Editorial & Commentary

HARPER'S CHALLENGE

Editorial

With the release of the Alberta government's 18-page white paper entitled Health Policy Framework, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper faces his first serious challenge in office.

     Among other things, the Klein government's 10-point plan would allow doctors to work inside and outside the medicare system. Writing in the The Globe and Mail the day after the report was released, columnist John Ibbitson exclaimed that it "marks the beginning of the end of medicare as practiced in Canada."

     Although the editorial writers at The Globe and Mail have been sympathetic to demands for more private health care, they were alarmed at the prospect of Klein's attempt to reshape health-care in Canada. "He should take his parallel system off the table soon," they insisted.

     Meanwhile the Harper Conservatives say they are "studying" the white paper. But Harper must know Klein's proposal subverts the Canada Health Act. And he promised to safeguard that law during the last campaign. Were these empty promises? Time will tell. But one thing is clear: Klein's proposals would obliterate our single-payer system.

     But the release of the white paper shouldn't come as a total surprise. Klein and others have been vehement in their demand for allowing more private health care. This vehemence often translates into bizarre language. One example: Former Reform Party leader Preston Manning recently called Canada's medicare system a "dictatorship." With this sort of approach --is it any wonder our health care debates frequently end up in a swamp of clichés, spin, and bitter acrimony?

     But in the midst of the debate on health care it's critical to look at some facts. Take the findings of a 2004 comparative heath care study by University of Toronto professor Dr. Colleen Flood. She currently holds the federal research chair in health policy and law. According to Dr. Flood, a two-tier system of health care hasn't been effective in other countries: "Countries that allow the free movement of physicians between public and private systems, like the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, have big problems with waiting lists. In such countries, patient wait times have actually increased," she says.

     Harper will likely praise some of the intricacies in the Klein government's white paper (like allowing people to pay for quicker access to hip and knee replacements). But he may draw the line on permitting doctors to practice inside and outside the public system. If he doesn't --we may indeed see the end of Canada's single-payer health system. That should send shock waves through the county. More importantly, it should prompt an emergency debate in the House of Commons.

     Premier Ralph Klein might be playing games with his recent white paper. Proposing that doctors can straddle both the private and public systems might be a smokescreen to sneak through other changes. Still the proposal is on the table, and Harper has remained silent. His response --when it comes-- will be a defining moment in the life of his government and the country.