|
Ontario Health Coalition
|
ACTION
|
Medicare is increasingly under attack by social and economic elites. An unprecedented threat is The Chaoulli case that will be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada on June 8, 2004, alleging Medicare is unconstitutional. Joining the case to ask the Supreme Court to open the door to a full-fledged private health insurance system in Canada is a group of 10 senators, led by Senator Michael Kirby and a group of for-profit health corporations. The plaintiffs in the case are Jacques Chaoulli, a doctor, and George Zeliotis. They alleged that the lack of timely access to provincially insured health care services, coupled with legislative restrictions on access to private care, amounted to a violation of section 7 of the Charter. This argument was rejected in two lower courts in Quebec.
If the Supreme Court grants the appeal, it will find the legislation governing Québec's public health insurance and hospital system to be unconstitutional. A Supreme Court decision of this nature would apply to all jurisdictions in Canada. Some jurisdictions, including Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario & Québec, are currently exploring options to establish a second tier of for-profit health care. Once the door is open, and a legislature invites in private for-profit and foreign investors in health care, the reservations and protection in the international trade agreements would be null and void. This would sound the death knell for Medicare.
Click here for pictures of the action
.For more information: Natalie Mehra 416-441-2502
Ontario Health Coalition
15 Gervais Drive, Suite 305
Toronto, Ontario M3C 1Y8
www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca
phone: 416-441-2502
fax: 416-441- 4073
email:ohc@sympatico.ca
Click here to return to the OHC Home Page.