The federal government has begun imposing financial sanctions on Canada Life after months of outcry from public servants, retirees and their families who were left fighting for medical claims to be covered.
Posted: Apr 26, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
A spokesperson for the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada said she hopes the sanctions will serve as a warning to motivate change, but said they're only a first stab at fixing what's wrong. Pamela Isfeld, president of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers , said her members are frustrated and angry about delays in coverage outside Canada.
"But as the representative of 2,000 foreign service officers here in Canada, we still have the same problem with the lack of an adequate health insurance plan, especially abroad and especially in the U.S. where the problems are the worst," Isfeld added. "That still needs to be fixed." The couple was in a remote region preparing for a hiking excursion when Rioux began suffering abdominal pain. It was getting worse and worse, so she went to a clinic where nurses decided to send her to the closest hospital by air for an emergency operation.
Rioux said she feels powerless and trapped because nothing she's tried seems to work, leaving her with "no escape." The union has also filed a policy grievance with the Treasury Board. The document, which was obtained by Radio-Canada, states that the switch to a new insurance provider violates the collective agreement because it "doesn't take account of the members' rights to a functioning health insurance system.
"We are working daily with Canada Life to make it understand that the company it subcontracted for international coverage must improve the situation and ensure that contractual obligations are respected to the letter," Treasury Board President Anita Anand said in a written statement.President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand speaks during a news conference, in Ottawa on Jan. 29.
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