In March 2000, Clement delivered a wide-ranging speech to the Empire Club in Toronto, carefully explaining his belief in the need to expand choices for people in Ontario. He argued that churches, temples and charities could provide better social services at lower expense compared to shoddy government services at greater expense - a precursor to George W. Bush's "faith-based initiatives." He also called for increased choice in our education system, just weeks after Mike Harris promised to oppose funding for private schools, for private universities so that students could demand meaningful accountability, and for environmental policies that "allow the market to decide, or choose how it can best achieve the air quality targets set by government rather than being told how to do so." Finally, Clement lauded the move in Oregon to put health care priorities on a ballot and to allow citizens to choose what to fund. "Why not let the people ration, if rationing is the best that public delivery of health care can manage?" he asked. When he became Health Minister, that comment - and his fierce defence of 'choice in health care' - would lead the opposition (and much of the media) to dub him "Two-Tier Tony."

Harris and Clement both must have expected an explosion to accompany his appointment to the new position. Clement was certainly more right-wing than his predecessor, Elizabeth Witmer, and his close links to the Canadian Alliance left many wondering what Harris had planned for health. The anticipated controversy didn't take long to materialize.

As Health Minister, Clement secretly flew to the United Kingdom to meet with Conservative leader William Hague and tour the two-tier National Health Services. Days later, Harris told reporters that "we are looking at what roles the private sector can play, whether they can do things more efficiently, more effectively, better service, better price." Asked to clarify his position on two-tier care, Clement responded that "You can't go around with your head in the sand and look at health care and the growing advances and new technologies and escalation in costs and not be looking at other jurisdictions, including Britain." In June, Clement told the Ontario Pharmacists Association that instead of continuing to provide free prescription drugs to people over 65, the government was considering making the program contingent on income. "If that's what society deems to be the most important thing," Clement was quoted as saying, "free drugs for the richest generation in the history of the world -I guess that's the consensus. I am questioning the consensus."

The Health Minister is currently undertaking a province-wide consultation on the future of health care, claiming that the federal commission headed by Roy Romanow will not report quickly enough. However, when the first stage of consultation - a brochure and questionnaire mailed to every home in the province - was unveiled, health care experts denounced the exercise as superficial andself-promoting. As the consultation ends, Clement will likely be positioned to claim a mandate to impose greater privatization, user fees, extra-billing, reduced services or queue-jumping on the Ontario public. Judging from his past actions, he won't hesitate.

Cover Story on the Romanow Commission
Romanow Commission: Facts & Details
OHC Conference: Convergence December 1st 2001
OHC Day of Action: October 24
Health "Consultations" Panned
Province's Long Term Care PR a Slap to Seniors
"Two-Tier Tony" - Profile of Health Minister Tony Clement
How YOU Can Help Save Medicare: Become a Campaign Organizer!

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