CBC Online interview with Council Health Campaigner Anil Nadoo (6 minutes)

Edmonton - The Council of Canadians is calling on the federal government to take Medicare off life support and champion a stronger, expanded public healthcare program.

"Today the Council of Canadians is putting Rock, Chretien and the Premiers on notice - we will not stand on the sidelines while they play political football with our healthcare system," said Anil Naidoo, Healthcare Campaigner for the Council of Canadians. "Instead of joining the ideologues and the 'willfully ignorant' who prioritize radical tax cuts over universal health care, Rock and Chretien need to forcefully signal their intention to enforce the Canada Health Act."

The Council's call comes the same day the Alberta government released a report calling for user fees and delisting of services in Alberta, both of which would violate the Canada Health Act. The report was commissioned by Alberta Premier Ralph Klein from a panel led by Don Mazankowski, former Deputy Prime Minister and one-time Minister of Privatization under Brian Mulroney. Mazankowski also sits on the board of Great West Lifeco. Inc, a major private health insurance provider.

"Anyone who tells you that privatising the system will save money is either stupid or they're lying," said Naidoo. "Privatising healthcare really means adding profit, advertising, huge executive salaries, stock options and dramatically greater administrative costs. Canada spends about half as much on healthcare per capita than the predominantly private U.S. system, where 15% of the population have no coverage. Our system is not only more just, it's cheaper and more efficient."

Specifically, the Council is calling on the Federal government to respond to the Mazankowski report by: ensuring that Alberta does not violate the Canada Health Act; and restoring the federal contribution to healthcare spending back to an earmarked 50 per cent. All federal funds must go wholly to increased health care spending and not be diverted into general provincial spending or used to fund unsustainable and ideologically driven tax cuts.

The Council is also concerned that further privatization will trigger international trade deals which could lock us in to for-profit healthcare delivery and make it illegal for future governments to reverse it.

The Council of Canadians will be launching its national healthcare campaign next month.

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