Establishment of an all-party cancer caucus in Alberta

The objectives of the Alberta All-Party Cancer Caucus will be to:

• Bring together MLAs from all parties, CCSN and patient and caregiver representatives three times a year to discuss issues related to cancer and healthcare in Alberta. These issues may include those raised by patient and caregiver representatives, CCSN or MLAs themselves. Part of this discussion will be looking at solutions of issues and how to actualize them.
• Provide training to patient and caregiver representatives to ensure a level playing field. The objectives of this training include increasing the ability of patients and caregivers to interact with politicians and other decision makers and increasing their skills to make presentations about issues important to them.

Overall outcomes of working with an All-Party Cancer Caucus will include:

• The identification of cancer and other healthcare issues in Alberta and sharing of information about these issues among parties, MLAs, CCSN and patients.
• Increased awareness in all parties about these cancer and related healthcare issues, including lack of access to treatment and medication and ways in which the detrimental impact on patients, caregivers and survivors can be ameliorated.
• Increased awareness about CCSN, its activities and services and what it can offer to MLAs, governments, patients, survivors and caregivers.
• The involvement of trained patient and caregiver representatives in the identification of issues, including the presentation of information on these issues during Caucus meetings.
• Increased involvement of patients and caregivers in the political process in Alberta.
• If appropriate, information on issues and outcomes discussed will be made available to other MLAs, including the government in power, and the patient community in Alberta and country wide.
• Issues raised by patients, caregivers and MLAs will be used to inform CCSN’s questions to be sent to parties and all candidates during the next provincial election.