Health files
This week’s round-up of who is saying what on public health care features federal health transfers and privatization.
Canada health transfers
“There’s no silver bullet for what ails us, but . . . there are plenty of things that can be done, intentionally, systematically, to bring us back from the brink. . . More money without a plan isn’t a sustainable path forward.” – Economist Armine Yalnizian, following premiers’ demand for more federal funding with no accountability, Toronto Star, July 20
“. . . as long as both the provinces and the feds can deflect responsibility, no one gets held to account.” – Globe and Mail political reporter Campbell Clark, July 11
“. . . there’s a case to be made that the provinces will need more money in future . . . But it must be accompanied by clearer provincial accountability for the results. Experience teaches that otherwise any increase in funds is likely to be dissipated in higher pay for provider groups, rather than improving care. . .If the provinces don’t want to answer to Uncle Ottawa for how they run their health care systems, they can’t also depend on it for their allowance.” – Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne, July 13
Privatization
“. . .The foundation of medicare is a noble notion: No one should be denied essential health care because of an inability to pay. . . Today, too many Canadians are being denied essential health care – or at least timely access to it. That is an unacceptable breach of the social contract. Whether it is a violation of the Charter may matter to lawyers, but it doesn’t matter to a patient living with excruciating pain for months because their surgery has been delayed. It’s great that Canada has grand principles like equitable access to care for all. But we must give life to those principles.” – Globe and Mail health columnist André Picard, July 15
“It’s not about wait lists and wait times. It’s about profit and the ability for surgeons to double bill both private insurance companies and also the public system at the same time . . .A two-tier system would increase waiting times, because it would give surgeons incentives to work in the private system, thus creating longer waits for those who can’t afford to pay, particularly marginalized people, people with disabilities, seniors and people of colour.” – Adrienne Yeung, co-chair of the B.C. Health Coalition, Vancouver Sun, July 15. The BC coalition was an intervener in the case of Dr. Brian Day in the decision by B.C.’s top court to uphold the ban on private health care, July 15
Liberal-NDP deal for dental care
“I made it really clear to the prime minister directly that this has to happen. There’s just no option for them. This has to happen. The deal stands on this.” – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on the Liberals commitment to bring in dental care in 2022, Toronto Star, Aug 8, 2022
