Press Release

Toronto (.pdf version)  As Ontario’s new Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins sits down with provincial and territorial Health Ministers for their fall meeting this week, experts and patient advocates hope that he’ll carry a strong message. Across Canada advocates are calling on the B.C.…Read More

VICTORIA - The BC Health Coalition and Canadian Doctors for Medicare welcome the possible resolution of a charter challenge to public health care law launched by for-profit clinic owner Dr. Brian Day.…Read More

Patients, doctors, health groups join in court battle with for-profit clinic seeking US-style system Vancouver, BC - Today a group of patients, doctors and health care advocates won the right to present expert evidence defending Canadian health care in the BC Supreme Court case against clinic owner Brian Day. This court battle will determine the future of Canadian public health care.…Read More

BC public health care advocates applaud Alberta court ruling upholding ban on private payment for health care BC to face similar, but broader, constitutional challenge this year Public health care advocates in B.C. are celebrating an Alberta Court of Queen's Bench decision to uphold the province's ban on private health insurance for medically necessary services. The court was not persuaded that wait times in Alberta are linked to the province's ban on private insurance that duplicates what is covered under Medicare.…Read More

More innovation required, say public health care advocates Victoria - The BC Health Coalition says that the 2014 budget is inadequate when it comes to taking the necessary steps toward improving the public system and ensuring its sustainability. "In an era of federal government health care cuts and abandonment of national standards, it is more important than ever for B.C. to take proactive measures to steward our public health care system properly," said BC Health Coalition co-chair Rick Turner of today's budget, which projects a reduction in real health care spending.…Read More

Constitutional Challenge to Medicare trial with start September 8, 2014. Dr. Brian Day, owner of Vancouver’s for-profit Cambie Surgery Centre and the leading proponent of privatized health care, has launched a constitutional challenge to break Medicare via the courts and establish a US-style system in Canada. Parties in the case are calling this the most significant constitutional challenge in Canadian history. …

Coalition questions government's stewardship of seniors' care, points to little progress made on B.C. Ombudsperson's recommendations, no focus on seniors' care in 2013 budget Vancouver — The BC Health Coalition is expressing frustration that the seniors' advocate legislation tabled yesterday will not create an advocate that is independent of government. "Last year the Ministry of Health consulted seniors and other stakeholders on their priorities for an advocate position, and independence was a clear top priority," says BC Health Coalition co-chair Rick Turner.…Read More

Victoria — The BC Health Coalition says that the 2013 budget does not take the necessary steps toward improving seniors' care nor ensuring the long term sustainability of the public health care system. "B.C. needs a system that is there to care for our aging population, yet there is little evidence in this budget to suggest our government intends to take serious action on seniors' care," said BC Health Coalition co-chair Rick Turner of today's budget, which projects a reduction in real health care spending.…Read More

Joint letter sent to Premier Clark in advance of July 25-27 Council of the Federation meeting in Halifax warns that public health care will suffer without Ottawa's coordination The BC Health Coalition, Canadian Doctors for Medicare and the Council of Canadians are urging Premier Clark to work with her provincial counterparts to call the federal government to the health care negotiating table.…Read More

The new Health Care Innovation Working Group announced at this week's Council of theFederation meeting is an opportunity for the provinces to build on the many positive publicsolutions that make Medicare stronger and avoid unaffordable for-profit care, says the BCHealth Coalition. "The provinces must look for ways to build the capacity of public non-profit health care deliveryand protect the great gains in equality, access, fairness and efficiency that are the hallmark ofour public health care system," said BC Health Coalition co-chair Rachel Tutte.…Read More