After some significant backlash over the flyer pictured above, our newsroom asked Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar Member of Parliament Kelly Block if she stands behind the flyer.

"I am standing behind the policy. Which is what I was trying to highlight in this flyer. It was never meant to be offensive. I think it's highlighting an important policy change that people in my riding were asking me about."

The health and immigration critic for the Saskatchewan N-D-P is slamming Block, and the policy change. Cam Broten accuses Block of trying to stir up anti-refugee sentiment.

But Block and the federal government are billing this change is as an end to free vision and dental care for refugees whose status is either pending, or declined.

"I believe that we should not be providing services to pending and rejected refugee claimants that Canadians don't receive," Block said.

But Broten says it's about more than free eyeglasses, "It's people fighting cancer. It's about moms pregnant with babies. That's the kind of care people are missing now because of these changes."

Broten says in one case he's aware of, a refugee with a life-threatening disease has had to enlist the help of a charity in order to access essential medication.

Block does say that hospital visits and other critical care is covered for these refugee claimants, and the change only impacts supplementary health care services.

(pb oct 16/12)