OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Today’s federal budget increases federal spending on health care but does not respect basic Canadian values on health care delivery. The Council of Canadians believes that this budget, which integrates the recent health care accord, will facilitate the move toward increased privatisation and profit in the Canadian health care system.

"By not ensuring new programs are delivered under the Canada Health Act, the health care accord has undermined the Act. Our politicians have ensured a future for private health care and the profiting from sickness and injury in Canada," said Maude Barlow, Voluntary Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "Much of the increased health care dollars in this budget will be going to corporate profits rather than delivery of care, all Canadians should be outraged by this sell-out."

The issue of private, for-profit delivery in our health care system was not discussed during the First Ministers’ meeting earlier this month. This has been the most contentious issue in the debate on the future of health care in Canada and was clearly denounced by thousands of Canadians who presented before the Romanow Commission.

"For the First Ministers to not address profit at their meeting is essentially giving a green light to privatisation," says Anil Naidoo, Health Care Campaigner for the Council of Canadians. "The federal government has sacrificed Canadian values in order to get a deal. The cost of this deal was too high and we will be paying for years to come."

Commissioner Romanow explicitly called for new programs such as home care to be included under an expanded Canada Health Act. In his most recent speech, Roy Romanow called on individual Canadians to take the lead and "ensure public delivery is protected". The Council of Canadians helped organise the recent People’s Summit on Health Care to do just this.

"The action plan that was designed by the 400 delegates to the People’s Summit is committed to protecting our public health care system," said Barlow. "Our politicians and the corporate sector should be warned, Canadians are not going to stand idly by while profit is made from pain. We are ready to challenge you at every street corner."

The Council of Canadians stands with the other organisers of the People’s Summit and with Canadians across the country in our desire to ensure a healthy future for public health care in Canada.

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