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The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed Cambie Surgeries Corporation’s attempt to overturn the BC Medicare Protection Act.
“Canadians will always defend and work to build a health care system that is accessible, universal not for profit,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “This ruling should be a lesson that Canadians will not accept a two-tier health care system where the kind of care you get is determined by your wealth.”
The Act ensures that access to medically necessary services is based on patients’ needs, not their ability to pay. The Court upheld provisions in the Act that prohibit doctors from extra billing patients or working in “dual practice” to prevent them from giving preferential access to patients who can afford to pay privately.
“Congratulations to the BC Health Coalition, patients, doctors, and health care advocates who joined the legal battle more than ten years ago to defend a public health care system,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Our health care system is and will always be based on care needed for patients and not their ability to pay.”
The Supreme Court of Canada's decision upholds previous decisions made by the BC Supreme Court and the BC Court of Appeal, which found that a duplicate private-pay health care system would increase wait times in the public system and cause harm to all who depend on it.
The union will continue to advocate for an accessible, equitable and publicly-funded health care system.
