The frontrunners in the provincial election nearly met face-to-face Thursday, as they released their plans to address emergency wait times, while the NDP announced plans to support municipalities.
In Calgary Thursday morning, PC Leader Alison Redford and Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith both toured the South Health Campus Hospital in Calgary, and both released their party's plans to address health care issues.
Smith announced guarantees for major surgery wait times, and plans to increase capacity in the healthcare system and encourage competition, by allowing a combination of public and private delivery of healthcare services.
"It means an end to bullying, queue jumping and bureaucratic paralysis that have been shameful hallmarks of healthcare under the PCs," Smith said. "Our Wildrose prescription for healthcare is innovative, practical and affordable.
"It will liberate doctors and nurses from suffocating red tape, and bureaucracy so they can do what they do best, treat patients."
The Wildrose platform would cost an estimated $180 million per year.
Meanwhile, Redford proposed fast-tracked emergency rooms, which would put patients with easily identifiable emergency ailments such as broken arms and burns, through the screening process quicker.
"It's not about more money, but it's about doing things differently," Redford said. "You know, when I ran for leader last year and in the last six months, we've been about doing things differently.
"If we are looking at a facility that already exists, [its estimated] it could cost up to $2.5 million to renovate in order to allow this to happen, certainly in terms of physical structure."
Redford billed the concept as a faster treatment, and faster return home for patients.
Liberal Leader Raj Sherman was quick to comment on Redford's announcement, sarcastically calling the fast-tracked emergency rooms a "Fantastic idea," and said the PC platform is essentially pitching a new word for ‘triage'.
New Democratic Party Leader Brian Mason slammed both the Wildrose and PC platforms.
"The Conservatives have no credibility left when it comes to emergency room wait times," Mason said. "You can't trust the Conservatives on our healthcare system.
"Danielle Smith and the Wildrose are at least honest in saying that they want American-style private, two-tier healthcare."
Mason commented after announcing his party's plan to help communities and neighbourhoods.
The NDP platform included an annual 50 per cent funding boost for LRT and transit, increased funding for schools in mature neighbourhoods and a $50 million fund to support mature neighbourhoods.
Their platform also included a tax cut for small businesses.
With files from Sonia Sunger
