LETHBRIDGE – The Klein government has a long track record of under-funding essential health services – but, recently, the Chinook Health Region in southern Alberta has been particularly hard hit.

In response, UNA Locals in the Region ran a series of three hard-hitting newspaper ads to protest the impact of budget cuts.

"What is our Health Region’s first priority… meeting the health care needs of Southern Albertans… or the BUDGET demands from Edmonton?" read one of the ads.

The Chinook Region’s business plan approved by the Health Minister Gary Mar in June included layoffs of 144 Full-Time Equivalents, which would affect well over 200 health employees. But after a public outcry over closed hospitals and beds earlier in the summer, the Region amended its plans, but the layoffs grew to 173 FTEs.

The Chinook Region is closing whole hospitals and large parts of hospitals, in a number of southern Alberta communities: Pincher Creek, Fort MacLeod, Coaldale, Picture Butte, and others.

"You can’t make cuts this severe without significantly reducing the health services you provide," Heather Smith, president of UNA said at a news conference in Lethbridge. "This bottom-line approach to health care is going to have an impact on the citizens of this Region."

Chinook is the only Alberta Health Region that announced such drastic layoffs with its budget cuts.

"Nurses want to know why this particular part of the province is the one that is cutting so deeply," said Linda Bridge, an RN at the Lethbridge Regional Hospital and President of the United Nurses of Alberta Local.

"Why is Chinook hit so hard by the budget crunch? When the provincial government asks Chinook to cut its budget, do they simply reply: ‘How low should Chinook go?’ Are they really standing up for the health services we need in Southern Alberta?" Linda Bridge asked.

"Will individuals and their families be obliged to pick up more and more of the costs in these types of facilities," Heather Smith asked. "We don’t think Albertans believe safe, high quality care for our seniors should only be for those who can afford it."