palliser Friends of Medicare May Disband

On November 3rd, at Taylor Hall (St. John’s Church) from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the Palliser Friends of Medicare (PFOM) will hold its Annual General Meeting. It may be the last one. 

2025 AGM, Taylor Hall St John’s Church

My fellow Co-Chair and I will not be standing for re-election. We are not alone, a number of our board members are fatigued as well. For a long time, the board of this chapter has been the same four or five people. They have marched, written letters, made phone calls, and organized events for years.

If  nobody steps up at this meeting, the Palliser Friends of Medicare will disband; we will not have enough board members to keep going.

Most people join because they or their family members have had health issues and they want to make health care better. This past year has been very stressful with a new disaster around every corner with privatization, for profit clinics popping up and people who can afford to jump the queue for diagnostic imaging and treatment. 

A Call for Fresh Energy

We are asking for fresh energy. We need people who care about public healthcare to carry the fight forward, our board has served long enough. I am the shortest serving board member with only 5 years. We are tired, we have been running on fumes. 

To be eligible for the board, you must be a Friends of Medicare member in good standing. You automatically become a member when you make a donation of:

Individuals - $20

Low income, unemployed, and under-employed individuals - $5

Organizations - $25

Memberships can be purchased anytime, including at the AGM.

The Details

Here are the board positions that will need to be filled, a new board can decide if they want to have one person wear more than one hat. We created the co-chair positions because it was too much for one person who was getting fatigued. A new board can eliminate that position.

• Chair

• Treasurer

• Secretary 

• Membership 

In the past we had someone report on concerns of the different health care fields (paramedics, nurses, etc) but that person was not able to continue.

Time Commitment

We currently meet once a month, taking summers off. Meetings typically last for 60-90 minutes. We meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 10am but the board can decide to change that.

Events that the chapter organizes will require an additional time commitment.

For the chairs, there are provincial FOM zoom meetings 6 times a year.  These meetings typically last 60-90 minutes.

Upcoming Important Dates

PFOM Regular Meeting 

10am Oct 13

Medicine Hat Public Library

Legion Room (downstairs)

AGM

Tuesday, November 3 @ 7:00pm

Speakers to follow - the subject this year is Indigenous Health Care (or Lack Thereof)

St. John's Presbyterian Church (504 2 St SE)

Provincial FOM zoom meeting

Nov 18 2026, 6:00pm