Advocates demand conditional federal health funding to prevent private care expansion
Over 100 protesters gathered outside a premiers' meeting in Charlottetown urging Ottawa to attach strings to health funding and block Alberta's plan to allow private surgical procedures.
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More than 100 health advocates gathered outside a premiers' meeting in Charlottetown this week, urging the federal government to increase health funding while imposing conditions on how provinces spend it—specifically to block Alberta's plan to allow physicians to offer privately paid surgical procedures this fall.
Friends of Medicare director Chris Galloway warned that federal funding without strings could enable provinces like Alberta to dismantle the public system. "Ottawa shouldn't give a blank cheque that could allow provinces to dismantle the public system," he said.
Alberta is inviting surgeons to apply this summer to charge patients for elective procedures like hip and knee replacements outside their publicly funded practice. Provincial officials argue the status quo isn't working because too many Albertans sit in queue too long for surgery.
Galloway argues universal public health care distinguishes Canada from the U.S. and is worth protecting. Canadian Health Coalition chair Jason MacLean said Prime Minister Mark Carney should prioritize health care as crucial to nation building. "The spending in health care hasn't been keeping up with inflation year after year after year," MacLean said. "Therefore, provinces or premiers are coming to the decision, 'well, maybe we can do better in the private sector.' That's not true."
Premiers gathered at a Charlottetown hotel are discussing health care and other national issues. Carney is scheduled to meet with the premiers Thursday. Premier Danielle Smith did not speak to reporters before entering the meeting.
