CALGARY: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) announced today effective immediately, the Centre for Aboriginal Policy Change will fold into the new Policy Reform Division. The primary focus of the new division will be on aboriginal and health care advocacy.

"Health care shares similarities with our work on aboriginal policy in three ways: both are significant taxpayer issues. Both have few - if any voices opposing the status quo, and both require a consistent, dedicated and long term commitment to change," stated Troy Lanigan, national communications director.

The Policy Reform Division will track policy and court developments in the country and provide both proactive and reactive input and commentary. In addition, the Division will regularly publicize wait times and medical mishap stories to regional media where events unfold.

"The creation of the Centre for Aboriginal Policy Change allowed us to successfully focus our message and advocacy under one policy umbrella. Now we want to expand this formula to a broader range of issues like health care. The Policy Reform Division will provide us with the needed flexibility," said the Division's director, Tanis Fiss.

"It is hard to believe, but a grassroots advocacy and research organization that is dedicated to monitor, research and provide alternatives from the taxpayer's perspective to current health policy and aboriginal issues did not currently exist in Canada," concluded Fiss.

The Policy Reform Division is a subsidiary of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). The CTF is Canada's leading taxpayer advocacy organization. With offices in five provincial capitals, Ottawa and our new Policy Reform Division in Calgary, the CTF fights for lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.