Alberta Patient Stands Up to Government Prohibition of Health Insurance

OTTAWA & EDMONTON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded favourably to the court case launched today by the Canadian Constitutional Foundation, on behalf of Calgary resident Bill Murray, challenging the Alberta law forbidding citizens from purchasing private health insurance.

Mr. Murray was not only denied the opportunity to receive a Birmingham hip replacement, Alberta law denies all Albertans the right to purchase private health insurance that would have helped cover the cost of his surgery.

“We applaud Mr. Murray for standing up against this injustice rather than simply going quietly into the night. Denying an individual medical treatment while also making it illegal to purchase health insurance is unconscionable and completely unacceptable in a free and democratic society,” said CTF federal director John Williamson.

The Murray v. Alberta case seeks to replicate the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Chaoulli v. Quebec, which struck down a Quebec law forbidding the purchase of private health insurance on the grounds that it violated the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The Alberta government recently scrapped plans to allow Albertans to purchase complimentary private health insurance. The Chaoulli ruling is only applicable to the province of Quebec and the Murray case will seek to enshrine similar rights in the rest of Canada, beginning in Alberta.

“The Chaoulli case properly ruled when the medicare monopoly system results in waiting lines, Quebecers have the right to spend their after-tax dollars on their own health care,” said CTF Alberta director Scott Hennig. “Albertans can’t be blamed for wanting those same rights.”

“Canadians are well ahead of their government when it comes to health reform,” stated Mr. Hennig. “Enough is enough. How many more people must sit and suffer on government waitlists before politicians remove this archaic ban on private health insurance? Canada’s health care system must change. The only other nations that ban private medical services and private medical insurance are Cuba and North Korea.”

John Williamson
Federal Director
Canadian Taxpayers Federation