CPA is continuing to lobby the federal government for new investments in community and home-based care, funding to promote healthy and active aging, student loan forgiveness for physiotherapists working in rural and remote communities, and the infrastructure needed for all Canadians to access virtual care. The CPA met with the office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to discuss these issues, as well as our recommendations that the government extend the moratorium on Canada Student Loan payments and expand eligibility of CEBA and CEWS to help sole-proprietors and contract workers qualify under federal COVID-19 support programs.
     

 October 2020

  • The federal government recently updated a number of supports for individuals and businesses related to COVID-19.
     
  • The CPA is asking the federal government to extend the payment and interest accrual moratorium on the Canada Student Loan Program (CSLP) it provided in the first part of the COVID-19 pandemic. This support measure expired in October and the CPA has engaged with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Disability Inclusion to advocate for it to be reinstated. This is a key measure that will support recent physiotherapy graduates and interns who have had clinical placements delayed due to public health closures, reduced capacities of clinics, delays of surgeries, and delays to challenge their clinical exam, all related to COVID-19. We sent this letter to the Minister and met with the Minister’s Office. As the government considers further COVID-19 supports, anyone struggling with CSLP payments during this time should apply for the Repayment Assistance Plan, which may provide some individual relief from payments at this time.
     

 September 2020

  • As a member of the Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition (EHPC), the CPA co-developed a letter addressed to Prime Minister Trudeau calling for regulated health professionals to be authorized to remain open and accessible to Canadians who require their services during future pandemic closures, such as the expected second wave of COVID-19. This critical advocacy is being undertaken collectively with other regulated health care professions to ensure a strong an unified voice on this issue with governments at all levels.
     
  • On September 23, 2020, Parliament returned for the Speech from the Throne (SFT) and the new fall session. In advance of the SFT, the CPA has been advocating for federal investments to better meet the needs of Canada’s aging population and improve nationwide access to physiotherapy.
     
  • The CPA has engaged with the Prime Minister, Ministers of Finance, Health, Seniors, Employment, Workforce and Disabilities, and Small Business, as well as leaders of the opposition parties and their health critics to call for new investments in the following areas:
    – Community and home-based care;
    – Student loan forgiveness for physiotherapists working in rural and remote communities;
    – Infrastructure needed for all Canadians to equitably access virtual care; and
    – Additional supports needed due to the impact of COVID-19.
     

 August 2020

  • The CPA is engaging with the federal government before the fall 2020 session of parliament begins in September to advocate for new investments in community and home-based care, student loan forgiveness for physiotherapists working in rural and remote communities, and the infrastructure needed for all Canadians to access virtual care.
     
  • A letter was sent to the Finance Minister, The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, which outlines the CPA’s priorities for the next federal budget and emphasizes the financial supports our members still need to see action on in order to ensure that they are included in the government’s COVID-19 response package.
     
  • The CPA also submitted a pre-budget brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as they begin engaging with stakeholders on the development of the 2021 federal budget. This submission proposes recommendations on investments the federal government should make to meet the needs of Canada’s aging population and improve nationwide access physiotherapy.
     
  • The CPA is also leading advocacy with the Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition (a coalition of 11 national professional health and social organizations) calling on governments to allow regulated health professionals to remain open during future pandemic closures, such as during the expected second wave of COVID-19. This critical advocacy is being undertaken collectively with other professions to ensure a strong and unified voice on this issue with governments at all levels.
     

 July 2020

  • The CPA participated in the recent study of the Canadian response to the outbreak of the coronavirus undertaken by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health. We submitted this policy brief to the committee, outlining the core recommendations from the CPA on how to strengthen the health system in response to COVID-19.