Accusing the provincial government of bullying the Alberta Pharmacists Association (APA) into accepting an unfair deal in the recent budget with over $150 million worth of funding being cut, pharmacists in Alberta are rallying to have their voices heard.

Pharmacists in major cities across the province staged marches looking for signatures to send to the NDP government demanding change.

About 30 people walked to Red Deer city hall Thursday, including pharmacist and business owner Jennifer Fookes, who says the APA recommended about 40 solutions to the government regarding their issues, of which she says, none were implemented.

“Pharmacists provide care from birth to death, from cradle to the grave, so pharmacists see what the public has to pay for and what they get and pharmacists also see the private side of things. So I think pharmacists are a great group to engage, we’re problem solvers, we have big hearts and great math skills, however we have not been engaged on that level.”

Fookes says not only could this affect patients by increasing wait times, prices, and the quality of services provided, but students currently working to complete the minimum 6 year course to become a pharmacists are having to look elsewhere for work.

“We have students already expressing concern that they are the most highly trained pharmacists in Canada, yet their job prospects are bleak. In a group of five pharmacists that we sat down with two, of them were uncertain about whether they would have positions at the end of the week. These cuts are real, and massive.”

The proposed changes are set to be implemented on May 17th, but this group hopes to have their voices heard before then, with rally's taking place in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge on Thursday.

You can find a copy of their petition at any local pharmacy in Alberta. The proposed changes come into effect may 17th.